I use it for long term savings, and yes, their rates have been better historically. I can’t say whether it is safe or not since I haven’t needed the money, but it does pay the interest on time, and is FDIC insured (same as most other banks). I don’t use it for day-to-day banking though, but I would feel secure knowing it is FDIC insured.

As shilolo said, if by “secure” you mean insured against bank failure, then yes—insured by FDIC up to $100,000.

The reason for the difference in interest rates has to do with bank cost—ING only has 6 physical locations in the US, compared to a typical bank, which would have hundreds or thousands. There are many virtual banks, ING is the largest. You might want to check out SavingsAccounts.com—it seems to have a pretty comprehensive list of the different banks and their rates. You’ll, of course, want to do a little research on a bank you consider—ensure it has FDIC insurance, and has a good record.

Yes, I <3 ING. Have banked with them since before I had money.

ING lauds their Internet security every time I log in (which takes about 3 screens). It’s secure. I put money in and take it out whenever I want. Keep in mind it takes about 4 businss days for withdrawals to land in my regular bank checking account.

I have used ING Direct for a few years now..everything from Checking (Electric Orange) and Savings to their CDs. They have partnerships with sharebuilder to invest in the stock market as well.

ING Direct is a great company but does not always have the best rates. I stay with them because I really like their interface. BankRate.com provides a good list of rates.