Answer:
~Banks~
*For-profit institutions that may be privately owned or publicly traded
*No membership required
*Generally lower savings rates and higher fees
*May be national or local
*Typically offer many, varied financial products
*FDIC provides deposit insurance
~Credit unions~
*Nonprofit institutions owned by members
*Membership required
*Often higher savings rates and lower fees
*May be national or local
*May be more limited in the financial products offered
*NCUA provides deposit insurance
Step-by-step explanation:
The bottom line is that banks are for-profit institutions, while credit unions are non-profit. Credit unions typically brag better customer service and lower fees, but have higher interest rates. Both banks and credit unions provide similar services such as checking and savings accounts, loans and business accounts.