Right here’s my month-to-month survey of the very best rates of interest on money as of Could 2026, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. Banks and brokerages love benefiting from idle money, and you may usually earn extra curiosity whereas holding the identical degree of security by transferring to a different FDIC-insured financial institution or NCUA-insured credit score union. Try my Final Fee-Chaser Calculator to see how a lot additional curiosity you would earn from switching. Charges listed can be found to everybody nationwide. Charges checked as of 5/14/26.
TL;DR: Financial savings account rates of interest dropped barely total. You will get 4.4% APY if you happen to settle for sure hoops/restrictions, however most are beneath 4% now. Quick-term T-Invoice charges ~3.7%. High 5-year CD charges are ~4.1% APY, whereas the 5-year Treasury charge can be ~4.1%.
Excessive-yield financial savings accounts*
For the reason that big megabanks nonetheless pay primarily zero curiosity, everybody ought to no less than have a separate, no-fee on-line financial savings account to piggy-back onto your current checking account. The rates of interest on financial savings accounts can drop at any time, so I listing the highest charges in addition to aggressive charges from banks with a historical past of aggressive charges and stable person expertise. Some banks will bait you with a brief high charge after which decrease the charges within the hopes that you’re too lazy to go away.
- The highest saving charge in the meanwhile: Pibank at 4.40% APY (no min), however they’ve some bizarre restrictions; you may solely use wire/Plaid to deposit and wire transfers to withdraw funds?! CineFi (no min) is at 4.34% APY, a division of Southern Bancorp Financial institution. OnPath FCU held at 4.25% APY with $25,000 minimal stability. CIT Platinum Financial savings held at 3.75% APY with $5,000+ stability, with a brand new 4.10% APY for six months Enhance promotion; open your account by 5/31. There are various banks in between.
- SoFi Financial institution is at 3.30% APY (new prospects can rise up to 4.00% APY for six months + elevated $425 bonus with qualifying direct deposit. You will need to preserve a direct deposit of any quantity (even $1) every month for the upper ongoing APY. SoFi has traditionally aggressive charges and full banking options.
- Here’s a restricted survey of high-yield financial savings accounts. They aren’t the highest charges, however a bunch which have traditionally stored it comparatively aggressive such that I like to trace their historical past. This month they begin at 3.10% APY on up.
Quick-term assured charges (1 12 months and beneath)
A standard query is what to do with an enormous pile of money that you just’re ready to deploy shortly (plan to purchase a home quickly, simply offered your home, simply offered your small business, authorized settlement, inheritance). My regular recommendation is to maintain issues easy and take your time. If not a financial savings account, then put it in a versatile short-term CD beneath the FDIC limits till you might have a plan.
- No Penalty CDs provide a set rate of interest that may by no means go down, however you may nonetheless take out your cash (as soon as) with none charges if you wish to use it elsewhere. Marcus has a 13-month No Penalty CD at 3.80% APY ($500 minimal deposit). Farmer’s Insurance coverage FCU has a 9-month No Penalty CD at 4.00% APY ($1,000 minimal deposit). USALLIANCE Monetary CU has a 11-month No Penalty CD at 3.90% APY ($500 minimal deposit). CIT Financial institution has a 11-month No Penalty CD at 3.75% APY ($1,000 minimal deposit).
- E-Commerce Financial institution has a 12-month CD at 4.10% APY (no minimal deposit). Early withdrawal penalty is 90 days of curiosity.
- Farmer’s Insurance coverage FCU has a 12-month CD at 4.00% APY with new cash required. $1,000 minimal to open. Early withdrawal penalty is 90 days of curiosity.
Cash market mutual funds
Many brokerage companies that pay out little or no curiosity on their default money sweep funds (and maintain the distinction for themselves). Be aware: Cash market mutual funds are highly-regulated, however finally not FDIC-insured, so I might nonetheless keep on with extremely respected companies.
- Vanguard Federal Cash Market Fund (VMFXX) is the default sweep possibility for Vanguard brokerage accounts, which has a 7-day SEC yield of 3.55% (adjustments day by day, but additionally works out to a compound yield of three.61%, which is best for evaluating in opposition to APY). Odds are that is a lot larger than your individual dealer’s default money sweep rate of interest.
