Savers can now earn substantially higher returns on their deposits compared to just a year ago with interest rates rising. This positive development provides an excellent chance for individuals seeking to strengthen their emergency funds or save for a significant expense.
If you’re banking with a traditional national bank, then you’re likely not getting the highest rate available to consumers. It’s worth considering switching to an online bank or a smaller institution that may offer higher rates.
Don’t settle for a low-interest rate on your savings.
Make sure to do your research and find the best high-yield account for your needs. Your money will thank you in the long run.
Banks with the Best Savings Accounts
Here are My Millennial Guide’s selections for the best savings account rates from top online banks.
Rates are current as of the writing of this post:
1. Upgrade – 4.81% APY (First Highest Rate)
Upgrade is a financial services company with its main headquarters located in San Francisco, California. The company has additional offices in Phoenix, Arizona and Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Upgrade specializes in offering credit and banking products to consumers, including fixed-rate credit cards and loans.
In addition to these products, the company also provides a premier savings account, credit monitoring, and educational tools to its customers.
Upgrade’s new Premier Savings Account is worth a look since you can earn an exceptional 4.81% APY, 16x the national average, on $1,000 or more.
You won’t have any monthly account fees or transfer fees to worry about either.
Online transfers to and from other banks are just a click away and you are FDIC insured up to $250,000 through Cross River Bank, Member FDIC.
Earn 16x the national average, on $1,000 or more. Start saving for your future now. Premier Savings has one of the highest rates in the nation, with none of the fees that some competitors charge.
2. CIT Bank – 4.60% APY (Second Highest Rate)
For customers seeking savings accounts and CDs that offer above-average yields along with an interest-bearing checking account at an online bank, CIT Bank is an excellent option.
CIT Bank provides various banking products and services to individuals and businesses, including savings accounts, some of the best CD rates, money market accounts, and loans.
The bank is headquartered in Pasadena, California, and has branches in different states.
It also offers online banking services, allowing customers to access their accounts and perform transactions digitally.
By rewarding those who actively add to their savings, the CIT Bank Savings Connect Account helps people build their savings account balance while developing good saving habits.
The only downside is that you’ll need $100 to open this account, but there are no account maintenance fees and you do almost all of your transactions through their app.
3. Quontic Bank – 4.25% APY (Third Highest Rate)
Quontic Bank offers you the ability to accrue an APY that’s over 13x higher than the national average. Quontic was named one of the Best Savings Accounts in 2022 by Go Banking Rates.
This is primarily because you won’t be charged for maintaining or over-drafting your account ever.
Plus, you can open an account online in just 3 minutes and with only a $100 opening deposit.
Your money is FDIC insured to the maximum legal limits and includes advanced security monitoring.
Quontic's APY of 4.25% far outpaces the national average and is one of the highest APY's we've come across with no monthly fees. Features include remote check deposit, bill pay, account transfers, the ability to send money to friends and family, and receipt tracking to make managing your finances easy. Quontic offers a debit card connected to your Quontic savings account as well as access to over 90,000 surcharge-free ATMs.
4. Live Oak Savings – 4.00% APY
Building your savings isn’t always easy, but with a Live Oak Online Savings Account, they have taken on some of the hard work.
With competitive interest rates, no monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements, and a fast and secure connection to your other bank accounts, you can enjoy a simpler way to save.
Open your account in minutes and manage it completely online.
Building your savings isn’t always easy, but with a Live Oak online savings account, they've taken on some of the hard work. With competitive interest rates, no monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements, and a fast and secure connection to your other bank accounts, you can enjoy a simpler way to save.
5. Liberty Savings Bank – 4.50%
Founded in 1889, Liberty Savings Bank is a family-owned community bank headquartered in Ohio with branches in the Sarasota-Manatee County area of Florida.
They let you earn 4.50% APY on its high-yield savings account, which is 11.6x higher than the national average.
FDIC insured. No fees. And with a history of serving communities across America.
