American Express vs. Santander Bank
High-Yield Savings Account Comparison
By Aviel Fahl|Last Updated: October 21, 2025
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Summary of American Express vs. Santander Bank
Key Metrics at a Glance
Feature | American Express | Santander Bank |
---|---|---|
Top Savings APY | 3.50% High Yield Savings Account | 0.01% Santander Savings |
Minimum to Open | $0 | $25 |
Minimum Balance for Top APY | $0 | $0 |
American Express
Strengths
- American Express offers a competitive APY of 3.50%.
- No maintenance fees for the High Yield Savings Account.
- American Express has a high App Store rating of 4.9.
Potential Drawbacks
- American Express has an F rating from the BBB.
- No physical branches available for customer service.
- Google Play rating is lower at 3.7.
Santander Bank
Strengths
- Santander Bank has physical branches primarily in the Northeast and Miami.
- Google Play rating is higher at 4.1.
- Santander Savings account requires only a $25 minimum deposit.
Potential Drawbacks
- Santander Bank offers a very low APY of 0.01%.
- There is a $1 monthly maintenance fee for the Santander Savings.
- Santander Bank is not rated by the BBB.
→ As of October 21, 2025 American Express offers an APY of 3.50% for its High Yield Savings Account, with a minimum balance of $0, compared to Santander Bank's 0.01% APY for its Santander Savings account, with a minimum balance of $0.
→ American Express yields $349 more than Santander Bank on a $10,000 balance after one year. American Express pays $350, while Santander Bank pays $1 - an APY advantage for American Express.
Calculate Savings Growth for American Express vs Santander Bank
American Express - High Yield Savings Account
Total savings breakdown:
- Interest earned: $2,114.1 (10.51%)
- Total contributions: $13,000 (64.63%)
- Initial deposit: $5,000 (24.86%)
Your total balance
$20,114.10
Total balance: $20,114.1
Earnings: $2,114.1
Bank OverviewSantander Bank - Santander Savings
Total savings breakdown:
- Interest earned: $5.7 (0.03%)
- Total contributions: $13,000 (72.20%)
- Initial deposit: $5,000 (27.77%)
Your total balance
$18,005.70
Total balance: $18,005.7
Earnings: $5.7
Bank OverviewWith a $5,000 initial deposit and $13,000 in total contributions over 5 years, American Express's total earnings would be $2,108.4 higher than Santander Bank's total earnings.
The Banksparency Savings Calculator provides estimated savings growth based on user input and our latest data.
Compare American Express' vs Santander Bank's Savings Accounts
American Express | Santander Bank | ||
---|---|---|---|
Product | High Yield Savings Account | vs | Santander Savings |
APY | 3.50% (as of 10/21/2025) | 0.01% (as of 10/21/2025) | |
Bundled Account | No | No | |
FDIC-insured | Yes | Yes | |
Online Only | Yes | No | |
Compound Frequency | Daily | Daily | |
Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 | |
Minimum Balance for APY | $0 | $0 | |
Maintenance Fee | $0 | $1 | |
Direct Deposit Required | No | No | |
App Store Rating | 4.9/5 | 4.8/5 | |
Google Play Rating | 3.7/5 | 4.1/5 | |
BBB Rating | F | Not Rated |
Comparative Historical APY Insights (Last 9 Months)
American Express | Santander Bank | ||
---|---|---|---|
Product | High Yield Savings Account | vs | Santander Savings |
Latest APY | 3.50 % | 0.01 % | |
Trend | Sideways | Sideways | |
Slope (bps/mo) | -3.7 | -0.1 | |
Rate Changes / Mo | 0.33 | 0.11 | |
Days Since Last Change | 90 | 32 | |
High (-9 m) | 3.80 % | 0.03 % | |
Low (-9 m) | 3.50 % | 0.01 % | |
Draw-down from High | -7.9 % | -66.7 % | |
Volatility (CV) | 0.028 | 0.232 |
APY Insights Glossary
- Latest APY
- Most recent advertised annual-percentage yield.
- Trend
- Direction over the last 9 months (regression slope).
- Slope (bps/mo)
- Average monthly change; 10 bps = 0.10 pp.
- Rate Changes / Mo
- Typical number of APY moves per month.
- Days Since Last Change
- Recency of the latest APY adjustment.
- High (-9 m)
- Highest APY in the last 272 days.
- Low (-9 m)
- Lowest APY in the last 272 days.
- Draw-down from High
- How far today sits below the 9-month peak.
- Volatility (CV)
- Coefficient of variation = stdev ÷ mean.
Why Track Savings-Account APYs?
- See how quickly a bank reacts to Fed moves or competition.
- Gauge “twitchiness” - frequent moves can annoy savers.
- Spot if you're buying near a peak (draw-down) or riding a rise.
- Slope (bps/mo) shows speed of change.
- Volatility (CV) scales jumps by average level.