Best High-Yield Savings Accounts of 2026: Make Your Money Earn More

Money sitting in a big-bank savings account barely grows. A high-yield savings account can pay many times more, with the same federal deposit insurance.

We compared five popular online options using only the rates each provider published on its official page on September 23, 2026.

Key takeaways

• The FDIC national average for savings was 0.37% APY as of September 21, 2026. All five accounts below pay far more.
• All five charge $0 monthly fees.
• Rates are variable. They can drop after you open the account, especially when the Fed cuts rates.
• Promotional boosts are temporary. Compare the standard APY first.
• Deposits are insured up to at least $250,000 per bank, per ownership category, through the FDIC.

High-yield savings accounts at a glance

Rates as of September 2026, from each provider’s official page. Conditions for each rate are in the sections below.

1. Marcus by Goldman Sachs Online Savings

The easiest account to understand. One rate, no balance tiers and nothing to set up.

At a glance

• APY: 3.50%, as of September 23, 2026.
• Cost: $0 fees and no minimum deposit to open.
• Extra: a 3-month promotional increase of 1.00% APY each time you refer a friend who opens an account, per Marcus’s referral terms.
• Limits: Marcus applies maximum balance limits; check its FAQ if you plan to deposit a very large sum.

Pros and cons

• Competitive rate with no direct deposit or balance conditions.
• Referrals can lift the rate by 1.00% for 3 months.
• Savings only: no debit card or checking account alongside it.
• Lower than CIT’s top tier if you keep $5,000 or more.

How to apply

Apply online or in the Marcus app. Marcus says it does not require a minimum deposit or run a credit check to open the account.

2. CIT Bank Platinum Savings

The highest standard rate on our list, if your balance clears a threshold.

At a glance

• APY: 3.75% on balances of $5,000 or more; 0.25% on balances under $5,000. CIT lists these APYs as accurate as of July 1, 2026, on the page we checked September 23, 2026.
• Cost: $0 monthly service fees; $100 minimum to open.
• Insurance: CIT Bank is a division of First Citizens Bank, Member FDIC. Deposits at the two brands are combined for the insurance limit.

Pros and cons

• 3.75% APY with no temporary boost or direct deposit needed.
• A good home for an established emergency fund.
• Below $5,000, the rate falls to 0.25%, less than the other four options.
• If you also bank with First Citizens, your coverage is shared.

How to apply

Open online with $100 or more. If you are still building your savings, wait until you can keep $5,000 in the account, or pick a flat-rate option for now.

3. Wealthfront Cash Account

A cash account from a brokerage, not a bank, with a strong base rate.

At a glance

• APY: 3.55% base APY as of September 18, 2026, paid by partner program banks.
• Boosts: new clients can get a one-time 0.65% boost for 3 months on up to $150,000. A separate 0.25% ongoing increase applies if you make qualifying recurring deposits and keep a funded Wealthfront investing account. Together they bring the headline to 4.45% APY.
• Cost: $0 account fees and no minimums.
• Insurance: Wealthfront sweeps cash to program banks for up to $8 million of FDIC pass-through coverage ($16 million for joint accounts). Coverage starts only once funds reach those banks.

Pros and cons

• High base rate with no minimum.
• Very high total coverage for large balances.
• The full 4.45% needs a new-client promotion and an investing account.
• Wealthfront itself is not a bank; you must track your totals at each program bank.

How to apply

Open the Cash Account online or in the app and link a bank account. New deposits are held for 2 to 4 days before you can transfer them out, per Wealthfront.

4. SoFi Checking and Savings

Best if you want your paycheck and your savings in one place.

At a glance

• APY: 3.30% on savings with eligible direct deposit, or with qualifying deposits of $5,000 every 31 days. Without either, savings earn 0.80% APY.
• Boost: new members can add 0.90% for up to 6 months, for up to 4.20% APY, when they set up eligible direct deposit by December 31, 2026.
• Cost: no account fees and no minimum deposit.
• Insurance: SoFi Bank, Member FDIC, offers up to $3 million of coverage through its insured deposit program.

Pros and cons

• Checking, savings and goal “Vaults” in one app.
• A cash bonus of up to $400 for new direct deposit customers.
• The 3.30% rate depends on direct deposit or large monthly deposits.
• Without them, 0.80% APY is the lowest standard rate here.