Founded in 1889, Liberty Savings Bank is a family-owned community bank headquartered in Ohio with branches in the Sarasota-Manatee County area of Florida. This savings account offers an impressive savings rate that is higher than the national average. Additionally, it is FDIC insured, comes with no fees, and has a proven track record of serving communities throughout the United States.
6. Synchrony Bank – 4.15% APY
Similar to other banks on this list, Synchrony Bank offers an annual percentage yield that is significantly higher than the national average.
If you are looking for a high-yield account to grow your savings, but also want ATM access to your funds, Synchrony is a good choice.
7. Discover Bank – 3.60% APY
If you’re not sure about online banking, using a reputable, established company like Discover Bank should offer some peace of mind.
Zero-fee savings, checking and money market products, along with industry-leading interest rates make Discover Bank a great option for online banking.
8. Ally Bank – 3.75% APY
Ally offers high rates, low fees, an easy-to-use app, and great customer service.
There are no physical branches for Ally Bank, but they offer a $10 monthly credit to apply towards ATM fees, making it easy to use an ATM if you need one.
9. Barclays Bank – 3.80% APY
Barclays has no physical branches in the United States but makes up for it with a very competitive annual percentage yield.
There are no monthly fees and no minimum balance you must maintain.
10. Vio Bank High Yield Online Savings – 1.10% APY
Grow your money quickly and access it when you need it, with our flexible account at Vio Bank. Compound interest is accrued daily to make sure that your funds are multiplying rapidly.
With just a $100 minimum deposit required for opening the account up, plus FDIC insurance coverage of a maximum of $250,000 – peace of mind has never been more accessible.
You can get 6 free withdrawals per month that come complimentary so you can rest assured knowing that no monthly fee will be charged either.
11. Bread Financial – 4.50% APY
Whether you’re planning a big vacation or preparing for those unplanned events in life, a Bread Savings High-Yield Savings Account can get you there.
And with their highly competitive rates, achieving your dreams is closer than ever. They have a $100 minimum opening deposit with no hidden fees so you save more.
12. Citibank – 0.55 APY
The Citi Accelerate High Yield Savings account is an online savings account offered by Citibank. This account offers a high-yield interest rate, which means that your money will earn more interest than it would in a traditional savings account. The interest rate is variable and may change based on market conditions.
There are no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements for the Citi Accelerate High Yield Savings account, and you can easily manage your account online or through the Citi mobile app. You can also set up automatic transfers to help you save money more easily.
13. Marcus by Goldman Sachs – 3.90% APY
The Marcus Online Savings Account is an online high-yield savings account offered by Marcus by Goldman Sachs, which is the online consumer banking and lending division of Goldman Sachs. The account offers a competitive interest rate with no fees, no minimum balance requirement, and easy online account management.
Customers can open and manage their Marcus Online Savings Account entirely online, and the account comes with features such as free electronic fund transfers, mobile app access, and customer support available seven days a week. Interest on the account is compounded daily and paid monthly.
Overall, the Marcus Online Savings Account is a popular choice for customers looking for a simple, high-yield savings account with no fees or minimum balance requirements.
14. American Express National Bank – 3.75% APY
The American Express® Savings High Yield Savings Account is an online savings account offered by American Express, a well-known financial services company. The account offers a competitive interest rate on your savings with no monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements.
This account is FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, which means that if the bank were to fail, your funds would be protected up to that amount. Additionally, the account offers free online transfers to and from other bank accounts, as well as mobile banking capabilities and 24/7 account access.
The American Express® Savings High Yield Savings Account can be a good option for those who want to earn a competitive interest rate on their savings with the convenience of online banking. However, it’s important to note that the interest rate is subject to change and may not always be the highest available in the market.
More: Best 5% Interest Savings Accounts
Why Switch to an Online Bank?
Online banks, or digital banks, offer higher interest rates than brick-and-mortar banks and international banks.
This means that stashing cash in an online savings account now pays off because they have fewer overhead costs.
Since online banks are vying to be your new online bank, they tend to offer higher yields and are some of the easiest bank accounts to open.
