SmartRatesUSA

Banking

Compare savings and checking accounts

Quick answer: the highest savings APY we could verify today is 4.20% (Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub)), while big branch banks’ standard savings rates can be as low as 0.01%. For checking, 11 of the 17 accounts we checked charge no monthly fee.

Every figure checked on the bank’s or credit union’s own website on . By the SmartRates Editorial Team.

Accounts checked

42

Savings and checking, official pages only

Top verified savings APY

4.20%

Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub) (conditions apply)

Median online savings APY

3.83%

16 online-bank accounts

No-fee checking

11 of 17

State a $0 monthly fee

Start here

Savings accounts →

All 25 savings accounts we checked, with APY, fees, minimums and conditions.

Checking accounts →

17 checking accounts with monthly fees, waiver rules and opening deposits.

Best high-yield savings →

Ranked by verified APY, plus picks with no conditions or minimums.

No-monthly-fee checking →

Accounts that state a $0 monthly fee, and what to watch for.

Online vs traditional banks →

What the rate gap looks like in our data and when branches still win.

National average rates →

FDIC national averages for savings and CDs, updated from official data.

Top savings APYs we verified

Top five by published APY. “Promo” and conditions mean the headline rate needs extra steps or ends after a set period. See all savings accounts.

  1. #1 · Online bank · FDIC

    Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub)

    LevelUp Savings

    APY
    4.20%Base 3.00%
    Rate as of
    Oct 31, 2026
    Monthly fee
    Not stated
    Min. to open
    $0
    1 yr on $10,000
    ≈ $420

    Conditions: 4.20% APY with $250+ in monthly deposits; standard rate 3.00% APY.

    lendingclub.com now redirects to happen.com; deposits are provided by Happen Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. Monthly fee not stated on the page we checked.

    Verified Nov 1, 2026Source (official page, opens in a new tab)

  2. #2 · Online bank · FDIC

    Bread Savings

    High-Yield Savings Account

    APY
    4.05%
    Rate as of
    Nov 1, 2026
    Monthly fee
    $0
    Min. to open
    $100
    1 yr on $10,000
    ≈ $405

    $100 minimum opening deposit; balances up to $1 million.

    Verified Nov 1, 2026Source (official page, opens in a new tab)

  3. #3 · Online bank · FDIC

    Axos Bank

    Summit Savings

    APY
    4.01%Promo
    Rate as of
    Nov 1, 2026
    Monthly fee
    $0
    Min. to open
    $0
    1 yr on $10,000
    ≈ $401

    Conditions: 'Up to' rate for up to 6 months includes a 0.26% new-customer boost.

    Verified Nov 1, 2026Source (official page, opens in a new tab)

  4. #4 · Online bank · FDIC

    UFB Direct

    Portfolio Savings

    APY
    4.01%Promo
    Rate as of
    Not shown
    Monthly fee
    $0
    Min. to open
    $0
    1 yr on $10,000
    ≈ $401

    Conditions: 'Up to' rate for up to 6 months with a promo code.

    Page did not show an as-of date for the rate.

    Verified Nov 1, 2026Source (official page, opens in a new tab)

  5. #5 · Online bank · FDIC

    Vio Bank

    Online Savings Account

    APY
    4.01%
    Rate as of
    Oct 23, 2026
    Monthly fee
    $0
    Min. to open
    $100
    1 yr on $10,000
    ≈ $401

    Conditions: Same APY on all balances.

    Verified Nov 1, 2026Source (official page, opens in a new tab)

Checking accounts with no monthly fee

Compare all no-fee checking.

  • Online bank · FDIC

    Capital One

    360 Checking

    Monthly fee
    $0
    Min. to open
    $0

    Tiered-rate interest account (rates effective 10/30/2026 per page); APY values could not be read. Discover checking pages now redirect here.

    Verified Nov 1, 2026Source (official page, opens in a new tab)

  • Online bank · FDIC

    Ally Bank

    Spending Account

    Monthly fee
    $0
    Min. to open
    $0
    APY
    0.25%Base 0.10%

    Verified Nov 1, 2026Source (official page, opens in a new tab)

  • Online bank · FDIC

    Charles Schwab Bank

    Bank Investor Checking

    Monthly fee
    $0
    Min. to open
    Not stated

    Opened with a linked Schwab One brokerage account. No foreign transaction fees per page.

    Verified Nov 1, 2026Source (official page, opens in a new tab)

  • Online bank · FDIC

    Axos Bank

    Axos ONE Checking

    Monthly fee
    $0
    Min. to open
    Not stated
    APY
    0.51%Base 0.%

    No monthly maintenance, opening, or overdraft fees; no minimum balance (per page).

    Verified Nov 1, 2026Source (official page, opens in a new tab)

  • App-based (fintech) · FDIC

    Varo Bank

    Bank Account

    Monthly fee
    $0
    Min. to open
    Not stated

    No monthly, minimum balance, or overdraft fees per page.

    Verified Nov 1, 2026Source (official page, opens in a new tab)

How to choose in three steps

1. Split your money by job

Checking is for bills and spending, so access and low fees matter most. Savings is for your emergency fund and short-term goals, so the APY matters most. Many households end up with checking at a bank they can easily reach and savings at a higher-yield online bank.

2. Read the conditions, not just the headline rate

Several top rates on this page require monthly deposits, a minimum balance, a linked checking account or a promo code, or they drop after a few months. Compare the rate you will actually earn on your balance.

3. Confirm insurance and the transfer path

Check the bank on the FDIC’s BankFind tool (or that a credit union is NCUA-insured), keep each ownership category under $250,000 per bank, and test a small transfer before moving your full balance.

Banking guides

Frequently asked questions

Where do these bank rates come from?

Each APY, fee and minimum was read on the bank’s or credit union’s own public product page on the date shown next to it. When a figure was not visible on the official page we left it blank rather than estimate it.

Is my money safe at an online bank?

Online banks listed here are FDIC members, so deposits are insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. Credit unions are covered by the NCUA on the same terms. App-based services that are not banks place deposits at partner banks; check which bank holds your money.

Should I keep savings and checking at the same bank?

Not necessarily. Many people keep checking at a bank with branches or ATMs they use and move savings to a higher-yield online account. Transfers between banks usually take one to three business days, so keep a small buffer in checking.

How often is this page updated?

We re-check the official pages regularly and show the verification date on every account. Because banks can change variable rates at any time, always confirm on the bank’s page before opening an account.

Does SmartRates get paid for these listings?

No. Accounts are listed and ordered by the published figures only. If we ever add a paid placement, it will be clearly labeled “Sponsored” and kept separate from these tables.

Official sources