Bmo Alto vs. Citibank

High-Yield Savings Account Comparison

By Aviel Fahl|Last Updated: November 12, 2025

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Summary of BMO Alto vs. Citibank

Key Metrics at a Glance

FeatureBMO AltoCitibank
Top Savings APY

3.25%

Savings Account

3.35%

Citi Accelerate Savings

Minimum to Open$0$0
Minimum Balance for Top APY$0$0.01

BMO Alto

Strengths

  • BMO Alto offers a competitive APY of 3.25%, unchanged from 30 days ago.
  • BMO Alto has an A+ BBB rating and is BBB Accredited.
  • No maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements at BMO Alto.

Potential Drawbacks

  • BMO Alto has no physical branches.

Citibank

Strengths

  • Citibank's Citi Accelerate Savings offers a slightly higher APY of 3.35%, down from 3.40% last month.
  • Citibank has a high App Store rating of 4.9 and Google Play rating of 4.8.

Potential Drawbacks

  • Citibank has a poor BBB rating of D- and is not BBB Accredited.
  • Citibank charges a maintenance fee of $4.50 unless balance requirements are met.
Summary: BMO Alto provides a stable APY of 3.25% with no fees, while Citibank offers a higher APY of 3.35% but has maintenance fees and a poor BBB rating. BMO Alto has no branches, contrasting with Citibank's presence in major U.S. cities. Citibank's app ratings are notably high, but its BBB rating raises concerns about trustworthiness.

→ As of November 12, 2025 BMO Alto offers an APY of 3.25% for its Savings Account, with a minimum balance of $0, compared to Citibank's 3.35% APY for its Citi Accelerate Savings account, with a minimum balance of $0.01.

Citibank yields $10 more than BMO Alto on a $10,000 balance after one year. BMO Alto pays $325, while Citibank pays $335 - an APY advantage for Citibank.

→ In addition, Citibank also offers 0.03% APY for the Citi® Savings Account account.

Calculate Savings Growth for BMO Alto vs Citibank

All calculations are based on APY.

BMO Alto - Savings Account

Top APY: 3.25%

Total savings breakdown:

  • Interest earned: $1,955.5 (9.80%)
  • Total contributions: $13,000 (65.14%)
  • Initial deposit: $5,000 (25.06%)

Your total balance

$19,955.50

Effective APY: 3.25% (based on your deposit and contributions)

Total balance: $19,955.5

Earnings: $1,955.5

Bank Overview

Citibank - Citi Accelerate Savings

Top APY: 3.35%

Total savings breakdown:

  • Interest earned: $2,018.8 (10.08%)
  • Total contributions: $13,000 (64.94%)
  • Initial deposit: $5,000 (24.98%)

Your total balance

$20,018.80

Effective APY: 3.35% (based on your deposit and contributions)

Total balance: $20,018.8

Earnings: $2,018.8

Bank Overview

With a $5,000 initial deposit and $13,000 in total contributions over 5 years, BMO Alto's total earnings would be $63.3 lower than Citibank's total earnings.

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

Compare BMO Alto's vs Citibank's Savings Accounts

BMO AltoCitibank
ProductSavings AccountvsCiti Accelerate SavingsCiti® Savings Account
APY
3.25% (as of 11/12/2025)3.35% (as of 11/12/2025)0.03% (as of 11/12/2025)
Bundled Account
NoNoNo
FDIC-insured
YesYesYes
Online OnlyYesYesNo
Compound Frequency
DailyDailyDaily
Minimum Deposit$0$0$0
Minimum Balance for APY$0$0.01$0.01
Maintenance Fee$0$4.50. Waived for average monthly balances > $500$4.50. Waived for average monthly balances > $500
Direct Deposit Required
NoNoNo
EligibilityUnited StatesAlaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida (select parts), Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois (select parts), Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia (partial), Washington (partial), Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming.California, Connecticut, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Virginia (partial), Washington D.C., and select parts of Florida and Illinois. In addition, promotional rates may be available if requirements are met.
App Store RatingNo4.9/5
Google Play RatingNo4.8/5
BBB RatingA+D-

Comparative Historical APY Insights (Last 9 Months)

BMO AltoCitibank
ProductSavings AccountvsCiti® Savings AccountCiti Accelerate Savings
Latest APY3.25 %0.03 %3.35 %
TrendFallingSidewaysSideways
Slope (bps/mo)-7.20.0-4.8
Rate Changes / Mo0.520.000.52
Days Since Last Change552899
High (-9 m)4.10 %0.03 %3.80 %
Low (-9 m)3.25 %0.03 %3.35 %
Draw-down from High-20.7 %0.0 %-11.8 %
Volatility (CV)0.0620.0000.039
APY Insights Glossary
Latest APY
Most recent advertised annual-percentage yield.
Trend
Direction over the last 9 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 (-9 m)
Highest APY in the last 289 days.
Low (-9 m)
Lowest APY in the last 289 days.
Draw-down from High
How far today sits below the 9-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.

More Comparisons

Compare BMO Alto's APY of 3.25% with other banks
Compare Citibank's APY of 3.35% with other banks