Federal Bank vs ICICI Bank

Federal Bank vs ICICI Bank

Federal Bank offers two savings accounts called Young Champ and YuvaMitra for children and young adults. ICICI Bank also has two dedicated children’s accounts called the Young Stars Account and Smart Star Savings Account.

Children’s Savings Accounts from Federal Bank

Federal Bank offers two savings accounts called Young Champ and YuvaMitra for children. Details of whether its standard savings accounts can be opened for children are not available on the website.

Young Champ

The account is for all children up to the age of 18 years whether resident in India or abroad.

Features

  • The account needs an average monthly balance of Rs. 1,000
  • Children below 10 years can only open the account if the parent or guardian acts as the authorised signatory while kids above that age can open the account in their own name and operate it independently
  • The child also gets a specially designed debit card with a daily ATM or POS transaction limit of Rs. 2,500 with the Young Champ account
  • Charges on demand drafts for educational purposes are waived off up to a sum of Rs. 50,000
  • The bank offers reward points if the account holder or her parent or guardian opens a recurring deposit
  • Internet banking comes with a view-only facility
  • The accountholder also gets free email and mobile alerts and free standing instructions to debit account of parent and transfer the same to that of the child
  • The account cannot be opened online and the child, parent or guardian has to visit the branch

YuvaMitra

The account can be opened by any kid after they have passed class 10 and up to the time they have attained their professional degree or diploma.

Features

  • There is no minimum balance requirement for the account
  • The young adult gets a chequebook of 20 leaves a year and a debit card
  • The daily cash withdrawal and POS limits are both Rs. 50,000 for the YuvaMitra account
  • Accountholders get free internet banking, mobile banking and email alerts

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

Reference Facts

  • Federal Bank Website: www.federalbank.co.in
  • Headquarters: Aluva (Kochi), Kerala
  • Call Centre Number: 1800 425 1199
  • 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