High-Yield Savings Account Comparison

Santander Bank 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

Santander Bank

Santander Savings

0.01%
APY
Dec 10, 2025
FDIC InsuredLow MinimumsGreat iOS AppGreat Android AppIn-Person Access
Show Fine Print & Trends
Min. Deposit$25
Min. Balance$0
Maintenance Fee$1
Compound FreqDaily
Direct DepositNot required
Branch AccessPrimarily in the Northeast and Miami, Florida
Deposit InsuranceFDIC Insured(Cert: 29950)
EligibilityUnited States
Mobile Ratings
BBB Rating

Rate Stability

Rate Adjusted
-0.02%
Since 90 days ago

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
BBB Rating

Rate Stability

Rate Adjusted
-0.97%
Since 90 days ago

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

Santander Bank vs. Upgrade Savings Calculator

Calculations based on current APY for Santander Savings and Premier Savings
$
$

Upgrade earns $1,823.9 more than Santander Bank.

Santander Bank

Santander Savings

0.01% APY

Savings Breakdown

  • Interest Earned
    +$5.70(0.0%)
  • Total Contributions
    $13,000
  • Initial Deposit
    $5,000

Projected Balance

$18,005.70

Effective APY
0.01%

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%

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

Comparison Analysis

Comparing Santander Bank vs. Upgrade

Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Why Santander Bank?

  • Physical branch access (Primarily in the Northeast and Miami, Florida)

Why Upgrade?

  • Higher potential APY (3.05% vs 0.01%) on all balances
  • No checking account or direct deposit required
  • Higher rated Android app (4.5 vs 4.0)

— Key Feature Differences —

Better Returns at $10,000
Upgrade

Upgrade's Premier Savings earns more on smaller deposits (approx. $305 vs $1/yr).

Better Returns at $25,000
Upgrade

Upgrade's Premier Savings pulls ahead with larger amounts (approx. $763 vs $3/yr).

Best for Simplicity
Upgrade

Upgrade's Premier Savings offers 3.05% APY with no bundling, direct deposit requirement or caps.

Best Mobile App Experience
Upgrade

Upgrade offers an iOS app rated 4.9 (vs. 4.8) and Android app rated 4.5 (vs. 4.0)

Shared Benefits

Available Nationwide Available to New & Existing Customers
The Bottom Line on APY (Interest Only)

Over a 1-year period, Upgrade's Premier Savings pays $304 more interest on a $10,000 balance than Santander Bank's Santander Savings.

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

Santander BankUpgrade
Automated Data Audit

Executive Summary

Upgrade offers a significant advantage with its Premier Savings account, boasting an APY of 3.05%, which is substantially higher than Santander Bank's Santander Savings account, which yields only 0.01%. Upgrade's account requires a minimum balance of $1,000, but has no maintenance fees or direct deposit requirements, making it an appealing choice for savers. In contrast, Santander's account has a lower APY, requires a minimum deposit of $25, and incurs a $1 monthly maintenance fee. Overall, Upgrade's Premier Savings stands out for its higher returns and user-friendly features.

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.

Stop Losing Interest

See who beats both Santander Bank and Upgrade.

Compare All High-Yield Savings Accounts
Pibank
Pibank Savings
FDIC InsuredNo Minimums
4.60% APY
+1.55% vs Upgrade
Better Rate
Axos Bank
Axos ONE
FDIC InsuredNo MinimumsGreat iOS AppGreat Android App
4.31% APY
+1.26% vs Upgrade
Better Rate
TIMBR
Premium Savings Account
FDIC InsuredLow Minimums
4.40% APY
+1.35% vs Upgrade
Better Rate
FeatureSantander BankUpgrade
APY
0.01%
Verified: 12/10/2025
↘︎ 0.02%90d Change
3.05%
Verified: 12/10/2025
↘︎ 0.97%90d Change
Product NameSantander SavingsPremier Savings
Minimum Deposit$25$0
Min. Balance for APY$0$1,000
Monthly Fee$1$0
Branch AccessYesNone
Account Type
Online & Branches
Online Only
Direct Deposit Req.NoneNone
Checking BundleNoNo
Mobile Apps
iOS4.8
Android4.0
iOS4.9
Android4.5
BBB RatingNot RatedA+
Next Steps

📈 Compare Savings Rates Over Time

Historical Performance

Last 11 Months Analysis
MetricSantander BankUpgrade
Santander SavingsPremier Savings
Current APY
0.01%3.05%
Trend
Stable Stable
Velocity (bps/mo)
-0.2-10.4
Days Since Change
8239
11-Month High
0.03%4.14%
11-Month Low
0.01%3.05%
Adjustments / Mo
0.090.28
Volatility Score
0.3840.105
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 322-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.

More Comparisons

Compare Santander Bank's APY of 0.01% with other banks
Bank PairCompetitor APYMin Deposit
Santander Bank vs Affirm3.60%$0
Santander Bank vs Ally Bank3.30%$0
Santander Bank vs American Express3.40%$0
Santander Bank vs Axos Bank4.31%$0
Santander Bank vs Bank of America0.01%$100
Santander Bank vs Barclays4.00%$0
Santander Bank vs Bask Bank3.90%$0
Santander Bank vs Betterment3.50%$10
Santander Bank vs BMO Alto3.25%$0
Santander Bank vs Bread Savings4.10%$100
Santander Bank vs BrioDirect4.00%$5,000
Santander Bank vs Capital One3.40%$0
Santander Bank vs Charles Schwab Bank0.15%$0
Santander Bank vs Chase Bank0.01%$0
Santander Bank vs Chime3.50%$0
Santander Bank vs CIT Bank3.75%$100
Santander Bank vs Citibank3.30%$0
Santander Bank vs Citizens Access™3.15%$0.01
Santander Bank vs Climate First Bank4.21%$50
Santander Bank vs Discover Bank3.40%$0
Santander Bank vs E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley3.75%$0
Santander Bank vs Elevault4.08%$0
Santander Bank vs EverBank4.05%$0
Santander Bank vs Fitness Bank4.75%$100
Santander Bank vs FNBO Direct3.00%$1
Santander Bank vs Forbright Bank4.00%$0
Santander Bank vs FVCbank3.85%$500
Santander Bank vs GO2bank4.50%$0
Santander Bank vs Ivy Bank4.25%$2,500
Santander Bank vs LendingClub4.20%$0
Santander Bank vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs3.65%$0
Santander Bank vs Neighbors Bank4.30%$0
Santander Bank vs Newtek Bank4.35%$0.01
Santander Bank vs Openbank4.20%$500
Santander Bank vs Peak Bank4.20%$100
Santander Bank vs Pibank4.60%$0
Santander Bank vs PNC3.53%$0
Santander Bank vs Presidential Bank4.00%$5,000
Santander Bank vs Quontic Bank3.75%$100
Santander Bank vs Salem Five Direct3.71%$10
Santander Bank vs Sallie Mae Bank3.90%$0
Santander Bank vs SoFi Bank4.30%$0
Santander Bank vs Synchrony Bank3.65%$0
Santander Bank vs TD Bank2.75%$0
Santander Bank vs TIMBR4.40%$1,000
Santander Bank vs UFB Direct3.71%$5000
Santander Bank vs Valley Direct4.10%$1,000
Santander Bank vs Varo Bank5.00%$0
Santander Bank vs Vio Bank4.16%$100
Santander Bank vs Wealthfront4.15%$0
Santander Bank vs Wells Fargo0.05%$25
Santander Bank 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 FVCbank3.85%$500
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 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