Key Takeaways
- Top HYSAs pay up to 4.21% APY as of August 2026 (Axos ONE's bundled rate), while the national average savings account pays just 0.38%.
- Top CD rates have nearly caught up to top HYSA rates: Bread Savings' 2-year CD pays 4.25% APY and Limelight Bank's 6-month CD pays 4.15% APY, both within a few tenths of a point of the best HYSAs.
- The national average 1-year CD pays just 2.03% APY - the 'average vs. best available' gap is as wide for CDs as it is for savings accounts.
- The Fed held its benchmark rate at 3.50%-3.75% for a second straight meeting on July 29, 2026, with three regional presidents dissenting in favor of a hike; its next decision is September 16, 2026, with futures markets now pricing roughly 72% odds of a 25 basis point hike.
- With top CD and HYSA rates this close and a hike more likely than a cut, a HYSA is the more flexible choice for most savers right now - a CD only pays off if you're confident you won't need the cash before the term ends.
The average savings account still pays just 0.38% APY, largely unchanged for over a year. The top high-yield savings accounts (HYSAs) right now pay up to 4.21%, and top CDs pay up to 4.25% — both over 10 times more than average, with zero additional risk either way.
If you’re on this page, you’re likely comparing HYSA and CD options for cash you want to grow but might still need access to. Here’s what’s actually paying the most on each right now, and how to decide between them. (If you want the math on why even a few percentage points of APY compounds into real money over time, I’ve broken that down separately in my piece on the power of compounding.)
Top High-Yield Savings Rates Right Now (August 2026)
| Bank | APY | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Axos ONE Savings and Checking Bundle | 4.21% | Requires $1,500 in monthly qualifying direct deposits plus a $1,500 average balance (or a $5,000/$5,000 tier); drops to 1.00% APY if you don’t meet the requirement |
| Newtek Bank Personal High Yield Savings | 4.20% | No monthly fee — still not accepting new applications due to demand; waitlist available, same as last month |
| Forbright Bank Growth Savings | 4.15% | Promotional rate requires a $1,000 minimum balance; standard rate without the boost is 3.85% |
If you’d rather skip deposit and balance requirements entirely, Climate First Bank’s Super Duper Savings account pays 4.01% APY with just a $50 minimum to open and no strings attached.
Rates have held mostly steady since last month. Axos’s bundled rate is the notable new entrant at the top of the list — it wasn’t in last month’s top 3, but its tiered requirement means it isn’t a direct trade for the no-minimum simplicity of a straightforward HYSA. Always check the account’s current published rate and requirements before opening, since these numbers shift regularly.
Where the Fed Stands (And Why It Matters for Your Rate)
HYSA rates track the Federal Reserve’s federal funds rate fairly closely, since banks adjust what they pay savers based on what it costs them to borrow elsewhere. At its July 29, 2026 meeting, the Fed held its benchmark rate at 3.50%–3.75% for a second straight meeting, with three regional bank presidents (Cleveland’s Beth Hammack, Minneapolis’s Neel Kashkari, and Dallas’s Lorie Logan) dissenting in favor of a 25 basis point hike instead. Inflation running above the Fed’s 2% target for more than five years is the reason those dissents keep surfacing.
The Fed’s next decision lands September 16, 2026. As of early August, futures markets were pricing in roughly a 72% chance of a 25 basis point hike, a notable jump from the roughly 46% odds priced in ahead of the July meeting. A hike would likely nudge top HYSA rates higher in the following weeks; a third straight hold would probably keep things roughly where they are now.
What a rate cut would mean later: if the Fed eventually does start cutting, HYSA rates typically follow down within a billing cycle or two — banks aren’t obligated to pass through cuts quickly, but competitive pressure usually gets them there. If you’re choosing between a HYSA and locking in a CD right now, that’s the tradeoff: a CD locks in today’s rate for its term, while a HYSA’s rate can move either direction with the Fed. Short-term Treasury bills are a third option worth knowing about — I compared my own experience buying one against CDs and HYSAs if you want another liquid, low-risk place for cash.
