Synchrony Bank

• Online Help
• High Yield Savings Account
• Certificates of Deposit (CDs)
• Money Market Accounts

Online Help

Synchrony Financial has a very helpful website. There is relevant information on it for everyone they work with. For businesses, Synchrony offers services through their business center, through which merchants can approve new applicants or access established accounts. The business center is also where credit limit increases are processed and payment options are selected. Using data from consumer purchasing patterns, merchants can develop sales that attract their customers.

For customers with personal accounts, Synchrony has a tool that allows you to compare Synchrony's annual percentage yield (APY) rates compared to dozens of other U.S. based banks. You can look at how much interest your money would make in a high-yield savings account, a money market account, or a certificate of deposit (CD). This tool allows you to see which rate will be the best according to the number of months you plan to have your money in the account. 

For any of Synchrony Bank's accounts, you can manage your money directly from the Synchrony mobile app. 

High Yield Savings Account

The high yield savings account from Synchrony Bank offers an interest rate of 2.15 percent APY no matter the balance in your account. This is one of the best interest rates among online savings accounts. 

There is no minimum balance and no minimum deposit to start your account, and consumers can access their cash online, by phone, or via ATM. However, this account does not allow checking (writing checks). 

Certificates of Deposit (CDs)

Certificates of deposit (CDs) with Synchrony Bank require a $2,000 minimum deposit. CD terms range from 3-60 months, and a three month CD will earn a 0.75 percent APY - the longer the CD (the more months), the higher the APY. A 60 month CD will earn 2.80 percent APY. After the minimum deposit of $2,000, your interest rate does not increase based on your deposit amount. 

Synchrony Bank's CD rates are competitive compared to other banks, and individual retirement account (IRA) CDs are also available, an offering that is not true of all online banks. 

Money Market Accounts

A money market account with Synchrony will earn a 1.20 percent APY. This account has no minimum balance, no minimum opening deposit, and no monthly service fees. It provides greater access to and flexibility with your money than Synchrony's savings accounts. With this account, you can write checks and make cash withdrawals online, by phone, or via ATM. 

A money market account is a mix between a checking account and a savings account, and is a great option for when you want to earn interest on your cash, but don't want to tie up all your money. A retirement account option, an IRA Money Market Account is also available. Due to federal regulations, you can only make six withdrawals or transfers per month from a money market account.

• Issues with fraudulent activity
• Inaccurate Statements
• Customer service

Issues with Fraudulent Activity

Even though Synchrony Financial offers very attractive products to their customers, there is a pattern of reviews complaining about fraudulent activity. 

Some customers report that they were overcharged interest in their credit card accounts. This usually happened to customers who were ending a purchase and had only one payment left to make. Upon making a payment or receiving a statement, they found that they were charged additional interest for the entire amount of the purchase or far more than what was owed.

Inaccurate Statements

Some customers have received inaccurate bank and credit card statements. This of course would result in an accusation that a customer owed more money than they actually did. One review stated that a phone call was received about a "missed payment". When the customer proved to them that he had made the payment, they sent him a letter in which they acknowledged the payment, but the ending balance on the letter did not show the deduction of that payment. 

There have also been scenarios in which accounts were cancelled without permission or prior notice, especially when there had been a time period of inactivity. These accounts were not delinquent and the period of inactivity was not very long.

Customer Service

Synchrony Financial has many customer reviews that report poor customer service. Common complaints include incorrect addresses and phone numbers on accounts, inability or refusal to return phone calls on unresolved issues, locking customers out of their accounts, being put on hold for extensive periods of time, and no follow up after customer representative states there would be such, in order to reverse clerical errors. 

If you pay off your account early, Synchrony Financial may not view this as being in good standing. Instead of receiving a statement to close out the account, several customers state that they were charged additional interest fees, late fees or amounts. The effected clients experienced adverse credit scores and reports. This terrible customer service makes online banking with Synchrony very difficult.