High-Yield Savings Account Comparison

Barclays vs. Sallie Mae Bank

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

Analysis by Aviel Fahl
Updated December 10, 2025

Barclays

Tiered Savings

Up to
4.00%
APY
Dec 10, 2025
FDIC InsuredHigh MinimumGreat iOS AppGreat Android App
Range: 3.85% 4.00%
Show Fine Print & Trends
Min. Deposit$0
Min. Balance$250,000
Maintenance Fee$0
Compound FreqDaily
Direct DepositNot required
Deposit InsuranceFDIC Insured(Cert: 57203)
EligibilityUnited States
Mobile Ratings
BBB Rating

Important Note

The 4.00% APY is only available for balances over $250,000. For lower balances, the APY is 3.85%.

Rate Stability

Rate Adjusted
-0.10%
Since 30 days ago

Sallie Mae Bank

High-Yield Savings Account

3.90%
APY
Dec 10, 2025
FDIC InsuredNo Minimums
Show Fine Print & Trends
Min. Deposit$0
Min. Balance$0
Maintenance Fee$0
Compound FreqDaily
Direct DepositNot required
Deposit InsuranceFDIC Insured(Cert: 58177)
EligibilityUnited States
Mobile Ratings
BBB Rating

Rate Stability

Very StableNo rate changes in last 90 days

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

Barclays vs. Sallie Mae Bank Savings Calculator

Calculations based on current APY for Tiered Savings and High-Yield Savings Account
$
$

Sallie Mae Bank earns $32.2 more than Barclays.

Barclays

Tiered Savings

4.00% APY
Higher APY requires $250,000

Savings Breakdown

  • Interest Earned
    +$2,338.00(11.5%)
  • Total Contributions
    $13,000
  • Initial Deposit
    $5,000

Projected Balance

$20,338.00

Effective APY
3.85%

Sallie Mae Bank

High-Yield Savings Account

3.90% APY

Savings Breakdown

  • Interest Earned
    +$2,370.20(11.6%)
  • Total Contributions
    $13,000
  • Initial Deposit
    $5,000

Projected Balance

$20,370.20

Effective APY
3.90%

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

Comparison Analysis

Comparing Barclays vs. Sallie Mae Bank

Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Why Barclays?

  • Higher rated iOS app (4.9 vs 1.5)
  • Higher rated Android app (4.7 vs 1.6)
  • Offers 2 different high-yield savings options

Why Sallie Mae Bank?

No distinct advantages found vs Barclays.

— Key Feature Differences —

Better Returns at $10,000
Sallie Mae Bank

Sallie Mae Bank's High-Yield Savings Account earns more on smaller deposits (approx. $390 vs $0/yr).

Better Returns at $25,000
Sallie Mae Bank

Sallie Mae Bank's High-Yield Savings Account pulls ahead with larger amounts (approx. $975 vs $0/yr).

Best for Simplicity
Sallie Mae Bank

Sallie Mae Bank's High-Yield Savings Account offers 3.90% APY with no bundling, direct deposit requirement or caps.

Best Mobile App Experience
Barclays

Barclays offers an iOS app rated 4.9 (vs. 1.5) and Android app rated 4.7 (vs. 1.6)

Shared Benefits

Both offer monthly maintenance-free account options Both banks have options with $0 opening deposit Available Nationwide Available to New & Existing Customers
The Bottom Line on APY (Interest Only)

Over a 1-year period, Sallie Mae Bank's High-Yield Savings Account pays $5 more interest on a $10,000 balance than Barclays's Tiered Savings.

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

BarclaysSallie Mae Bank
Automated Data Audit

Executive Summary

Barclays offers a Tiered Savings account with a competitive APY of 4.00% for balances over $250,000, while lower balances yield 3.85%. In contrast, Sallie Mae Bank's High-Yield Savings Account provides a steady APY of 3.90% with no minimum balance requirements, making it accessible for all depositors. Both banks do not require direct deposits, and their accounts are online-only. Notably, Barclays boasts a superior mobile app experience, rated highly on both iOS and Android platforms. Overall, Barclays emerges as the winner due to its higher APY for substantial 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.

Top Market Contenders

See who beats both Barclays and Sallie Mae Bank.

Compare All High-Yield Savings Accounts
Pibank
Pibank Savings
FDIC InsuredNo Minimums
4.60% APY
+0.60% vs Barclays
Better Rate
Axos Bank
Axos ONE
FDIC InsuredNo MinimumsGreat iOS AppGreat Android App
4.31% APY
+0.31% vs Barclays
Better Rate
TIMBR
Premium Savings Account
FDIC InsuredLow Minimums
4.40% APY
+0.40% vs Barclays
Better Rate
FeatureBarclaysSallie Mae Bank
APY
4.00%
Range: 3.85% - 4.00%
Verified: 12/10/2025
↘︎ 0.10%90d Change
3.90%
Verified: 12/10/2025
Stable (90d)
Product NameTiered SavingsHigh-Yield Savings Account
Minimum Deposit$0$0
Min. Balance for APY$250,000$0
Monthly Fee$0$0
Branch AccessNoneNone
Account Type
Online Only
Online Only
Direct Deposit Req.NoneNone
Checking BundleNoNo
Mobile Apps
iOS4.9
Android4.7
iOS1.5
Android1.6
BBB RatingA+A+
Important NotesThe 4.00% APY is only available for balances over $250,000. For lower balances, the APY is 3.85%.-
Next Steps

