Chime vs. Citibank
High-Yield Savings Account Comparison
By Aviel Fahl|Last Updated: November 12, 2025
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Summary of Chime vs. Citibank
Key Metrics at a Glance
| Feature | Chime | Citibank |
|---|---|---|
| Top Savings APY | 3.50% Chime Savings Account | 3.35% Citi Accelerate Savings |
| Minimum to Open | $0 | $0 |
| Minimum Balance for Top APY | $0.01 | $0.01 |
| Note | Chime® is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC. To open a savings account you must first open a checking account. To qualify for Chime+ with the 3.50% APY, you must have a Chime Checking account and receive a direct deposit of at least $200. Otherwise, the APY is 1.00%. |
Chime
Strengths
- Chime offers a higher APY of 3.50% compared to Citibank's 3.35%.
- Chime has an A+ BBB rating, indicating better trustworthiness than Citibank's D- rating.
- Chime's App Store rating is 4.8, slightly lower than Citibank's 4.9.
Potential Drawbacks
- Chime requires a direct deposit of $200 to qualify for the 3.50% APY.
- Chime's APY decreased from 3.75% in the last 30 days.
- Chime has no physical branches, limiting in-person banking options.
Citibank
Strengths
- Citibank's Citi Accelerate Savings account has a competitive APY of 3.35%.
- Citibank's App Store rating is 4.9, higher than Chime's 4.8.
- Citibank has a wider branch presence in major U.S. cities.
Potential Drawbacks
- Citibank has a D- BBB rating and is not BBB Accredited.
- Citibank's APY of 3.35% is lower than Chime's current rate.
- Citibank charges a maintenance fee of $4.50 unless account balance exceeds $500.
Summary: Chime offers a higher APY of 3.50% but requires a direct deposit to qualify, while Citibank provides a slightly lower APY of 3.35% without such a requirement. Chime has an A+ BBB rating, compared to Citibank's D-, indicating better trustworthiness. However, Citibank has physical branches in major cities, which may appeal to some customers. Both banks have strong app ratings, with Citibank slightly ahead in the App Store.
→ As of November 12, 2025 Chime offers an APY of 3.50% for its Chime Savings Account, with a minimum balance of $0.01, compared to Citibank's 3.35% APY for its Citi Accelerate Savings account, with a minimum balance of $0.01.
→ Chime yields $15 more than Citibank on a $10,000 balance after one year. Chime pays $350, while Citibank pays $335 - an APY advantage for Chime.
→ In addition, Citibank also offers 0.03% APY for the Citi® Savings Account account.
Calculate Savings Growth for Chime vs Citibank
All calculations are based on APY.
Chime - Chime Savings Account
Top 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 OverviewCitibank - 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 OverviewWith a $5,000 initial deposit and $13,000 in total contributions over 5 years, Chime's total earnings would be $95.3 higher than Citibank's total earnings.
The Banksparency Savings Calculator provides estimated savings growth based on user input and our latest data.
Compare Chime's vs Citibank's Savings Accounts
| Chime | Citibank | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Chime Savings Account | vs | Citi Accelerate Savings | Citi® Savings Account |
| APY | 1.00% - 3.50% (as of 11/12/2025) | 3.35% (as of 11/12/2025) | 0.03% (as of 11/12/2025) | |
| Bundled Account | Yes | No | No | |
| FDIC-insured | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Online Only | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Compound Frequency | Daily | Daily | Daily | |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Minimum Balance for APY | $0.01 | $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 | Yes. You need to receive a qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more within the preceding 34 days | No | No | |
| Eligibility | United States | Alaska, 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. | |
| Note | Chime® is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC. To open a savings account you must first open a checking account. To qualify for Chime+ with the 3.50% APY, you must have a Chime Checking account and receive a direct deposit of at least $200. Otherwise, the APY is 1.00%. | |||
| App Store Rating | 4.8/5 | 4.9/5 | ||
| Google Play Rating | 4.7/5 | 4.8/5 | ||
| BBB Rating | A+ | D- | ||
Comparative Historical APY Insights (Last 9 Months)
| Chime | Citibank | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Chime Savings Account | vs | Citi® Savings Account | Citi Accelerate Savings |
| Latest APY | 3.50 % | 0.03 % | 3.35 % | |
| Trend | Rising | Sideways | Sideways | |
| Slope (bps/mo) | 15.7 | 0.0 | -4.8 | |
| Rate Changes / Mo | 0.21 | 0.00 | 0.52 | |
| Days Since Last Change | 28 | 287 | 9 | |
| High (-9 m) | 3.75 % | 0.03 % | 3.80 % | |
| Low (-9 m) | 2.00 % | 0.03 % | 3.35 % | |
| Draw-down from High | -6.7 % | 0.0 % | -11.8 % | |
| Volatility (CV) | 0.206 | 0.000 | 0.039 | |
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 287 days.
- Low (-9 m)
- Lowest APY in the last 287 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.