High-Yield Savings Account Comparison

Betterment vs. Pibank

Comparing Betterment and Pibank for high-yield savings: Betterment's Cash Reserve pays 3.90% APY while Pibank's Pibank Savings pays 4.60% APY.

See how they compare on rate stability, mobile app ratings, and more below.

Analysis by Aviel Fahl
Updated March 24, 2026

The Bottom Line

Who pays more interest on $10,000? Pibank pays $70 more than Betterment annually ($460 vs $390).

Choose Betterment if mobile app quality matters, or choose Pibank if getting the best rate matters most.

Comparison of Betterment vs Pibank savings accounts
Metric

Betterment

Cash Reserve

Mar 24, 2026

Pibank

Pibank Savings

Mar 24, 2026
APY3.25% - 3.90%4.60%
Est. Earnings
$5,000+$195
$10,000+$390
$25,000+$975
$5,000+$230
$10,000+$460
$25,000+$1,150
Min Deposit
$10$0

Snapshot view. Rates subject to change.

Terms
Promo rate for new customers. 3.25% APY applies to existing customers.-
Features
FDIC InsuredLow MinimumsGreat iOS AppGreat Android AppRate Changes Often
FDIC InsuredNo MinimumsDaily CompoundingStable Rate

Prefer In-Person Banking?

Both of these banks are online-only. If you need physical branch access, check out our list of high-yield accounts with brick-and-mortar locations.

Find Branch Access

Comparison Analysis

Comparing Betterment vs. Pibank

Updated: Mar 24, 2026

Executive Summary

Pibank offers a competitive savings product, the Pibank Savings account, with an APY of 4.60%, making it the higher-yield option compared to Betterment's Cash Reserve, which provides a promotional APY of 3.90% for new customers (3.25% for existing customers). Both accounts are online-only, require no maintenance fees, and have low minimum deposit requirements ($0 for Pibank and $10 for Betterment). However, Pibank's account stands out for its simplicity, as it has no direct deposit requirement or caps on interest earnings. Overall, Pibank is the winner based on the provided data.

The analysis is based on current Banksparency database records

* This content is provided for informational purposes only; always verify details with the provider.

Why Betterment?

  • Higher rated iOS app (4.8 vs 2.2)
  • Higher rated Android app (4.7 vs 1.7)

Why Pibank?

  • Higher potential APY (4.60% vs 3.90%) on all balances
  • No checking account or direct deposit required
  • Available to New & Existing Customers

— Key Feature Differences —

Better Returns at $10,000
Pibank

Pibank's Pibank Savings earns more on smaller deposits (approx. $460 vs $390/yr).

Better Returns at $25,000
Pibank

Pibank's Pibank Savings pulls ahead with larger amounts (approx. $1150 vs $975/yr).

Best for Simplicity
Pibank

Pibank's Pibank Savings offers 4.60% APY with no bundling, direct deposit requirement or caps.

Best Mobile App Experience
Betterment

Betterment offers an iOS app rated 4.8 (vs. 2.2) and Android app rated 4.7 (vs. 1.7)

Shared Benefits

Both offer monthly maintenance-free account options Available Nationwide
The Bottom Line on APY (Interest Only)

Over a 1-year period, Pibank's Pibank Savings pays $70 more interest on a $10,000 balance than Betterment's Cash Reserve.

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

BettermentPibank
Verify At
Betterment

Non-sponsored link to official site

Verify At
Pibank

Non-sponsored link to official site

Top Market Contenders

Marcus by Goldman Sachs
3.65% APY
CIT Bank
3.75% APY
Barclays
3.85% APY

Betterment vs. Pibank Savings Calculator

Calculations based on current APY for Cash Reserve and Pibank Savings
$
$

You earn $70 more with Pibank than Betterment on a $10,000 initial deposit for 1 year*.

*This calculation assumes that APYs remain unchanged for 1 year, and takes into account known promo rate periods, but does not factor in bonuses. You can see how often these banks have changed their rates in the Compare Savings Rates Over Time section below.

Betterment

Cash Reserve

3.90% APY

Savings Breakdown

  • Interest Earned
    +$390.00(3.8%)
  • Total Contributions
    $0
  • Initial Deposit
    $10,000

Projected Balance

$10,390.00

Effective APY
3.90%

Pibank

Pibank Savings

4.60% APY

Savings Breakdown

  • Interest Earned
    +$460.00(4.4%)
  • Total Contributions
    $0
  • Initial Deposit
    $10,000

Projected Balance

$10,460.00

Effective APY
4.60%

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

Still banking with Chase, Bank of America, or Wells Fargo?

On a $10,000 balance, you're missing out on at least $389 per year in interest.

Both Betterment and Pibank dramatically outperform the typical 0.01% APY at traditional big banks.

Big banks currently pay 0.01% APY on savings vs 3.90%+ here
FeatureBettermentPibank
APY
3.90%
Range: 3.25% - 3.90%
Verified: 3/24/2026
↗︎ 0.65%90d Change
4.60%
Verified: 3/24/2026
Stable (90d)
Product NameCash ReservePibank Savings
Minimum Deposit$10$0
Min. Balance for APY$0$0.01
Monthly Fee$0$0
Compound FrequencyN/ADaily
Branch AccessNoneNone
Account Type
Online Only
Online Only
Physical BranchesNoneNone
Direct Deposit Req.NoneNone
Checking BundleNoNo
Mobile Apps
iOS4.8
Android4.7
iOS2.2
Android1.7
FDIC Insured
Yes
Zelle® Support
Not Supported
Not Supported
BBB RatingA-A+
Important NotesPromo rate for new customers. 3.25% APY applies to existing customers.-
Next Steps
Visit Site

Non-sponsored link to official site

Visit Site

Non-sponsored link to official site

📈 Compare Savings Rates Over Time

Historical Performance

Last 12 Months Analysis
MetricBettermentPibank
Cash ReservePibank Savings
Current APY
3.90%4.60%
Trend
Stable Stable
Velocity (bps/mo)
-5.8-0.0
Days Since Change
32365
12-Month High
4.00%4.60%
12-Month Low
3.25%4.60%
Adjustments / Mo
0.330.00
Volatility Score
0.0830.000
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 365-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 3.90% with other banks
Compare Pibank's APY of 4.60% with other banks