High-Yield Savings Account Comparison

Betterment vs. Citizens Access™

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

Analysis by Aviel Fahl
Updated December 10, 2025

Citizens Access™

Citizens Access® Savings

3.15%
APY
Dec 10, 2025
FDIC InsuredNo MinimumsGreat iOS AppGreat Android App
Show Fine Print & Trends
Min. Deposit$0.01
Min. Balance$0.01
Maintenance Fee$0
Compound FreqDaily
Direct DepositNot required
Deposit InsuranceFDIC Insured(Cert: 57957)
EligibilityUnited States
Mobile Ratings
BBB Rating

Rate Stability

7 days
↘︎ 0.20%
90 days
↘︎ 0.35%

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. Citizens Access™ Savings Calculator

Calculations based on current APY for Cash Reserve and Citizens Access® Savings
$
$

Betterment earns $221.6 more than Citizens Access™.

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%

Citizens Access™

Citizens Access® Savings

3.15% APY

Savings Breakdown

  • Interest Earned
    +$1,892.50(9.5%)
  • Total Contributions
    $13,000
  • Initial Deposit
    $5,000

Projected Balance

$19,892.50

Effective APY
3.15%

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

Comparison Analysis

Comparing Betterment vs. Citizens Access™

Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Why Betterment?

  • Higher potential APY (3.50% vs 3.15%) on all balances

Why Citizens Access™?

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 $315/yr).

Better Returns at $25,000
Betterment

Betterment's Cash Reserve pulls ahead with larger amounts (approx. $875 vs $788/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 $35 more interest on a $10,000 balance than Citizens Access™'s Citizens Access® Savings.

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

Citizens Access™Betterment
Automated Data Audit

Executive Summary

Betterment offers a competitive savings product, the Cash Reserve, with an APY of 3.50%, making it the higher-yield option compared to Citizens Access™, which provides a 3.15% APY through its Citizens Access® Savings account. Betterment's Cash Reserve requires a minimum deposit of $10 and has no direct deposit requirement, while Citizens Access™ has a minimum deposit of just $0.01. Both accounts are online-only and come with no maintenance fees. Overall, Betterment's Cash Reserve stands out for its higher APY and straightforward terms.

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 Citizens Access™.

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
FeatureBettermentCitizens Access™
APY
3.50%
Verified: 12/10/2025
↘︎ 0.50%90d Change
3.15%
Verified: 12/10/2025
↘︎ 0.35%90d Change
Product NameCash ReserveCitizens Access® Savings
Minimum Deposit$10$0.01
Min. Balance for APY$0$0.01
Monthly Fee$0$0
Branch AccessNoneNone
Account Type
Online Only
Online Only
Direct Deposit Req.NoneNone
Checking BundleNoNo
Mobile Apps
iOS4.8
Android4.7
iOS4.8
Android4.9
BBB RatingA-A+
Next Steps

📈 Compare Savings Rates Over Time

Historical Performance

Last 10 Months Analysis
MetricBettermentCitizens Access™
Cash ReserveCitizens Access® Savings
Current APY
3.50%3.15%
Trend
Stable Stable
Velocity (bps/mo)
-4.7-3.9
Days Since Change
390
10-Month High
4.00%3.70%
10-Month Low
3.50%3.15%
Adjustments / Mo
0.190.28
Volatility Score
0.0490.038
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 317-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 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 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 Citizens Access™'s APY of 3.15% with other banks
Bank PairCompetitor APYMin Deposit
Citizens Access™ vs Affirm3.60%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Ally Bank3.30%$0
Citizens Access™ vs American Express3.40%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Axos Bank4.31%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Bank of America0.01%$100
Citizens Access™ vs Barclays4.00%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Bask Bank3.90%$0
Citizens Access™ vs BMO Alto3.25%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Bread Savings4.10%$100
Citizens Access™ vs BrioDirect4.00%$5,000
Citizens Access™ vs Capital One3.40%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Charles Schwab Bank0.15%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Chase Bank0.01%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Chime3.50%$0
Citizens Access™ vs CIT Bank3.75%$100
Citizens Access™ vs Citibank3.30%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Climate First Bank4.21%$50
Citizens Access™ vs Discover Bank3.40%$0
Citizens Access™ vs E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley3.75%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Elevault4.08%$0
Citizens Access™ vs EverBank4.05%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Fitness Bank4.75%$100
Citizens Access™ vs FNBO Direct3.00%$1
Citizens Access™ vs Forbright Bank4.00%$0
Citizens Access™ vs FVCbank3.85%$500
Citizens Access™ vs GO2bank4.50%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Ivy Bank4.25%$2,500
Citizens Access™ vs LendingClub4.20%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs3.65%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Neighbors Bank4.30%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Newtek Bank4.35%$0.01
Citizens Access™ vs Openbank4.20%$500
Citizens Access™ vs Peak Bank4.20%$100
Citizens Access™ vs Pibank4.60%$0
Citizens Access™ vs PNC3.53%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Presidential Bank4.00%$5,000
Citizens Access™ vs Quontic Bank3.75%$100
Citizens Access™ vs Salem Five Direct3.71%$10
Citizens Access™ vs Sallie Mae Bank3.90%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Santander Bank0.01%$25
Citizens Access™ vs SoFi Bank4.30%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Synchrony Bank3.65%$0
Citizens Access™ vs TD Bank2.75%$0
Citizens Access™ vs TIMBR4.40%$1,000
Citizens Access™ vs UFB Direct3.71%$5000
Citizens Access™ vs Upgrade3.05%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Valley Direct4.10%$1,000
Citizens Access™ vs Varo Bank5.00%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Vio Bank4.16%$100
Citizens Access™ vs Wealthfront4.15%$0
Citizens Access™ vs Wells Fargo0.05%$25
Citizens Access™ vs Zynlo Bank4.05%$10