**Yes—credit unions can and do offer HSAs.** Banks and specialized HSA custodians also offer them, but each institution chooses whether to provide the product. An ordinary savings account cannot simply be designated an HSA. Your HSA provider can be separate from your health insurer. [NCUA explanation](https://ncua.gov/regulation-supervision/legal-opinions/2007/ncua-insurance-coverage-health-savings-accounts), [IRS Publication 969](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p969).

Here’s how I would approach the search:

1. **Start with HR or your benefits administrator.** Find out which HSA receives the employer contribution, whether payroll contributions can go to another provider, and whether your employer pays account fees. You can keep the employer account and periodically transfer money to another HSA, but check transfer fees before deciding that is worthwhile. [Fidelity’s transfer guide](https://www.fidelity.com/investing/hsa/transfer).

2. **Use a directory to find candidates.** [HSA Search](https://www.hsasearch.com/compare/) currently lists more than 800 providers, including banks and credit unions, with comparisons of fees, features, and interest rates. Treat it as a starting point: verify rates, fees, and eligibility directly with each provider. Credit unions may require membership; local banks may impose geographic restrictions.

3. **Use a review to narrow the list.** [Morningstar’s HSA comparison](https://www.morningstar.com/personal-finance/best-hsa-providers) evaluates major retail providers separately for spending and investing. For your situation, concentrate on the **spending-account** assessment.

Since you expect to use the money, compare these features:

| Feature | What to check |
|---|---|
| Interest | APY at your expected balance—not just the highest advertised tier |
| Fees | Monthly maintenance fees, waiver requirements, transfer and closure fees |
| Access | Debit card, online payments, and reimbursement transfers to your checking account |
| Principal protection | Whether cash is held in FDIC- or NCUA-insured deposits |

**Fees can matter more than the interest rate at small balances.** For example, a hypothetical $2,000 average balance earning 2% produces about $40 annually; a $3 monthly fee consumes $36 of that.

Also distinguish **insured deposits from money market mutual funds** when comparing “cash” returns. Fidelity, for example, offers both a money market fund and an FDIC-insured sweep option; the fund’s quoted yield is not a bank-account APY, and the fund is not FDIC insured. [Fidelity HSA details](https://www.fidelity.com/investing/hsa).

For you, I would first compare the employer’s account against a few **no-maintenance-fee, insured cash HSAs** found through HSA Search. Searching every provider is unlikely to be necessary once you find a competitive rate at your likely balance, convenient spending access, and low fees.