Briodirect vs. Citizens Access

High-Yield Savings Account Comparison

By Aviel Fahl|Last Updated: October 16, 2025

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Summary of BrioDirect vs. Citizens Access™

Key Metrics at a Glance

FeatureBrioDirectCitizens Access™
Top Savings APY

4.20%

High-Yield Savings Account

3.50%

Citizens Access® Savings

Minimum to Open$5,000$0.01
Minimum Balance for Top APY$25$0.01

BrioDirect

Strengths

  • BrioDirect offers a higher APY of 4.20% compared to Citizens Access's 3.50%.
  • BrioDirect has no maintenance fees for its High-Yield Savings Account.
  • BrioDirect's app ratings are strong with 4.7 on App Store and 4.3 on Google Play.

Potential Drawbacks

  • BrioDirect has a lower BBB rating of B- and is not BBB Accredited.
  • BrioDirect requires a minimum deposit of $5,000 to open the account.
  • BrioDirect's APY decreased from 4.30% to 4.20% in the last 30 days.

Citizens Access™

Strengths

  • Citizens Access has an excellent BBB rating of A+.
  • Citizens Access requires only a $0.01 minimum deposit and balance.
  • Citizens Access has high app ratings of 4.8 on both App Store and Google Play.

Potential Drawbacks

  • Citizens Access offers a lower APY of 3.50% compared to BrioDirect's 4.20%.
  • Citizens Access also has no branches available for in-person banking.
  • Citizens Access's APY has remained unchanged at 3.50% over the last 30 days.
Summary: BrioDirect offers a significantly higher APY of 4.20% but requires a $5,000 minimum deposit and has a lower BBB rating of B-. In contrast, Citizens Access provides a more accessible account with a $0.01 minimum deposit and a strong A+ BBB rating, but with a lower APY of 3.50%. Both banks are online-only and have strong app ratings, but BrioDirect's recent APY decrease may be a concern for potential customers.

→ As of October 16, 2025 BrioDirect offers an APY of 4.20% for its High-Yield Savings Account, with a minimum balance of $25, compared to Citizens Access™'s 3.50% APY for its Citizens Access® Savings account, with a minimum balance of $0.01.

BrioDirect yields $70 more than Citizens Access™ on a $10,000 balance after one year. BrioDirect pays $420, while Citizens Access™ pays $350 - an APY advantage for BrioDirect.

Calculate Savings Growth for BrioDirect vs Citizens Access™

All calculations are based on APY.

BrioDirect

APY: 4.20%

Total savings breakdown:

  • Interest earned: $2,564.3 (12.47%)
  • Total contributions: $13,000 (63.22%)
  • Initial deposit: $5,000 (24.31%)

Your total balance

$20,564.30

Effective APY: 4.20% (based on your deposit and contributions)

Total balance: $20,564.3

Earnings: $2,564.3

Bank Overview

Citizens Access™

APY: 3.50%

Total savings breakdown:

  • Interest earned: $2,114.1 (10.51%)
  • Total contributions: $13,000 (64.63%)
  • Initial deposit: $5,000 (24.86%)

Your total balance

$20,114.10

Effective APY: 3.50% (based on your deposit and contributions)

Total balance: $20,114.1

Earnings: $2,114.1

Bank Overview

With a $5,000 initial deposit and $13,000 in total contributions over 5 years, BrioDirect's total earnings would be $450.2 higher than Citizens Access™'s total earnings.

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

Compare BrioDirect's vs Citizens Access™'s Savings Accounts

BrioDirectCitizens Access™
ProductHigh-Yield Savings AccountvsCitizens Access® Savings
APY
4.20% (as of 10/16/2025)3.50% (as of 10/16/2025)
Bundled Account
NoNo
FDIC-insured
YesYes
Online OnlyYesYes
Compound Frequency
DailyDaily
Minimum Deposit$5,000$0.01
Minimum Balance for APY$25$0.01
Maintenance Fee$0$0
Direct Deposit Required
NoNo
App Store Rating4.7/54.8/5
Google Play Rating4.3/54.8/5
BBB RatingB-A+

Comparative Historical APY Insights (Last 9 Months)

BrioDirectCitizens Access™
ProductHigh-Yield Savings AccountvsCitizens Access® Savings
Latest APY4.20 %3.50 %
TrendSidewaysSideways
Slope (bps/mo)-3.9-2.9
Rate Changes / Mo0.570.11
Days Since Last Change978
High (-9 m)4.55 %3.70 %
Low (-9 m)4.20 %3.50 %
Draw-down from High-7.7 %-5.4 %
Volatility (CV)0.0250.025
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 262 days.
Low (-9 m)
Lowest APY in the last 262 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 BrioDirect's APY of 4.20% with other banks
Compare Citizens Access™'s APY of 3.50% with other banks