Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Golden 1 Credit Union - Santa Barbara

    3.2 (27 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Get information

    You can now request information from this business directly from Yelp

    Services - Golden 1 Credit Union - Santa Barbara

    Personal banking

    Golden 1 Credit Union - Santa Barbara Photos

    You might also consider

    More like Golden 1 Credit Union - Santa Barbara

    Recommended Reviews - Golden 1 Credit Union - Santa Barbara

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Entrance
    Jami N.

    Although difficult to reach directly by phone, Golden 1 is a wonderful Credit Union. Staff greet you promptly when you walk in and are kind and helpful. There is usually very little wait when visiting a teller. Golden 1's online banking is convenient and easy to use, and one may order checks and make other inquiries via their online banking website. I definitely recommend!

    If you don't have your phone with you, no, you can't use their homebrew web system. At all.
    Patrick M.

    God I regret ever doing business with these people. They're earnest and friendly and polite, but holy Christ are they incompetent. Time after time after time, they just get basic things wrong. They seem to think they don't have to get it right because that, like, is hard, whereas you can avoid effort and foresight by just putting on your earnest face and apologizing after you get it wrong. The only reason they're getting two stars is that I was previously a Wells Fargo customer. Wells Fargo will bend you over and dry-hump you with something hard and sandpapery and tell you that you deserve it; they are actively malicious toward their customers. Golden 1 accidentally backs into you with something hard and sandpapery and then tells you they didn't realize that your rectum was there. They made no effort to see whether you were bending over naked, but at least they weren't actively trying to assault you. They're also big on offering you "workarounds" that start with "you can just ..." while using the word "just" to pretend that the workaround is really no big deal for you. Spoiler alert: the biggest lie in their workaround is in fact the word "just," because the problem they're causing inevitably actually is substantially inconvenient for you. As far as I can tell, they have exactly two ATMs in SB County. One is directly outside the Calle Real branch. (Not at all useful if you want an ATM at a location that's more convenient for you then the branch is.) The other is on campus at UCSB, but inside a business that is only open 9-6 weekdays, less on weekends, and not at all for three weeks at a time over Xmas break. That's right: One of their two ATMs in the county is inside a business that's closed three-quarters of the time and is out of the way if you're not already on campus. On top of this, that ATM is CONSTANTLY down. I know the guy who services it by name. He's the guy who tells me that I'm going to get charged $3 by Golden 1 and $3 by another bank whose ATM I'm using if I need money right now. Of course, "you can just" leave campus, walk back to your car, and drive to the Calle Real branch, or "you can just" wait for the 24, take it down to Hollister and Fairview, and then walk twenty minutes (or thirty, if you like being on a sidewalk instead of walking two feet from the turning lane onto a highway) to the Calle Real branch. Then you can reverse the process. In either case, going to the Calle Real branch takes over an hour more than it would if their on-campus ATM weren't broken. Or "you can just" make a small purchase of something you don't need to get cash back ... if you leave campus to find a place where you can get cash back on an ATM card purchase, because there are no places on campus where you can do that. And if you're willing to plonk down money on something you don't need to avoid an ATM fee. Because that's different, you know. As for me, the times where I couldn't just drop everything and "just" spend an hour or two working around their non-working on-campus ATM have cost me well over $1000 during my graduate education, because sometimes I need money now and use another bank's on-campus ATM while Golden 1's is broken. Because it's right around the corner from their ATM, only not in a closed business, and it always works. Unlike Golden 1's ATM, which breaks down every time anyone on campus sneezes, no matter how far away. If it doesn't just so happen that you're on campus at UCSB all the time, your ATM options are even less convenient. You can go to the ATM directly outside the Calle Real Branch. (Or "you can just" use another partner ATM, because "you can just" get online to see a map of where those are. Never mind when you punch in 93106 as my ZIP code on their website, it recommends ATMs in Atascadero, Bakersfield, and Chico. All of which are totally convenient. Or "you can just" find a partner ATM, presumably through their website, which is totally more convenient when searching for partner ATMs than it is when searching for their own.) Their web site is an awful, unusable system, apparently built by someone's nephew as a semester project for a class at a community college. I am currently totally locked out because my phone is getting fixed. Their homebrew system has decided that I need to "verify my identity." Why do they need to verify my identity right now? That's unclear. The only option for doing so? They can call or text me. ON MY PHONE THAT'S GETTING FIXED. Turns out that I'm off camping while my phone gets fixed and don't have another phone available, though I do have my tablet. What did their support team suggest over Twitter and by email? That I GO FIND A PAY PHONE and call in. Awesome service, Golden 1. Thanks for being slightly better than Wells Fargo. Good job clearing a high bar there.

    ATM always available.

    See all

    8 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Zeb N.
    16
    4
    0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Joe M.
    38
    10
    5

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Golden 1 C.

    Golden 1 C.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Patrick M.
    140
    160
    70

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of D A.
    0
    2
    4

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Golden 1 C.

    Golden 1 C.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Giovanna M.
    338
    72
    168

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Golden 1 Credit Union

    Golden 1 Credit Union

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Aleida R.
    26
    60
    98

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Golden 1 C.

