Compare high-yield savings accounts, CDs & money markets: 13 top picks for 2026
Your savings shouldn't earn 0.38% — that's the national average, and every account below beats it by roughly 10x. Compare 13 FDIC-insured accounts: high-yield savings for flexibility, 1-year CDs for locked rates, and money market accounts for yield plus check-writing. Every APY verified September 17, 2026.
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High-yield savings accounts
| Account | Happen Bank LevelUp Savings | Marcus Online Savings Account | Ally Online Savings Account | Capital One 360 Performance Savings | American Express High Yield Savings | Barclays Online Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APY | 4.00%* | 3.40% | 3.00%* | 3.00%* | 3.00%* | 3.20% |
| Minimum to open | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Minimum to earn APY | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0.01 |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| FDIC insured | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
* Happen Bank LevelUp Savings: LevelUp rate with $250+ in monthly deposits; 3.00% standard rate otherwise. Recently rebranded from LendingClub Bank.
* Ally Online Savings Account: Same 3.00% across all balance tiers, per Ally's own site (APYs accurate as of 09/16/2026).
* Capital One 360 Performance Savings: Variable APY, effective 9/15/2026 per Capital One's own page.
* American Express High Yield Savings: Amex terms state "APY accurate as of 9/17/2026".
Barclays also markets Tiered Savings (3.50% under $250k as of 9/12/2026 per Fool reviews) — confirm which product you're opening before applying.
Rates verified September 2026. Banks change APYs without notice — confirm the current rate on the provider's site before opening an account.
Happen Bank LevelUp Savings
The 2026 award winner in our set: a 4.00% APY that has held all year — but only if you deposit $250 or more each month. Miss the deposit and it drops to the 3.00% standard rate, still about 8x the national average.
Marcus Online Savings Account
Goldman Sachs' consumer bank pays 3.40% — the highest no-hoops rate among the big bank brands here — with $0 to open, no monthly fees, and no minimum balance to earn the rate.
Ally Online Savings Account
Ally pays 3.00% on every balance tier and pairs it with the best savings tools in the business — buckets for goals, Round Ups, Surprise Savings — plus real humans available 24/7.
Capital One 360 Performance Savings
3.00% variable with no fees or minimums — plus something no other account here offers: 450+ branches and 50 Capital One Cafes for in-person help, and a top-rated app with AutoSave.
American Express High Yield Savings
American Express National Bank pays 3.00% with no minimums and no fees — a natural fit if you already live in the Amex app, since your savings sits alongside your cards.
Barclays Online Savings
Barclays pays 3.20% on its Online Savings account with just $0.01 needed to earn interest and no monthly fees — a touch above the 3.00% cluster, from a bank with years in US online banking.
Certificates of deposit (1-year)
| Account | Ally High Yield CD | Marcus High-Yield CD | Capital One 360 CD | Synchrony High Yield CD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year APY | 3.90%* | 3.90%* | 4.00%* | 4.10%* |
| Minimum to open | $0 | $500 | $0 | $0 |
| Early-withdrawal penalty | 60 days' interest (3–24 month terms) | Applies — see current terms | Up to 6 months' interest (even on 5-year terms) | 90 days' simple interest (terms of 12 months or less) |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
* Ally High Yield CD: 12-month term. Also 3.50% on 3-year and 5-year terms (NerdWallet, Sep 2026).
* Marcus High-Yield CD: 12-month term.
* Capital One 360 CD: 12-month term. Also 3.50% on 3-year and 3.60% on 5-year (NerdWallet, Sep 2026).
* Synchrony High Yield CD: 12-month term.
Rates verified September 2026. Banks change APYs without notice — confirm the current rate on the provider's site before opening an account.
Ally High Yield CD
Ally's 1-year CD pays 3.90% with no minimum deposit and a Ten Day Best Rate Guarantee — if the rate rises within 10 days of opening, you automatically get the higher rate.
Marcus High-Yield CD
Marcus pays 3.90% on its 12-month CD — but unlike most picks here, it requires $500 to open and to earn the rate.
Capital One 360 CD
Capital One's 1-year CD pays 4.00% — the joint-highest 1-year rate here — with $0 to open and nine term lengths (6 months to 5 years) that make laddering easy.
Synchrony High Yield CD
Synchrony's 1-year CD pays 4.10% — the highest 1-year rate in our comparison — with no minimum balance and daily compounding.
Money market accounts
| Account | Ally Money Market Account | Sallie Mae Money Market Account | Quontic Money Market Account |
|---|---|---|---|
| APY | 3.00%* | 3.50%* | 3.90%* |
| Minimum to open | $0 | $0 | $100 |
| Minimum to earn APY | $0 | $0 | $0.01 |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Checks / debit | Debit card + checks | Checks (no debit card) | Debit card + checks |
* Ally Money Market Account: Per Ally's own site: APYs accurate as of 09/16/2026; no minimum balance required to earn APY.
* Sallie Mae Money Market Account: Bankrate, as of 9/2/2026.
* Quontic Money Market Account: Bankrate, APY as of 9/15/2026; Quontic's own disclosures confirm 3.90% across all balance tiers (info as of 9/1/2026).
Rates verified September 2026. Banks change APYs without notice — confirm the current rate on the provider's site before opening an account.
Ally Money Market Account
Ally's money market account pays 3.00% with no minimum balance to earn it — plus a debit card and checks, so your emergency fund stays spendable while it earns.
Sallie Mae Money Market Account
Sallie Mae pays 3.50% with no minimum to open, no monthly fee, and check-writing — the highest no-minimum money market yield in our set.
Quontic Money Market Account
Quontic's money market account pays 3.90% — the highest MMA rate in our comparison — with a debit card, check-writing, and no monthly fees, for a $100 opening deposit.
Savings growth calculator
Savings growth calculator
See what your money could grow to with monthly compounding. Try one of the APYs from the tables above.
Common questions
Are online savings accounts safe?
Yes — every account compared here is FDIC-insured, which protects your deposits up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. An online bank with FDIC insurance is as safe as a branch bank for deposits under the limit.
What's the difference between a high-yield savings account and a CD?
A high-yield savings account keeps your money flexible: the rate is variable and you can withdraw anytime. A CD locks your money for a fixed term (like 12 months) at a fixed rate — pull out early and you pay a penalty, typically 60 to 180 days of interest. If you might need the cash, choose savings; if you won't touch it, a CD locks in today's rate.
What happens to my savings rate if the Fed cuts interest rates?
Savings and money market APYs are variable — they usually drift down after Fed rate cuts. That's why the national average savings rate is just 0.38% while top online accounts pay 3–4%. CD rates are fixed when you open, so a CD locks in today's yield for the full term.
How is a money market account different from a savings account?
Yields are similar and both are FDIC-insured. The difference is access: money market accounts typically come with checks and a debit card (Ally and Quontic include both; Sallie Mae offers checks), while savings accounts are transfer-only. Money market accounts may also limit certain withdrawals per statement cycle.
Why isn't Discover listed here?
Capital One's acquisition of Discover closed in May 2025 — Capital One's own disclosures note that Discover Bank accounts opened on or after May 18, 2025 count together with your other Capital One deposit accounts for FDIC insurance purposes. We list those accounts under Capital One.
How current are these rates?
Every APY on this page was verified on September 17, 2026. Banks change rates without notice, so confirm the current APY on the provider's site before opening an account. We re-verify these rates monthly.
Is this financial advice?
No. These are educational comparisons to help you research — not personalized recommendations. Talk to a qualified financial professional about your own situation.