I opened my HSBC online savings account 1 year ago. The interest rate lately has taken a plunge but it's still better than anything a brick and mortar offers outside of a CD. Transactions are usually done in a timely manner. I've never had any issues sending money to or withdrawing money from the account.

This is pretty basic as far as savings accounts go. The interest is better than most regular savings accounts, but it's not as high as it has been in the past. It's sort of a hassle to set up, and there are some pretty draconian security measures when it comes to logging in, but odds are you'll find that with any online savings accounts. I do like the idea of having a strictly online savings account, as it provides a place to keep part of my savings away from my regular accounts.

This has been, by far, the best savings account that my family has ever had! You just can't beat the 3.00% APY, no minimum balances and ease of use. Not to mention the fact that, so far, we have had no fees! Beautiful! This is a fantastic account for families, especially those like ours that tend to have a tough time keeping our savings IN savings. The online-only account keeps us on track because a) we're not looking at our account balances everytime that we log on to our checking account, and b) the online-only feature allows you to really think about getting and using the cash. But you do get an ATM card and the fees are refunded when you use it at a non-HSBC bank, so it's easy to withdraw money if and when you need it. Perfect for us!

It's a brilliant savings account, easy and reliable and the online banking is completely safe. I have been banking with HSBCdirect for a while now and am extremely pleased with it. I now stay relaxed knowing my money is working hard in safe hands!

I have been very pleased with HSBC Online Savings. The interest rates are good, and I love being able to transfer funds between my savings account and my checking account which is with a different bank. As other reviewers have said, there is a 3-4 day turnaround, but that does not trouble me since my savings account is "off limits" until I reach certain goals. I set up an automatic monthly funds transfer so that on every pay day a certain amount is transferred from my checking account to my savings. That small feature has really helped me to be consistent with my saving--a big issue for me! It's very convenient and worry-free.

Best so far because even in this financial crisis they are giving me continuously 3%. Its easy to manage money online. Easy to transfer to/from any bank/org in USA and it also helps me send money abroad to my HSBC account. So far I had never have any issues but my friend say their customer service on phone is also very good. Overall I love getting paid for saving account and have freedom to withdraw my money anytime.

HSBC Direct makes it easy to transfer money in and out of other HSBC accounts. I find in NYC there are HSBC atms all over (which is not true of all banks in NY!) so it's easy to access my funds.

Their bank-to-bank transfer feature also makes it simple to transfer money in and out of non-HSBC accounts, although the turn-around time is about 3-4 days.

My major complaint is their login system, which uses a combination of a password you enter through the keyboard, and a second password you enter by clicking on a virtual keyboard. Sometimes, I have trouble logging in with the virtual keyboard -- as it thinks I'm typing on my keyboard and I'll get pop-ups blocking me from logging on. Luckily, this only seems to happen on one of my computers at home.

Higher APY than I've seen elsewhere, and easy online transfers makes this an overall positive experience for me.

I have had an account with HSBC Direct for around 7 years now. They have always been super good to work with and have paid competitive rates. I also like the fact that it links to my HSBC Mastercard.That comes in real handy.

HSBC savings are amongst the worst of all major high street banks, unless you manage your funds with the bank better they will give you poor interest on your current account. They only offer higher rates to higher income group under premier banking when they need to collect cash to support their trading problems like the recent sub prime issue that they had in America.The interest rate and ease of use and access don't make up for the generally bad customer service and slow response times when trying to get in touch with them.

Worst banking experience I've ever had. When I opened the account I was able to transfer my money from an existing account from another bank to HSBC Direct. When I tried to transfer more money into the account several weeks later it said that the bank account from which I transferred funds (JP Morgan Chase) was blocked and my HSBC account was locked. I spent several days on the phone trying to get the account unlocked (customer service on the phone is bad and involves being on hold for 5-10-20-30 minutes at time) at which point they unlocked the account and sent me a check for the sum. A month later I transferred money into the account again. I went to check on my balance and the website and customer service both say that my account was closed before the transfer was made and this money has been frozen, earning no interest and they can't seem to re-open my account or unfreeze the huge amount of my personal savings that I have sitting there. Awful and frustrating experience.