How to apply

Open checking and savings together online, then switch your direct deposit to SoFi. The bonus terms are covered in our checking comparison linked at the end.

5. Ally Savings

A smaller rate than the others, but the best tools for saving on purpose.

At a glance

• APY: 3.00% on all balance tiers, as of September 22, 2026.
• Cost: $0 monthly maintenance fees and $0 minimum opening deposit.
• Tools: “buckets” split one account into goals, and “boosters” such as round ups move spare cash into savings.
• Limit: 10 limited withdrawals or transfers per statement cycle. Ally charges no fee for going over, but may close the account if it happens often.

Pros and cons

• No conditions and no tiers.
• Buckets make it easy to separate a trip fund from a car fund.
• Lowest APY of the five as of September 2026.
• No promotional boost.

How to apply

Open online with no minimum, then add buckets for each goal. Ally Bank is a Member FDIC.

How to choose a high-yield savings account

• Choose Marcus if you want a solid rate with no conditions to track.
• Choose CIT Platinum Savings if you will keep at least $5,000 in the account.
• Choose Wealthfront if you hold a large cash balance or already invest there.
• Choose SoFi if you are ready to move your direct deposit.
• Choose Ally if structure matters more to you than the last few basis points.

Turned down for a bank account in the past? Start with our list of online banks and second-chance accounts, then add savings later.

Not sure how much to keep in savings? Start with our simple rule for how big your emergency fund should be. If your cash flow is tight, a budgeting app can free up the monthly deposit.

Check these rules first

• FDIC insurance covers deposits up to at least $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each ownership category, per the FDIC. It does not cover stocks, bonds, mutual funds or crypto.
• Interest you earn is taxable income. The IRS says you should receive Form 1099-INT if you earn $10 or more.
• Savings is for money you may need soon. For goals five or more years away, see how to start investing, even with $100.

Your high-yield savings checklist

• Compare the standard APY, not only the promotional one.
• Read the conditions: balance tiers, direct deposit, monthly deposits.
• Confirm the bank is FDIC-insured, or how pass-through coverage works.
• Check the minimum to open and any withdrawal limits.
• Set up an automatic transfer on payday.

How we compared these accounts

• Checked: every APY, fee and condition on September 23, 2026, on each provider’s official page. Provider as-of dates are repeated where shown.
• Order: listed from the best fit for most readers down. Marcus comes first because its rate needs no conditions; boosted rates count less because they expire.
• Criteria: standard APY, conditions to earn it, fees, minimum to open, insurance and tools.
• Scope: accounts open to US residents. Canadian readers should see our Canada savings guides.
• Independence: no provider paid for placement or reviewed this article.

FAQ

How much will I earn? (high-yield savings account calculator)

Multiply your balance by the APY for a one-year estimate. At 3.50% APY, $10,000 left untouched for a year earns about $350. At the 0.37% national average, it earns about $37.

Is there a high-yield savings account near me?

All five accounts here are online, so they are available nationwide. You manage them by app and move money by transfer. If you need a branch, compare a local credit union or bank, but check its APY first.

Are high-yield savings accounts safe?

Yes, if the bank is FDIC-insured and you stay within the limit. Wealthfront uses FDIC pass-through coverage at partner banks instead.

Why did my savings rate go down?

These rates are variable. Banks usually lower them when the Federal Reserve cuts rates. A boost can also end, as SoFi’s and Wealthfront’s do after a set period.

Do big banks like Chase or Capital One offer high-yield savings?

Some large banks have savings products, but we compared only the five accounts above. Always compare the APY, fees and conditions side by side.

For the full picture, see our hub Best Savings & Checking Accounts 2026 (US), the best checking accounts and bank bonuses right now and our guide to reaching an 800 credit score.

Sources

• Marcus by Goldman Sachs — Online Savings Account
• CIT Bank — Platinum Savings
• Wealthfront — Cash Account
• SoFi — Checking and Savings
• Ally Bank — Savings Account
• FDIC — Deposit insurance
• FDIC — National rates and rate caps
• IRS — Topic no. 403, Interest received

Ieveera SEO is an independent publisher, not a bank or financial advisor; content is for information only and may include paid affiliate links that never affect our rankings — always confirm current rates and terms with the provider.