Ally Bank vs. Citibank
Ally Bank's Savings Account pays 3.00% APY while Citibank's Citi Accelerate Savings pays 2.80% APY.
See how they compare on rate stability, mobile app ratings, and more below.
The Bottom Line
Who pays more interest on $10,000? Ally Bank pays $20 more than Citibank annually ($300 vs $280).
Choose Ally Bank if getting the best rate matters most, or BBB rating matters to you.
Important Considerations
Citibank's Accelerate Savings is only available in select states where Citi has no branch presence. Check eligibility before applying.
| Metric | Ally BankSavings Account Sep 14, 2026 | CitibankCiti Accelerate Savings Sep 14, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| APY | 3.00% | 2.80% |
Earns in a year | $5,000+$150 $10,000+$300 $25,000+$750 | $5,000+$140 $10,000+$280 $25,000+$700 |
Min. Deposit | $0 | $0 |
Snapshot view. Rates subject to change. | ||
Terms | - | Eligibility restricted to select states. |
| Features | FDIC InsuredNo MinimumsGreat iOS AppGreat Android AppZelle® SupportedDaily CompoundingRate Changes Often | FDIC InsuredNo MinimumsGreat iOS AppGreat Android AppZelle® SupportedDaily CompoundingRate Changes Often |
Market Reality Check
Both of these institutions offer rates below the top 10 savings and money market accounts we track. Those institutions all pay at least 4.20% APY.
Executive Summary
Ally Bank has offered the higher headline APY since August 11, 2026, by 20 basis points today. Ally Bank paid 3.03% on average on savings and money market deposits. Its savings account offers 3.00%. Citibank, on the other hand, paid 2.19% on average on savings and money market deposits, while its Citi Accelerate Savings account offers 2.80%. Both banks have maintained their rates since January 21, 2026, with Ally Bank experiencing a decrease of 10 basis points on June 3, 2026, and Citibank a decrease of 20 basis points on August 11, 2026.
The analysis is based on current Banksparency database records
* This content is provided for informational purposes only; always verify details with the provider.
Why Ally Bank?
- Higher potential APY (3.00% vs 2.80%) on all balances
- No checking account or direct deposit required
- Available Nationwide
Why Citibank?
- Physical branch access (U.S. branches are concentrated in six metropolitan areas, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Miami.)
- Higher rated Android app (4.8 vs 4.4)
Key Feature Differences
Better Returns at $10,000
Ally BankAlly Bank's Savings Account earns more on smaller deposits (approx. $300 vs $280/yr).
Better Returns at $25,000
Ally BankAlly Bank's Savings Account pulls ahead with larger amounts (approx. $750 vs $700/yr).
Better Mobile App Experience
CitibankCitibank offers an iOS app rated 4.9 (vs. 4.7) and Android app rated 4.8 (vs. 4.4)
Shared Benefits
Over a 1-year period, Ally Bank's Savings Account pays $20 more interest on a $10,000 balance than Citibank's Citi Accelerate Savings.
*This calculation assumes current rates remain consistent for 1 year and does not include temporary bonuses.
Non-sponsored link to official site
Non-sponsored link to official site
Top Market Contenders
Ally Bank vs. Citibank Savings Calculator
You earn $20 more with Ally Bank than Citibank on a $10,000 initial deposit for 1 year*.
*This calculation assumes that APYs remain unchanged for 1 year, and takes into account known promo rate periods, but does not factor in bonuses. You can see how often these banks have changed their rates in the Compare Savings Rates Over Time section below.
Ally Bank
Savings Account
Savings Breakdown
- Interest Earned+$300.00(2.9%)
- Total Contributions$0
- Initial Deposit$10,000
Projected Balance
$10,300.00
Citibank
Citi Accelerate Savings
Savings Breakdown
- Interest Earned+$280.00(2.7%)
- Total Contributions$0
- Initial Deposit$10,000
Projected Balance
$10,280.00
The Banksparency Savings Calculator provides estimated savings growth based on user input and our latest data.
Still at a large branch bank?
A typical branch-bank savings rate is 0.05% APY. On a $10,000 balance, the gap to these two banks is at least $275 a year in interest.
