WalletHub Survey: Credit Unions Offer Best Deals on Savings, Checking

When it comes to checking accounts, the fees charged by credit unions are 70 percent less than national banks. And credit union checking accounts offer interest rates that are almost 10 times higher than those of regional banks and six times more than those of national banks.

The study shows that online savings accounts offer the highest interest rates of any accounts. Their rates are 57 percent higher than online checking accounts, which place second for highest rates.

The study indicates you should stay away from business checking accounts if you can. Their fees are 115 percent higher than personal online accounts. At the same time, they provide 42 percent fewer features and 72 percent less interest than personal online accounts.

Meanwhile, a recent Bankrate.com survey of bank fees found that ATM surcharges and out-of-network ATM fees soared this year to the highest levels in the 17-year history of the study. The average charge for non-customers of a bank to use its ATMs rose 6.5 percent this year to $2.77.

"ATM fees, overdraft fees, year in year out, the fees go up," Greg McBride, Bankrate's chief financial analyst, said on its web site. "The ATM fees go up at such a rapid clip because it's really low-hanging fruit as far as fee income is concerned."

Related Articles:

• Fed's Yellen: US Families Need to Boost Savings
• America's Banks Amass Treasurys as Deposits Overwhelm Lending