Most everyone uses online banking these days. But, which ones are worthy of your patronage? When creating our online banking reviews Star Reviews wanted to make sure we covered all of the big names in the financial world. Of course, Chase made the list. Immediately, we noticed how resourceful their website was…they seemed to offer it all. Continue on for the whole scoop below.
What's New?
- Speed up your ATM transactions by customizing your Chase ATM QuickChoice preferences online.
- Overnight check bill pay services.
- View check images online.
Star Reviews Favorite Feature:
Overnight Check service-You can use Chase's online banking tools to overnight a check for bills or personal reasons. If you need to make a rush payment to prevent a late fee or you have a friend or family member in need of emergency cash, this service allows you to get the check there the very next day (as long as you submit your request by 10:00 PM ET). It does cost $14.99, but that's a small price to pay for overnight delivery when you need to send money in a hurry.
About Chase:
Chase is the commercial banking brand of the world-famous JP Morgan Chase & Co. With more than 200 years under its belt, the company has been around longer than almost every other financial company on the block. To put it simply, their goal is to build the biggest and best financial services company in the world. It looks like they're well on their way.
Navigating & Using the Chase Website:
Navigating the Chase website was surprisingly easy compared to many of the other sites we encountered. If you're already a Chase customer, you simply provide Chase with your personal information and your account numbers and Chase will get you set up with online banking in no time. If you are not currently banking with Chase, however, the process is a bit more complicated.
If you don't have any accounts with Chase, you'll need to become a customer before you can sign up for online banking. It's not an all-in-one process as it is with some of the other online banking services on the Web, so you end up signing up twice. First, you decide what type of account to open. If you want to open a checking account, there are six to choose from so figure out which one is right for you before committing. When you figure out which account you want, click the "Open an Account" link and you're on your way.
While you can open your account with Chase online, it is a bit time consuming. You'll need your social security number, driver's license number, the account information for the account you'll use to fund your new Chase account (including routing and account numbers) and make sure your printer is working cause you're going to have to print some documents.
Once you're signed up with Chase, you'll be able to go back to the online banking section of the website and enroll in their online banking services. From there, it's just a matter of logging in and managing your account.
What Chase Offers:
- Online bill pay
- View check images online
- Manage your Chase QuickChoice ATM preferences
- Personalized account alerts
- Overnight Check service
- Transfer money between Chase accounts
- Send same-day funds to any US bank account
- View and print transactions from the past 90 days
- Reorder checks online
Chase Fees:
Online banking is free with certain Chase checking accounts. However, customers with Chase Basic Checking, Chase Balance Checking, Chase Checking with Interest, and Chase Budget Checking accounts must pay $4.95 per month to access online bill payment services.
- $6.00 monthly maintenance fee with Chase Free Checking unless you use direct deposit (then it's $0 per month)
- Free online bill pay
- $25 minimum to open a Chase Free Checking account.
- $0 balance requirement for Chase Free Checking.
- $1.50 ATM fee for any non-chase ATM withdrawal.
Chase Customer Support:
Chase offers customer support via email, phone and an extensive online help database. We were indeed impressed with Chase's extensive online help resources. Throughout the site there are links to related FAQ pages and there is even a tool that helps you choose the right checking account. Not many online banking services are so helpful. Phone support, however, was a different situation entirely.
We don't know if Chase outsources their customer service overseas or not, but we have a feeling they do. Mentioning this has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with frustration levels. We had a very hard time understanding the first person we spoke with (and they didn't seem to understand us too well either). We finally got so fed up we hung up the phone and called back. The second time was better, but not much. The rep we spoke with was difficult to communicate with and was even borderline rude.
Email support was prompt and efficient, however, and we received a cordial response to our inquiry within one business day. Our advice? If you can wait for your answer, use email support or contact a local Chase branch.
Upside:
Overnight payment delivery, same-day US bank payments, personalized ATM preferences.
Downside:
Difficult phone support.
Summary:
Chase is a huge name in the finance industry, and we can see why. They offer everything from student loans and mortgages to online banking and stock options. They're an empire, practically. We must say, we liked how resourceful their online banking was. If you need a specialized checking account of any kind, Chase has it. They also give you plenty of information on which to sign up for, as well. But, the actual application process is a bit more time-consuming than with some of their competition's websites. We really liked their overnight payment delivery system, which is very convenient. It is $14.99, so you'll have to pay for the convenience. Customer support via email is good, but we had a less-than-stellar experiene with telephone support. But, all in all, we recommend their online banking.