Alliant Credit Union stands out with its higher savings account interest rate and extensive ATM network, along with the absence of overdraft fees. However, First Technology Federal Credit Union offers the advantage of physical branch locations and a slightly better customer satisfaction score. The choice depends on individual priorities, such as the importance of branch access versus higher savings yields and lower fees.
| Attribute | First Technology Federal Credit Union | Alliant Credit Union |
|---|---|---|
| Membership eligibility requirements | Employees or family members of employees of partner technology companies, employees of the State of Oregon, people who live or work in Lane County, Oregon, members of the Computer History Museum, or members of the Financial Fitness Association. It's possible to qualify even if you don't fit the above categories. Once a member, always a member. | Open to anyone via Alliant Credit Union Foundation membership (Alliant pays $5 donation), employee/retiree of qualifying company, family member of current member, or resident/worker in qualifying Chicagoland community. Non-US residents with SSN or ITIN eligible. |
| Interest rates on savings accounts | Membership Savings: 0.01% APY; Rewards Savings: Up to 3.00% APY; Instant Access Savings: APY up to 0.40% (tiered); Rewards Savings Account: APY up to 0.70% (tiered); Promotional Share Certificates: Up to 4.25% APY | High-Rate Savings: 3.10% APY (minimum $100 balance) |
| Interest rates on loans (auto, personal, mortgage) | Personal Loans: 7.89% - 18.00% APR (fixed-rate as low as 7.89% APR). Auto Loans and Mortgage Loans information not available. | Auto Loans: Starting APRs: New vehicles 6.09%, Used vehicles/refinancing 6.71%, Used cars (10+ years) 9.36%. Personal Loans: APRs 8.99%-11.99%. Mortgage Rates: Vary based on loan application data. |
| Fees for services (e.g., account maintenance, overdraft) | ATM Fees: $2.00 for non-First Tech/CO-OP ATMs, $5.00 for ATM deposit adjustments; Overdraft Fees: $33 per overdraft (up to 5 times/day); Wire Transfers: Incoming $5.00, Outgoing (Domestic) $20.00; Card Services: Card PIN Rush $20.00, Card Rush $20.00/$35.00; Consumer Loan Fees: Late Charge varies, Returned Check Payment Fee $33.00; Business Accounts: Monthly fees for Simple Business Checking ($6.00), Business Instant Access ($10.00), and Business Dividend Checking ($15.00) can be waived with minimum balances. Overdraft Transfer Fee: $4.00 per transfer from a business savings account. No monthly maintenance fees for personal accounts. | No overdraft fees, no monthly service fees or minimum balance for checking accounts. $1 monthly fee for paper statements for savings accounts. Early CD withdrawal fees apply. $10 early closure fee (if closed within 90 days of opening). |
| ATM network size and accessibility | Over 30,000 surcharge-free CO-OP ATMs nationwide; over 5,600 CO-OP Shared Branch locations in the U.S.; ATM Locator App available. | 80,000+ fee-free ATMs. Up to $20 monthly ATM fee rebates for out-of-network use with High-Rate Checking. |
| Online and mobile banking features | Mobile check deposit, online bill pay, card management, Zelle, fund transfers, account monitoring, card management, First Tech loan payments, branch/ATM locator, Balance Peek, Quick Login (PIN/fingerprint), secure messaging, online wire transfers. | Online and mobile banking tools. Mobile app features: check deposit, balance monitoring, bill pay, budgeting. |
| Customer service channels and responsiveness | 24/7 phone availability, social media contact, Message Center (7 days a week). | Phone (24/7 limited, full service M-F 7 AM - 8 PM CT, Sat-Sun 9 AM - 6 PM CT), online chat, secure messaging (response within 2 business days). |
| Branch locations and accessibility | 33 branch locations primarily in California, Washington, and Oregon, with some locations in Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, and Texas; expanded access at over 5,000 CO-OP Shared Branches. | Online-only credit union, no physical branches. |
| Loan options and terms | Personal Loans: $500 to $50,000, 6 months to 7 years (84 months), unsecured and secured options (savings-secured, certificate-secured, stock-secured); Personal Line of Credit: Up to $10,000; Stock Secured Loans, Certificate Secured Loans, Savings Secured Loans available. | Personal Loans: $1,000-$100,000 (12-60 month terms). Auto Loans: Terms up to 84 months. Mortgages: Fixed-rate, adjustable-rate, cash-out refinance, rate-and-term refinance. |
| Financial education resources | Resources for budgeting, saving, and understanding asset classes; personal finance advice and planning services; videos, articles, and calculators; partnerships with nonprofits. | Alliant Credit Union Foundation provides digital access resources to underserved communities. |
| Mobile app rating (iOS and Android) | 4.7 stars out of 5 on both iOS and Android. Requires iOS 15.0 or later, iPadOS 15.0 or later, macOS 12.0 or later (Mac with Apple M1 chip or later). | iOS: 4.7/5, Android: 4.5/5 |
| Customer satisfaction ratings | Overall Customer Satisfaction score of 63; Product Quality score: 3.1 out of 5; Net Promoter Score (NPS): -15; Employee Net Promoter Score: 24; Ranked in the top 4 of 50 banking institutions in an American Banker survey. | NPS: -16 (40% Promoters, 4% Passives, 56% Detractors), CSAT: 42, Product Quality: 2.3/5 |