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11 Best High-Interest Accounts of March 2024 (up to 5.35%)

Our list of the best high-interest accounts.

Ruth Sarreal
Margarette Burnette
By Margarette Burnette and  Ruth Sarreal 
Edited by Yuliya Goldshteyn

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High-interest deposit accounts beat regular bank accounts when it comes to the best places for your money, helping your balance grow faster. These savings and checking accounts, CDs and other deposit products provide a safe place for your cash while earning a competitive yield.

Why trust NerdWallet: Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to make sure our coverage is fair and accurate, so you can choose the financial accounts that work best for you. See our criteria for evaluating banks and credit unions.

These accounts usually have online access and many don’t charge a monthly fee. Note that some have transaction or balance requirements to earn the best rates. High-yield checking accounts, for example, might require you to make a certain number of debit card transactions each month. If you can meet the conditions, however, they're worth a look. And while some accounts are offered by banks, others are offered by credit unions or nonbanks (providers that partner with a bank to offer deposit insurance).

NerdWallet did extensive, independent research on dozens of account providers to identify the best options. Read on for more details about NerdWallet’s best high-interest accounts.

Summary of best high-interest accounts

Best accounts for savings

  • BrioDirect High-Yield Savings.

  • Ivy Bank High-Yield Savings.

  • Tab Bank High-Yield Savings.

Best accounts for CDs

  • BMO Alto CDs.

  • Popular Direct CDs.

  • Sallie Mae Bank CDs.

  • Tab Bank CDs.

Best accounts for checking

  • All America Bank Ultimate Rewards Checking.

  • Consumers Credit Union Free Rewards Checking.

  • Hope Credit Union Rewards Checking.

  • Lake Michigan Credit Union Max Checking.

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Best High-Interest Accounts of March 2024 (up to 5.35%)

Our pick for

Savings

NerdWallet rating 

4.0

/5
Ivy Bank High-Yield Savings Account
APY

5.30%

With $2,500 min. balance for APY

Bonus

N/A

NerdWallet rating 

4.5

/5
TAB Bank High-Yield Savings Account
APY

5.27%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Bonus

N/A

NerdWallet rating 

4.0

/5
BrioDirect High-Yield Savings
APY

5.35%

With $25 min. balance for APY

Bonus

N/A

Our pick for

CDs

NerdWallet rating 

5.0

/5
BMO Alto Certificate of Deposit
Learn more

at BMO Alto, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Minimum deposit

$0

Deposits are FDIC Insured

1-year APY

5.05%

3-year APY

4.50%

5-year APY

4.50%

NerdWallet rating 

4.0

/5
TAB Bank CD
Minimum deposit

$1,000

Member FDIC

1-year APY

5.27%

3-year APY

4.25%

5-year APY

4.00%

NerdWallet rating 

4.0

/5
Sallie Mae Bank CD
Minimum deposit

$2,500

Member FDIC

1-year APY

5.10%

3-year APY

4.00%

5-year APY

4.00%

NerdWallet rating 

4.5

/5
Popular Direct CD
Minimum deposit

$10,000

Member FDIC

1-year APY

5.20%

3-year APY

4.55%

5-year APY

4.35%

Our pick for

Checking

NerdWallet rating 

4.5

/5
Consumers Credit Union Free Rewards Checking
Learn more

at Consumers Credit Union, Federally insured by NCUA

Monthly fee

$0

APY

5.00%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Bonus

N/A

NerdWallet rating 

4.5

/5
All America Bank Ultimate Rewards Checking
Monthly fee

$0

APY

5.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Bonus

N/A

NerdWallet rating 

4.5

/5
HOPE Rewards Checking
Monthly fee

$0

APY

3.01%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Bonus

N/A

NerdWallet rating 

4.5

/5
Lake Michigan Credit Union Max Checking
Monthly fee

$0

APY

3.00%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Bonus

N/A

🤓Nerdy Tip

Today’s high rates may not last forever. Take advantage of them while you can with a federally insured high-yield account.