📈 Compare Savings Rates Over Time

Historical Performance

Last 11 Months Analysis
MetricBarclaysSallie Mae Bank
Online SavingsTiered SavingsHigh-Yield Savings Account
Current APY
3.60%4.00%3.90%
Trend
Stable Stable Stable
Velocity (bps/mo)
-2.6-4.4-0.1
Days Since Change
1421313
11-Month High
4.00%4.50%4.00%
11-Month Low
3.60%4.00%3.90%
Adjustments / Mo
0.560.650.09
Volatility Score
0.0250.0360.004
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 322-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 Barclays' APY of 4.00% with other banks
Bank PairCompetitor APYMin Deposit
Barclays vs Affirm3.60%$0
Barclays vs Ally Bank3.30%$0
Barclays vs American Express3.40%$0
Barclays vs Axos Bank4.31%$0
Barclays vs Bank of America0.01%$100
Barclays vs Bask Bank3.90%$0
Barclays vs Betterment3.50%$10
Barclays vs BMO Alto3.25%$0
Barclays vs Bread Savings4.10%$100
Barclays vs BrioDirect4.00%$5,000
Barclays vs Capital One3.40%$0
Barclays vs Charles Schwab Bank0.15%$0
Barclays vs Chase Bank0.01%$0
Barclays vs Chime3.50%$0
Barclays vs CIT Bank3.75%$100
Barclays vs Citibank3.30%$0
Barclays vs Citizens Access™3.15%$0.01
Barclays vs Climate First Bank4.21%$50
Barclays vs Discover Bank3.40%$0
Barclays vs E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley3.75%$0
Barclays vs Elevault4.08%$0
Barclays vs EverBank4.05%$0
Barclays vs Fitness Bank4.75%$100
Barclays vs FNBO Direct3.00%$1
Barclays vs Forbright Bank4.00%$0
Barclays vs FVCbank3.85%$500
Barclays vs GO2bank4.50%$0
Barclays vs Ivy Bank4.25%$2,500
Barclays vs LendingClub4.20%$0
Barclays vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs3.65%$0
Barclays vs Neighbors Bank4.30%$0
Barclays vs Newtek Bank4.35%$0.01
Barclays vs Openbank4.20%$500
Barclays vs Peak Bank4.20%$100
Barclays vs Pibank4.60%$0
Barclays vs PNC3.53%$0
Barclays vs Presidential Bank4.00%$5,000
Barclays vs Quontic Bank3.75%$100
Barclays vs Salem Five Direct3.71%$10
Barclays vs Santander Bank0.01%$25
Barclays vs SoFi Bank4.30%$0
Barclays vs Synchrony Bank3.65%$0
Barclays vs TD Bank2.75%$0
Barclays vs TIMBR4.40%$1,000
Barclays vs UFB Direct3.71%$5000
Barclays vs Upgrade3.05%$0
Barclays vs Valley Direct4.10%$1,000
Barclays vs Varo Bank5.00%$0
Barclays vs Vio Bank4.16%$100
Barclays vs Wealthfront4.15%$0
Barclays vs Wells Fargo0.05%$25
Barclays vs Zynlo Bank4.05%$10
Compare Sallie Mae Bank's APY of 3.90% with other banks
Bank PairCompetitor APYMin Deposit
Sallie Mae Bank vs Affirm3.60%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Ally Bank3.30%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs American Express3.40%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Axos Bank4.31%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Bank of America0.01%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs Bask Bank3.90%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Betterment3.50%$10
Sallie Mae Bank vs BMO Alto3.25%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Bread Savings4.10%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs BrioDirect4.00%$5,000
Sallie Mae Bank vs Capital One3.40%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Charles Schwab Bank0.15%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Chase Bank0.01%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Chime3.50%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs CIT Bank3.75%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs Citibank3.30%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Citizens Access™3.15%$0.01
Sallie Mae Bank vs Climate First Bank4.21%$50
Sallie Mae Bank vs Discover Bank3.40%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley3.75%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Elevault4.08%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs EverBank4.05%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Fitness Bank4.75%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs FNBO Direct3.00%$1
Sallie Mae Bank vs Forbright Bank4.00%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs FVCbank3.85%$500
Sallie Mae Bank vs GO2bank4.50%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Ivy Bank4.25%$2,500
Sallie Mae Bank vs LendingClub4.20%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs3.65%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Neighbors Bank4.30%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Newtek Bank4.35%$0.01
Sallie Mae Bank vs Openbank4.20%$500
Sallie Mae Bank vs Peak Bank4.20%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs Pibank4.60%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs PNC3.53%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Presidential Bank4.00%$5,000
Sallie Mae Bank vs Quontic Bank3.75%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs Salem Five Direct3.71%$10
Sallie Mae Bank vs Santander Bank0.01%$25
Sallie Mae Bank vs SoFi Bank4.30%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Synchrony Bank3.65%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs TD Bank2.75%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs TIMBR4.40%$1,000
Sallie Mae Bank vs UFB Direct3.71%$5000
Sallie Mae Bank vs Upgrade3.05%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Valley Direct4.10%$1,000
Sallie Mae Bank vs Varo Bank5.00%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Vio Bank4.16%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs Wealthfront4.15%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Wells Fargo0.05%$25
Sallie Mae Bank vs Zynlo Bank4.05%$10