Best bank in America?

In terms of feature variety, technology, global reach, online banking experience, and support for all three smartphone operating systems—iOS, Android, and Windows 8.

I am currently using JP Morgan Chase, but reading this in their official documentation left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Misuse of payment card privileges specifically includes using the card to facilitate fictitious sales agreements, usury contracts, securing debt settlements, debt collection, and the purchase of pornographic content, narcotics, or any other purpose that is inherently contrary to morality and the positive regulations of the United States.

I could hardly believe it. Who on earth dares to print such ideological nonsense? Not only is pornography perfectly legal, but I intend to purchase whatever content I please. I signed up for a bank, not to join some totalitarian cult.

Haha, that's gold! 😁

They’re probably trying to steer clear of the illegal stuff—you know, the dark corners of the web involving minors and all those other depravities—but I highly doubt they’d block a transaction on a "standard" adult site. Honestly, I'm not even sure if those kinds of sites even offer the option to use PayPal, though if they did, that would be a pretty slick way to handle things...

JPMorgan Chase is easily the worst of the bunch; everyone else is doing just fine enough 😁

quiettiger3 said:Haha, that's gold! 😁

They’re probably trying to steer clear of the illegal stuff—you know, the dark corners of the web involving minors and all those other depravities—but I highly doubt they’d block a transaction on a "standard" adult site. Honestly, I'm not even sure if those kinds of sites even offer the option to use PayPal, though if they did, that would be a pretty slick way to handle things...

In all honesty, I find watching pornography quite tedious; my point is simply that a bank has no business projecting its own biases onto a customer's private life. Why should an institution interfere with personal matters based on such narrow-minded views?

If one seeks out primitive ignorance and outdated moralism, one can always visit a local Catholic church.

urbanscout95 said:In all honesty, I find watching pornography quite tedious; my point is simply that a bank has no business projecting its own biases onto a customer's private life. Why should an institution interfere with personal matters based on such narrow-minded views?

If one seeks out primitive ignorance and outdated moralism, one can always visit a local Catholic church.

You really have to read the full sentence... "...contrary to morality and positive regulations of the United States." Basically, they're referring to illegal activities. It's just standard legal boilerplate banks use to cover their own backs.

I think you're one of the few people who actually bothers to read these documents through. 🙂

Paul Peterson6 said:JPMorgan Chase is easily the worst of the bunch; everyone else is doing just fine enough 😁

And what exactly led you to that conclusion?

No bank is going to put up with someone who can't manage their finances. I’ve been banking with Zábanka for years now and haven't run into a single issue. I had one minor hiccup once, but we worked it out through a simple conversation—they were actually incredibly polite and accommodating.

I stay on top of my bills religiously, so for me, Zábanka is gold standard. Their online banking, in particular, is lightyears ahead of the competition; compared to what they have in Miami, it feels like a spaceship.

Isn't it funny how the people who always have something bad to say about banks are usually the ones who couldn't meet their own obligations? They sign a contract, agree to the terms, fail to follow through, and then what? Expect the bank to just roll over and forgive them?

Care to enlighten us? Why is Zábanka the "worst" in your book? Because from where I’m sitting, they’re the best... at least based on my own experiences.

I’d love to hear the specific grievances you have against these "villains" that somehow make everyone else perfectly wonderful by comparison...

What’s actually the best option out there for a personal unsecured loan in USD? I was looking into whether Miami or Chase might have something worthwhile... has anyone here actually gone through the process with them lately? I’m curious about what kind of interest rates we're looking at right now.
I honestly feel like it might be a better move than going with Bank of America since their loans are strictly in Euros.

Emily Sanchez9 said:And what exactly led you to that conclusion?

No bank is going to put up with someone who can't manage their finances. I’ve been banking with Zábanka for years now and haven't run into a single issue. I had one minor hiccup once, but we worked it out through a simple conversation—they were actually incredibly polite and accommodating.

