High-Yield Savings Account Comparison

FVCbank vs. Upgrade

Compare rates, requirements, and features side-by-side to find the best option for you.

Analysis by Aviel Fahl
Updated December 10, 2025

FVCbank

Advantage Direct Savings

3.85%
APY
Dec 10, 2025
FDIC InsuredLow MinimumsGreat iOS App
Show Fine Print & Trends
Min. Deposit$500
Min. Balance$500
Maintenance Fee$0
Compound FreqN/A
Direct DepositNot required
Deposit InsuranceFDIC Insured(Cert: 58696)
EligibilityUnited States
Mobile Ratings
iOS:4.4Android:3.6
BBB Rating
B-(Not BBB Accredited)

Rate Stability

Rate Adjusted
-0.50%
Since 90 days ago
Read Bank Overview

Upgrade

Premier Savings

3.05%
APY
Dec 10, 2025
FDIC InsuredLow MinimumsGreat iOS AppGreat Android App
Show Fine Print & Trends
Min. Deposit$0
Min. Balance$1,000
Maintenance Fee$0
Compound FreqDaily
Direct DepositNot required
Deposit InsuranceFDIC Insured(Cert: 58410)
EligibilityUnited States
Mobile Ratings
iOS:4.9Android:4.5
BBB Rating
A+(BBB Accredited)

Rate Stability

Rate Adjusted
-0.97%
Since 90 days ago
Read Bank Overview

Market Reality Check

Both of these banks offer rates below the current top tier. The best rates we track are currently above 4.25% APY.

See Top Rates

FVCbank vs. Upgrade Savings Calculator

Calculations based on current APY for Advantage Direct Savings and Premier Savings
$
$

FVCbank earns $508.4 more than Upgrade.

FVCbank

Advantage Direct Savings

3.85% APY

Savings Breakdown

  • Interest Earned
    +$2,338.00(11.5%)
  • Total Contributions
    $13,000
  • Initial Deposit
    $5,000

Projected Balance

$20,338.00

Effective APY
3.85%
View Details

Upgrade

Premier Savings

3.05% APY

Savings Breakdown

  • Interest Earned
    +$1,829.60(9.2%)
  • Total Contributions
    $13,000
  • Initial Deposit
    $5,000

Projected Balance

$19,829.60

Effective APY
3.05%
View Details

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

Comparison Analysis

Comparing FVCbank vs. Upgrade

Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Why FVCbank?

  • ✓Higher potential APY (3.85% vs 3.05%) on all balances

Why Upgrade?

  • ✓Higher rated iOS app (4.9 vs 4.4)
  • ✓Higher rated Android app (4.5 vs 3.6)

— Key Feature Differences —

Better Returns at $10,000
FVCbank

FVCbank's Advantage Direct Savings earns more on smaller deposits (approx. $385 vs $305/yr).

Better Returns at $25,000
FVCbank

FVCbank's Advantage Direct Savings pulls ahead with larger amounts (approx. $963 vs $763/yr).

Best for Simplicity
FVCbank

FVCbank's Advantage Direct Savings offers 3.85% APY with no bundling, direct deposit requirement or caps.

Best Mobile App Experience
Upgrade

Upgrade offers an iOS app rated 4.9 (vs. 4.4) and Android app rated 4.5 (vs. 3.6)

Shared Benefits

Both offer monthly maintenance-free account options Available Nationwide Available to New & Existing Customers
The Bottom Line on APY (Interest Only)

Over a 1-year period, FVCbank's Advantage Direct Savings pays $80 more interest on a $10,000 balance than Upgrade's Premier Savings.

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

UpgradeFVCbank
Automated Data Audit

Executive Summary

FVCbank offers a competitive Advantage Direct Savings account with an APY of 3.85%, making it the superior choice for savers, particularly for those with smaller deposits, as it provides better returns compared to Upgrade's Premier Savings account, which has a lower APY of 3.05%. FVCbank's account requires a minimum deposit of $500 but has no maintenance fees or direct deposit requirements, and it is exclusively online. In contrast, Upgrade's Premier Savings account has a minimum balance requirement of $1,000 and also does not charge maintenance fees. Both accounts are FDIC insured.