Both Ally Bank and Citibank advertise far more than that typical branch-bank rate.
| Feature | Ally Bank | Citibank |
|---|---|---|
| APY | 3.00% Observed: 9/14/2026 Stable over 90 days | 2.80% Observed: 9/14/2026 0.20%90-day change |
| Product Name | Savings Account | Citi Accelerate Savings |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Min. Balance for APY | $0 | $0.01 |
| Monthly Fee | $0 | $4.50. Waived for average monthly balances > $500 |
| Compound Frequency | Daily | Daily |
| In-Branch Access | No | No |
| Account Type | Online Only | Online Only |
| Physical Branches | 1 (UT) | 955 (CA, CT, DC, DE, FL, IL, MD, NJ (+6 more)) |
| Direct Deposit Req. | None | None |
| Checking Bundle | No | No |
| Mobile Apps | ||
| FDIC or NCUA Insured | YesVerify FDIC | YesVerify FDIC |
| Zelle® Support | Available Limit: $5,000/dayBenchmark for online Zelle; high limits. | Available Limit: $2,500/dayTiered limits based on account status (Citigold higher). |
| BBB Rating | A+ | D- |
| Important Notes | - | Eligibility restricted to select states. |
| Next Steps | Visit SiteVerify at Ally Bank Non-sponsored link to official site | Visit SiteVerify at Citibank Non-sponsored link to official site |
What each bank pays on deposits
An advertised rate tells you what a new savings account earns today. It cannot tell you how the bank has priced the savings and money market deposits it already holds, over time. This section shows that. The figure is computed from the interest expense and deposit balances that every bank files with the FDIC in the same form. That is what makes it comparable across banks and across quarters.
Ally Bank
The two figures answer different questions, so they sit side by side and are not combined.
In Q2 2026, Ally Bank paid a higher average rate on savings and money market deposits than 94% of banks that reported a figure (3,938 banks; FDIC call report). The all-bank median was 1.45%.
Each figure is that bank's own charter-level average across its whole deposit book, so the two are shown one after the other and are not a ranking.
Citibank
The two figures answer different questions, so they sit side by side and are not combined.
In Q2 2026, Citibank paid a higher average rate on savings and money market deposits than 76% of banks that reported a figure (3,938 banks; FDIC call report). The all-bank median was 1.45%.
How to read these figures
What the average covers. It is an average across the whole bank, taken from its own quarterly FDIC call report. It covers savings accounts and money market deposit accounts, personal and business, at every balance tier. It also covers accounts that were opened years ago and keep the rate of those years. The FDIC line does not separate consumer accounts.
The second figure. The scale row also shows the average across all interest-bearing deposits: savings, interest checking, money market accounts, CDs, personal and business. That figure covers the whole deposit book. The two are shown separately and are not combined.
What the advertised rate covers. It is the rate that this bank advertises now for a new savings account. Banksparency records it from the bank's website on the date shown beside it.
Why the two differ. They measure different things, so this page shows them side by side and keeps them apart. An advertised rate applies to one account, opened now, at today's price. The average also includes older savings balances at the rates of earlier years, money market balances that were priced in a different rate environment, and business accounts. An average below an advertised rate is the usual result of that arithmetic. On its own it is not evidence about the account that you would open.
What the average is useful for. The bank files the data itself, under reporting instructions that are the same for every filer, and the same computation runs for every bank on this site. That makes it comparable in a way that an advertisement is not. Two things on this page read it: the percentile, which shows where the quarter sits among all filers, and the chart, which shows the direction the figure has moved across quarters.
What the average cannot tell you. It cannot tell you the rate that you would earn. No single customer earns the average. For your rate, read the advertised rate above and the rate tables on this page, each with the date it was observed.
What to do next. Use the advertised rate to work out what a new account earns. Use the chart to see how the quarterly average has moved against the all-bank median. Then compare the advertised rate against the current rates on the savings-rate tables before you open an account.
Definitions: Call Report · Rate Paid on Deposits · Interest-Bearing Deposits · Front Book and Back Book · Deposit Rate Percentile
Average annualized rates paid on savings and money market deposits, and on all interest-bearing deposits, quarterly. The FDIC line for savings includes money market deposit accounts and business savings deposits and does not separate consumer accounts. Source: FDIC call report data, as reported; it may be amended. The percentile compares all FDIC filers, count-weighted. A missing quarter is suppressed, never interpolated. The percentile counts the banks that paid strictly less on savings and money market deposits, one vote per bank, among the 3,938 banks that reported a figure for the quarter ending June 30, 2026.
