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Popular Direct Review: Limited Offerings, but Strong APYs

Review Updated
Dana George
Nathan Alderman
Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. APY = Annual Percentage Yield.

Popular Direct is an online-only banking platform operated through its parent company, Popular Bank, DBA Popular. The only accounts available through Popular Direct are savings and certificates of deposit (CDs). There are no checking accounts or money market accounts. Still, keep reading to learn how Popular Direct's savings and CDs work -- the good and the not so good.

Offer image for
Member FDIC.

Popular Direct

Rating image, 3.00 out of 5 stars.
3.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Bottom Line

Popular Direct may have few account types from which to choose, but it more than makes up for it by paying an excellent APY.

Pros
  • Excellent APY on both its Select Savings and CD accounts
  • Mobile app allows you to bank on the go
  • Only $100 required to open a savings account
  • Round the clock customer care
  • FDIC insured
Cons
  • Mobile app is poorly rated by both iOS and Android customers
  • No check-writing privileges
  • No debit cards
  • No ATM withdrawals
  • Our methodology for scoring banks and credit unions revolves around evaluating key aspects such as annual percentage yield (APY), brand reputation, fees and minimum requirements, and additional perks.

    These criteria are weighted differently across various account types, ensuring a comprehensive assessment that reflects the competitive landscape and economic conditions.

    We strictly feature products that offer federal insurance and high customer satisfaction, keeping our recommendations unbiased by advertiser influence. This robust evaluation process helps us generate balanced, reliable best-of lists that guide consumers to top financial products.

    Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates bank accounts.

Is Popular Direct right for you?

Popular Direct is a good choice for you if:

  • You're interested in growing your money by allowing it to remain in a savings account or CD for the long term.
  • You are not concerned about having immediate access to your funds.
  • You have an emergency savings account that can be quickly accessed if needed.
  • You understand that withdrawing money from a CD before its maturity date means getting hit with a penalty.

Savings account review

If you want to open a bank account with an excellent APY, Popular Direct offers one of the best rates that we've found.

Popular Direct Select Savings

A Popular Direct Select Savings account currently offers one of the highest APYs that we've come across at 4.50%. Still, it's not the right bank for anyone who wants to keep the bulk of their banking business under one roof. That's because Popular Direct does not offer a checking account, money market account (MMA), debit card, or ATM access.

For those who are comfortable banking with more than one institution, current APYs make opening a savings account tempting.

Compare savings rates

Make sure you're getting the best account for you by comparing savings rates and promotions. Here are some of our favorite high-yield savings accounts to consider.

Account APY Promotion Next Steps
up to 3.80%²
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. You can earn the maximum APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
Min. to earn: $0
New customers can earn up to a $300 bonus with qualifying direct deposits!¹
4.10% APY for balances of $5,000 or more
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. 4.10% APY for balances of $5,000 or more; otherwise, 0.25% APY
Min. to earn: $100 to open account, $5,000+ for max APY
Earn a bonus of at least $225 after a one-time deposit of $25,000+. Circle with letter I in it. Transfer a one-time deposit of $25,000-$49,999.99 for a bonus of $225. Transfer a one-time deposit of $50,000+ for a bonus of $300. Account must be opened with code PS2025 while this promotion lasts, and funded within 30 days. Bonus will be fulfilled within 60 days from the funding date. There is no period of time where the customer will be required to maintain the funds. Account must be open when bonus is credited. One bonus per account and primary customer. Bonus will be credited into the Platinum Savings Account that fulfills the funding requirement. Funding can be deposited all at once or incrementally.
3.70%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. 3.70% annual percentage yield as of April 17, 2025. Terms apply.
Min. to earn: $0
N/A
Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings

On American Express's Secure Website.

Disclaimers



SoFi disclosure:

¹ New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) OR $300 (with at least $5,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 12/7/2023 and will be available through 1/31/26. See full bonus and annual percentage yield (APY) terms at sofi.com/banking#1.

² SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus with Direct Deposit or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days or with $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. Members without either SoFi Plus or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Only SoFi Plus members are eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. See the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus.

³ We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Checking & Savings Fee Sheet for details at sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/.

⁴ SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per depositor per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations.

Any additional FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $3M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms. See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks.

We’ve partnered with Allpoint to provide you with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. You will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third-party fees incurred when using out-of-network ATMs are not subject to reimbursement. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at our discretion at any time.

Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.

Overdraft Coverage is limited to $50 on debit card purchases only and is an account benefit available to customers with direct deposits of $1,000 or more during the current 30-day Evaluation Period as determined by SoFi Bank, N.A. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the“30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Members with a prior history of non-repayment of negative balances are ineligible for Overdraft Coverage.

CD accounts

Popular Direct only offers one type of CD, but that single CD offers an excellent APY.

Standard CD account

Popular Direct CDs offer highly competitive rates. However, with a minimum required deposit of $10,000, the entry point is a little steep for the average person. For the consumer who has an emergency savings account elsewhere and does not expect to need access to the funds in their CD any time soon, the APY alone makes Popular Direct worth considering.

Customer experience

In its 2022 U.S. Direct Banking Satisfaction Study, J.D. Power discovered that established financial institutions and brands that have entered the digital banking sector are doing a better job of supporting their customers than traditional banks. The study also found that by last year, 27% of American banking customers depend solely on online-only banking services.

While Popular Direct was not included in the J.D. Power study, it has received mixed reviews from customers posting online.

Popular Direct relationship benefits

Unlike a bank that offers everything from checking accounts to safe deposit boxes, Popular Direct focuses solely on two products -- savings and CDs. It may be an ideal situation for a person focused on saving for the future, but there are no bells and whistles. There is, however, a dedicated customer care department that is available by phone or secure messaging 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

How does Popular Direct compare?

With such limited account options at Popular Direct, this might not be the institution for you if you're looking for a more all-inclusive banking experience. Check out a couple alternative banks to compare offerings.

Popular Direct vs Citibank

Not only is Citibank an established name in banking, but it currently pays a higher-than-average APY. In addition to savings accounts and CDs, Citibank also offers checking accounts, credit cards, mortgages, personal loans, and an assortment of investment options. In other words, it's a bank that allows its customers to carry out many of their financial transactions under one roof.

Popular Direct vs Ally Bank

Another bank offering a full menu of services is Ally. Checking and savings accounts, auto loans, mortgages, personal loans, credit cards, four different types of CDs, and MMAs are all available through Ally Bank.

FAQs

  • Depending upon when you cash out, you'll either dip into the principal or forfeit a portion of the interest you would have earned if the funds had been left in the CD.

  • It depends on what types of accounts you open. By default, you'll receive email alerts. For example, you'll be notified when your contact information is changed (to ensure it was you who made the change). You'll also be contacted when your password is changed, a new external transfer account is added, your user ID is changed or disabled, when a payment is scheduled or fails, and when a fund transfer fails. You'll have the opportunity to opt in for other email or SMS alerts.