Analysis generated based on current Banksparency database records

* AI-generated content provided for informational purposes only. Accuracy is not guaranteed; always verify details with the provider.

ExploreFVCbankExploreUpgrade

Top Market Contenders

See who beats both FVCbank and Upgrade.

Compare All High-Yield Savings Accounts
Pibank
Pibank Savings
FDIC InsuredNo Minimums
4.60% APY
+0.75% vs FVCbank
Better Rate
Pibank vs FVCbankPibank vs Upgrade
Axos Bank
Axos ONE
FDIC InsuredNo MinimumsGreat iOS AppGreat Android App
4.31% APY
+0.46% vs FVCbank
Better Rate
Axos Bank vs FVCbankAxos Bank vs Upgrade
TIMBR
Premium Savings Account
FDIC InsuredLow Minimums
4.40% APY
+0.55% vs FVCbank
Better Rate
TIMBR vs FVCbankTIMBR vs Upgrade
FeatureFVCbankUpgrade
APY
3.85%
Verified: 12/10/2025
↘︎ 0.50%90d Change
3.05%
Verified: 12/10/2025
↘︎ 0.97%90d Change
Product NameAdvantage Direct SavingsPremier Savings
Minimum Deposit$500$0
Min. Balance for APY$500$1,000
Monthly Fee$0$0
Branch AccessNoneNone
Account Type
Online Only
Online Only
Direct Deposit Req.NoneNone
Checking BundleNoNo
Mobile Apps
iOS4.4
Android3.6
iOS4.9
Android4.5
BBB RatingB-A+
Next Steps
- View Details
- View Details

📈 Compare Savings Rates Over Time

Historical Performance

Last 9 Months Analysis
MetricFVCbankUpgrade
Advantage Direct SavingsPremier Savings
Current APY
3.85%3.05%
Trend
 Stable Stable
Velocity (bps/mo)
-8.4-12.7
Days Since Change
3939
9-Month High
4.55%4.14%
9-Month Low
3.85%3.05%
Adjustments / Mo
0.900.34
Volatility Score
0.0570.108
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 267-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.

Compare Similar High-Yield Accounts

Compare FVCbank vs...

Comparing against Standard Savings

vs FVCbank
PibankNo Bundle Req
4.60%
APY
vs FVCbank
TIMBRNo Bundle Req
4.40%
APY
vs FVCbank
Newtek BankNo Bundle Req
4.35%
APY

Compare Upgrade vs...

Comparing against Standard Savings

vs Upgrade
PibankNo Bundle Req
4.60%
APY
vs Upgrade
TIMBRNo Bundle Req
4.40%
APY
vs Upgrade
Newtek BankNo Bundle Req
4.35%
APY

Higher Rates (With Checking)

Looking for something different? Check out these top-rated alternatives.

Checking Bundle
Axos Bank View Details
4.31%
APY
Checking Bundle
SoFi Bank View Details
4.30%
APY
Checking Bundle
Presidential Bank View Details
4.00%
APY

