3 Reasons to Open a High-Yield Savings Account in August

Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. APY = Annual Percentage Yield.

KEY POINTS

  • High-yield savings accounts can grow your wealth much faster than traditional savings accounts.
  • Most high-yield savings accounts don't have monthly maintenance fees.
  • Some high-yield savings accounts have ATM cards that enable you to access your cash without a transfer to another account.

Chances are, you've probably heard of high-yield savings accounts even if you don't own one. These accounts, usually offered through online-only banks, have skyrocketed in popularity over the last several years.

You might wonder why you'd want to go through the hassle of moving your money into a new bank account if you don't have a high-yield savings account already. Here are three reasons it's worth your time.

1. You'll earn a lot more interest

As you might've guessed from the name, high-yield savings accounts stand out for their APYs that are well above the current national average of 0.45%. Rates vary by bank, but some of the best savings accounts have APYs around 5.00%.

To put this in perspective, say you have $10,000 to deposit and you could either put it in a savings account earning 5.00% APY or one earning 0.45% APY. The 5.00% APY account would pay you $500 in one year, assuming the interest rate remained steady that entire year. The 0.45% APY account would pay you just $45 during that time.

Our Picks for the Best High-Yield Savings Accounts of 2025

Product APY Min. to Earn
3.70%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. 3.70% annual percentage yield as of March 6, 2025. Terms apply.
$0
Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings

On American Express's Secure Website.

up to 3.80%²
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. You can earn the maximum APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
$0
3.70%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. See Capital One website for most up-to-date rates. Advertised Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is variable and accurate as of Feb. 6, 2025. Rates are subject to change at any time before or after account opening.
$0
Disclaimers



SoFi disclosure:

¹ New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) OR $300 (with at least $5,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 12/7/2023 and will be available through 1/31/26. See full bonus and annual percentage yield (APY) terms at sofi.com/banking#1.

² SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus with Direct Deposit or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days or with $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. Members without either SoFi Plus or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Only SoFi Plus members are eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. See the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus.

³ We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Checking & Savings Fee Sheet for details at sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/.

⁴ SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations. Any additional

FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $2M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/terms

See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/receivingbanks

We’ve partnered with Allpoint to provide you with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. You will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third-party fees incurred when using out-of-network ATMs are not subject to reimbursement. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at our discretion at any time.

Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.

Overdraft Coverage is limited to $50 on debit card purchases only and is an account benefit available to customers with direct deposits of $1,000 or more during the current 30-day Evaluation Period as determined by SoFi Bank, N.A. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the“30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Members with a prior history of non-repayment of negative balances are ineligible for Overdraft Coverage.

2. You probably won't have to worry about maintenance fees

The online banks that offer high-yield savings accounts typically don't have maintenance fees. They don't have branches to maintain so they usually have lower operating costs.

This might not be a big selling point for you if you maintain a high enough balance with your current bank to have the maintenance fee waived. But if you're paying every month just to own your account, you can do a lot better by switching to a high-yield savings account.

3. You can easily move your money around

Since online banks don't have branches you can visit, they focus on getting the online tools right. Most have strong mobile capabilities, enabling you to view your balance, transfer funds, deposit checks, and pay bills from anywhere.

Though less common than with checking accounts, some online savings accounts also include ATM cards for direct access to your cash. This could be something to keep an eye out for if you don't want to go through the hassle of first transferring your money to a checking account before you can withdraw it.

How to choose the right high-yield savings account for you

Interest rate is most people's primary focus when choosing a high-yield savings account, with good reason. But there are a few other things to look for as well. First, check to see if the APY is available to all balances or if you must maintain a certain balance to earn that rate. Some accounts have tiered APYs based on the amount in your account.

Next, look at how the bank provides access to your money. Some only permit you to transfer the funds to another account, and that's not convenient for everyone. Make sure you're happy with the options offered.

If you hope to do all your banking in one place, look at the other types of accounts the bank offers too. Some banks focus more on savings accounts and CDs and don't have checking accounts. If you go with one of these, you'll have to link your savings account to an external checking account.

Choose a few high-yield savings accounts that look interesting and then compare their offerings. If you have any questions, reach out to the banks directly. Then, when you've found one you want, you can open the account online.

Our Research Expert