Star One Credit Union Review 2024
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At a glance
CDs
Checking
MMA
About Bankrate Score
Overview
Star One Credit Union could be a good fit for consumers in eligible California counties looking for a feature-filled interest-bearing checking account and to avoid high fees.
Highlights
- Free Checking
- No Monthly Fees
- Reward Checking
Offers featured here have been sponsored by our partners, which impacts how, where, and in what order the products appear.
These are sponsored offers rated highly by us for competitive rates, fees, and minimums.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate Savings rating = 4.4/5
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate CD rating = 4.9/5
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate CD rating = 4.9/5
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
Offers featured here have been sponsored by our partners, which impacts how, where, and in what order the products appear.
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Overall
Star One Credit Union has been around for more than 60 years and is the largest credit union in Silicon Valley.
Though Star One branches are limited to the Silicon Valley area, it is part of a network of nearly 6,000 shared branches, which allow members to do their banking at partnered credit union locations. Plus, members get access to around 30,000 fee-free ATMs through the CO-OP network.
Star One’s checking accounts are standouts. They earn interest, there are no monthly fees and two of the checking accounts offer ATM surcharge refunds. On the other hand, Star One’s share certificate selection is limited, and it doesn’t offer the most competitive money market account rate.
Pros
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Minimum deposit requirements overall are low.
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There are no monthly service fees.
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All checking accounts earn interest.
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Members have access to digital features like voice banking through Amazon or Google voice devices.
Cons
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There’s a limited product selection available for savers.
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Higher rates on certificates and money market accounts are available elsewhere.
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Membership is limited to those in select counties in California or those who work with corporate partners of the credit union.
Star One Credit Union banking products
APY last updated between 5/7 and 5/13.
Star One Credit Union CD overview
The limited term options are ideal for savers looking for a temporary place to keep their cash, but savers with longer-term goals may want to seek out alternatives.
Star One doesn't offer any specialty certificates, such as a no-penalty or bump-up account.
Early withdrawals are subject to a penalty, which is higher than some other online banks and credit unions. On a six-month share certificate, the penalty is 90 days worth of dividends, and one- and two-year certificates are subject to a penalty of 180 days’ dividends.
Pros
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Certificate accounts can be opened online.
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Earned interest can be mailed or transferred to a Star One checking or savings account.
Cons
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Only three certificate terms are available.
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Star One doesn't offer any specialty certificates.
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Higher rates can be found elsewhere.
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See how rates for this account have changed over time. Select the CD term length from the dropdown and interact with the trend lines to view APY by date.
Star One Credit UnionAPYAPY last updated between 5/7 and 5/13.APYAPY last updated between 5/7 and 5/13.National average APYHow do we get this data?Bankrate independently tracks hundreds of APYs and product details for banking institutions nationwide. We retain the historical data of every rate we track in our database. If there are any gaps where we weren’t actively tracking a rate at the time, the graph will reflect the missing data.
Offers featured here have been sponsored by our partners, which impacts how, where, and in what order the products appear.
This is a sponsored offer rated 4 stars or higher for competitive rate, fees, and minimums.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate CD rating = 4.9/5
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
Bank fees
| Fee | Charged? |
|---|---|
| Overdraft fee | $15 |
| Non-sufficient funds fee | $15 |
| Account maintenance fees | None |
| ATM fee | Free for first 20 withdrawals each month; then $1 per withdrawal |
About Star One Credit Union
Star One Credit Union is one of Silicon Valley’s largest credit unions, providing service to more than 126,000 members nationwide.
The Sunnyvale, California-based credit union was founded in 1956 as the Lockheed Missile Employees Federal Credit Union, offering financial services and support to employees of the Lockheed Missiles and Space Division. Twenty-five years later, the credit union was renamed the LMSC Federal Credit Union and again in 1995 as Star One Federal Credit Union.
Star One Credit Union offers membership to residents of nine California counties, as well as employees of Lockheed Martin Corp. and dozens of other area employers.
Customer experience
Branch and ATM access. Star One Credit Union has six branches, all of which are located in California’s Silicon Valley region. Most locations have the same hours and a few are open on Saturdays. More than 5,600 shared branches are available plus nearly 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs available through the CO-OP network. Some ATMs accept deposits.
Customer service. Members who want to meet with a bank representative can schedule an appointment in advance online. Representatives are available over the phone from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific time, weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekends and most holidays. Customers can also fill out a web form for general questions.
Digital features. Fans of digital wallets can use Star One Visa debit and credit cards with Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. Other digital features include voice banking (a skill available through Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant or a Google voice device), Zelle, mobile check deposit and the ability to create balance alerts. The credit union’s app is highly rated.
Review methodology
We assign a score to each type of account and its features, weigh them carefully based on importance to account holders and determine an overall score. Read our full review methodology.
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