Citibank vs. Salem Five Direct
High-Yield Savings Account Comparison
By Aviel Fahl|Last Updated: November 14, 2025
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Summary of Citibank vs. Salem Five Direct
Key Metrics at a Glance
| Feature | Citibank | Salem Five Direct |
|---|---|---|
| Top Savings APY | 3.35% Citi Accelerate Savings | 3.71% eOne Savings |
| Minimum to Open | $0 | $10 |
| Minimum Balance for Top APY | $0.01 | $0.01 |
Citibank
Strengths
- Citi Accelerate Savings has a minimum deposit of $0.
- Citi Accelerate Savings offers a competitive APY of 3.35%, slightly decreased from 3.40% last month.
- Citi has a high App Store rating of 4.9.
Potential Drawbacks
- Citi's BBB rating is D- and it is not BBB Accredited.
- Citi Accelerate Savings has a maintenance fee of $4.50 unless balance requirements are met.
- Citi has limited branch availability, concentrated in six metropolitan areas.
Salem Five Direct
Strengths
- Salem Five Direct offers a higher APY of 3.71%, down from 4.01% last month.
- Salem Five Direct has no maintenance fees for its eOne Savings account.
- Salem Five Direct's BBB rating is A-, indicating better trustworthiness.
Potential Drawbacks
- Salem Five Direct requires a minimum deposit of $10 to open an account.
- Salem Five Direct has a lower App Store rating of 4.7 compared to Citi.
- Salem Five Direct has no physical branches.
Summary: Citi's high-yield savings account offers a lower APY of 3.35% and charges maintenance fees, while Salem Five Direct provides a higher APY of 3.71% with no fees. However, Citi has a significantly better App Store rating and a wider branch network. Salem Five Direct's A- BBB rating indicates better trustworthiness compared to Citi's D- rating. Customers may prefer Salem for APY and fees, while those valuing branch access might lean towards Citi.
→ As of November 14, 2025 Citibank offers an APY of 3.35% for its Citi Accelerate Savings account, with a minimum balance of $0.01, compared to Salem Five Direct's 3.71% APY for its eOne Savings account, with a minimum balance of $0.01.
→ Salem Five Direct yields $36 more than Citibank on a $10,000 balance after one year. Citibank pays $335, while Salem Five Direct pays $371 - an APY advantage for Salem Five Direct.
→ In addition, Citibank also offers 0.03% APY for the Citi® Savings Account account.
Calculate Savings Growth for Citibank vs Salem Five Direct
All calculations are based on APY.
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 OverviewSalem Five Direct - eOne Savings
Top APY: 3.71%
Total savings breakdown:
- Interest earned: $2,248.1 (11.10%)
- Total contributions: $13,000 (64.20%)
- Initial deposit: $5,000 (24.69%)
Your total balance
$20,248.10
Effective APY: 3.71% (based on your deposit and contributions)
Total balance: $20,248.1
Earnings: $2,248.1
Bank OverviewWith a $5,000 initial deposit and $13,000 in total contributions over 5 years, Citibank's total earnings would be $229.3 lower than Salem Five Direct's total earnings.
The Banksparency Savings Calculator provides estimated savings growth based on user input and our latest data.
Compare Citibank's vs Salem Five Direct's Savings Accounts
| Citibank | Salem Five Direct | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Citi Accelerate Savings | Citi® Savings Account | vs | eOne Savings |
| APY | 3.35% (as of 11/14/2025) | 0.03% (as of 11/14/2025) | 3.71% (as of 11/14/2025) | |
| Bundled Account | No | No | No | |
| FDIC-insured | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Online Only | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Compound Frequency | Daily | Daily | Monthly | |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | $10 | |
| Minimum Balance for APY | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | |
| Maintenance Fee | $4.50. Waived for average monthly balances > $500 | $4.50. Waived for average monthly balances > $500 | $0 | |
| Direct Deposit Required | No | No | No | |
| Eligibility | 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. | United States | |
| App Store Rating | 4.9/5 | 4.7/5 | ||
| Google Play Rating | 4.8/5 | 4.2/5 | ||
| BBB Rating | D- | A- | ||
Comparative Historical APY Insights (Last 10 Months)
| Citibank | Salem Five Direct | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Citi® Savings Account | Citi Accelerate Savings | vs | eOne Savings |
| Latest APY | 0.03 % | 3.35 % | 3.71 % | |
| Trend | Sideways | Sideways | Sideways | |
| Slope (bps/mo) | 0.0 | -4.8 | -1.6 | |
| Rate Changes / Mo | 0.00 | 0.52 | 0.21 | |
| Days Since Last Change | 290 | 10 | 9 | |
| High (-10 m) | 0.03 % | 3.80 % | 4.01 % | |
| Low (-10 m) | 0.03 % | 3.35 % | 3.71 % | |
| Draw-down from High | 0.0 % | -11.8 % | -7.5 % | |
| Volatility (CV) | 0.000 | 0.039 | 0.021 | |
APY Insights Glossary
- Latest APY
- Most recent advertised annual-percentage yield.
- Trend
- Direction over the last 10 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 (-10 m)
- Highest APY in the last 291 days.
- Low (-10 m)
- Lowest APY in the last 291 days.
- Draw-down from High
- How far today sits below the 10-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.