<prompt> Human: Hi, rpersonalfinance Im curious about the pros and cons of banks and credit unions. Is one truly better than the other depending on ones lifestyle or is it just personal preference? The only benefit Ive read about banks is that they offer more locations, whereas credit unions tend to be unique to states. Im looking for a more exhaustive list of where to keep my money.Thanks!  <response>: As far as fees go, if you never overdraft your account and have some sort of direct deposit from your job, you wont have a hard time avoiding fees on basic checking and savings at either a large national bank or a credit union.Its true that credit unions are often part of a nationwide network of ATM locations, but honestly its probably easier to quickly locate a big ass blue Chase or red BofA ATM when youre traveling. Large banks will also likely have far better mobile apps and online banking.Credit unions often offer lower rates on car loans and mortgages, and having a prior personal banking relationship with one may or may not help this.For most people, I recommend the following:No-fee checking account from the institution with branches and ATMs most conveniently located to you, and a high yield online savings account. Many people recommend Ally. Chances are youll be better off with an online brokerage separate from your checkingsavings banks. People like VanguardFidelitySchwab. Get your loans from wherever gets you the lowest rate - this could be online or with your bank. 