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Marcus by Goldman Sachs
Marcus by Goldman Sachs bank offers online savings accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs), and personal loans. As the name suggests, Marcus is a division of investment banking giant Goldman Sachs, formed in 1869 by Marcus Goldman. Marcus, though, came on the scene in 2016, and it makes banking with Goldman Sachs more accessible for the average person. Our in-depth Marcus review may help you decide if this online bank is right for you.
- Pros and Cons
- Company Overview
No minimum to open a savings account
Several CDs that let you withdraw money early
No monthly fees or overdraft charges
No checking or money market account for easy payments
No bricks-and-mortar banking
Limited product lineup
- Official Website www.marcus.com
- Bank Product Offerings Savings accounts, CDs
- Customer Service Phone line available M-F from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and weekends 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; mobile app, online support.
- Year Founded 1869
Who Is Marcus Best For?
Marcus by Goldman Sachs may appeal to anyone who is comfortable with online banking and wants a high-yield savings account or CD. It may be especially attractive to those who:
- Just want to earn a good rate
- Plan to open an account with a small balance
- Do not need to make instant payments or withdrawals
- Prefer to avoid bank fees
- Are satisfied with their external checking account elsewhere
- Want a CD that locks in a rate but allows a withdrawal with no penalty
What Does Marcus Offer?
Marcus keeps the banking lineup simple with just a few offerings:
Savings Account
The online savings account is a classic online bank account with no fees and a high annual percentage yield (APY). Most banks specify that there are no monthly fees, but Marcus explicitly says you pay no fees to Marcus for this account.
- Pays 0.50% APY
- No monthly fees
- No other fees charged by Marcus
- No minimum deposit required
Some banks limit withdrawals from your savings account to a certain amount per month. Checks payable to you from this account may not count toward your maximum, but transfers to your bank and others may. Marcus does not charge fees if you exceed the withdrawal limit, but the bank may close your account.
The rate you earn at Marcus is attractive, and you’re much better off here in terms of interest rates than at most big banks. That said, you might be able to earn a bit in interest more at a few other online banks. The best savings accounts often have interest rates above 1.00% APY.
Certificates of Deposit
Marcus offers a couple of different types of CD, available in the usual terms.
High-Yield CD
High-yield CDs are standard CDs that allow you to lock in a relatively high rate for a specified length of time. Marcus also offers a 10-day rate guarantee: If Marcus raises rates within 10 days after you open a CD, you automatically get the higher rate.
- $500 minimum to open
- Terms from six months to six years
- Early withdrawal penalties apply
Marcus High-Yield CD Rates | |
---|---|
Term | APY |
6-Month | 0.15% |
9-Month | 0.25% |
12-Month | 0.55% |
18-Month | 0.55% |
2-Year | 0.55% |
3-Year | 0.55% |
4-Year | 0.55% |
5-Year | 0.60% |
6-Year | 0.60% |
Like most banks, Marcus charges an early withdrawal penalty if you withdraw funds from a CD before maturity (unless you choose the No-Penalty CD). At Marcus, the early-withdrawal penalty is as follows:
- For terms under 12 months, 90 days’ worth of interest
- For terms between 12 months and five years, 270 days’ worth of interest
- For terms longer than five years, 365 days’ worth of interest
No-Penalty CD
If you like to keep your options open, the No-Penalty CDs from Marcus may appeal to you. You can withdraw the funds without penalty any time after seven days, but you get a guaranteed rate for the full term of the CD.
- $500 minimum to open
- No early withdrawal penalty
Marcus No-Penalty CD Rates | |
---|---|
Term | APY |
7-Month | 0.45% |
11-Month | 0.35% |
13-Month | 0.25% |
No-penalty CDs from Marcus can be useful in several situations:
- When you’re concerned that you’ll need your money sooner than expected
- When you expect rates to rise, and you want the ability to switch to a better CD
- When you think rates might fall soon, but you want to keep earning at today’s rates while keeping your options open
Other Financial Products From Marcus
Marcus has a narrow range of product offerings, but that may help the bank focus on doing a good job in just those few areas.
Besides the savings account and CDs, Marcus also offers:
- Personal loans
- MarcusPay
Marcus Customer Service
Marcus is relatively new, but early reports on customer service are encouraging: Marcus took first place in the J.D. Power 2019 Personal Loan Satisfaction Study.
Customer service by phone is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Weekend hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Savings and CDs customer service: 1-855-730-7283
- Personal loans customer service: 1-844-627-2871
- MarcusPay customer service: 1-833-331-6729
How to Bank With Marcus
To work with Marcus, visit Marcus.com or call 1-855-730-7283. As with any financial institution in the U.S., you’ll need to be prepared with some basic personal information when you open a bank account.
BENEFITS
Marcus pays competitive rates on savings accounts and CDs, and charges zero bank fees. The only fee you could see, if any, is an early withdrawal penalty—but you can dodge those, as well. With no-penalty CDs, you can lock in an attractive rate and withdraw funds after just seven days if your plans change. When you need your money, you can get it quickly: Marcus provides free wire transfers out of your account, although your receiving bank might charge fees.
DRAWBACKS
There’s little to complain about if all you’re looking for is a bank that pays high rates on savings. That said, Marcus doesn’t offer much else. If you want a new bank to help with checking accounts and other needs, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Getting money out of your Marcus accounts is relatively easy, but it requires an online transfer, checks by mail, or wire transfer request