High-Yield Savings Account Comparison

American Express vs. Betterment

Compare rates, requirements, and features side-by-side to find the best option for you.

Analysis by Aviel Fahl
Updated December 10, 2025

American Express

High Yield Savings Account

3.40%
APY
Dec 10, 2025
FDIC InsuredNo MinimumsGreat iOS App
Show Fine Print & Trends
Min. Deposit$0
Min. Balance$0
Maintenance Fee$0
Compound FreqDaily
Direct DepositNot required
Deposit InsuranceFDIC Insured(Cert: 27471)
EligibilityUnited States
Mobile Ratings
BBB Rating

Rate Stability

Rate Adjusted
-0.10%
Since 30 days ago

Market Reality Check

Both of these banks offer rates below the current top tier. The best rates we track are currently above 4.25% APY.

See Top Rates

American Express vs. Betterment Savings Calculator

Calculations based on current APY for High Yield Savings Account and Cash Reserve
$
$

Betterment earns $63.6 more than American Express.

American Express

High Yield Savings Account

3.40% APY

Savings Breakdown

  • Interest Earned
    +$2,050.50(10.2%)
  • Total Contributions
    $13,000
  • Initial Deposit
    $5,000

Projected Balance

$20,050.50

Effective APY
3.40%

Betterment

Cash Reserve

3.50% APY

Savings Breakdown

  • Interest Earned
    +$2,114.10(10.5%)
  • Total Contributions
    $13,000
  • Initial Deposit
    $5,000

Projected Balance

$20,114.10

Effective APY
3.50%

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

Comparison Analysis

Comparing American Express vs. Betterment

Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Why American Express?

No distinct advantages found vs Betterment.

Why Betterment?

  • Higher rated Android app (4.7 vs 3.6)

— Key Feature Differences —

Better Returns at $10,000
Betterment

Betterment's Cash Reserve earns more on smaller deposits (approx. $350 vs $340/yr).

Shared Benefits

Both offer monthly maintenance-free account options Available Nationwide Available to New & Existing Customers
The Bottom Line on APY (Interest Only)

Over a 1-year period, Betterment's Cash Reserve pays $10 more interest on a $10,000 balance than American Express's High Yield Savings Account.

*This calculation assumes current rates remain consistent for 1 year and does not include temporary bonuses.

American ExpressBetterment
Automated Data Audit

Executive Summary

Betterment offers a Cash Reserve account with a higher APY of 3.50%, making it the winner in this comparison. This online-only product requires a minimum deposit of $10 and has no maintenance fees. In contrast, American Express provides a High Yield Savings Account with an APY of 3.40%, which is also online-only and has no minimum deposit or maintenance fees. Both accounts do not require direct deposit, but Betterment's account yields slightly more, particularly for smaller deposits.

Analysis generated based on current Banksparency database records

* AI-generated content provided for informational purposes only. Accuracy is not guaranteed; always verify details with the provider.

Stop Losing Interest

See who beats both American Express and Betterment.

Compare All High-Yield Savings Accounts
Pibank
Pibank Savings
FDIC InsuredNo Minimums
4.60% APY
+1.10% vs Betterment
Better Rate
Axos Bank
Axos ONE
FDIC InsuredNo MinimumsGreat iOS AppGreat Android App
4.31% APY
+0.81% vs Betterment
Better Rate
TIMBR
Premium Savings Account
FDIC InsuredLow Minimums
4.40% APY
+0.90% vs Betterment
Better Rate
FeatureAmerican ExpressBetterment
APY
3.40%
Verified: 12/10/2025
↘︎ 0.10%90d Change
3.50%
Verified: 12/10/2025
↘︎ 0.50%90d Change
Product NameHigh Yield Savings AccountCash Reserve
Minimum Deposit$0$10
Min. Balance for APY$0$0
Monthly Fee$0$0
Branch AccessNoneNone
Account Type
Online Only
Online Only
Direct Deposit Req.NoneNone
Checking BundleNoNo
Mobile Apps
iOS4.9
Android3.6
iOS4.8
Android4.7
BBB RatingFA-
Next Steps

📈 Compare Savings Rates Over Time

Historical Performance

Last 11 Months Analysis
MetricAmerican ExpressBetterment
High Yield Savings AccountCash Reserve
Current APY
3.40%3.50%
Trend
Stable Stable
Velocity (bps/mo)
-3.3-4.5
Days Since Change
1439
11-Month High
3.80%4.00%
11-Month Low
3.40%3.50%
Adjustments / Mo
0.370.19
Volatility Score
0.0310.049
How to read these metrics(Click to expand)

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.
  • Velocity (bps/mo): Speed of change. A high positive number means they raise rates quickly. 10 bps = 0.10%.
  • Adjustments/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 323-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.

