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Golden 1 Credit Union Review 2023

Updated September 14, 2023
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At a glance

3.7
Rating: 3.7 stars out of 5
Bankrate Score
Caret Down

CDs

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Checking

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Savings

Rating: 2.4 stars out of 5

MMA

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

About Bankrate Score

Overview

Those who live or work in California and are looking for a reliable credit union with a solid branch footprint and low fees may find Golden 1 a good fit for their banking needs.

Highlights

  • Free Checking
  • No Monthly Fees
Compare offers
Info
Bank logo
Member FDIC
Savings Account
4.60
%
APY
APY
Info
As of 11/29/2023
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
$0
Min. balance for APY
View offer Arrow Right
Promoted offer: No account fees & earn up to $250 w/ direct deposit. Terms apply.
Bank logo
Member FDIC
Savings Account
4.30
%
APY
APY
Info
As of 11/29/2023
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
$0
Min. balance for APY
View offer Arrow Right
Promoted offer: It only takes about 5 minutes to open a fee-free account.
Bank logo
Member FDIC
Savings Account
5.05
%
APY
APY
Info
As of 11/29/2023
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
$5,000
Min. balance for APY
View offer Arrow Right
Promoted offer: CIT Bank, a division of First Citizens, 125+ years of experience.

Overall

Golden 1 Credit Union is one of the largest credit unions in the U.S. and offers members a wide selection of products and services. Membership is open to those who live or work in California. Most accounts require a small amount to open, and many also feature low or no monthly fees.

Pros

  • Checkmark

    There are no monthly service fees for basic accounts such as Free Checking and Regular Savings.

  • Checkmark

    Members can access more than 30,000 in-network ATMs.

  • Checkmark

    Membership requirements are easy for those living or working in California.

Cons

  • Yields are not as attractive as at other top credit unions.

  • A fee is charged when over three in-branch savings account withdrawals take place in a month.

Golden 1 Credit Union banking products

2.4
Rating: 2.4 stars out of 5
Bankrate Score
Invest Rate
0.05% – 0.10% APY
Info
Loan
$1 minimum deposit to open

Golden 1 Credit Union savings overview

The Regular Savings Account establishes you as a member of Golden 1, and it requires only $1 to open and has no monthly maintenance fee. The account offers two balance tiers — the higher of which applies to accounts with $10,000 or more — although both rates are below the national average.

Golden 1 also offers Youth Savings, FlexSavings, Santa Saver and Coverdell Education Savings accounts, all of which require low opening deposits.

Pros

  • Checkmark

    The Regular Savings Account requires just $1 to open.

  • Checkmark

    There’s no monthly maintenance fee with the Regular Savings Account.

Cons

  • You can find a higher APY at many online banks or other financial institutions.

  • Lobby withdrawals or transfers in excess of three during a calendar month will trigger an excessive withdrawal fee.

  • See how rates for this account have changed over time. Interact with the trend lines to view APY by date.

    Golden 1 Credit Union
    APY
    APY
    Info
    National average APY
    How do we get this data?
    Info
Compare Offer
Info
Bank logo
Member FDIC
Savings Account
4.60
%
APY
APY
Info
As of 11/29/2023
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Info
$0
Min balance for APY
View offer Arrow Right
Promoted offer: No account fees & earn up to $250 w/ direct deposit. Terms apply.

Bank experience

Golden 1 Credit Union has more than 70 branches in California. Member representatives are available 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT, Monday-Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on weekends, to answer questions or help with member accounts.

The credit union’s mobile app is highly rated on iOS with a 4.7 rating, but it scores significantly lower among Android users, at 3.7 stars. Members can make peer-to-peer payments using Popmoney in the mobile app or when logged on to Golden 1’s website.

About Golden 1 Credit Union

Golden 1 Credit Union was founded in 1933 and has become one of the largest credit unions in the U.S., with more than 1 million members and over $18 billion in assets. Membership is open to those who live or work in California.

The credit union offers checking accounts, savings accounts, a money market account, CDs and other financial products. Golden 1 is headquartered in Sacramento and has a network of more than 70 branches.

Review methodology

With so many financial institutions to choose from, it can be hard to know who to trust. Bankrate’s ever-growing list of bank and credit union reviews is updated regularly. Our editorial team analyzes and reviews each institution across deposit products such as savings accounts, checking accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs) and money market accounts (MMAs). Banks are rated by important factors such as offered interest rates, fees, minimum balance requirements, access to funds and more.

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.