ICICI Bank vs Equitas Small Finance Bank: Children’s Savings Accounts
ICICI Bank has two dedicated children’s accounts called the Young Stars Account and Smart Star Savings Account. Equitas Small Finance Bank does not have a children’s savings account but it is likely that its standard savings accounts are available to minors like other banks.
Children’s Savings Accounts from ICICI Bank
India’s second largest private sector bank offers two dedicated children’s accounts called the Young Stars Account and Smart Star Savings Account.
Young Stars Account
The account can be opened by a parent or guardian for the child who is between the ages of 1 day old and 18 years
Features
- The children get a debit card with per day limit of 2,500 for ATM and POS transactions (A caveat here: the wording on the site is not clear if the limit is Rs. 2,500 or Rs. 5,000 but the FAQs section of the account puts the limit as Rs. 2,500 (for withdrawal and spends?)
- The Young Star – Minor Under Guardianship Account has no transaction limit
- The card has a Zero Liability feature that protects against unauthorised transactions if the card is lost or misplaced provided the same is communicated to the bank within 15 days
- Kids can earn 1 reward point for every Rs. 200 spent on the card
- The minimum monthly average balance needed for the Young Stars Account is Rs. 2,500. The charges in case of non-maintenance of this minimum amount is 5% of the shortfall
- Parents can put in standing instructions to debit money directly from their account to the kid’s account
- The account has a Money Multiplier facility or the sweep in-sweep out option to put the money in a fixed deposit if the amount crosses a certain limit
Smart Star Savings Account
The account is available for kids above 10 years and up to 18 years of age to open and operate independently on their own. It comes in two options. More on the second point in the features below. Most of the features and fees and charges are same as the Young Stars Account
Features
- The account comes in two variants – with guardian consent and without guardian consent. In the former case, the account will have a limit of Rs. 2 lakh on debit transaction every fiscal. If the account does not have guardian consent, this limit is Rs. 50,000
- Accountholders get a debit card with per day limit of 5,000 each for ATM and POS transactions
- As with Young Stars Account, the card for Smart Star Savings Account has the Zero Liability feature that insures against unauthorised transactions if the card is lost, stolen or misplaced if the bank is told of the same within 15 days
- Even here, the child earns 1 reward point for every Rs. 200 spent through the card
- The minimum monthly average balance is also same at Rs. 2,500 and so are the fees for non-maintenance of this minimum amount
Children’s Savings Accounts from Equitas Small Finance Bank
Equitas Small Finance Bank does not have a children’s savings account but it is likely that its standard savings accounts are available to minors like other banks.
My Savings Account
The account has been designed for people to save and earn interest on their money.
Features
- There is no average quarterly balance requirements for the account
- The accountholder does not get a cheque book with the account
- The interest rates on the account are better than that for larger banks with the minimum interest starting at 5.5% for balance up to Rs. 1 lakh
- The bank however charges a fee for outward remittances on the My Savings Account. NEFT and RTGS are charged on a slab system while IMPS payments are charged a flat fee of Rs. 5 per transaction
Standard Savings Account
The account requires a minimum average quarterly balance or a minimum fixed deposit amount or a minimum level of debit card usage for purchases. Customers can also group the account with family members to tide over these restrictions.
Features
- The minimum average quarterly balance for the account is Rs. 5,000
- Customers can choose to keep a fixed deposit of at least a year of Rs. 50,000 instead of the balance in the account
- The bank also offers the alternative to have the customer spend Rs. 4,999 using the debit card online or at POS transactions instead of the bank balance or a fixed deposit
- The account can be grouped with family members having a savings account or business having a current account of higher value. The minimum balance requirements can be avoided this way
- Accountholders get a Platinum or Signature debit card
- Standard Savings Account holders get a complimentary chequebook of 25 leaves every half year
- The bank offers 5 free transactions across RTGS, NEFT, IMPS, demand drafts, cash or cheques
Regular Savings Account
The Regular Savings Account from Equitas Small Finance Bank is a step up from the Standard Savings Account
Features
- The minimum average quarterly balance for this account is Rs. 10,000
- Like the Standard Account, customers can choose to keep a Rs. 50,000 fixed deposit for at least a year instead of the average quarterly balance in the account
- The minimum debit card spend limit if one chooses to not keep the minimum balance or have an FD with the bank is Rs. 9,999. The limit considers both online and POS transactions
- Like the standard savings account, this one also can be grouped with family members or a business to avoid minimum balance requirements. With family members, the other savings account should have a higher value. With a business, the current account should have at least similar value
- Customers get a Platinum debit card with the account
- Regular Savings Account holders are given a free 25 leaves chequebook every quarter
- The bank offers 8 free transactions across RTGS, NEFT, IMPS, demand drafts, cash or cheques
Reference Facts
- ICICI Bank Website: www.icicibank.com
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Call Centre Number: 1800 200 3344, 1800-103-8181 (Private Banking). Has specific number for different cities
- Equitas Small Finance Bank Website: www.equitasbank.com
- Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- Call Centre Number: 1800 103 1222