Betterment: Savings Account & Rates

By Aviel Fahl

Updated: 4/6/2026

Mission: Banksparency aims to make Betterment's savings account transparent and comparable to the market.

Interest rates reported as APY

Analysis of Betterment

Our verdict

Betterment offers Cash Reserve, a high-yield savings account paying 3.90% APY with a $10 minimum deposit.

At 3.90% APY, Betterment pays 10x the national average (0.39%). Ranks in the top tier of 98+ accounts tracked.

Ideal User Profile

Best for: simple saving without extra requirements, banking without needing a branch, and managing money from your phone.

Key Differentiators

Stands out with top-rated iOS app (4.8), highly-rated Android app (4.7).

Savings Overview

Cash Reserve

3.90% APY

Tiered Range: 3.25% - 3.90%

Rate Increased

+0.65%

Since 90 days ago

Min: $10 Online Only

Min. Deposit	$10
Min. Balance	$0
Maintenance Fee	$0

Rank #24 of 98 tracked.

Promo rate for new customers. 3.25% APY applies to existing customers.

Market Reality Check

This bank offers rates below the current top tier. The best rates we track are currently above 4.15% APY.

See Top Rates

National Avg: 0.39% (FDIC, 3/1/2026).
Banksparency tracks live rates daily.

Bank Overview

HQ LocationNew York, New York
Founded2008
AffiliationBetterment Holdings, Inc.
Ratings & Trust
4.8iOS 4.7Android A-BBB BBB Accredited
Zelle® SupportNo Support
Standard ACH or Wire transfers only.
Deposit InsuranceFDIC Insured

Visit Official Website

Featured Offers

Axos ONE - High Yield Savings & Checking

Over 95,000 fee-free ATMs
Get paid up to 2 days early with Direct Deposit
One convenient app for spending & saving

FDIC Insured

Savings4.21%APY

Checking0.51%APY

Go to Axos Bank

Member, FDIC

View Details

Monthly Maintenance Fee	None
Min. Deposit to Savings Account	$0
Min. Balance in Savings Account	$0
How to qualify for APY	OPTION ADirect Deposit $1,500+ AND Maintain $1,500+ avg daily checking balance. OR OPTION BDeposit $5,000+ total/mo AND Maintain $5,000+ avg daily checking balance.
Mobile Ratings	iOS:4.7 Android:4.6

The 4.21% APY is available with the Axos ONE savings and checking bundle. The checking account earns 0.51% APY. To qualify, you must either set up a direct deposit of $1,500 and maintain an average daily balance of more than $1,500 in your ONE Checking account, or receive at least $5,000 in total monthly qualifying deposits and maintain an average daily balance of more than $5,000.

PREMIUM ACCOUNT, GENEROUS BONUS

SponsoredVerified Apr 6, 2026

FDIC Insured

CIT Bank - Platinum Savings

Competitive APY - with a balance of $5,000+
Earn up to $300 bonus with qualifying deposit
Highly rated mobile apps

FDIC Insured

Savings3.75%APY

Up to$300Bonus

Go to CIT Bank

Member, FDIC

View Details

Monthly Maintenance Fee	None
Min. Deposit to Savings Account	$100
Min. Balance in Savings Account	$5,000
Mobile Ratings	iOS:4.8 Android:4.7

This is a tiered savings account, where the 3.75% APY requires meeting the $5,000 balance requirement. Lower balances earn an APY of 0.25%.

EASY TRANSFERS, LOW MINIMUMS

SponsoredVerified Apr 6, 2026

FDIC Insured

Quontic High Yield Savings

Apply in 3 minutes or less
No monthly service fees
Transfer with Zelle, Apple Pay, G-Pay, and more

FDIC Insured

Savings3.50%APY

Go to Quontic Bank

Member, FDIC

View Details

Monthly Maintenance Fee	None
Min. Deposit to Savings Account	$100
Min. Balance in Savings Account	$0
Mobile Ratings	iOS:4.8 Android:4.8

Top Market Contenders

American Express

3.20% APY

vs. Betterment

Ally Bank

3.20% APY

vs. Betterment

Marcus by Goldman Sachs

3.65% APY

vs. Betterment

Popular Peer Comparisons

American Express vs Capital One Barclays vs CIT Bank Ally Bank vs American Express Chase Bank vs Chime Discover Bank vs Synchrony Bank Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs Synchrony Bank

