Best/Easiest Online HISA Registration Process ? | General comparisons | Discussion forum

EQ is the easiest.
LBC Digital is almost as easy as EQ; except I encountered a few error messages during sign-up - which could be overcome simply by refreshing the page.

Linking to an external account for both EQ and LBC Digital was entirely online (no paper, no post-office, no forms, ...)

Motusbank and Motive Financial were also easy to sign-up for; except to link to an external bank account, in both cases I had to fill in and email a PDF form, along with a void cheque.

Good luck!

The best/easiest for me was Tangerine, but it were years ago.
Second best/easiest - EQ Bank.

AlainJF said

How about Best/Easiest OnLine Registration Process of Credit Unions from Manitoba ?

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FWIW ... I had no problem signing up with 'Hubert Financial' of the Sunova CU. But I have no experience with any of the other Manitoba CU's, to compare them to.

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AlainJF said

. . .

if I got it right, the protection at those CU of MB is unlimited(?) ( ref: https://dgcm.ca/ )

For Manitoba CU's, that ⬆ would be Correct.
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Dean

I agree with others: (1) years ago it was ING / Tangerine; and (2) over the past year or two it was EQ.

I was amazed at how simple the EQ process was, compared to Oaken, Simplii, Motive, CT Bank, etc.

Vatox said
EQ is easiest. And linking many external accounts is sleek as well, no sending anything.  

LBC Digital uses the same techniques but their website is more wonky (or has been).

EQ by a country mile.

It was the first bank I signed up to entirely electronically. It's been over 4 years now and I am as happy as I was the first day. Quite an achievement, especially as like many people on here I deal with a lot of financial institutions (nearly two dozen at last count).

Worst ? There are a lot of contenders....

Briguy said
Achieva, Hubert, Access, and Steinbach credit unions and Peoples Trust all are easy to sign up with. Hubert is the only one of those with electronic linking of other FIs.  

That may b true, but you can pull/push from external accounts. I have Steinbach thus linked to Peoples.

I use the big banks RBC and BNS for main banking online and visit occasionally in person when it's time to negotiate rates. Both have good online but you need to set up in tandem with branch. You go in and they will get you better pricing if you ask. The experience with BNS - super. RBC not, so good especially as POA for my Mom's account. I'm in TO, she is in BC and had issues with viewing profiles inter provincially and with them honouring my POA from Ontario to BC. The Ontario RBC bank manager was fantastic but the BC RBC manager horrible. They locked my Mom's accounts. Thankfully, Mom had capacity and my sister's and I redid the will with a BC lawyer to unlock Mom's money. We moved it to Scotiabank and got great 2.3% GIC rates at Scotiabank last April. Now, not so sure if Scotiabank is in the the game this year.

Online:
I personally found EQ a breeze. They verify through Transunion. The easiest and best online experience!

I also have had no issues with Peoples Bank and Peoples Trust although you are best to call after completing your application. Roland was the gentleman I spoke with for both People's FI's. It was more clunky than EQ but good overall experience. Both belong to People's Group but separately insured. Similar to Oaken (Home Trust and Home Bank) except that you need to have 2 platform's with People's. Same rates for both FI's and similar online platforms.

Oaken was pretty good but recall having to bring in passport and other ID in person. Went to TO's downtown location. Now with Covid, I think they are closed.

Motus was OK but took at least a week. They placed a hold on funds but they honoured the rate during the hold. The online platform is pleasant.

I have nothing good to say about CIBC or Simplii. Closed my CIBC and going to close Simplii. They held the money for 2 weeks and did not honour the rates when I applied! Poor customer service overall.

Tangerine was OK too.

My experience with Alterna was disastereous. Terrible customer Service. Delays in showing the money from my big bank even though the funds were withdrawn. Held funds for 2 weeks. They made errors in the application and then requested we redo with similar holds. I escalated to the senior manager, pulled my funds out and won't consider banking with them unless they online platform improves.

Meridian was an overall good experience but needed to speak with someone to complete the application and we had to go in person. We closed because the rates went so low.

Outlook - I have some RRSP's parked only. Not the best online experience initially but I've been with them a few years. It may have improved. Good online experience but had trouble/delays in pulling liquid money out for a property purchase in BC. Looking to maybe move these funds closer to home in Ontario.

Sonz

Sonz said
RBC not, so good especially as POA for my Mom's account. I'm in TO, she is in BC and had issues with viewing profiles inter provincially and with them honouring my POA from Ontario to BC. The Ontario RBC bank manager was fantastic but the BC RBC manager horrible. They locked my Mom's accounts. Thankfully, Mom had capacity and my sister's and I redid the will with a BC lawyer to unlock Mom's money. We moved it to Scotiabank and got great 2.3% GIC rates at Scotiabank last April. Now, not so sure if Scotiabank is in the the game this year.
  

I doubt very much that the issue was really inter-provincial. I had the same problems with RBC, and it only involved one branch, in a province we both live in.
What I learned is that they have a whole legion of excuses and lawyers to attest to why they can't do what they should do. I also learned that they can dispense with these restrictions whenever it suits their purposes.
I have had the surreal experience of having bank employees (the kind who have private offices) sit there and absolutely lie to my face and expect me to believe it.
It's probably the worst banking experience I've ever had.
The local manager could afford to be friendly and sympathetic because it wasn't his decision to make.