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Bottom line: SoFi® is the best choice for people who want an all-in-one banking relationship, while Discover® Bank can be an excellent option to boost the yield from your savings.
SoFi®'s name comes from the phrase "Social Finance," and it was founded in 2011 by business students at Stanford. Along with bank accounts, SoFi® offers loans for just about anything, plus active and automated brokerage accounts.
Discover is best known for its excellent credit cards, and this is borne out by the company's history -- the first-ever Discover card was used in 1985. Since then, Discover has added other financial products to its lineup, including a full range of bank account options and loans.
SoFi® offers a high-yield savings account, but it's important to mention that it can only be opened as a combination checking/savings account product called SoFi Checking and Savings (member FDIC)⁴. They are two separate accounts with different account numbers, but you can't open one without the other.
SoFi®'s savings account offers a highly competitive APY if you're willing to set up direct deposit or meet certain deposit requirements.²
The Discover® Online Savings account is also a solid product, but with a few important differences. For one thing, while its APY is slightly lower than SoFi®'s, it's still very competitive and there are no special requirements to get it. You can literally deposit $1, open the account, and earn Discover's advertised APY on your money.
Offer |
|
|
---|---|---|
Account |
SoFi Checking and Savings
On SoFi's Secure Website. |
Discover® Online Savings
On Discover Bank's Secure Website. |
Rating |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
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
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 | up to 4.00%² Rate info 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. | 3.75% |
Min. to earn APY | $0 | $0 |
Next Steps |
As mentioned above, the SoFi Checking and Savings is a two-in-one product, but the checking account is an impressive product. It offers a competitive APY (for a checking account), the ability to earn a welcome bonus after meeting deposit requirements¹, and has no fees. Account holders get access to more than 55,000 ATMs⁵, and direct deposit customers can receive their paychecks up to two days early.⁶
Discover has an interesting approach to checking accounts with its Discover® Cashback Debit account. It doesn't pay interest, but offers 1% back on qualifying debit card purchases of up to $3,000 per month -- a rare feature among checking accounts that can be worth far more than the small APYs many online checking accounts pay.
Like SoFi®, the Discover® Cashback Debit account offers early access to paychecks, access to over 60,000 ATMs, and several other important features.
Offer |
|
|
---|---|---|
Account |
SoFi Checking and Savings
On SoFi's Secure Website. |
Discover® Cashback Debit
On Discover Bank's Secure Website. |
Rating |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
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
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 | 0.50% Rate info You can earn the maximum savings 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% |
Min. to earn APY | $0 | N/A |
Next Steps |
In addition to the fantastic Discover® Cashback Debit account, Discover offers the Discover® Money Market account that combines some of the features of checking and savings accounts. It has no minimum opening deposit requirement, and it offers checking and debit card access in an account with an APY comparable to most high-yield savings accounts. SoFi® doesn't offer a money market account.
Discover® Money Market
On Discover Bank's Secure Website.
On Discover Bank's Secure Website.
This account offers a competitive APY, especially given there are no monthly service fees, while still giving access to ATMs and checks. You don't need to maintain a high balance to earn a good rate.
Discover is the clear winner here. SoFi® doesn't offer CDs at all -- at least not yet.
Discover offers one of the best varieties of CD terms in the industry, with 12 different maturity terms ranging from three months to 10 years. As we'll see below, Discover® Bank CD rates are highly competitive, especially for shorter-duration CDs like 1-year and 18-month accounts. Discover has a $0 minimum balance requirement to open a CD.
APY = Annual Percentage Yield
Discover's rates are competitive and you don't have to worry about getting hit with any fees unless you withdraw funds via wire transfer or choose to withdraw from your CD before it reaches its maturity date. It also offers some unique term lengths, including CDs as short as three months and as long as 10 years.
On Discover Bank's Secure Website.
3 Mo. APY | 6 Mo. APY | 9 Mo. APY | 1 Yr. APY | 1.5 Yr. APY | 2 Yr. APY | 30 Mo. APY | 3 Yr. APY | 4 Yr. APY | 5 Yr. APY | 7 Yr. APY | 10 Yr. APY |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2.00% | 3.70% | 3.80% | 4.00% | 3.80% | 3.50% | 3.40% | 3.40% | 3.40% | 3.40% | 3.40% | 3.40% |
SoFi® Bank offers competitive APYs for its checking and savings accounts but doesn't offer any CDs at all. Discover has all-around competitive APYs and fewer restrictions than SoFi® (recall that SoFi®'s top savings interest rate requires direct deposit).
Here's a side-by-side comparison of the APYs offered by both banks. (Note: N/A means the product isn't offered by the bank.)
Product | SoFi® | Discover |
---|---|---|
Savings account | up to 4.00%² | 3.75% |
Checking account | 0.50% | 0%** |
1-year CD | N/A | 4.00% |
18-month CD | N/A | 3.80% |
3-year CD | N/A | 3.40% |
5-year CD | N/A | 3.40% |
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 |
---|---|---|---|
Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings
On American Express's Secure Website.
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
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 |
3.80%
Rate info
3.80% annual percentage yield as of December 27, 2024. Terms apply.
Min. to earn: $0
|
N/A
|
Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings
On American Express's Secure Website. |
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings
On SoFi's Secure Website.
