ICICI Bank vs Capital Small Finance Bank: Children’s Savings Accounts

ICICI Bank vs Capital 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. Capital Small Finance Bank allows kids to open its standard savings account called Normal Savings Account under guardianship.

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 Capital Small Finance Bank

Capital Small Finance Bank allows a parent or guardian to open its standard savings account – Normal Savings Account – on behalf of a child.

Normal Savings Account

This is the standard savings account of the bank. We list the features below if you want to open a children’s account with the bank.

Features

  • The Normal Savings Account of Capital Small Finance Bank can be opened on behalf of minors by their parent or guardian. Other accountholders have to reach the age of 18 years before they can open an account. So, in all effect, the account opened for minors can be classified as a minor’s account with different set of services than standard accounts
  • The minimum balance needed is Rs. 100 in rural areas but without chequebooks. In case a chequebook is needed, the minimum balance needed is Rs. 300. In urban or semi-urban areas it is Rs. 300 without chequebook and Rs. 500 with one
  • All other factors are similar to standard savings account

Note: Information on the savings accounts is sketchy and it will be best if you approach the bank to open a minor account. Being a Jalandhar headquartered bank, it may be a good idea to open an account with this bank if you stay in the city or adjoining areas. The bank has a very strong growth strategy and intends to reach over 220 branches by 2021.

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
  • Capital Small Finance Bank Website: www.capitalbank.co.in
  • Headquarters: Jalandhar, Punjab
  • Call Centre Number: 1800 120 1600 (8 am ? 8 pm)