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Savings Calculator
Use this free savings calculator to understand how your money can grow over time.
Margarette Burnette is a savings expert who has been writing about bank accounts since before the Great Recession. Her work has been featured in The Associated Press, USA Today and other major newspapers. Before joining NerdWallet, Margarette was a freelance journalist with bylines in magazines such as Good Housekeeping, Black Enterprise and Parenting. She is based near Atlanta, Georgia.
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Use the free savings calculator below to understand how your money can grow over time. When you put money in a savings account, the interest you earn builds on itself.
Savings calculator tip
First, run the numbers without a monthly deposit. Then try it again with $25 or $100 per month to see how regularly adding even a small amount can move you closer to your savings goal.
Starting balance: This is the amount you plan to deposit in the savings account initially.
Monthly contributions: This is the amount you will deposit on an ongoing monthly basis. It's an optional field.
Time to grow: This is the period of time your money will be in savings without a withdrawal. You can select a number of years or months.
Annual interest rate: This is the yield you expect to earn. The national average savings rate is 0.37%, though some high-yield savings accounts earn much more.
4.00%SoFi members with direct deposit can earn up to 4.00% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 1.20% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum direct deposit amount required to qualify for the 4.00% APY for savings. Members without direct deposit will earn 1.20% APY on all account balances in checking and savings (including Vaults). Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 03/17/2023. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet
3.75%3.75% APY (annual percentage yield) with $0 minimum balance to earn stated APY. Accounts must have a positive balance to remain open. APY valid as of 02/14/2023.
These cash accounts combine services and features similar to checking, savings and/or investment accounts in one product. Cash management accounts are typically offered by non-bank financial institutions.
These cash accounts combine services and features similar to checking, savings and/or investment accounts in one product. Cash management accounts are typically offered by non-bank financial institutions.
4.00%Annual percentage yield (variable) is as of 02/06/2023.
Min. balance for APY
$0
CDs (certificates of deposit) are a type of savings account with a fixed rate and term, and usually have higher interest rates than regular savings accounts.
CDs (certificates of deposit) are a type of savings account with a fixed rate and term, and usually have higher interest rates than regular savings accounts.
3.30%Your annual percentage yield can be as high as 3.30% based on the following combined rate rewards: direct deposits (not including intra-bank transfers from another account) totaling $1,500 or more each month will earn 0.40%. A qualifying direct deposit is required for the remaining interest rate qualifications to apply. Ten (10) point-of-sale transactions per month using your Rewards Checking Visa® Debit Card for normal everyday purchases with a minimum of $3 per transaction, or enrolling in Account Aggregation/Personal Finance Manager (PFM) will earn 0.30%; maintaining an average daily balance of at least $2,500 per month in an Axos Self Directed Trading Invest account will earn 1.00%; maintaining an average daily balance of at least $2,500 a month in an Axos Managed Portfolio Invest account will earn 1.00%; and making a monthly payment to an open Axos Bank consumer loan (commercial and business loans excluded) via transfer from your Rewards Checking account will earn a maximum of 0.60%.
Monthly fee
$0
Money market accounts pay rates similar to savings accounts and have some checking features.
Money market accounts pay rates similar to savings accounts and have some checking features.
There is no one answer, but the general standard is to build your savings to cover three to six months' worth of basic expenses. If you are able to save 20% of your take-home income each month, you may be well on your way. But even if you save a smaller amount, be consistent, and you can reach your savings goal.
How do you calculate interest on a savings account?
Multiply the account balance by the interest rate for a select time period. The result is the amount of simple interest the account earns in that time period.
If you started with zero and put away $150 a month (about $37.50 a week) in a savings account that earns 2% APY, you would save more than $5,500 in three years. Use this savings calculator to compare other contribution amounts.
How much interest can you earn on $10,000?
If your savings account earns only 0.01% APY, your earnings after a year would be $1. Put that $10,000 in a high-yield savings account that earns 2% APY for the same amount of time, and you can earn more than $200.
How much will a savings account grow?
The answer depends on the interest rate, deposit balances and time. The higher the rate, the faster a savings account will grow. Also, because of compounding, the more often interest is deposited into a savings account, the more the overall balance will grow. An account that compounds daily can grow slightly faster than one that compounds less frequently, such as once a month. To get the most growth over time, put your money in an account with a high yield that compounds daily.
How can I save $5,000?
If you started with zero and put away $150 a month (about $37.50 a week) in a savings account that earns 2% APY, you would save more than $5,500 in three years. Use this
If your savings account earns only 0.01% APY, your earnings after a year would be $1. Put that $10,000 in a high-yield savings account that earns 2% APY for the same amount of time, and you can earn more than $200.
How much will a savings account grow?
The answer depends on the interest rate, deposit balances and time. The higher the rate, the faster a savings account will grow. Also, because of compounding, the more often interest is deposited into a savings account, the more the overall balance will grow. An account that compounds daily can grow slightly faster than one that compounds less frequently, such as once a month. To get the most growth over time, put your money in an account with a high yield that compounds daily.
