Santander Bank vs. Ufb Direct

High-Yield Savings Account Comparison

By Aviel Fahl|Last Updated: October 21, 2025

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Summary of Santander Bank vs. UFB Direct

Key Metrics at a Glance

FeatureSantander BankUFB Direct
Top Savings APY

0.01%

Santander Savings

3.96%

UFB Checking and Savings Bundle

Minimum to Open$25$5000
Minimum Balance for Top APY$0$10,000
NoteThe regular savings or money market APY may be boosted up to 3.96% by direct deposits, minimum balance of $10,000 and making 10 approved debit card transactions per statement cycle. See bank for full details.

Santander Bank

Strengths

  • Santander Savings has no minimum balance requirement.
  • Santander Bank offers a low minimum deposit of $25.

Potential Drawbacks

  • Santander Savings has a very low APY of 0.01%.
  • Santander Bank is not BBB Accredited and has no rating.

UFB Direct

Strengths

  • UFB Direct offers a high APY of 3.96% with conditions.
  • UFB Direct is BBB Accredited with an A+ rating.

Potential Drawbacks

  • UFB Direct requires a minimum deposit of $5,000.
  • UFB Direct has a direct deposit requirement for the highest APY.
Summary: UFB Direct provides a significantly higher APY of 3.96% compared to Santander Bank's 0.01%. However, UFB Direct has a higher minimum deposit requirement of $5,000 and mandates direct deposits for the best rate. In contrast, Santander Bank has no minimum balance requirement but lacks BBB accreditation and offers a very low APY. Both banks have strong App Store ratings, but UFB Direct excels in customer trust with its A+ BBB rating.

→ As of October 21, 2025 Santander Bank offers an APY of 0.01% for its Santander Savings account, with a minimum balance of $0, compared to UFB Direct's 3.96% APY for its UFB Checking and Savings Bundle account, with a minimum balance of $10,000.

UFB Direct yields $395 more than Santander Bank on a $10,000 balance after one year. Santander Bank pays $1, while UFB Direct pays $396 - an APY advantage for UFB Direct.

→ In addition, UFB Direct also offers 3.76% APY for the UFB Portfolio Savings account.

Calculate Savings Growth for Santander Bank vs UFB Direct

All calculations are based on APY.

Santander Bank - Santander Savings

Top APY: 0.01%

Total savings breakdown:

  • Interest earned: $5.7 (0.03%)
  • Total contributions: $13,000 (72.20%)
  • Initial deposit: $5,000 (27.77%)

Your total balance

$18,005.70

Effective APY: 0.01% (based on your deposit and contributions)

Total balance: $18,005.7

Earnings: $5.7

Bank Overview

UFB Direct - UFB Checking and Savings Bundle

Top APY: 3.96%

⚠️The higher APY only applies once your balance reaches $10,000.

Total savings breakdown:

  • Interest earned: $2,379.1 (11.67%)
  • Total contributions: $13,000 (63.79%)
  • Initial deposit: $5,000 (24.53%)

Your total balance

$20,379.10

Effective APY: 3.91% (based on your deposit and contributions)

Total balance: $20,379.1

Earnings: $2,379.1

With a $5,000 initial deposit and $13,000 in total contributions over 5 years, Santander Bank's total earnings would be $2,373.4 lower than UFB Direct's total earnings.

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

Compare Santander Bank's vs UFB Direct's Savings Accounts

Santander BankUFB Direct
ProductSantander SavingsvsUFB Portfolio SavingsUFB Checking and Savings Bundle
APY
0.01% (as of 10/21/2025)3.76% (as of 10/21/2025)3.76% - 3.96% (as of 10/21/2025)
Bundled Account
NoNoNo
FDIC-insured
YesYesYes
Online OnlyNoYesYes
Compound Frequency
DailyDailyDaily
Minimum Deposit$25$0$5000
Minimum Balance for APY$0$0$10,000
Maintenance Fee$1$0$0
Direct Deposit Required
NoNoYes
NoteThe regular savings or money market APY may be boosted up to 3.96% by direct deposits, minimum balance of $10,000 and making 10 approved debit card transactions per statement cycle. See bank for full details.
Sponsored Link
App Store Rating4.8/54.8/5
Google Play Rating4.1/54.5/5
BBB RatingNot RatedA+

Comparative Historical APY Insights (Last 9 Months)

Santander BankUFB Direct
ProductSantander SavingsvsUFB Checking and Savings BundleUFB Portfolio Savings
Latest APY0.01 %3.96 %3.76 %
TrendSidewaysSidewaysSideways
Slope (bps/mo)-0.1-1.6-1.4
Rate Changes / Mo0.110.220.22
Days Since Last Change321818
High (-9 m)0.03 %4.21 %4.01 %
Low (-9 m)0.01 %3.96 %3.76 %
Draw-down from High-66.7 %-5.9 %-6.2 %
Volatility (CV)0.2320.0170.017
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 273 days.
Low (-9 m)
Lowest APY in the last 273 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 Santander Bank's APY of 0.01% with other banks
Compare UFB Direct's APY of 3.96% with other banks