More Comparisons

Compare American Express' APY of 3.40% with other banks
Bank PairCompetitor APYMin Deposit
American Express vs Affirm3.60%$0
American Express vs Ally Bank3.30%$0
American Express vs Axos Bank4.31%$0
American Express vs Bank of America0.01%$100
American Express vs Barclays4.00%$0
American Express vs Bask Bank3.90%$0
American Express vs BMO Alto3.25%$0
American Express vs Bread Savings4.10%$100
American Express vs BrioDirect4.00%$5,000
American Express vs Capital One3.40%$0
American Express vs Charles Schwab Bank0.15%$0
American Express vs Chase Bank0.01%$0
American Express vs Chime3.50%$0
American Express vs CIT Bank3.75%$100
American Express vs Citibank3.30%$0
American Express vs Citizens Access™3.15%$0.01
American Express vs Climate First Bank4.21%$50
American Express vs Discover Bank3.40%$0
American Express vs E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley3.75%$0
American Express vs Elevault4.08%$0
American Express vs EverBank4.05%$0
American Express vs Fitness Bank4.75%$100
American Express vs FNBO Direct3.00%$1
American Express vs Forbright Bank4.00%$0
American Express vs FVCbank3.85%$500
American Express vs GO2bank4.50%$0
American Express vs Ivy Bank4.25%$2,500
American Express vs LendingClub4.20%$0
American Express vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs3.65%$0
American Express vs Neighbors Bank4.30%$0
American Express vs Newtek Bank4.35%$0.01
American Express vs Openbank4.20%$500
American Express vs Peak Bank4.20%$100
American Express vs Pibank4.60%$0
American Express vs PNC3.53%$0
American Express vs Presidential Bank4.00%$5,000
American Express vs Quontic Bank3.75%$100
American Express vs Salem Five Direct3.71%$10
American Express vs Sallie Mae Bank3.90%$0
American Express vs Santander Bank0.01%$25
American Express vs SoFi Bank4.30%$0
American Express vs Synchrony Bank3.65%$0
American Express vs TD Bank2.75%$0
American Express vs TIMBR4.40%$1,000
American Express vs UFB Direct3.71%$5000
American Express vs Upgrade3.05%$0
American Express vs Valley Direct4.10%$1,000
American Express vs Varo Bank5.00%$0
American Express vs Vio Bank4.16%$100
American Express vs Wealthfront4.15%$0
American Express vs Wells Fargo0.05%$25
American Express vs Zynlo Bank4.05%$10
Compare Betterment's APY of 3.50% with other banks
Bank PairCompetitor APYMin Deposit
Betterment vs Affirm3.60%$0
Betterment vs Ally Bank3.30%$0
Betterment vs Axos Bank4.31%$0
Betterment vs Bank of America0.01%$100
Betterment vs Barclays4.00%$0
Betterment vs Bask Bank3.90%$0
Betterment vs BMO Alto3.25%$0
Betterment vs Bread Savings4.10%$100
Betterment vs BrioDirect4.00%$5,000
Betterment vs Capital One3.40%$0
Betterment vs Charles Schwab Bank0.15%$0
Betterment vs Chase Bank0.01%$0
Betterment vs Chime3.50%$0
Betterment vs CIT Bank3.75%$100
Betterment vs Citibank3.30%$0
Betterment vs Citizens Access™3.15%$0.01
Betterment vs Climate First Bank4.21%$50
Betterment vs Discover Bank3.40%$0
Betterment vs E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley3.75%$0
Betterment vs Elevault4.08%$0
Betterment vs EverBank4.05%$0
Betterment vs Fitness Bank4.75%$100
Betterment vs FNBO Direct3.00%$1
Betterment vs Forbright Bank4.00%$0
Betterment vs FVCbank3.85%$500
Betterment vs GO2bank4.50%$0
Betterment vs Ivy Bank4.25%$2,500
Betterment vs LendingClub4.20%$0
Betterment vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs3.65%$0
Betterment vs Neighbors Bank4.30%$0
Betterment vs Newtek Bank4.35%$0.01
Betterment vs Openbank4.20%$500
Betterment vs Peak Bank4.20%$100
Betterment vs Pibank4.60%$0
Betterment vs PNC3.53%$0
Betterment vs Presidential Bank4.00%$5,000
Betterment vs Quontic Bank3.75%$100
Betterment vs Salem Five Direct3.71%$10
Betterment vs Sallie Mae Bank3.90%$0
Betterment vs Santander Bank0.01%$25
Betterment vs SoFi Bank4.30%$0
Betterment vs Synchrony Bank3.65%$0
Betterment vs TD Bank2.75%$0
Betterment vs TIMBR4.40%$1,000
Betterment vs UFB Direct3.71%$5000
Betterment vs Upgrade3.05%$0
Betterment vs Valley Direct4.10%$1,000
Betterment vs Varo Bank5.00%$0
Betterment vs Vio Bank4.16%$100
Betterment vs Wealthfront4.15%$0
Betterment vs Wells Fargo0.05%$25
Betterment vs Zynlo Bank4.05%$10