High-Yield Savings Account Comparison

Betterment vs. Charles Schwab Bank

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

Analysis by Aviel Fahl
Updated December 10, 2025

Charles Schwab Bank

Schwab Bank Investor Savings™

0.15%
APY
Dec 10, 2025
FDIC InsuredNo MinimumsGreat iOS AppIn-Person Access
Show Fine Print & Trends
Min. Deposit$0
Min. Balance$0.01
Maintenance Fee$0
Compound FreqDaily
Direct DepositNot required
Deposit InsuranceFDIC Insured(Cert: 57450)
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

Betterment vs. Charles Schwab Bank Savings Calculator

Calculations based on current APY for Cash Reserve and Schwab Bank Investor Savings™
$
$

Betterment earns $2,028 more than Charles Schwab Bank.

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%

Charles Schwab Bank

Schwab Bank Investor Savings™

0.15% APY

Savings Breakdown

  • Interest Earned
    +$86.10(0.5%)
  • Total Contributions
    $13,000
  • Initial Deposit
    $5,000

Projected Balance

$18,086.10

Effective APY
0.15%

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

Comparison Analysis

Comparing Betterment vs. Charles Schwab Bank

Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Why Betterment?

  • Higher potential APY (3.50% vs 0.15%) on all balances
  • No checking account or direct deposit required
  • Higher rated Android app (4.7 vs 2.9)

Why Charles Schwab Bank?

No distinct advantages found vs Betterment.

— Key Feature Differences —

Better Returns at $10,000
Betterment

Betterment's Cash Reserve earns more on smaller deposits (approx. $350 vs $15/yr).

Better Returns at $25,000
Betterment

Betterment's Cash Reserve pulls ahead with larger amounts (approx. $875 vs $38/yr).

Best for Simplicity
Betterment

Betterment's Cash Reserve offers 3.50% APY with no bundling, direct deposit requirement or caps.

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 $335 more interest on a $10,000 balance than Charles Schwab Bank's Schwab Bank Investor Savings™.

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

Charles Schwab BankBetterment
Automated Data Audit

Executive Summary

Betterment offers a competitive Cash Reserve savings account with a notable APY of 3.50%, making it an attractive option for savers looking for higher returns without any direct deposit requirements or maintenance fees. In contrast, Charles Schwab Bank's Investor Savings™ account provides a significantly lower APY of 0.15%. While Schwab's account has no minimum deposit or balance requirements, it cannot match the yield offered by Betterment. Overall, Betterment's Cash Reserve stands out as the clear winner for those prioritizing higher interest rates.

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 Betterment and Charles Schwab Bank.

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
FeatureBettermentCharles Schwab Bank
APY
3.50%
Verified: 12/10/2025
↘︎ 0.50%90d Change
0.15%
Verified: 12/10/2025
Stable (90d)
Product NameCash ReserveSchwab Bank Investor Savings™
Minimum Deposit$10$0
Min. Balance for APY$0$0.01
Monthly Fee$0$0
Branch AccessNoneYes
Account Type
Online Only
Online & Branches
Direct Deposit Req.NoneNone
Checking BundleNoNo
Mobile Apps
iOS4.8
Android4.7
iOS4.8
Android2.9
BBB RatingA-A+
Next Steps

📈 Compare Savings Rates Over Time

Historical Performance

Last 10 Months Analysis
MetricBettermentCharles Schwab Bank
Cash ReserveSchwab Bank Investor Savings™
Current APY
3.50%0.15%
Trend
Stable Stable
Velocity (bps/mo)
-4.7-0.0
Days Since Change
39314
10-Month High
4.00%0.15%
10-Month Low
3.50%0.15%
Adjustments / Mo
0.190.00
Volatility Score
0.0500.000
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 315-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 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 American Express3.40%$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 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
Compare Charles Schwab Bank's APY of 0.15% with other banks
Bank PairCompetitor APYMin Deposit
Charles Schwab Bank vs Affirm3.60%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Ally Bank3.30%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs American Express3.40%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Axos Bank4.31%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Bank of America0.01%$100
Charles Schwab Bank vs Barclays4.00%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Bask Bank3.90%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs BMO Alto3.25%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Bread Savings4.10%$100
Charles Schwab Bank vs BrioDirect4.00%$5,000
Charles Schwab Bank vs Capital One3.40%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Chase Bank0.01%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Chime3.50%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs CIT Bank3.75%$100
Charles Schwab Bank vs Citibank3.30%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Citizens Access™3.15%$0.01
Charles Schwab Bank vs Climate First Bank4.21%$50
Charles Schwab Bank vs Discover Bank3.40%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley3.75%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Elevault4.08%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs EverBank4.05%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Fitness Bank4.75%$100
Charles Schwab Bank vs FNBO Direct3.00%$1
Charles Schwab Bank vs Forbright Bank4.00%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs FVCbank3.85%$500
Charles Schwab Bank vs GO2bank4.50%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Ivy Bank4.25%$2,500
Charles Schwab Bank vs LendingClub4.20%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs3.65%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Neighbors Bank4.30%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Newtek Bank4.35%$0.01
Charles Schwab Bank vs Openbank4.20%$500
Charles Schwab Bank vs Peak Bank4.20%$100
Charles Schwab Bank vs Pibank4.60%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs PNC3.53%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Presidential Bank4.00%$5,000
Charles Schwab Bank vs Quontic Bank3.75%$100
Charles Schwab Bank vs Salem Five Direct3.71%$10
Charles Schwab Bank vs Sallie Mae Bank3.90%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Santander Bank0.01%$25
Charles Schwab Bank vs SoFi Bank4.30%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Synchrony Bank3.65%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs TD Bank2.75%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs TIMBR4.40%$1,000
Charles Schwab Bank vs UFB Direct3.71%$5000
Charles Schwab Bank vs Upgrade3.05%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Valley Direct4.10%$1,000
Charles Schwab Bank vs Varo Bank5.00%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Vio Bank4.16%$100
Charles Schwab Bank vs Wealthfront4.15%$0
Charles Schwab Bank vs Wells Fargo0.05%$25
Charles Schwab Bank vs Zynlo Bank4.05%$10