Wallethub – Q: Do you think credit unions and online lenders can compete with the best banks for personal loans?
Credit unions often offer better terms on all of those collateralized loans. I do not know how competitive they are on unsecured loans. Without researching it, I assume they do not offer such loans or limit them. The risk on unsecured loans is quite high, regardless of credit ratings. Large banks have the reserves and the legal teams to take on that risk; I suspect—but do not know—that credit unions are reluctant to take those risks. They do not have the reserves and the legal teams.
While credit unions vary widely in how they are run, I know that my credit union offers car loans three points or more lower than banks and some other credit unions. I also know that its equity lines and mortgages are lower than those of major banks. My bank offers equity loans fully four points higher than the rate on those from my credit union.
On the other hand, I have higher returns on a savings account (at 4.65%) at a commercial bank with no minimum level, much higher than returns offered at any credit union of which I am aware.
The simple reality is that people have to spend some time looking around and considering the options. As my personal experience outlined above suggests, credit unions often offer very competitive rates and services, including credit cards, but for specific products some banks or other credit unions will offer superior terms. However, it is almost always the case that the major banks offer the lowest rates on savings and CDs and insist on the highest rates for loans of any sort. They have the market power so long as people are not willing to invest the time to find better deals.
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