
Reviewers don't call EverBank the best online bank overall, but they point out that it pays higher-than-average interest rates on its FreeNet online checking accounts. The minimum opening deposit is $1,500, but after that there's no minimum balance. A bonus for new accounts provides a special interest rate on checking for the first year, and a competitive yield on a money market savings account. Everbank pledges to keep its interest on checking accounts within the top 5 percent of competitors' rates. One drawback is that the fee for online bill paying (*Est. $5 per month) is waived only if you maintain a balance of at least $5,000. Everbank doesn't charge its own ATM fees, but will reimburse fees from other financial institutions -- again provided that you have a balance of at least $5,000. We also found some complaints about poor customer service and delays in crediting deposits. Everbank gets good ratings for bank stability, but you can get a higher rate of interest plus unlimited ATM reimbursements at Charles Schwab.
BankRate.com's stability ratings of Everbank are fairly recent. Older reviews of Internet banks at CNNMoney.com and Kiplinger.com cover Everbank in more detail, but the review at Forbes.com is quite outdated. We found only a handful of user-written reviews of Everbank at eMoneyCentral.com, but their comments and complaints are quite useful.
Our Sources
1. CNNMoney.com
Everbank is one of the top four Internet banks recommended in this 2007 review, earning praise for its pledge to keep yields within the top 5 percent of competitors. The main drawback noted is that ATM fees aren't automatically reimbursed; you have to mail in the bank receipts. (This is no longer true; fees are now automatically reimbursed, but you have to have a $5,000 balance or higher.)
Review: Online Banks: Best of the Breed, Carolyn Bigda, Aug. 3, 2007
2. Kiplinger.comDetails/Subscribe
This 2007 review of Internet banks praises EverBank as offering the best online checking account. However, the December 2009 issue of Kiplinger names Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking the favorite for online checking.
Review: Online Banks Branch Out, Thomas M. Anderson, February 2007
3. Bankrate.com
Everbank earns a 4-star rating (out of 5) for bank stability.
Review: Everbank, Editors of BankRate.com
This older review of Internet banks gives EverBank a Best of the Web award, with praise for its live telephone customer service.
Review: Forbes Best of the Web: Banking, Jeanhee Kim
About a dozen users give Everbank mostly negative reviews here, complaining about poor customer service and that Everbank holds the initial $1,500 deposit for long periods before crediting it.
Review: Everbank -- Reader Reviews, Contributors to eMoneyCentral.com
Online Banking Runners Up:
4 picks including: Kiplinger.com…
3 picks including: Bankrate.com, Forbes…
3 picks including: Forbes, Keynote Systems…
3 picks including: Keynote Systems…
2 picks including: Bankrate.com, Forbes…
2 picks by top review sites.
|
Sponsored Links are keyword-targeted advertisements provided through the Google AdWords™ program. These listings are administered, sorted and maintained by Google. For information about these Google ads, go to adwords.google.com. Google may place or recognize a unique "cookie" on your Web browser. Information from this cookie may be used by Google to help provide advertisers with more targeted advertising opportunities. For more information about Google's privacy policy, including how to opt out, go to www.google.com/ads/preferences. By clicking on Sponsored Links you will leave ConsumerSearch.com. The web site you will go to is not endorsed by ConsumerSearch. |