I stay on top of my bills religiously, so for me, Zábanka is gold standard. Their online banking, in particular, is lightyears ahead of the competition; compared to what they have in Miami, it feels like a spaceship.

Isn't it funny how the people who always have something bad to say about banks are usually the ones who couldn't meet their own obligations? They sign a contract, agree to the terms, fail to follow through, and then what? Expect the bank to just roll over and forgive them?

Care to enlighten us? Why is Zábanka the "worst" in your book? Because from where I’m sitting, they’re the best... at least based on my own experiences.

I’d love to hear the specific grievances you have against these "villains" that somehow make everyone else perfectly wonderful by comparison...

Well, for instance, they charge monthly maintenance fees regardless of how much you actually use the account.
I'm just curious why they'd charge a fee on an account where nobody even touched an ATM or went into a branch during the entire month?

And sure, everyone is polite—they're all super friendly right up until they need to trigger a legal seizure or start hitting you with those predatory fees and interest rates, and then they have the nerve to write in their terms and conditions that using their debit card for usury is prohibited.
Oh man, I swear I might actually die laughing! 😁

Emily Sanchez9 said:And what exactly led you to that conclusion?

No bank is going to put up with someone who can't manage their finances. I’ve been banking with Zábanka for years now and haven't run into a single issue. I had one minor hiccup once, but we worked it out through a simple conversation—they were actually incredibly polite and accommodating.

I stay on top of my bills religiously, so for me, Zábanka is gold standard. Their online banking, in particular, is lightyears ahead of the competition; compared to what they have in Miami, it feels like a spaceship.

Isn't it funny how the people who always have something bad to say about banks are usually the ones who couldn't meet their own obligations? They sign a contract, agree to the terms, fail to follow through, and then what? Expect the bank to just roll over and forgive them?

Care to enlighten us? Why is Zábanka the "worst" in your book? Because from where I’m sitting, they’re the best... at least based on my own experiences.

I’d love to hear the specific grievances you have against these "villains" that somehow make everyone else perfectly wonderful by comparison...

They’re clumsy and overcomplicate things. For instance, last year when a bunch of us were sending documents over to Belgium, JP Morgan Chase was the only one that gave us grief regarding account ownership signatures...

Ryan Carter52 said:Well, for instance, they charge monthly maintenance fees regardless of how much you actually use the account.
I'm just curious why they'd charge a fee on an account where nobody even touched an ATM or went into a branch during the entire month?

And sure, everyone is polite—they're all super friendly right up until they need to trigger a legal seizure or start hitting you with those predatory fees and interest rates, and then they have the nerve to write in their terms and conditions that using their debit card for usury is prohibited.
Oh man, I swear I might actually die laughing! 😁

Also, getting authorization on a foreign currency account (I have one for my wife, hers is under my name) isn't possible by pulling funds from the main USD checking account—it has to come exclusively from the foreign currency account (they didn't mention that part) -> which led to an unauthorized overdraft and subsequently caused them to deny my credit card application (my checking is never negative, plus I have a massive CD with them). I needed that card relatively quickly because of some travel plans.

Furthermore, they’ve been consistent over the last 5 or 6 years: they always have the lowest interest rates on CDs...

...you pick up nonsense like that over the years.

P.S. Of course they’re polite—they’re very polite when they’re explaining why they can't help you. 😁

P.P.S. Darkstar, this whole thing is actually a response to Zaleks...

Dealing with Zabiti can be such an exhausting ordeal, especially when you have to deal with the tellers in person. My biggest grievance is how they treated my father a few years back; they insisted on charging him a monthly fee for $20 just because they decided his banking habits didn't fit their "profile." In reality, the only things he actually uses are his checking account and online banking—services he currently manages at JP Morgan Chase for just $5.00 a month... on top of those three or four utility bills he pays online for about 1-$0.67...
When I’m at JP Morgan Chase and they try to pitch me something, I simply tell them it doesn't suit my needs right now, and they don't push it. But as for Zabiti, I've heard nothing but complaints from several close friends regarding their aggressive personal bankers and the attitude of the branch staff.