Why choose a high-interest account?

Your money can grow faster than in a standard account. This is especially ideal for building a cash cushion, say, for an emergency fund or holiday savings goal. The national average for savings accounts is 0.47%. If you put your money in a high-yield account that earns around 5%, it's earning much more than the national average, with little additional effort on your part. The same holds for CDs.

What to look for in a high-interest account

Search for accounts that have competitive rates and low fees. You don’t want to pay a monthly maintenance charge, because that would likely cost you more than what you would earn, even with a strong interest rate. You may also want to look for extra perks, such as checking accounts that come with ATM fee refunds (in case you’re charged by ATM owners for using out-of-network ATMs), and savings accounts with tools and calculators that make automatic savings deposits easy. Along with stronger yields, the high-interest accounts tend to offer more perks than standard bank accounts.

» Ready to explore more options? Check out our lists of the best high-interest online savings accounts and best checking accounts for this month.

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How often do high interest account rates change?

It depends on the type of account. Savings accounts typically have variable rates that can theoretically change at any time. CDs, on the other hand, typically offer fixed rates for a certain term length. The institutions on the list have consistently had some of the best interest rates, whether variable or fixed.

To find out how to get the best return for your money, check out NerdWallet’s lists of the best savings rates and best CD rates on a regular basis.

Money market accounts and cash management accounts are banking alternatives that also have variable rates, and sometimes those rates are competitive with checking, savings and CDs. Read our primers on money market accounts and cash management accounts to learn more about those products.

» Want to learn more? Read NerdWallet’s picks for the best money market account and best cash management account options.

Last updated on March 1, 2024

Methodology

We took a close look at over 90 financial institutions and financial service providers, including the largest U.S. banks based on assets, internet search traffic and other factors; the nation’s largest credit unions, based on assets and membership; and other notable and/or emerging players in the industry. We rated them on criteria including annual percentage yields, minimum balances, fees, digital experience and more.

Financial institutions and providers surveyed are: Affirm, All America Bank, Alliant Credit Union, Ally Bank, Amalgamated Bank, America First Credit Union, American Express National Bank, Andrews Federal Credit Union, Associated Bank, Axos Bank, Bank of America, Bank5 Connect, Bank7, Barclays, Bask Bank, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, BMO, BMO Alto, Boeing Employees Credit Union, Bread Savings, BrioDirect, Capital One, Carver Federal Savings Bank, Charles Schwab Bank, Chase, Chime, CIBC U.S., CIT Bank, Citibank, Citizens, Citizens Bank, City First Bank, Climate First Bank, Commerce Bank, Community First Credit Union of Florida, ConnectOne Bank, Connexus Credit Union, Consumers Credit Union, Current, Delta Community Credit Union, Discover® Bank, E*TRADE, EverBank (formerly TIAA Bank), Fifth Third Bank, First Foundation, First National Bank, First Tech Federal Credit Union, Flagstar Bank, FNBO Direct, Global Credit Union, GO2bank, Golden 1 Credit Union, Greenwood, Hope Credit Union, Huntington Bank, Industrial Bank, Ivy Bank, KeyBank, Lake Michigan Credit Union, LendingClub Bank, Liberty Bank, Live Oak Bank, M&T Bank, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, Navy Federal Credit Union, NBKC, One, OneUnited Bank, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, PNC, Popular Direct, Quontic Bank, Regions Bank, Revolut, Salem Five Direct, Sallie Mae Bank, Santander Bank, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Security Service Federal Credit Union, Securityplus Federal Credit Union, Self-Help Credit Union, Service Credit Union, SoFi, State Employees’ Credit Union of North Carolina, Suncoast Credit Union, Synchrony Bank, TAB Bank, TD Bank, Truist Bank, U.S. Bank, UFB Direct, Upgrade, USAA Bank, Varo, Vio Bank, Wells Fargo and Zynlo Bank.

To recap our selections...

NerdWallet's Best High-Interest Accounts of March 2024 (up to 5.35%)

Frequently asked questions