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Wealthfront Cash Account Review: A Hybrid Account That Pays

Review Updated
Dana George
Nathan Alderman
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.

Wealthfront is not a bank, but an automated investment service. However, that doesn't stop the company from offering its Wealthfront Cash Account, a hybrid of sorts. Wealthfront Cash Account is a mix of checking and savings that offers an excellent APY.

Read our full review to learn about everything the Wealthfront Cash Account has to offer.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Apr 14, 2025

Wealthfront Cash Account

Member FDIC.
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
APY
4.00%
Min. To Earn APY
$0
  • High APY
  • Fee-free cash withdrawals at 19,000 ATMs
  • Two-day early direct deposit for paychecks
  • Automated saving and investing tools
  • Complimentary debit card
  • No transaction limits
  • FDIC protection
  • No branches
  • No ATM fee reimbursement

A Wealthfront Cash Account offers many of the key features you'd expect from a checking account, including a debit card, no-fee ATMs, and -- working with a partner bank -- FDIC insurance on deposits.

Compare savings rates

Make sure you're getting the best account for you by comparing savings rates and promotions. Here are some of our favorite high-yield savings accounts to consider.

Account APY Promotion Next Steps
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.
Min. to earn: $0
New customers can earn up to a $300 bonus with qualifying direct deposits!¹
4.10% APY for balances of $5,000 or more
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. 4.10% APY for balances of $5,000 or more; otherwise, 0.25% APY
Min. to earn: $100 to open account, $5,000+ for max APY
Earn a bonus of at least $225 after a one-time deposit of $25,000+. Circle with letter I in it. Transfer a one-time deposit of $25,000-$49,999.99 for a bonus of $225. Transfer a one-time deposit of $50,000+ for a bonus of $300. Account must be opened with code PS2025 while this promotion lasts, and funded within 30 days. Bonus will be fulfilled within 60 days from the funding date. There is no period of time where the customer will be required to maintain the funds. Account must be open when bonus is credited. One bonus per account and primary customer. Bonus will be credited into the Platinum Savings Account that fulfills the funding requirement. Funding can be deposited all at once or incrementally.
3.70%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. 3.70% annual percentage yield as of April 14, 2025. Terms apply.
Min. to earn: $0
N/A
Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings

On American Express's Secure Website.

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 depositor 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 $3M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms. See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks.

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.

Full Wealthfront Cash Account review

The Wealthfront Cash Account is like a checking and savings account wrapped into one. Among its benefits is a high APY. For those who dislike the transaction restrictions on a standard savings account, another benefit is that the Wealthfront Cash Account sets no such restrictions. You can move money around or make withdrawals as often as you wish.

Top perks

APY: The Wealthfront Cash Account currently earns 4.00% APY and can be opened with as little as $1. Cash withdrawals can be made from more than 19,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide. However, Wealthfront does not reimburse ATM charges when another ATM network is used.

FDIC insurance: As far as FDIC protection, Wealthfront's partnership with other banks allows them to keep the money in accounts that are FDIC insured for up to $8 million (or $16 million for joint accounts).

Three types of cash accounts: There are three versions of the Wealthfront Cash Account:

  • Individual
  • Joint
  • Trust

Of those three, only the individual account offers access to debit cards, direct deposits, and bill pay.

Investment opportunities: Another advantage of a Wealthfront Cash Account is how easy it is to set up automatic transfers into Wealthfront's Automated Investing Account. Say you have a few extra months and want to put it to work but don't wish to be a hands-on investor. No investment experience is needed to get started. Just answer a few simple questions, and the robo-advisor personalizes a portfolio of low-cost index funds from up to 17 global asset classes. The Wealthfront robo-advisor makes investments based on your goals and preferences. Once set, it rebalances your portfolio when needed, automatically diversifying deposits.

Your only job is to focus on the big picture and get on with your life.

Deposits: Customers who have their paychecks directly deposited into their Wealthfront Cash Account are given access to the funds up to two days early. However, there are other ways to make deposits.

  • ACH bank transfer: Once a customer links their Wealthfront account to an outside checking or savings account, they can transfer money electronically at any time.
  • Wire transfer: Money can be wired from any outside account where the customer is listed as an owner. Wealthfront does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers (although there is a $10 fee for outgoing wire transfers).
  • At select retailers: Through select retailers, customers can use their debit card to deposit up to $3,000 per day. The fee is typically around $5.95.

What could be improved

No checkbook privileges: The account does not come with a checkbook, meaning there's no way to write a check to pay the plumber or dog walker. Instead, the account comes with a routing and account number that customers can use to pay vendors online. Or -- the easiest option -- customers can always use their debit card to make payments.

Debit card fees: This Wealthfront account is not without fees, specifically debit card fees.

Wealthfront Cash Account fees

Activity Amount
In-network ATM Free
Out-of-network ATM $2.50 + ATM owner fee
Bank teller $2.50 + teller fee
International transaction fee 2.75%
Cash deposits at select retailers Up to $5.95
Data source: Wealthfront.

Alternatives to a Wealthfront Cash Account

If Wealthfront doesn't have what you're looking for, one of these other investment firms might.

Fidelity Cash Management

The Fidelity Cash Management account from Fidelity also combines features from checking and savings accounts. This account includes some sweet benefits, like ATM fee reimbursement at any U.S. ATM displaying the Visa, Plus, or Star logos. It also comes with a checkbook to pay bills and allows users to set up a Fidelity BillPay account to make mobile payments. Customers can connect their accounts to digital wallets for the ultimate convenience.

Webull Cash Management

Currently paying an impressive APY, Webull Cash Management is open to any Webull brokerage clients who have cash accounts (excluding IRA accounts). In addition to the current APY, Webull Cash Management periodically offers promotional "bumps" in rates and bonuses for meeting specific criteria. With no minimum balance requirement and no monthly fees, Webull is an excellent choice for those who already have a cash account with Webull or plan to open one.

Is a Wealthfront Cash Account right for you?

The Wealthfront Cash Account is a good fit for you if:

  • You frequently need access to your paycheck two days early.
  • You're comfortable working without a checkbook.
  • You're interested in the convenience of transferring funds from the cash account into any of Wealthfront's many investment products

Other Wealthfront accounts

  • Investment accounts
  • Traditional IRA
  • Roth IRA
  • SEP IRA
  • 529 college savings plan
  • Portfolio line of credit

Our checking account methodology

At Motley Fool Money, we rate checking accounts on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). We evaluate all checking accounts across four main criteria: brand and reputation, APY and rewards, fees and minimum requirements, and perks.

Our scores are weighted as:

  • Brand and reputation: 30%
  • APY and rewards: 30%
  • Fees and minimums: 15%
  • Other perks: 15%

Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates bank accounts.

FAQs

  • APY is important but not the only factor worth considering. For example, you may want to decide which brokerage you would like to make investments through. When you have cash in a brokerage's account, it's easy to sign up for auto-investments. Let's say you want to deposit $10,000 in a cash account and hope to make $200 worth of investments each month. You would benefit by reading up on each investment firm to learn which gives you the most confidence.

  • No, there are no limits.

  • Like most investment firms offering cash accounts, Wealthfront "sweeps" your funds into different partner accounts. In other words, it works with banks that are FDIC insured, and that's where it keeps your money. However, your money may be spread out among five different banks, with each account never exceeding the $250,000 limit set by FDIC for a single account. Once it appears that one of your accounts is going to go over that amount, the extra money is moved into another account so it's always fully protected.