    Golden 1 C.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ann W.
    6
    84
    47

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Golden 1 Credit Union

    Golden 1 Credit Union

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Golden 1 Credit Union

    Golden 1 Credit Union

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Richard M.
    334
    34
    10

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tiff K.
    264
    22
    1

    10 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Golden 1 Credit Union - Santa Barbara

    Review Highlights - Golden 1 Credit Union - Santa Barbara

    Jonathan is the go to person if you want to have a good day.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

    Read more highlights

    KeyPoint Credit Union

    KeyPoint Credit Union

    (35 reviews)

    Keypoint Credit Union Review I recently relocated and…read morepurchased a home in another state, and during the move I accumulated more than $35,000 in credit card debt. With today's ridiculously high credit card interest rates, I was paying over $1,200 each month in minimum payments--payments that barely made a dent in the balance. Years ago, Kelly Heargreaves helped my wife and I finance our first home in Santa Barbara. Since then, she has also assisted us with car loans, refinancing our home, and other financial needs. Because of the trust she has earned over the years, I reached out to her for advice on how to tackle this growing credit card debt. Kelly patiently walked me through the process of obtaining a loan that allowed me to consolidate and pay off my credit cards at a much lower interest rate. I recently made my first payment on a six-year loan that would pay off the entire debt. It was less than half of what I had been paying each month just to cover the minimum credit card payments! The relief has been tremendous. I can't say enough about KeyPoint Credit Union and Kelly Heargreaves. Their professionalism, honesty, and genuine commitment to helping their members have made a lasting difference in my financial journey. After many years of outstanding service and sound financial guidance, I am truly grateful for everything they have done. I highly recommend KeyPoint Credit Union and Kelly to anyone looking for trustworthy financial advice and exceptional customer service.

    Kelly Hargreaves, KPCU GOLETA. There are…read moretimes when there is this sudden recognition that there are people that have helped you get to where you are at today. They have been there supporting and helping you build and reach your goals. You understand that you couldnt have gotten there with out their assistance along the way. Everyday you encounter pleasant people , however there are people who go out of their way to assist you. It's not just their job, its the but they connect us and make life simpler and better in so many ways. From opening bank accounts to adding new spouses to bank accounts, from resolving cases of credit card fraud to creating new wills, deeds, and managing three cars, a condo, and a new house out of state, they have answered countless questions and provided consistent, kind, knowledgeable, and dependable assistance over the past 25 years. You truly couldn't ask for more. Kelly Hargreaves of KPCU Goleta has been that person for us! She's Wonderful!!!!!!! Thank you Kelly!

    Chase Bank - Centrally located location

    Chase Bank

    (9 reviews)

    Super friendly bankers. They always say every time I walk in. I like that the ATM's can be accessed…read morewith your Apple phone now. And you can get 5's and 20's from this location. I don't believe all locations have this option. It's within walking distance of my office which makes it the most convenient branch in my day to day. I've mostly used the ATM's. Haven't had to work with the bankers much. I want to keep it that way!!

    I frequent this branch often when either living in IV or when traveling through for van or RV…read more/Camping/surfing/visiting it's definitely a perfect spot to stop and grab lunch and cash at the same time... Not super easy to park unfortunately they do not have an area to pull over and get out but if you are smart and either plan your route accordingly to drive one specific direction on Pardall you can park right on the street and walk about a half block or less to the corner. Otherwise there are a variety of small lots and other parking spaces on the streets in each direction so it just takes a bit of maneuvering to find your preferred place. Either way it's just a hop skip and a jump back across the crosswalk to grab your cash. ATMs are located inside for safety and comfort, they have one that is lowered for disability access which I greatly appreciate, and both machines unless they have run out will allow you to select your denominations of bills by hundreds 20s and fives. I've not usually seen them have tens. If you're having any difficulty with actual banking issues they have several areas to speak to bankers and I have had very pleasant interactions with the employees there. I'm always greeted with a friendly smile and phrase when I walk in even if just using the ATMs... it's really really kept cool and comfortable in there too and I would actually recommend that they turn down their AC on the weekends or when it's after hours because they are absolutely wasting money and energy I swear it was easily 68° or colder in there today and although it was a welcome respite from the sun I had to question the logic of spending money on such a thing with the banking area access gate rolled down and only the ATMs being accessed by one or two people every once in a while I think they could put it up to 72 degrees and be perfectlyFine to not make the customers feel hot but probably could save quite a bit of money for the branch and for the earth in general! However if I were going in to sit and speak to a banker for a longer period of time I would be very glad for the again welcome break from any potential heat yet I do feel it was excessive and some thing to take note during not only tough economic times but just for sustainability overall it seemed very wasteful and unnecessary. Felt refrigerated... They were closed for a while during Covid but they are back now and should be open normal hours! So for all I have had no real problems using this branch other than the inability to access a banker for some months and it did deter me from dealing with a fraud issue that I had which is unfortunate as if they were open I would've gladly gone in and spoken to someone but when I had to find away without one of my cars in working order to get to the other branches I ended up putting it off and now it is long overdue. I feel that their friendly demeanor and willingness to help especially in the middle of a college town where all sorts of problems can spring up, and I h confident that even though my problem is going to need to be escalated now with additional issues that have cropped up, I feel more than welcome to go in and at least ask for advice and help to start the process and see where it takes me. I removed a star for the slight difficulty in parking and lack of convenience for people trying to be really quick it can seem a bit tedious but the friendliness factor and the easy location that is super walkable for all of us that live nearby make it still my top choice branch in all of the local areas. I've shared some laughs and some troubles with them over the years and feel again comfortable and confident to go in and ask for help and I've gotten some really poor advice from bankers at the other branches... Keep up the good work, the real smiles, cool AC, and helpful vibes for all of us as we get back to business!

    Golden 1 Credit Union - Santa Barbara - banks - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...