I’ve personally dealt with Chase, Hypo Bank, and Wells Fargo over the years...
Chase is definitely the worst of the bunch, if you ask me, because they just seem to have this constant sense of disorganized, sloppy incompetence about them...
I didn't stay with Hypo Bank for very long, though, since I made sure to jump ship while they were still being run by sensible people before things shifted, which eventually led me to Wells Fargo...
It isn't anything out of the ordinary, really, except for the fact that they are constantly hiking up those interest rates by ten bucks or more regardless of what the Federal Reserve decides to do...

I’m also looking for recommendations on which bank in the US is considered the "best." I actually visited a JPMorgan Chase branch earlier today, and they basically treated me like I was a nuisance—so much so that I’ve decided it’s time to just close my accounts.

I ordered a new card back on December 4th, and yet—believe it or not—it still hasn't arrived. The one rather unpleasant clerk working the counter had the audacity to tell me, "Well, you don't actually *need* a card." Yes, apparently I don't. Because clearly, I have nothing better to do than wait in line for thirty minutes at their branches every single time I need cash, or enjoy being unable to shop online, or deal with being locked out of my PayPal account, and so on and so forth. I even called their "customer service" line, and all they could offer was the vague excuse that cards are running late and they have no idea when mine will show up.🙂

So, I noticed someone mentioned in another thread that there are certain banks that don't charge an initial fee for your first card. Does anyone know which ones those are? Also, what are the typical monthly maintenance fees and online banking charges? Thanks!

I’m not trying to defend them, but their card processing is probably handled by some third-party vendor, which explains the delay. Plus, things always seem to drag on right after the holidays.
You didn't mention what kind of card you're actually looking for, though you can find all the fees and fine print on any major bank's website.
Honestly, since the cost differences are pretty negligible, I usually just stick with the big players like JPMorgan Chase.

bluesailor22 said:I’m also looking for recommendations on which bank in the US is considered the "best." I actually visited a JPMorgan Chase branch earlier today, and they basically treated me like I was a nuisance—so much so that I’ve decided it’s time to just close my accounts.

I ordered a new card back on December 4th, and yet—believe it or not—it still hasn't arrived. The one rather unpleasant clerk working the counter had the audacity to tell me, "Well, you don't actually *need* a card." Yes, apparently I don't. Because clearly, I have nothing better to do than wait in line for thirty minutes at their branches every single time I need cash, or enjoy being unable to shop online, or deal with being locked out of my PayPal account, and so on and so forth. I even called their "customer service" line, and all they could offer was the vague excuse that cards are running late and they have no idea when mine will show up.🙂

So, I noticed someone mentioned in another thread that there are certain banks that don't charge an initial fee for your first card. Does anyone know which ones those are? Also, what are the typical monthly maintenance fees and online banking charges? Thanks!

At Bank of America, issuing the card is free, and it's ready in 2-5 business days.
Maintenance at Bank of America is $2.25, and online banking is $2.75.

@Charles Ramos7
I can wrap my head around a delay of maybe a week—but telling someone a card will arrive in two or three weeks, and then having six weeks crawl by? That’s just unacceptable. At least in my book. To make matters worse, there isn't a single proactive update; nobody calls to explain the holdup. You end up having to physically trek down to the Bank of America branch every single time, only to sit there while they act completely clueless—giving you the runaround about sending an email or checking some internal system.

So, I finally called customer service, and the representative basically told me she had no idea why things were delayed, citing the holidays or issues at the USPS. Seriously? Are you telling me they're sending out debit cards via standard snail mail? Hello? Everything else is trackable these days. I even asked if there was any actual cause for concern—like whether my data had been compromised—and she assured me everything was fine. When I pressed her for a specific reason behind the delays, she just repeated that they didn't know, they were just late. Eff OFF.