More Comparisons

Compare FVCbank's APY of 3.85% with other banks
Bank PairCompetitor APYMin Deposit
FVCbank vs Affirm3.60%$0
FVCbank vs Ally Bank3.30%$0
FVCbank vs American Express3.40%$0
FVCbank vs Axos Bank4.31%$0
FVCbank vs Bank of America0.01%$100
FVCbank vs Barclays4.00%$0
FVCbank vs Bask Bank3.90%$0
FVCbank vs Betterment3.50%$10
FVCbank vs BMO Alto3.25%$0
FVCbank vs Bread Savings4.10%$100
FVCbank vs BrioDirect4.00%$5,000
FVCbank vs Capital One3.40%$0
FVCbank vs Charles Schwab Bank0.15%$0
FVCbank vs Chase Bank0.01%$0
FVCbank vs Chime3.50%$0
FVCbank vs CIT Bank3.75%$100
FVCbank vs Citibank3.30%$0
FVCbank vs Citizens Access™3.15%$0.01
FVCbank vs Climate First Bank4.21%$50
FVCbank vs Discover Bank3.40%$0
FVCbank vs E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley3.75%$0
FVCbank vs Elevault4.08%$0
FVCbank vs EverBank4.05%$0
FVCbank vs Fitness Bank4.75%$100
FVCbank vs FNBO Direct3.00%$1
FVCbank vs Forbright Bank4.00%$0
FVCbank vs GO2bank4.50%$0
FVCbank vs Ivy Bank4.25%$2,500
FVCbank vs LendingClub4.20%$0
FVCbank vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs3.65%$0
FVCbank vs Neighbors Bank4.30%$0
FVCbank vs Newtek Bank4.35%$0.01
FVCbank vs Openbank4.20%$500
FVCbank vs Peak Bank4.20%$100
FVCbank vs Pibank4.60%$0
FVCbank vs PNC3.53%$0
FVCbank vs Presidential Bank4.00%$5,000
FVCbank vs Quontic Bank3.75%$100
FVCbank vs Salem Five Direct3.71%$10
FVCbank vs Sallie Mae Bank3.90%$0
FVCbank vs Santander Bank0.01%$25
FVCbank vs SoFi Bank4.30%$0
FVCbank vs Synchrony Bank3.65%$0
FVCbank vs TD Bank2.75%$0
FVCbank vs TIMBR4.40%$1,000
FVCbank vs UFB Direct3.71%$5000
FVCbank vs Valley Direct4.10%$1,000
FVCbank vs Varo Bank5.00%$0
FVCbank vs Vio Bank4.16%$100
FVCbank vs Wealthfront4.15%$0
FVCbank vs Wells Fargo0.05%$25
FVCbank vs Zynlo Bank4.05%$10
Compare Upgrade's APY of 3.05% with other banks
Bank PairCompetitor APYMin Deposit
Upgrade vs Affirm3.60%$0
Upgrade vs Ally Bank3.30%$0
Upgrade vs American Express3.40%$0
Upgrade vs Axos Bank4.31%$0
Upgrade vs Bank of America0.01%$100
Upgrade vs Barclays4.00%$0
Upgrade vs Bask Bank3.90%$0
Upgrade vs Betterment3.50%$10
Upgrade vs BMO Alto3.25%$0
Upgrade vs Bread Savings4.10%$100
Upgrade vs BrioDirect4.00%$5,000
Upgrade vs Capital One3.40%$0
Upgrade vs Charles Schwab Bank0.15%$0
Upgrade vs Chase Bank0.01%$0
Upgrade vs Chime3.50%$0
Upgrade vs CIT Bank3.75%$100
Upgrade vs Citibank3.30%$0
Upgrade vs Citizens Access™3.15%$0.01
Upgrade vs Climate First Bank4.21%$50
Upgrade vs Discover Bank3.40%$0
Upgrade vs E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley3.75%$0
Upgrade vs Elevault4.08%$0
Upgrade vs EverBank4.05%$0
Upgrade vs Fitness Bank4.75%$100
Upgrade vs FNBO Direct3.00%$1
Upgrade vs Forbright Bank4.00%$0
Upgrade vs GO2bank4.50%$0
Upgrade vs Ivy Bank4.25%$2,500
Upgrade vs LendingClub4.20%$0
Upgrade vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs3.65%$0
Upgrade vs Neighbors Bank4.30%$0
Upgrade vs Newtek Bank4.35%$0.01
Upgrade vs Openbank4.20%$500
Upgrade vs Peak Bank4.20%$100
Upgrade vs Pibank4.60%$0
Upgrade vs PNC3.53%$0
Upgrade vs Presidential Bank4.00%$5,000
Upgrade vs Quontic Bank3.75%$100
Upgrade vs Salem Five Direct3.71%$10
Upgrade vs Sallie Mae Bank3.90%$0
Upgrade vs Santander Bank0.01%$25
Upgrade vs SoFi Bank4.30%$0
Upgrade vs Synchrony Bank3.65%$0
Upgrade vs TD Bank2.75%$0
Upgrade vs TIMBR4.40%$1,000
Upgrade vs UFB Direct3.71%$5000
Upgrade vs Valley Direct4.10%$1,000
Upgrade vs Varo Bank5.00%$0
Upgrade vs Vio Bank4.16%$100
Upgrade vs Wealthfront4.15%$0
Upgrade vs Wells Fargo0.05%$25
Upgrade vs Zynlo Bank4.05%$10