answer:The only advantage of a bank for me is free ATMs are everywhere. Otherwise, my credit union is superior. Higher rates when they pay me interest. Lower rates when I pay interest on loans. They work really fast. They aren’t tiny ($500M in assets) but they seem like a small company (in a good way). They were even earllier with web/phone banking, and still are better. Transfers to my credit card account, for example, are instant. One time my card was denied at car rental agency at 1am. I was stuck in some airport. I phoned the automated system, paid $500 from checking to Visa, and the transaction sailed through!