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
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 |
up to 4.00%²
Rate info
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
|
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings
On SoFi's Secure Website. |
Open Account for Capital One 360 Performance Savings
On Capital One's Secure Website.
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
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 |
3.80%
Rate info
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.
Min. to earn: $0
|
N/A
|
Open Account for Capital One 360 Performance Savings
On Capital One's Secure Website. |
It's important to point out that both SoFi® and Discover are online banks and don't have physical branches you can access for customer service. But if you're fine with managing your banking over the phone and through channels like live chat, each could still be a good fit.
In SoFi®'s case, there is phone support available from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT Monday through Thursday and 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. There's also chat support available, or support through X (formerly Twitter) by messaging @SoFiSupport.
Discover takes it a step further, offering 24/7 live phone support. In fact, Discover earned the second highest ranking in the J.D. Power 2023 Direct Banking Satisfaction Study and holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
SoFi | Discover | |
---|---|---|
Customer service availability | Phone, chat, X message | Phone |
Physical branch locations | None | None |
Both banks have highly rated mobile apps. SoFi®'s app is designed to be an all-in-one financial management tool, offering checking and savings accounts, personal loans, mortgages, an investment platform, and financial planning features all in the same place.
Discover's app is a user-friendly way to manage your bank accounts, and any Discover credit cards or loans you may have.
Here's how these apps rank in both the App Store and Google Play store.
Banking App | Rating in App Store | Rating in Google Play Store |
---|---|---|
SoFi® Bank | 4.8 | 4.0 |
Discover | 4.9 | 4.5 |
Both of these banks offer excellent products and services. SoFi® is likely the better choice if you're looking for an all-in-one banking replacement. It offers an investment platform, several types of loans (including mortgages), and more.
Discover, on the other hand, could be the better option if your goal is to get the most yield from your savings, especially if you have money you won't need for a while and can take advantage of its CDs.
SoFi Checking and Savings
On SoFi's Secure Website.
On SoFi's Secure Website.
For those who plan to set up direct deposit with their new account, we think SoFi Checking and Savings (Member FDIC) is hard to beat. Not only does this savings account offer a strong APY, but the linked checking account earns an above-average rate, too -- which is a rare perk. Plus, there's the opportunity for a bonus of up to $300¹ and a long list of extra account features. Frankly, it's the kind of combo that could make it worthwhile to switch banking relationships.
You can earn the maximum APY either by making direct deposits into checking or savings, or by depositing $5,000 or more every 30 days. Learn more.
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 1/31/2026. Full terms at sofi.com/banking. SoFi Checking and Savings is offered through SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC.
SoFi members with Direct Deposit can earn 4.00% 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 4.00% APY for savings (including Vaults). Members without Direct Deposit will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 12/3/2024. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
² SoFi members with Direct Deposit or $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 4.00% 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 Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Only SoFi members with direct deposit are eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 12/3/24. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
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
⁵ 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.
⁶ 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.
⁷ 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.
Discover® Online Savings
On Discover Bank's Secure Website.
On Discover Bank's Secure Website.
The Discover® Online Savings account promises customers an above-average interest rate and few limitations. Most people won't ever encounter fees with this account, and you won't have to worry about keeping track of your monthly withdrawals either.
To qualify for Bonus: Apply for your first Discover Online Savings Account, enter Offer Code TMF924 at application, deposit into your Account a total of at least $15,000 to earn a $150 Bonus or deposit a total of at least $25,000 to earn a $200 Bonus. Qualifying deposit(s) may consist of multiple deposits and must post to Account within 45 days of account open date. Maximum bonus eligibility is $200.
What to Know: Offer not valid for existing or prior Discover savings customers, including co-branded, or affinity accounts. Eligibility is based on primary account owner. Account must be open when bonus is credited. Bonus will be credited to the account within 60 days of the account qualifying for the bonus. Bonus is subject to tax reporting. Offer ends 03/13/2025, 11:59 PM ET. Offer may be modified or withdrawn without notice. Due to new customer funding limits, you may wish to initiate fund transfers at your other institution. For information on funding your Account, see FAQs on Discover.com/Bank.
Our methodology for scoring banks and credit unions revolves around evaluating key aspects such as annual percentage yield (APY), brand reputation, fees and minimum requirements, and additional perks.
These criteria are weighted differently across various account types, ensuring a comprehensive assessment that reflects the competitive landscape and economic conditions.
We strictly feature products that offer federal insurance and high customer satisfaction, keeping our recommendations unbiased by advertiser influence. This robust evaluation process helps us generate balanced, reliable best-of lists that guide consumers to top financial products.
Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates bank accounts.
SoFi® is designed to be a true banking replacement, meaning that it offers most of the banking products and services you would expect from more traditional banks. It offers checking and savings accounts, a brokerage platform, a robo-advisor, student loans, personal loans, mortgages, credit cards, and more. It coud be an ideal choice for people who want a no-fee, high-APY bank who want to keep all of their finances in one place.
Discover® Bank offers some excellent savings and checking products and a variety of CDs. It also offers credit cards and several types of loans. It can be a smart choice for people who want to minimize fees and maximize the APY from their savings and who also want to be rewarded for their everyday debit card purchases.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Motley Fool Money is 100% owned and operated by The Motley Fool. Our knowledgeable team of personal finance editors and analysts are employed by The Motley Fool and held to the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.