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High-Yield Savings Account Comparison

American Express vs. FNBO Direct

American Express and FNBO Direct both offer 3.00% APY on their high-yield savings accounts. With identical rates, your choice comes down to other factors like mobile app quality, branch access, or customer service reputation.

Analysis by Aviel Fahl
Newest reading September 14, 2026

The Bottom Line

The American Express and FNBO Direct savings accounts are very similar. Choose FNBO Direct if BBB rating matters to you.

Comparison of American Express vs FNBO Direct savings accounts
Metric

American Express

High Yield Savings Account

Sep 14, 2026

FNBO Direct

High-Yield Online Savings Account

Sep 14, 2026
APY3.00%3.00%
Earns in a year
$5,000+$150
$10,000+$300
$25,000+$750
$5,000+$150
$10,000+$300
$25,000+$750
Min. Deposit
$0$0

Snapshot view. Rates subject to change.

Features
FDIC InsuredNo MinimumsGreat iOS AppGreat Android AppZelle® SupportedDaily CompoundingRate Changes Often
FDIC InsuredNo MinimumsGreat iOS AppGreat Android AppZelle® SupportedStable Rate

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.

See the highest rates

Comparison Analysis

Comparing American Express vs. FNBO Direct

Newest reading:

Executive Summary

American Express last changed on July 10, 2026, down 10 basis points. FNBO Direct has not changed since at least January 21, 2026. American Express paid 3.21% on average on savings and money market deposits. Its savings account offers 3.00%. FNBO Direct paid 2.38% on average on savings and money market deposits. Its savings account offers 3.00%. At a balance of $10,000, both banks provide the same effective rate of 3.00%.

The analysis is based on current Banksparency database records

* This content is provided for informational purposes only; always verify details with the provider.

Why American Express?

No distinct advantages found vs FNBO Direct.

Why FNBO Direct?

No distinct advantages found vs American Express.

Key Feature Differences

Better Mobile App Experience
American Express

American Express offers an iOS app rated 4.9 (vs. 4.6) and Android app rated 4.8 (vs. 4.7)

Shared Benefits

Both offer monthly maintenance-free account options Both banks have options with $0 opening deposit Fast transfers via Zelle® Available Nationwide Available to New & Existing Customers
Verify At
American Express

Non-sponsored link to official site

Verify At
FNBO Direct

Non-sponsored link to official site

Top Market Contenders

American Express vs. FNBO Direct Savings Calculator

Calculations based on current APY for High Yield Savings Account and High-Yield Online Savings Account
$
$

Both accounts earn exactly the same amount.

American Express

High Yield Savings Account

3.00% APY

Savings Breakdown

  • Interest Earned
    +$300.00(2.9%)
  • Total Contributions
    $0
  • Initial Deposit
    $10,000

Projected Balance

$10,300.00

Effective APY
3.00%

FNBO Direct

High-Yield Online Savings Account

3.00% APY

Savings Breakdown

  • Interest Earned
    +$300.00(2.9%)
  • Total Contributions
    $0
  • Initial Deposit
    $10,000

Projected Balance

$10,300.00

Effective APY
3.00%

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 $295 a year in interest.

Both American Express and FNBO Direct advertise far more than that typical branch-bank rate.

0.05% APY at a typical branch bank, against 3.00%+ here
See the highest rates
FeatureAmerican ExpressFNBO Direct
APY
3.00%
Observed: 9/14/2026
0.10%90-day change
3.00%
Observed: 9/14/2026
Stable over 90 days
Product NameHigh Yield Savings AccountHigh-Yield Online Savings Account
Minimum Deposit$0$0
Min. Balance for APY$0$0.01
Monthly Fee$0$0
Compound FrequencyDailyMonthly
In-Branch AccessNoNo
Account Type
Online Only
Online Only
Physical Branches1 (UT)Not reported
Direct Deposit Req.NoneNone
Checking BundleNoNo
Mobile Apps
iOS4.9
Android4.8
iOS4.6
Android4.7
FDIC or NCUA Insured
Zelle® Support
Available
Requires Amex Rewards Checking; not available for standalone HYSA.
Available
Online division fully supports Zelle.
BBB RatingFA+
Next Steps
Visit Site

Non-sponsored link to official site

Visit Site

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.

American Express

3.21%
Q2 2026 ·
3.00% APY
As observed Sep 14, 2026

The two figures answer different questions, so they sit side by side and are not combined.

