The main differences between banks and credit unions are that banks are for-profit institutions owned by shareholders, while credit unions are not-for-profit organizations owned by their member account holders. Credit unions typically have lower fees, higher interest rates on savings, and a focus on serving their members' financial needs, rather than maximizing profits like banks. Credit unions also have membership requirements, while banks are open to the general public. Lastly, banks are regulated by federal and state banking authorities, while credit unions are regulated by the National Credit Union Administration.
Credit union deposits are insured up to $250,000 per depositor by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF), which is backed by the U.S. government. This means that even if a credit union fails, members' deposits up to the $250,000 limit are protected, similar to how bank deposits are insured by the FDIC. So credit union members generally do not have to worry about losing their money as long as their total deposits at a single credit union do not exceed the coverage limit.
