BCU’s PowerPlus Checking Review
- Fee
- $0 per month
- APY
- 8.00%
- Minimum deposit to open
- $0
Our verdict
A high-yield checking account that lets you earn up to 8% APY on balances up to $15,000.
BCU is a not-for-profit, member-owned credit union that currently serves over 350,000 members. Its PowerPlus Checking account is one of the highest-yielding checking accounts on the market, paying up to 8% APY if you meet certain eligibility requirements. The account also doesn’t come with minimum balance requirements or monthly maintenance fees. That said, the competitive 8% APY is only limited to the first $15,000. Also, you could only earn it for the first three months, and then it goes down to 4.00% APY after that.
Best for: People who want to earn competitive interest on the first $15,000 of their idle funds.
Pros
-
Offers up to 8% APY
-
No minimum balance to earn interest
-
No monthly maintenance fees
Cons
-
High APYs limited to the first $15,000
-
Must meet direct deposit, estatement and transaction requirements to earn the rate
-
Credit union membership required
Who is BCU’s PowerPlus Checking best for?
BCU’s PowerPlus Checking account is best for those who meet the credit union’s eligibility requirements and want to maximize their earnings by parking their idle funds in a checking account with a high APY. Plus, you don’t need to meet minimum balance requirements to start earning interest.
That said, the high APY only applies to the first $15,000. Anything beyond that earns just 0.01% APY. So, if you have a large balance, you may want to move excess funds to high-yield savings accounts to make the most of your money.
How to become a BCU member
Like most credit unions, BCU requires you to become a member to access their products and services. However, it offers some simple eligibility requirements.
You can become a BCU member online by subscribing to the free newsletter Life. Money. You., financial well-being program.
Other ways to join include:
- You’re employed by one of the credit union’s partnered companies.
- You live in one of the seven community charter counties in Illinois or Wisconsin, or live in Puerto Rico.
- You are the immediate family member or extended qualifying family member of an existing BCU member.
What we like about BCU’s PowerPlus Checking
What we like most about BCU’s PowerPlus Checking is that it offers up to 8% APY, which is rare since most financial institutions don’t let you earn much with their checking accounts. The average rate for interest-bearing checking accounts is just 0.07%.(1)
Interest tiers
The PowerPlus Checking Account comes in two tiers: Level One and Level Two.
You’re eligible for Level One if you enroll in eStatements, have at least $1,000 of direct deposits and make 15 transactions or more each month. Level One accounts earn a base rate of 1.00% APY for the first $15,000, and New Level One members get a limited three-month offer of 4.00% APY.
To be eligible for Level Two, you’ll need to enroll in eStatements, have at least $3,000 in direct deposits and make at least 30 transactions each month. Level Two accounts earn a base rate of 4.00% APY, new Level Two members also get to enjoy a higher 8% APY for the first three months.
Helpful content and extra perks
Another thing we like about BCU’s PowerPlus Checking is that the product page comes with several support videos that answer questions customers may have about the account. For example, how to set up direct deposits, sign up for eStatements and check your qualifications.
It also has a handy tool that helps you calculate exactly how much interest you could earn based on your account balance. Plus, you get ATM fee refunds of up to $10 or $20 a month, depending on your account tier.
Where it falls short
While the base rates of 4.00% and 1.00% APY are a major draw, there’s a catch: These rates only apply to the first $15,000 in your account. For balances over $15,000, you’ll only earn 0.01% APY, regardless of which tier you’re on.
And if you don’t meet the three requirements — enrolling in eStatements, having a certain amount in direct deposits and making at least a certain number of transactions each month — you won’t earn any interest at all.
Another potential drawback is that to be eligible for the PowerPlus Checking Account, you must be a member of the credit union first. While BCU doesn’t charge any membership fees and offers some easy ways to join, it’s still just another hoop you gotta jump through.
BCU’s PowerPlus Checking fees and access
| Type of fee | Fee details |
|---|---|
Monthly service | $0 |
Opening deposit | $0 |
ATMs | $0 on in-network ATMs |
Debit card fees |
|
Overdraft or nonsufficient funds | $29 for Courtesy Payment service fee (accounts in good standing, account holders not in good standing can not overdraft). A Courtesy Payment service fee will not be charged for any transaction that brings the available balance in the account negative by $100 or less. |
Wire transfers |
|
Compare BCU’s PowerPlus Checking to other checking accounts
Narrow down top checking accounts by opening deposits, fees and APYs. You can also tick the Compare box on up to four providers to see features side by side.
What is the Finder Score?
The Finder Score crunches over 300 checking accounts from hundreds of financial institutions. It takes into account the product's monthly fees, overdraft fees, opening deposit, customer support options, ATM network and features — this gives you a simple score out of 10.
To provide a Score, Finder’s banking experts analyze hundreds of checking accounts against what we consider is the best option: no monthly fees, no overdraft fees, a large ATM network of 50,000 or more, additional features outside of typical banking services, and the optional perk of earning interest. Accounts that are nearly free to maintain and use are scored the highest, while accounts with costly fees and few features are scored the lowest.
Customer reviews and ratings
| BBB accredited | Yes |
|---|---|
| BBB rating | A+ |
| BBB customer reviews | 1.41 out of 5 stars, based on 69 customer reviews |
| Trustpilot score | 1.9 out of 5 stars, based on 16 customer reviews |
| App Store Score | 4.9 out of 5 stars, based on 88,100 customer reviews |
| Google Play Score | 4 out of 5 stars, based on 861 customer reviews |
| Customer reviews verified as of | 05 March 2025 |
BCU is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has the highest rating available. That said, it does have quite a few complaints on the site and a less-than-ideal rating for customer reviews. Though most of these negative reviews weren’t directly targeted at the credit union’s PowerPlus Checking Account, many customers complained about BCU’s frustrating customer service, slow responses to fraud claims and long wait times for support.
BCU also has a pretty low 1.9-star rating on Trustpilot — though it’s only based on 16 reviews, so you may want to take it with a grain of salt. Still, almost half of the negative reviews on the site were about the credit union’s poor customer service.
Finder Scores: What they mean
If you want peace of mind, this rating will give it to you. These products offer the best value and outcomes considering various product features, terms, conditions and price.
Well-balanced products that provide what you need, offering a healthy mix of competitive features at a good price. However, they're not quite the best in class.
Bottom line: You can find better, but these products still offer reasonable value and have the basics sorted.
These products may not offer much value in the long run, and there are better options available.
Your reviews
Jamela Finder
Contributor
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