I suggested that the bare minimum they could do to make up for the hassle would be to waive the card fee, but they flatly refused. It isn't about the few dollars; it's about the principle of the thing. I have no desire to pay for subpar service. If it becomes clear that they don't value my business, then I certainly don't see any reason to remain a loyal client.

@wiredlynx28
Thanks for the insight. Their rates seem pretty comparable to what I'm seeing at JPMorgan Chase. However, I’ve heard quite a few horror stories regarding Bank of America. I ended up opening an account with JPMorgan Chase because they are supposedly "the gold standard." It makes me wonder how much worse the other big banks actually are. :S Do you happen to know what Bank of America charges for incoming and outgoing international wire transfers or online bill pay?

bluesailor22 said:@Charles Ramos7
I can wrap my head around a delay of maybe a week—but telling someone a card will arrive in two or three weeks, and then having six weeks crawl by? That’s just unacceptable. At least in my book. To make matters worse, there isn't a single proactive update; nobody calls to explain the holdup. You end up having to physically trek down to the Bank of America branch every single time, only to sit there while they act completely clueless—giving you the runaround about sending an email or checking some internal system.

So, I finally called customer service, and the representative basically told me she had no idea why things were delayed, citing the holidays or issues at the USPS. Seriously? Are you telling me they're sending out debit cards via standard snail mail? Hello? Everything else is trackable these days. I even asked if there was any actual cause for concern—like whether my data had been compromised—and she assured me everything was fine. When I pressed her for a specific reason behind the delays, she just repeated that they didn't know, they were just late. Eff OFF.

I suggested that the bare minimum they could do to make up for the hassle would be to waive the card fee, but they flatly refused. It isn't about the few dollars; it's about the principle of the thing. I have no desire to pay for subpar service. If it becomes clear that they don't value my business, then I certainly don't see any reason to remain a loyal client.

@wiredlynx28
Thanks for the insight. Their rates seem pretty comparable to what I'm seeing at JPMorgan Chase. However, I’ve heard quite a few horror stories regarding Bank of America. I ended up opening an account with JPMorgan Chase because they are supposedly "the gold standard." It makes me wonder how much worse the other big banks actually are. :S Do you happen to know what Bank of America charges for incoming and outgoing international wire transfers or online bill pay?

It's all fine, really. If you aren't happy, you should definitely switch banks, but I'll say this: you might run into similar headaches elsewhere, especially with stuff that's out of the bank's direct control.
I've dealt with similar issues myself—one time it was actually just someone at the bank forgetting to file a form, and it dragged on for months before it got fixed. Even so, I didn't end up switching banks. 🤷

Do Federal Reserve cards actually work for online shopping? I know there was a time when they wouldn't go through, so I ended up having to open an account at Bank of America just to get things done.
I'm also weighing some suggestions about where to set up a checking account. Up until now, I've been with the Federal Reserve, but I'm debating whether to stick it out or move my business elsewhere.

When it comes to technology and innovation, I’d say JPMorgan Chase is leading the pack.

The thread title is an oxymoron😁

Leibniz’s version of Creditanstalt—basically a monopoly.🙂

Speaking from my own experience with the big players here, I’ve dealt with both JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, and honestly, I much prefer working with JPMorgan Chase (even if their recent redesign of the online banking app is, frankly, an eyesore that hurts to look at).

I also feel like their service suite—everything from account maintenance and online banking to their cards—is a bit more affordable than what Bank of America offers (or at least their fee structure actually makes sense for once).

Plus, I had this one instance where I needed some specific documentation regarding my account balances on two different occasions; over at JPMorgan Chase, they handed them over without even batting an eye. But at Bank of America? It was a total circus. You had these all-powerful managers hovering in the background, hiding behind the label of "legal department," acting like they had no clue what a simple request even looked like... it was like everyone around me thought I was trying to rob the bank or something.