Rate benchmark · Q4 2025
Credit Union vs Bank Rates
National-average interest rates from NCUA quarterly rate surveys, where credit unions beat banks on loans and deposits.
- −6.88%
- Biggest loan saving (Credit Card (Variable APR))
- 13
- Products compared
Every figure on PlainCU is rendered directly from NCUA quarterly call report data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NCUA quarterly call report data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This list, in one line
Credit unions undercut banks across the board, the gap is largest on Credit Card (Variable APR), where the CU average is 6.88% lower than the bank average. Across 13 products compared, the smallest loan-side CU advantage on this board is 0.06% (30-Year Fixed Mortgage).
- −6.88%
- Credit Card (Variable APR) saving
- 8
- Loan products cheaper
- 5
- Deposit products higher
- 13
- Products compared
NCUA quarterly rate survey, Q4 2025, national averages, not any single institution's posted rate.
According to the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) quarterly rate survey for Q4 2025, credit unions held a rate advantage over banks across all 13 products tracked, spanning the 4,374 federally-insured credit unions in the dataset. The averages below come from that survey; see our methodology for how each rate is sourced and compared.
Credit-union rate advantage by product (percentage points)
Absolute difference between the credit-union and bank national average for each product. Source: NCUA quarterly rate survey, Q4 2025.
Lower Loan Rates at Credit Unions
| Product | CU Avg | Bank Avg | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Card (Variable APR) | 13.86% | 20.74% | -6.88% |
| Personal Unsecured Loan | 10.43% | 12.05% | -1.62% |
| Used Auto Loan (48 mo) | 7.21% | 8.45% | -1.24% |
| New Auto Loan (48 mo) | 5.84% | 6.82% | -0.98% |
| Home Equity Line of Credit | 7.42% | 8.12% | -0.70% |
| Small Business Loan | 7.85% | 8.52% | -0.67% |
| 15-Year Fixed Mortgage | 6.21% | 6.30% | -0.09% |
| 30-Year Fixed Mortgage | 6.89% | 6.95% | -0.06% |
Higher Deposit Rates at Credit Unions
| Product | CU Avg APY | Bank Avg APY | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-Month CD | 4.60% | 4.41% | +0.19% |
| Checking Account (Interest) | 0.32% | 0.07% | +0.25% |
| Money Market APY | 4.12% | 3.85% | +0.27% |
| 1-Year CD (12 mo) | 4.85% | 4.52% | +0.33% |
| Regular Savings APY | 0.98% | 0.45% | +0.53% |
Rates are national averages. Individual credit union rates vary. Source: NCUA quarterly rate survey, Q4 2025. To find a credit union near you, search by name or location.
What to do with this comparison
A national average tells you the typical gap -- your own credit union's posted rate is what actually matters.
- The averages here show credit unions ahead on Credit Card (Variable APR) by 6.88 points -- confirm your own credit union's actual posted rate before assuming you'll get the average. Find a credit union
- Rate advantage does not track financial health -- check a credit union's own composite score before joining for rates alone. Healthiest credit unions
- See how this national rate survey is compiled and how often it refreshes. Methodology
These are national averages across many institutions; your credit profile, term, relationship, and local market all move the rate you're actually offered.
Download the Call Report state snapshot cited on this page: cu-call-report-statistics.csv (same CSV as /statistics, CC BY 4.0).