AU Small Finance Bank vs Kotak Mahindra Bank: Children’s Savings Accounts
AU Small Finance Bank offers a specific kid’s savings account called BACHPAN, in addition to specific and general savings accounts. Likewise, Kotak Mahindra Bank offers a dedicated account called Junior – The Savings Account for Kids.
Children’s Savings Accounts from AU Small Finance Bank
AU Small Finance Bank offers savings accounts that focus on specific segments of customers. For children it offers a specific kid’s savings account called BACHPAN, in addition to specific and general savings accounts.
BACHPAN Savings Account
The savings account from AU Small Finance Bank comes under its Value service offerings and is specially meant for young children.
Features
- The account needs a minimum average balance of Rs. 500 but there are no charges if the balance dips below this minimum amount
- Interest rates offered are supposed to be better than standard savings accounts
- The bank offers a VISA Gold Bachpan Debit Card with customisable benefits for kids aged 10 years and above. The card also has various insurance benefits such as education insurance and so on
- The BACHPAN Savings Account comes with its own special features such as Sweep-in, Locker, and Cash Deposit facilities
- Accountholders or their guardians can access the account through mobile banking, phone banking and internet banking
- Customers also benefit from the bank’s extended working hours
- The bank offers free transactions at its ATMs while the limit is kept at 10 transactions per month for other bank ATMs. The bank has ATMs in 10 states according to the company’s website as of February 2019
Children’s Savings Accounts from Kotak Mahindra Bank
Kotak Mahindra Bank offers a children-focussed account called Junior – The Savings Account for Kids. Here is a look at some features of the account.
Junior – The Savings Account for Kids
The account comes in two variants, the standalone account and a bundle pack that includes the Junior Savings Account and a Guardian Savings Account.
Features
- The account offers one of the higher interest rates for children’s accounts at 5% (as of November 2018)
- Bundled plan accountholders get access to a Recurring Deposit (RD) or a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP). The RD starts from as little as Rs. 2,000 and tenures that start from 36 months, while in the case of SIP the guardian can choose the amount and tenure
- The standalone Junior Account comes in different variants such as Platina, Ace, Pro, Classic, Edge and Nova. The distinction between these is the minimum balance required in the account and the customer segment to which the account is offered. For instance, the Platina account is a continuation of a portfolio of plans that Kotak Mahindra Bank acquired from its purchase of ING Vysya, while the Classic account is targeted at semi-urban and rural areas, and so on
- There is no minimum balance requirement for bundled Nova accounts provided they have an RD or a SIP in place. Otherwise, an average monthly balance of Rs. 5,000 is needed for Junior accounts. For non-junior accounts, the average monthly balance required is Rs. 5,000 (Nova), Rs. 10,000 (Edge and Classic), Rs. 50,000 (Ace) and Rs. 1 lakh (Platina)
- The charges for non-maintenance of the average balance ranges from Rs. 150 to Rs. 600 per month depending on the balance and the type of account.
- The Junior Savings Account offers personalised debit cards with daily withdrawal limits of Rs. 5,000 for kids above 10 years of age
- The bank offers certain children-centric privileges such as Junior Foodie, Junior Day Out, Junior Shopper, Junior Learner and Junior Angel
Reference Facts
- AU Small Finance Bank Website: www.aubank.in
- Headquarters: Jaipur, Rajasthan
- Call Centre Number: 1800 1200 1200
- Kotak Mahindra Bank Website: www.kotak.com
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Call Centre Number: 1860-266-2666, 1860-266-0811 (for 811 Digital Bank Customers)