American Express vs Synchrony Bank
High-Yield Savings Accounts Comparison

Last Updated: July 15, 2025

Summary of American Express vs. Synchrony Bank

As of July 15, 2025 American Express offers an APY of 3.60% for its High Yield Savings Account account, compared to Synchrony Bank's 3.80% APY for its High Yield Savings account.

Synchrony Bank yields $20 more than American Express on a $10,000 balance after one year. American Express pays $360, while Synchrony Bank pays $380 - an APY advantage for Synchrony Bank.

American Express

Strengths

  • American Express offers a competitive APY of 3.60%.
  • 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 BBB rating and is not accredited.
  • The Google Play rating for American Express is lower at 3.8.
  • No branches available for in-person banking.

Synchrony Bank

Strengths

  • Synchrony Bank provides a higher APY of 3.80%.
  • Synchrony Bank has a solid Google Play rating of 4.6.
  • No maintenance fees for the High Yield Savings account.

Potential Drawbacks

  • Synchrony Bank is not rated by the BBB.
  • The App Store rating for Synchrony Bank is slightly lower at 4.8.
  • No branches available for in-person banking.
Summary: American Express offers a lower APY of 3.60% compared to Synchrony Bank's 3.80%. While American Express has a higher App Store rating, it has a poor BBB rating. Both banks have no maintenance fees and no branches, but Synchrony Bank's Google Play rating is notably higher. Overall, Synchrony Bank may be more appealing for those prioritizing APY.

Compare American Express' vs Synchrony Bank's Savings Accounts

American ExpressSynchrony Bank
ProductHigh Yield Savings AccountvsHigh Yield Savings
APY
3.60% (as of 7/15/2025)3.80% (as of 7/15/2025)
Bundled Account
NoNo
FDIC-insured
YesYes
Online OnlyYesYes
Compound Frequency
DailyDaily
Minimum Deposit$0$0
Minimum Balance for APY$0$0
Maintenance Fee$0$0
Direct Deposit Required
NoNo
Visit BankHigh Yield Savings AccountHigh Yield Savings
App Store Rating4.9/54.8/5
Google Play Rating3.8/54.6/5
BBB RatingFNot Rated

Comparative Historical APY Insights (Last 6 Months)

American ExpressSynchrony Bank
ProductHigh Yield Savings AccountvsHigh Yield Savings
Latest APY3.60 %3.80 %
TrendSidewaysSideways
Slope (bps/mo)-3.9-4.6
Rate Changes / Mo0.340.34
Days Since Last Change6943
High (-6 m)3.80 %4.10 %
Low (-6 m)3.60 %3.80 %
Draw-down from High-5.3 %-7.3 %
Volatility (CV)0.0190.024
APY Insights Glossary
Latest APY
Most recent advertised annual-percentage yield.
Trend
Direction over the last 6 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 (-6 m)
Highest APY in the last 175 days.
Low (-6 m)
Lowest APY in the last 175 days.
Draw-down from High
How far today sits below the 6-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.

Calculate Savings Growth for American Express vs Synchrony Bank

All calculations are based on APY.

American Express

APY: 3.60%

Total savings breakdown:

  • Interest earned: $36 (3.47%)
  • Total contributions: $0 (0.00%)
  • Initial deposit: $1,000 (96.53%)

Your total balance

$1,036.00

Effective APY: 3.60% (based on your deposit and contributions)

Total balance: $1,036

Earnings: $36

Bank Details

Synchrony Bank

APY: 3.80%

Total savings breakdown:

  • Interest earned: $38 (3.66%)
  • Total contributions: $0 (0.00%)
  • Initial deposit: $1,000 (96.34%)

Your total balance

$1,038.00

Effective APY: 3.80% (based on your deposit and contributions)

Total balance: $1,038

Earnings: $38

Bank Details

After 1 year American Express would earn you $2 less than Synchrony Bank.

More Comparisons

Compare American Express' APY of 3.60% with other banks
Compare Synchrony Bank's APY of 3.80% with other banks