- Vanguard Treasury Cash Market Fund (VUSXX) is another cash market fund which it’s essential to manually buy, however the curiosity can be largely (100% for 2025 tax 12 months) exempt from state and native revenue taxes as a result of it comes from qualifying US authorities obligations. Present 7-day SEC yield of 3.61% (compound yield of three.67%).
Treasury Payments and Extremely-short Treasury ETFs
Another choice is to purchase particular person Treasury payments which are available quite a lot of maturities from 4-weeks to 52-weeks and are totally backed by the US authorities. You can even put money into ETFs that maintain a rotating basket of short-term Treasury Payments for you, whereas charging a small administration payment for doing so. T-bill curiosity is exempt from state and native revenue taxes, which may make a major distinction in your efficient yield.
- You possibly can construct your individual T-Invoice ladder at TreasuryDirect.gov or through a brokerage account with a bond desk like Vanguard and Constancy. Listed here are the present Treasury Invoice charges. As of 5/13/26, a brand new 4-week T-Invoice had the equal of 3.66% annualized curiosity and a 52-week T-Invoice had the equal of 3.80% annualized curiosity.
- The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) has a 3.55% 30-day SEC yield (0.09% expense ratio) and efficient length of 0.10 years. The Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Invoice ETF (VBIL) has a 3.59% 30-day SEC yield (0.06% expense ratio) and efficient length of 0.10 years.
US Financial savings Bonds
Collection I Financial savings Bonds provide charges which might be linked to inflation and backed by the US authorities. You will need to maintain them for no less than a 12 months. For those who redeem them inside 5 years there’s a penalty of the final 3 months of curiosity. The annual buy restrict for digital I bonds is $10,000 per Social Safety Quantity, accessible on-line at TreasuryDirect.gov.
- “I Bonds” purchased between Could 2026 and October 2026 will earn a 4.26% charge for the primary six months. The speed of the following 6-month interval can be based mostly on inflation once more. Extra on Financial savings Bonds right here.
- In mid-October 2026, the CPI can be introduced and you’ll have a brief interval the place you’ll have a really shut estimate of the speed for the following 12 months. I’ll publish one other replace at the moment.
Rewards checking accounts
These distinctive checking accounts pay above-average rates of interest, however with distinctive dangers. You need to leap by sure hoops which normally contain 10+ debit card purchases every cycle, a sure variety of ACH/direct deposits, and/or a sure variety of logins per 30 days. For those who make a mistake (or they decide that you just did) you threat incomes zero curiosity for that month. Some people don’t thoughts the additional work and a spotlight required, whereas others would quite not trouble. Charges may drop abruptly, leaving a “bait-and-switch” feeling.
- La Capitol Federal Credit score Union pays 6.50% APY on as much as $10,000 if you happen to make 15 debit card purchases of no less than $5 every per assertion cycle. Anybody can be a part of this credit score union through companion group, Louisiana Affiliation for Private Monetary Achievement ($20).
- OnPath Federal Credit score Union (my overview) pays 6.00% APY on as much as $10,000 if you happen to make 15 debit card purchases, choose into on-line statements, and login to on-line or cell banking as soon as per assertion cycle. Anybody can be a part of this credit score union through $5 membership payment to affix companion group. You can even get a $150 Visa Reward card whenever you open a brand new account and make qualifying transactions.
- Genisys Credit score Union pays 6.75% APY on as much as $7,500 if you happen to make 10 debit card purchases of $5+ every per assertion cycle, and choose into on-line statements. Anybody can be a part of this credit score union through $5 membership payment to affix companion group.
- Oklahoma Central Credit score Union pays 6.00% APY on as much as $10,000 if you happen to make 15 debit card purchases (non-ATM) per assertion cycle. Anybody can be a part of this credit score union if they’re “affiliated with one other credit score union”.
- First Southern Financial institution pays 5.50% APY on as much as $25,000 if you happen to make no less than 15 debit card purchases, 1 ACH credit score or cost transaction, and enroll in on-line statements.
