Star One Credit Union Review 2023
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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.

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 Checking 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 Checking rating = 5/5
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
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 CD 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 CDs 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
FEATURES
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY as of 10/4/2023
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 CD, the penalty is 90 days worth of dividends, and one- and two-year CDs 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 CD 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 UnionAPYAPYNational average APYSee table viewHow do we get this data?
Bank experience
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.
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, but not all, accept deposits.
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.
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) and other features like, mobile check deposit and the ability to create balance alerts.
About Star One Credit Union
Star One Credit Union is one of Silicon Valley’s largest credit unions, providing service to more than 122,000 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.
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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