CD rates, term by term
Ally Bank lists CDs on Banksparency at 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 36 and 60 months. Citibank lists CDs at 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48 and 60 months. Each row below is one term, with the best rate each bank advertises for it.
| Term | Ally Bank APY | Citibank APY | FDIC average (Aug 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 months | 4.00% APYNo minimum | 4.15% APY$500 minimum | 1.71% |
| 3 months | 2.70% APYNo minimum | 0.05% APY$500 minimum | 1.14% |
| 4 months | Not listed here | 2.00% APY$500 minimum | 1.14%3-month average |
| 5 months | Not listed here | 3.00% APY$500 minimum | 1.41%6-month average |
| 6 months | 3.50% APYNo minimum | 3.00% APY$500 minimum | 1.41% |
| 7 months | Not listed here | 4.15% APY$500 minimum | 1.41%6-month average |
| 8 months | Not listed here | 3.00% APY$500 minimum | |
| 9 months | 3.90% APYNo minimum | 2.00% APY$500 minimum | |
| 10 months | Not listed here | 0.05% APY$500 minimum | |
| 11 months | 2.70% APYNo minimum | 0.05% APY$500 minimum | 1.71%12-month average |
| 13 months | Not listed here | 2.00% APY$500 minimum | 1.71%12-month average |
| 14 months | Not listed here | 0.10% APY$500 minimum | |
| 15 months | Not listed here | 2.50% APY$500 minimum | |
| 18 months | 4.15% APYNo minimum | 2.00% APY$500 minimum | |
| 24 months | Not listed here | 3.80% APY$500 minimum | 1.57% |
| 30 months | Not listed here | 1.01% APY$500 minimum | |
| 36 months | 3.60% APYNo minimum | 2.00% APY$500 minimum | 1.34% |
| 48 months | Not listed here | 2.00% APY$500 minimum | 1.27% |
| 60 months | 4.00% APYNo minimum | 2.00% APY$500 minimum | 1.36% |
Money market accounts
A money market account holds a savings balance and adds check or debit card access. The figure each bank advertises is its best APY across every active tier, so the sentence under it says which balance earns that rate.
Ally Bank
Money Market Account
3.00% APY
No minimum. As observed Sep 14, 2026.
Citibank
No money market account listed here.
The FDIC national money market average was 0.63% in Aug 2026.
Compare Savings Rates Over Time
Historical Performance
| Metric | Ally Bank | Citibank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savings Account | Citi® Savings Account | Citi Accelerate Savings | |
Current APY | 3.00% | 0.03% | 2.80% |
Trend | Stable | Stable | Stable |
Speed of change | -0.04 | 0.00 | -0.05 |
Days Since Change | 103 | 363 | 34 |
12-Month High | 3.50% | 0.03% | 3.40% |
12-Month Low | 3.00% | 0.03% | 2.80% |
Changes per month | 0.41 | 0.00 | 0.58 |
Steadiness | 0.023 | 0.000 | 0.027 |
How to read these metrics(Click to expand)
Trends and speed
- Trend: The general direction of the rate over the analyzed period. Useful for seeing whether a bank is raising its rate or letting it slip.
- Speed of change: How fast the rate moves. A high positive number means they raise rates quickly. A reading of 0.10 is a tenth of a percentage point each month.
- Changes per month: How often the rate moves. A high number means it changes constantly; a low number means it holds.
Risk & Range
- High/Low: The absolute ceiling and floor of the rate during the 364-day window.
- Steadiness: How far the rate swings around its average. A lower score means a steadier, more predictable rate.
- Days Since Change: A high number, for example above 90, means the rate rarely moves. A low number means it changed recently.
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Compare Ally Bank's APY of 3.00% with other banks
Compare Citibank's APY of 2.80% with other banks
| Bank Pair | Competitor APY | Min Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Citibank vs American Express | 3.00% | $0 |
| Citibank vs Axos Bank | 4.21% | $0 |
| Citibank vs Barclays | 3.65% | $0 |
| Citibank vs Capital One | 3.50% | $0 |
| Citibank vs Chime | 3.75% | $0 |
| Citibank vs CIT Bank | 3.75% | $100 |
| Citibank vs EverBank | 3.90% | $0 |
| Citibank vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs | 3.40% | $0 |
| Citibank vs Newtek Bank | 4.20% | $100 |
| Citibank vs Openbank | 3.80% | $500 |
| Citibank vs Pibank | 4.10% | $0 |
| Citibank vs SoFi Bank | 4.00% | $0 |
| Citibank vs Synchrony Bank | 3.30% | $0 |
| Citibank vs Varo Bank | 3.75% | $0 |
| Citibank vs Wealthfront | 3.95% | $0 |