- Credit score Union of New Jersey pays 6.00% APY on as much as $25,000 if you happen to make 12 debit card purchases, choose into on-line statements, and make no less than 1 direct deposit, on-line invoice cost, or automated cost (ACH) per assertion cycle. Anybody can be a part of this credit score union through $5 membership payment to affix companion group.
- Andrews Federal Credit score Union pays 5.25% APY (decreased) on as much as $25,000 if you happen to make 15 debit card purchases, choose into on-line statements, and make no less than 1 direct deposit or ACH transaction per assertion cycle. Anybody can be a part of this credit score union through companion group.
- Capitol Credit score Union pays 6.00% APY on as much as $15,000 if you happen to make 12 debit card purchases, choose into on-line statements, and make no less than 1 direct deposit or ACH transaction per assertion cycle. Anybody can be a part of this credit score union through companion group ($5 to Wild Basin Wilderness).
- Discover a locally-restricted rewards checking account at DepositAccounts.
Certificates of deposit (better than 1 12 months)
CDs provide larger charges, however include an early withdrawal penalty. By discovering a financial institution CD with an affordable early withdrawal penalty, you may get pleasure from larger charges however preserve entry in a real emergency. Alternatively, think about constructing a CD ladder of various maturity lengths (ex. 1/2/3/4/5-years) such that you’ve entry to a part of the ladder annually, however your blended rate of interest is larger than a financial savings account. When one CD matures, use that cash to purchase one other 5-year CD to maintain the ladder going. Some CDs additionally provide “add-ons” the place you may deposit extra funds if charges drop.
- NASA Federal Credit score Union has a 5-year certificates at 4.18% APY ($1,000 minimal), 4-year at 4.10% APY, 3-year at 4.05% APY, 2-year at 4.00% APY, and 1-year at 3.95% APY. Early withdrawal penalty for the 5-year is three hundred and sixty five days of curiosity. Anybody nationwide can be a part of through a complimentary membership to the Nationwide Area Society (NSS).
- Advancial Federal Credit score Union has has a 5-year certificates at 4.14%/4.24%/4.34% APY APY based mostly on both a $1,000/$25,000/$50,000 opening stability. Early withdrawal penalty for the 5-year is three hundred and sixty five days of curiosity. Anybody nationwide ought to have the ability to be a part of through membership with companion group US Canine Agility Affiliation, however I might name to confirm first.
- Mountain America Credit score Union (MACU) has a 5-year certificates at 4.05% APY ($500 minimal), 4-year at 4.00% APY, 3-year at 4.00% APY, 2-year at 4.20% APY, and 1-year at 3.90% APY. Early withdrawal penalty for the 4-year and 5-year is three hundred and sixty five days of curiosity. Anybody can be a part of this credit score union through companion group American Shopper Council (use promo code “client” when becoming a member of).
- You should buy certificates of deposit through the bond desks of Vanguard and Constancy. Chances are you’ll want an account to see the charges. These “brokered CDs” provide FDIC insurance coverage and straightforward laddering, however they don’t include predictable early withdrawal penalties. Proper now, I see a 5-year non-callable brokered CD at 4.10% APY (callable: no, name safety: sure). Be warned that each Vanguard and Constancy will listing larger charges from callable CDs, which importantly means they will (and can!) name again your CD if charges drop considerably later.
Longer-term Devices
I’d use these with warning as a consequence of elevated rate of interest threat (tbh, I don’t use them in any respect), however I nonetheless monitor them to see the remainder of the present yield curve.
- Prepared to lock up your cash for 10 years? You should buy long-term certificates of deposit through the bond desks of Vanguard and Constancy. These “brokered CDs” provide FDIC insurance coverage, however they don’t include predictable early withdrawal penalties. You may discover one thing that pays greater than your different brokerage money and Treasury choices. Proper now, I see a 10-year CDs at [n/a] APY (non-callable) vs. 4.44% for a 10-year Treasury. Be careful for larger charges from callable CDs the place they will name your CD again if rates of interest drop.
All charges had been checked as of 5/14/26.
* I not advocate fintech corporations as a consequence of the opportunity of vital loss as a consequence of poor recordkeeping and the shortage of presidency safety in such eventualities. The purpose of money is absolute security of principal.
Photograph by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash