UFB Direct Review 2026
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Edited by
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At a glance
Overview
UFB Direct is an online-only bank geared toward savers looking for high yields. It offers a savings account, money market account (MMA), and a checking account (though it must be bundled with a savings or MMA account). And UFB offers a 24/7 customer support line.
Highlights:
High APY 24/7 Customer ServiceHighlights:
Checking
Savings
MMA
Customer Experience
Offers featured here have been sponsored which impacts how, where, and in what order the products appear. Not all offers are displayed on this page.
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 = 4.2/5
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 which impacts how, where, and in what order the products appear. Not all offers are displayed on this page.
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 UFB Direct pros and cons
Pros
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Competitive yields on all products.
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24/7 customer service.
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Well-rated mobile app.
Cons
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High monthly fee on the money market account.
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UFB Direct frequently relaunches its savings and money market accounts with new names and new yields, which can be confusing and cause you to miss out on higher earnings.
UFB Direct banking products
UFB Portfolio Savings Account
Pros
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Good APY.
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The account charges no monthly maintenance fee.
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UFB Direct allows unlimited transfers from savings.
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The account comes with an ATM card that can be used for free cash withdrawals at over 91,000 ATMs.
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Incoming wire transfers are free.
Cons
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$5 fee for receiving paper account statements.
The UFB Direct Portfolio Savings account earns a strong APY and even comes with an ATM card for easy access to your savings, which isn’t something you often find for savings accounts.
Rate history for UFB Direct's Savings account
See how rates for this account have changed over time. Interact with the trend lines to view APY by date.
UFB Portfolio Money Market Account
Pros
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The account has check-writing privileges.
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Mobile check deposit is available.
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All balances earn a good yield.
Cons
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Steep monthly fee unless you keep $5,000 in the account.
The UFB Direct Portfolio Money Market account earns the same APY on all balances, which isn’t always the case for many money market accounts (which often offer tiered rates). But there’s a high minimum balance of $5,000 required to avoid the steep $10 monthly fee.
UFB Freedom Checking Account
Pros
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High APY.
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Savings APY boost if you meet the requirements.
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No minimum opening deposit requirement.
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No monthly service fee.
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Large fee-free network of over 90,000 ATMs.
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Up to $10.00 in ATM fee reimbursements for using out-of-network ATMs.
Cons
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You can’t open the account on its own.
You can earn a seriously good APY on checking at UFB but you can’t open this account on its own. You have to bundle it with the UFB savings or money market account. You can also get a boost of up to 0.20% APY on the bundled savings/MMA account but you’ll have to meet a bunch of requirements:
- Have at least $5,000 worth of direct deposit credits into your account to earn a 0.05% APY increase.
- Have at least $10,000 in the linked savings or MMA account to earn another 0.10% APY increase.
- Make at least 10 eligible debit card transactions a month in order to earn the final 0.05% APY.
Customer experience
24/7 support. Customers can call a support line that’s available 24/7, except on bank holidays, or they can reach out through an online chat feature that’s available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT.
Highly rated mobile app. UFB Direct’s mobile banking app offers standard digital features, such as mobile deposit capture, digital verification and account transfers. It earns a high score in the Apple App and still good (but slightly lower) scores in Google Play.
Easy to find rates and fee info on the website. The bank’s website shows the APY for its accounts prominently, along with fees. You can also access FAQs and customer service info pretty easily, which is handy.
One branch for San Diego locals. UFB Direct is an online bank but it does have one branch you can visit if you find yourself in San Diego, CA.
History of continually launching new accounts. UFB Direct frequently relaunches its savings and money market accounts under new names, and with different yields than the ones on their current accounts. This can be confusing for current customers and keep you from earning the highest available yield. It’s a good idea to check back on UFB’s website periodically to make sure you’re still earning the highest available yield from the bank.
The above images were last updated on November 1, 2024.
How UFB Direct compares to other banks
Compare different account types offered by UFB Direct. Annual percentage yields (APYs) shown were updated between March 12, 2026 and March 18, 2026.
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Selected bank
UFB Direct savings account
Bankrate score
4.5
Bankrate Savings rating = 4.5/5 Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Annual percentage yields (APYs), minimum opening deposit requirements and minimum balances to avoid monthly service fees are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score. |
Most comparable
Bask Bank savings account
Bankrate score
5.0
Bankrate Savings rating = 5.0/5 Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Annual percentage yields (APYs), minimum opening deposit requirements and minimum balances to avoid monthly service fees are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score. |
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Bankrate score
Bankrate Savings rating Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Annual percentage yields (APYs), minimum opening deposit requirements and minimum balances to avoid monthly service fees are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score. |
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APY
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest. APYs last updated between March 12, 2026 and March 18, 2026.
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| 3.26% | 3.75% | |
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Minimum balance for APY
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| $0.00 | $0.00 | |
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Estimated earnings
Interest earned calculation based on a $50,000 deposit amount for a period of 1 year and is rounded to the nearest dollar. Exact earnings are dependent on calendar year, balance, and compounding frequency. Minimum deposit rules may apply.
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| $1,630 | $1,875 | |
| The UFB Portfolio Savings account earns a solid yield on all balances. An ATM card is available for easy access to your savings. Plus, you won’t pay a monthly service fee. | Bask Bank’s Interest Savings Account earns a competitive APY, with no minimum balance requirement or monthly fees. The bank also offers a Mileage Savings Account, which allows you to earn American Airlines miles as rewards for saving money in the account. | |
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APY offering:
3.26%
4/5
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest.
Minimum deposit for APY:
$0.00
5/5
The minimum deposit amount a financial institution requires in order to open a savings account.
Monthly service fee:
$0.00
5/5
A monthly charge a financial institution deducts from an account; can sometimes be waived if certain requirements are met.
Minimum balance to avoid fee:
$0.00
5/5
The lowest balance an account must maintain to avoid a monthly fee.
Access to funds:
Average
4/5
Access to funds scores how many and which ways you can withdraw and deposit funds from a savings account.
Additional savings tools:
No
0/5
Additional savings tools include features such as sub-accounts, roundup savings or other automatic savings features.
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APY offering:
3.75%
5/5
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest.
Minimum deposit for APY:
$0.00
5/5
The minimum deposit amount a financial institution requires in order to open a savings account.
Monthly service fee:
$0.00
5/5
A monthly charge a financial institution deducts from an account; can sometimes be waived if certain requirements are met.
Minimum balance to avoid fee:
$0.00
5/5
The lowest balance an account must maintain to avoid a monthly fee.
Access to funds:
Great
5/5
Access to funds scores how many and which ways you can withdraw and deposit funds from a savings account.
Additional savings tools:
No
0/5
Additional savings tools include features such as sub-accounts, roundup savings or other automatic savings features.
|
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest.
The minimum deposit amount a financial institution requires in order to open a savings account.
A monthly charge a financial institution deducts from an account; can sometimes be waived if certain requirements are met.
The lowest balance an account must maintain to avoid a monthly fee.
Access to funds scores how many and which ways you can withdraw and deposit funds from a savings account.
Additional savings tools include features such as sub-accounts, roundup savings or other automatic savings features.
Bankrate does not currently track additional product details for this bank.
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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.