Savings Account: In-Depth View

Savings Account Offered by Betterment

Feature	Cash Reserve
APY	3.90%Range: 3.25% - 3.90%Verified: 4/6/2026
APY Trend	Rate Increased +0.65% Since 90 days ago
Min. Deposit	$10
Min. Balance	$0
Monthly Fee	$0
Direct Deposit	None
Checking Bundle	No
Branch Access	None
Compounding	N/A
FDIC Insured	Yes
Eligibility	The advertised rate is restricted to new customers. Existing Betterment customers may earn a somewhat lower rate.
Important	Promo rate for new customers. 3.25% APY applies to existing customers.
Next Steps	-

Calculate Savings for Betterment

All calculations are based on APY.

Selected Product

Cash Reserve3.25% - 3.90% APY

Initial Deposit

Recurring Deposit

Frequency

Duration

Savings Breakdown

Interest Earned
+$1,526.90(9.8%)
Total Contributions
$13,000
Initial Deposit
$1,000

Projected Balance

$15,526.90

Effective APY

3.90%

The Banksparency Savings Calculator provides estimated savings growth based on user input and our latest data.

Betterment Savings Rates Over Time

Historical APY Insights

Last 12 Months

Metric	Cash Reserve
Latest APY	3.90%
Trend	Falling
Slope (bps/mo)	-5.0
Rate Changes / Mo	0.33
Days Since Last Change	45
High (-12m)	4.00%
Low (-12m)	3.25%
Draw-down	-2.5%
Volatility (CV)	0.082

How to read these metrics▼

Trends & Velocity

Trend: The general direction of the rate over the analyzed period. Useful for spotting if a bank is currently aggressive or pulling back.
Slope (bps/mo): Speed of change. A high positive number means they raise rates quickly. 10 bps = 0.10%.
Rate Changes / Mo: "Twitchiness." High frequency means the rate changes constantly; low frequency means it's stable.

Risk & Range

High/Low: The absolute ceiling and floor of the rate during the 365-day window.
Volatility Score: Lower is better for predictability. It indicates how wildly the rate swings relative to its average.
Days Since Change: If this number is high (e.g., >90), the rate is very sticky. If low, it changed recently.

Why track this? Understanding volatility helps you avoid "bait-and-switch" rates. A steady, rising slope is ideal; high volatility often signals a temporary teaser rate.

Compare with Betterment

Feature	Current View Betterment	Empty Slot
Product	Cash Reserve	-
APY	3.25% - 3.90%Verified: 4/6/2026	-
APY Trend	Rate Increased +0.65% Since 90 days ago	-
Min. Deposit	$10	-
Monthly Fee	$0	-
Direct Deposit	No	-
Checking Bundle	No	-
Branch Access	None	-
Eligibility	The advertised rate is restricted to new customers. Existing Betterment customers may earn a somewhat lower rate.	-
Compounding	N/A	-
FDIC Insured	Yes	-
Note	Promo rate for new customers. 3.25% APY applies to existing customers.	-
Next Steps	-	-

Bank-to-Bank Comparisons

Compare Betterment's APY of 3.90% with other banks

Bank Pair	Competitor APY	Min Deposit
Betterment vs Ally Bank	3.20%	$0
Betterment vs American Express	3.20%	$0
Betterment vs Axos Bank	4.21%	$0
Betterment vs Barclays	3.85%	$0
Betterment vs Capital One	3.20%	$0
Betterment vs Chime	3.00%	$0
Betterment vs CIT Bank	3.75%	$100
Betterment vs Discover Bank	3.30%	$0
Betterment vs EverBank	3.90%	$0
Betterment vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs	3.65%	$0
Betterment vs Newtek Bank	4.20%	$0.01
Betterment vs Openbank	4.00%	$500
Betterment vs Pibank	4.60%	$0
Betterment vs SoFi Bank	4.00%	$0
Betterment vs Synchrony Bank	3.50%	$0
Betterment vs Varo Bank	5.00%	$0
Betterment vs Wealthfront	4.20%	$0