Banking online is safe, FDIC insured, and is a great way to earn interest on your money as it is protected. But which online banks offer the best savings accounts in 2023?
If you are looking for a new savings account, check out our most updated list of the best online high-interest savings accounts available to you.
How to Open an Online Savings Account
You’ll need some basic information to open an online savings account. If you’ll have a co-owner on the account, you’ll need their information too. Typically, you’ll need to provide your name, current address, other recent addresses if you’ve moved recently, and your Social Security number.
When you are ready to open an online savings account, make sure you make sure the online savings account has the features most people utilize.
The Benefits of The Best Online Savings Accounts
Opening a savings account excites most millennials about as much as collecting the $100 for ‘Passing Go’ in a game of Monopoly. You sink some cash into a high-interest savings account that you will not touch until the proverbial rainy day. If you live in Phoenix, your savings account remains untouched for most of the year (haha). On the other hand, rainy days abound for the Seattle savings account holders.
A savings account sounds like a bland way to stash away money, but you can spice up your finances by considering six features that define the best high-interest savings accounts.
High-Yield Savings Rates
The national average interest rate for savings accounts is 0.37 percent, according to Bankrate’s June 1 weekly survey of institutions.
Money market accounts or even cash management accounts pay higher interest rates, but you have to carry a much higher minimum balance and pay more in transaction and account maintenance fees.
Shopping for the best basic savings account rates involves researching what banks pay interest for customers who open online accounts.
Many banks, such as CIT Bank offer online savings accounts that pay nearly 4.50% APY (some of the highest rates in the nation).
You will never get rich by opening a savings account, but you still want your hard-earned cash to work for you in the form of the best interest rate.
- Higher than average APY. CIT Bank Savings Connect has an annual percentage yield of up to 4.50%, which is higher than the national average interest rate on savings accounts.
- $0 monthly fee. This account does not charge a monthly Service Charge.
- Bill pay. Pay your bills to practically anyone in the United States through CIT Bank.
Automatic Deposits
When you accept a new job, one part of the new employee orientation involves completing a form that dictates how you want your paycheck deposited.
We all want a large chunk of our pay to go directly into a checking account. Yet, the best savings accounts like Aspiration offer a feature that allows for an automatic deposit.
“Most people don’t have the time or discipline to make regular contributions to savings on their own,” said Steve Brobeck, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America.
Choose a bank that transfers a set percentage of your pay each week to your bank account. Even better, some banks make automatic transfers from checking to savings accounts one time per month.
Low Monthly Fees
Savings accounts should not cost banks much money to maintain. After all, the transaction activity for a typical savings account amounts to nothing more than regularly scheduled automatic deposits.
However, banks like to collect fees on anything, from withdrawing too much from a checking account to sneezing while you wait in line to make a money market transaction.
Savings account fees vary, depending on the type of account and the average monthly balance of the account.
Consider a bank that charges less than $2 per month in savings account fees and avoids banks that charge a minimum monthly balance fee.
Access to Cash
Liquidity, that often thrown around financial term, has relevance for savings account holders. You want to have instant access to your savings account cash via online transfers and withdrawals from ATMs.
You might need a substantial amount of money for an emergency that your checking account does not cover. A federal banking law allows only six savings account withdrawals per month.
Some banks permit less than six savings account withdrawals a month and on top of that, the banks add transaction fees to give you access to your money.
Deposit Insurance
Savings account deposit insurance is a no-brainer, yet many millennials forget to check a bank’s policy on protecting hard-earned cash. Federal deposit insurance protects savings account balances up to $250,000.
Some of the highest interest paying banks have acquired Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) protection for savings account holders. This means you do not sacrifice savings account interest yields for gaining peace of mind.
Open an Online Account
It is not just the convenience of opening an online savings account. A growing number of banks offer free online banking tools that help millennials learn how to save money.
Here are some of the best online savings accounts that you can compare:
- Get spotted up to $250 without fees
- Join 10+ million people using the finance super app
- Banking with instant discounts on gas, food delivery, groceries and more
- Start investing, saving, and budgeting for free
