4 Great CDs to Check Out in May

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. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page. APY = Annual Percentage Yield. APYs are subject to change at any time without notice.

KEY POINTS

  • Several banks are still offering short-term CDs with APYs at or higher than 5.00%.
  • TotalDirectBank has the highest short-term CDs, with two terms paying out at 5.51%.
  • Bread Savings and Vio Bank are offering CDs with rates above 5.25%, while LendingClub has a 1-year CD at 5.15%.

Certificates of deposit (CDs) have been all the rage among savers and investors in 2024. That's because the best CD rates have reached levels unseen in over two decades. Depending on the term, you might snag a CD rate above 5.00%, even while some judicious savers managed to catch rates even higher than that before they started to drop.

Although CD rates are not as lucrative as they were six months ago, you can still find a great deal on accounts with short terms. With that in mind, let's take a look at five excellent CDs on the market in May.

1. Bread Savings CD

Term: 1-year

APY: 4.30%

Our Picks for the Best High-Yield Savings Accounts of 2024

Product APY Min. to Earn
3.80%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. 3.80% annual percentage yield as of January 1, 2025. Terms apply.
$0
Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings

On American Express's Secure Website.

3.80%
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 Dec. 6, 2024. Rates are subject to change at any time before or after account opening.
$0
4.40%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. The annual percentage yield (APY) is accurate as of Jan. 2, 2025, and subject to change at the Bank’s discretion. Refer to product’s website for latest APY rate. Minimum deposit required to open an account is $500 and a minimum balance of $0.01 is required to earn the advertised APY.
$500 to open, $0.01 for max APY

Bread Savings CDs offer a 1-year term with a 4.30% APY, plus a chance to lock in 5.30% in your CD's second year when you agree to auto renewal. That's basically like getting 5.28% APY on a 2-year CD, which is pretty much unheard of in today's CD market (for perspective, Bread's 2-year CD has a 3.85% APY). The minimum opening deposit is $1,500, which isn't the lowest we've ever seen, and you can withdraw interest monthly.

2. LendingClub CD

Term: 1-year

APY: 4.00%

LendingClub CDs have frequently been a frontrunner with competitive CD rates on all terms. It currently offers three CD terms with rates at 5% or above: 6-month (4.00%), 12-month CD (4.00%), and 18-month CD (3.75%). The bank has a steep opening deposit of $2,500, which could shatter hopes of building out a long CD ladder.

3. TotalDirectBank CD

Term: 3-month, 6-month

APY: 5.51%

TotalDirectBank has the highest rates for short-term CDs. Currently, it offers three terms that pay at or above 5.50%: 3-month CD (5.51%), 6-month CD (5.51%), and a 12-month CD (5.35%). That said, you'd need a fair chunk of change to meet the minimum: $25,000 is required to open a CD account and earn the advertised APY.

4. Vio Bank High-Yield CD

Term: 6-month

APY: 4.70%

This 6-month CD from Vio Bank has a very competitive rate and comes with a low minimum of $500. Your money will compound daily, too, which gives your rate a little extra power. This CD can be combined with any of Vio's other eight terms to build out a long CD ladder, though its highest rates are on its short-term CDs.

These five CDs have excellent APYs, but they're not the only bank products to offer high rates. If you're not ready to lock your money up for a fixed period, you could also open a high-yield savings account. Either way, be sure to take advantage of today's high rates before it's too late, for who knows how long they'll stick around.

Our Research Expert