Marcus By Goldman Sachs vs Varo Money
High-Yield Savings Accounts Comparison
Last Updated: August 1, 2025
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Summary of Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs. Varo Bank
As of August 1, 2025 Marcus by Goldman Sachs offers an APY of 3.65% for its Marcus Online Savings Account account, compared to Varo Bank's 5.00% APY for its High-Yield Savings Account account.
Varo Bank yields $10 more than Marcus by Goldman Sachs on a $10,000 balance after one year. Marcus by Goldman Sachs pays $365, while Varo Bank pays $375 (with an effective APY of 3.75%) - an APY advantage for Varo Bank.
Marcus by Goldman Sachs
Strengths
- Marcus by Goldman Sachs has a strong BBB rating of A+.
- No direct deposit requirement for the Marcus Online Savings Account.
- Marcus by Goldman Sachs charges no maintenance fees.
Potential Drawbacks
- Marcus by Goldman Sachs offers a lower APY of 3.65% compared to Varo Bank.
- Marcus by Goldman Sachs has no physical branches.
Varo Bank
Strengths
- Varo Bank offers a higher APY of 5.00% for its High-Yield Savings Account.
- Varo Bank has a higher App Store rating of 4.9.
Potential Drawbacks
- Varo Bank requires a minimum direct deposit of $1,000/month to earn the highest APY.
- Varo Bank's BBB rating is A-, lower than Marcus by Goldman Sachs.
Summary: Marcus by Goldman Sachs provides a solid A+ BBB rating and no direct deposit requirement, but offers a lower APY of 3.65%. In contrast, Varo Bank features a higher APY of 5.00% but requires a $1,000 monthly direct deposit. Varo also has a better App Store rating but a lower BBB rating of A-. Both banks operate online only and do not charge maintenance fees.
Compare Marcus by Goldman Sachs' vs Varo Bank's Savings Accounts
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs | Varo Bank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Marcus Online Savings Account | vs | High-Yield Savings Account |
| APY | 3.65% (as of 8/1/2025) | 2.50% - 5.00% (as of 8/1/2025) | |
| Bundled Account | No | No | |
| FDIC-insured | Yes | Yes | |
| Online Only | Yes | Yes | |
| Compound Frequency | Daily | Daily | |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| Minimum Balance for APY | $0 | $0.01 | |
| Maintenance Fee | $0 | $0 | |
| Direct Deposit Required | No | Yes. Min. $1,000/month | |
| Note | Earn 5.00% APY on up to $5,000 and 2.50% APY on the rest. Direct deposit required. | ||
| App Store Rating | 4.8/5 | 4.9/5 | |
| Google Play Rating | 4.1/5 | 4.7/5 | |
| BBB Rating | A+ | A- |
Comparative Historical APY Insights (Last 6 Months)
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs | Varo Bank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Marcus Online Savings Account | vs | High-Yield Savings Account |
| Latest APY | 3.65 % | 5.00 % | |
| Trend | Falling | Sideways | |
| Slope (bps/mo) | -5.2 | 0.0 | |
| Rate Changes / Mo | 0.32 | 0.00 | |
| Days Since Last Change | 68 | 188 | |
| High (-6 m) | 3.90 % | 5.00 % | |
| Low (-6 m) | 3.65 % | 5.00 % | |
| Draw-down from High | -6.4 % | 0.0 % | |
| Volatility (CV) | 0.027 | 0.000 |
APY Insights Glossary
- Latest APY
- Most recent advertised annual-percentage yield.
- Trend
- Direction over the last 6 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 (-6 m)
- Highest APY in the last 188 days.
- Low (-6 m)
- Lowest APY in the last 188 days.
- Draw-down from High
- How far today sits below the 6-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.
Calculate Savings Growth for Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs Varo Bank
All calculations are based on APY.
Marcus by Goldman Sachs
APY: 3.65%
Total savings breakdown:
- Interest earned: $2,209.7 (10.93%)
- Total contributions: $13,000 (64.33%)
- Initial deposit: $5,000 (24.74%)
Your total balance
$20,209.70
Effective APY: 3.65% (based on your deposit and contributions)
Total balance: $20,209.7
Earnings: $2,209.7
Bank OverviewVaro Bank
APY: 5.00%
ℹ️You earn 5.00% on the first $5,000 and 2.50% on the rest.
Total savings breakdown:
- Interest earned: $2,211.4 (10.94%)
- Total contributions: $13,000 (64.32%)
- Initial deposit: $5,000 (24.74%)
Your total balance
$20,211.40
Effective APY: 3.65% (based on your deposit and contributions)
Total balance: $20,211.4
Earnings: $2,211.4
Bank OverviewWith a $5,000 initial deposit and $13,000 in total contributions over 5 years, Marcus by Goldman Sachs's total earnings would be $1.7 lower than Varo Bank's total earnings.
The Banksparency Savings Calculator provides estimated savings growth based on user input and our latest data.
More Comparisons
Compare Marcus by Goldman Sachs' APY of 3.65% with other banks
| Bank Pair | Best APY | Min Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs Ally Bank | 3.50% | $0 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs American Express | 3.50% | $0 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs Axos Bank | 4.46% | $0 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs Bank of America | 0.01% | $100 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs Barclays | 4.10% | $0 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs Capital One | 3.50% | $0 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs Chase Bank | 0.01% | $0 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs Chime | 3.75% | $0 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs CIT Bank | 4.00% | $100 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs Discover Bank | 3.50% | $0 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs Fitness Bank | 4.85% | $100 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs Presidential Bank | 4.50% | $5,000 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs SoFi Bank | 3.80% | $0 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs Synchrony Bank | 3.80% | $0 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs UFB Direct | 4.21% | $5000 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs vs Wells Fargo | 2.51% | $25 |
Compare Varo Bank's APY of 5.00% with other banks
| Bank Pair | Best APY | Min Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Varo Bank vs Ally Bank | 3.50% | $0 |
| Varo Bank vs American Express | 3.50% | $0 |
| Varo Bank vs Axos Bank | 4.46% | $0 |
| Varo Bank vs Bank of America | 0.01% | $100 |
| Varo Bank vs Barclays | 4.10% | $0 |
| Varo Bank vs Capital One | 3.50% | $0 |
| Varo Bank vs Chase Bank | 0.01% | $0 |
| Varo Bank vs Chime | 3.75% | $0 |
| Varo Bank vs CIT Bank | 4.00% | $100 |
| Varo Bank vs Discover Bank | 3.50% | $0 |
| Varo Bank vs Fitness Bank | 4.85% | $100 |
| Varo Bank vs Presidential Bank | 4.50% | $5,000 |
| Varo Bank vs SoFi Bank | 3.80% | $0 |
| Varo Bank vs Synchrony Bank | 3.80% | $0 |
| Varo Bank vs UFB Direct | 4.21% | $5000 |
| Varo Bank vs Wells Fargo | 2.51% | $25 |