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CD vs. High-Yield Savings: Which Actually Earns You More Right Now
The gap between CD and HYSA rates has nearly closed. A year or two ago, locking in a CD usually meant giving up meaningful yield versus a HYSA. That’s no longer true at the top of the market — here’s what’s actually available on each side as of mid-August 2026.
| CD Term | Best Published APY | Bank | Minimum Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-month | 4.15% | Limelight Bank | $1,000 |
| 1-year | 4.10% | Bask Bank / Live Oak Bank | $2,500 |
| 2-year | 4.25% | Bread Savings | $1,500 |
Credit unions can beat these: A+ Federal Credit Union was paying 5.00% APY on a 1-year CD as of August 10, 2026, though credit unions typically require membership (often just a small one-time donation to a partner nonprofit) that adds a small extra step compared to opening a bank account online.
Compare those top CD rates to the top HYSAs from the table above — 4.21% at Axos, 4.01% at Climate First — and the best-in-class numbers are now within a few tenths of a percentage point of each other. That wasn’t true even a year ago, when top CDs regularly outpaced HYSAs by half a point or more.
The averages tell a very different story than the top-of-market numbers. The national average 1-year CD APY is just 2.03% as of mid-August 2026, versus 0.38% for the average savings account. Most people banking with a traditional big bank are earning a fraction of what’s actually available — the gap between “average” and “best available” is enormous in both categories, which is exactly why shopping around matters more than which product type you pick.
When a CD Wins
- You’re confident you won’t need the cash before the term ends.
- You expect the Fed to cut rates before your CD matures, and want to lock in today’s yield before that happens.
- You want a fixed, predictable return with zero chance of the rate dropping mid-term.
When a HYSA Wins
- You might need the cash on short notice — HYSAs have no withdrawal penalty.
- You expect the Fed to hike (as futures markets currently lean, at roughly 72% odds for September), since a HYSA’s rate can rise right along with it.
- You want to keep adding to the balance over time; most CDs are a single lump-sum deposit.
Early withdrawal from a CD before its term ends typically costs you 3 to 6 months of interest as a penalty, depending on the term and bank — sometimes more for longer-term CDs. That penalty is the real cost of the “locked in” rate, so a CD only makes sense if you’re genuinely confident you can leave the money untouched. If there’s any real chance you’ll need the funds early, the flexibility of a HYSA is usually worth more than the extra fraction of a percentage point a CD might offer.
Given that top CD and top HYSA rates are this close right now, and futures markets are leaning toward a Fed hike rather than a cut, a HYSA is the more flexible bet for most savers today — you’re not giving up much yield for the ability to move your money if you need to, and you’d benefit automatically if rates do rise in September.
How to Choose a High-Yield Savings Account
Whichever provider you’re considering, run it through these four checks before opening an account.
1. Interest Rate or Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
Compare the account’s standard ongoing APY, not just a short-term promotional rate that resets after 3 or 6 months. Some of the accounts above (Axos, Forbright) require ongoing deposit or balance activity to keep the top rate — that’s different from a temporary teaser, but still worth reading the fine print on.
2. No Fees
A legitimate high-yield savings account shouldn’t charge monthly maintenance, minimum-balance, or account-keeping fees. Banks make their money on the spread between what they pay you and what they can lend or invest at elsewhere — if a provider is also charging fees on top of that, it’s worth reconsidering.
3. Ease of Use
Most online banks let you preview their interface before opening an account. Check that linking to your existing checking account is straightforward and that direct deposit setup doesn’t require extra hoops.
4. FDIC Insured
Verify FDIC coverage directly at the FDIC’s BankFind tool before depositing. All deposits up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, are automatically FDIC-insured — if an institution is offering a rate well above the market average without FDIC backing, treat that as a red flag rather than a deal. The same check applies to CDs at a bank or NCUA coverage at a credit union.
Looking Ahead: The September 16 Fed Decision
I’ll update this page after the Fed’s September 16, 2026 meeting with whatever direction rates move. In the meantime, a few things worth watching: inflation data released before the meeting will heavily influence which way the Fed leans, and the fact that three sitting FOMC members already dissented toward a hike in July suggests the committee is closer to moving than it’s been in some time.
If you’re deciding whether to wait for a possibly higher rate or lock in a top HYSA now, keep in mind that even a “wait and see” approach still earns you the current top rate while you watch — there’s no cost to opening a high-yield account today and switching later if something better comes along.