In Q2 2026, American Express paid a higher average rate on savings and money market deposits than 96% of banks that reported a figure (3,938 banks; FDIC call report). The all-bank median was 1.45%.

3.25%
Q2 2026 ·
$171.6B
Total deposits
Q2 2026
0.2%
Q2 2026

What American Express actually pays

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.

FNBO Direct

2.38%
Q2 2026 ·
3.00% APY
As observed Sep 14, 2026

The two figures answer different questions, so they sit side by side and are not combined.

In Q2 2026, First National Bank of Omaha paid a higher average rate on savings and money market deposits than 81% of banks that reported a figure (3,938 banks; FDIC call report). The all-bank median was 1.45%.

2.46%
Q2 2026 ·
$27.8B
Total deposits
Q2 2026
25.0%
Q2 2026

What FNBO Direct actually pays

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: · · · ·

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 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

FNBO Direct has no CD listed on Banksparency. American Express lists 10 CD terms, from 10 to 60 months. Its highest rate is 4.25% APY on the 10-month CD. Each row below is one term, with the FDIC national average for that term beside it.

TermAmerican Express FDIC average (Aug 2026)
12 months3.50% APYNo minimum1.71%
10 months4.25% APYNo minimum
11 months3.50% APYNo minimum1.71%12-month average
14 months3.50% APYNo minimum
18 months3.25% APYNo minimum
22 months4.00% APYNo minimum
24 months3.25% APYNo minimum1.57%
36 months2.25% APYNo minimum1.34%
48 months2.25% APYNo minimum1.27%
60 months3.00% APYNo minimum1.36%

FNBO Direct: no CD listed on Banksparency.

FDIC national averages

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 across every active tier, so the sentence under it says which balance earns that rate.

American Express

No money market account listed here.

FNBO Direct

Online Money Market Account

Up to 3.55% APY

The 3.55% needs a balance of at least $500,000. Below that, the account advertises 3.25%.

No minimum. As observed Sep 14, 2026.

The FDIC national money market average was 0.63% in Aug 2026.

Compare Savings Rates Over Time

Historical Performance

Last 12 Months Analysis
MetricAmerican ExpressFNBO Direct
High Yield Savings AccountHigh-Yield Online Savings Account
Current APY
3.00%3.00%
Trend
Stable Stable
Speed of change
-0.05-0.02
Days Since Change
66346
12-Month High
3.50%3.25%
12-Month Low
3.00%3.00%
Changes per month
0.410.08
Steadiness
0.0300.025
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.

More Comparisons

Compare American Express' APY of 3.00% with other banks
Bank PairCompetitor APYMin Deposit
American Express vs Affirm3.20%$0
American Express vs Ally Bank3.00%$0
American Express vs Axos Bank4.21%$0
American Express vs Bank of America0.04%$100
American Express vs Barclays3.65%$0
American Express vs Bask Bank3.75%$0
American Express vs Betterment4.00%$0
American Express vs BMO Alto3.00%$0
American Express vs Bread Savings3.95%$100
American Express vs BrioDirect3.75%$5,000
American Express vs Capital One3.50%$0
American Express vs Charles Schwab Bank0.15%$0
American Express vs Chase Bank0.01%$0
American Express vs Chime3.75%$0
American Express vs CIT Bank3.75%$100
American Express vs Citibank2.80%$0
American Express vs Citizens Access™2.80%$0.01
American Express vs Climate First Bank4.01%$50
American Express vs E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley3.50%$0
American Express vs Elevault4.34%$0
American Express vs EverBank3.90%$0
American Express vs Fitness Bank3.80%$100
American Express vs Forbright Bank3.85%$0
American Express vs GO2bank4.50%$0
American Express vs Happen Bank4.00%$0
American Express vs Ivy Bank3.85%$2,500
American Express vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs3.40%$0
American Express vs Neighbors Bank4.10%$0
American Express vs Newtek Bank4.20%$100
American Express vs Openbank3.80%$500
American Express vs Peak Bank4.01%$100
American Express vs Pibank4.10%$0
American Express vs PNC3.15%$0
American Express vs SoFi Bank4.00%$0
American Express vs Synchrony Bank3.30%$0
American Express vs TD Bank2.50%$0
American Express vs UFB Direct3.46%$5,000
American Express vs Upgrade3.05%$0
American Express vs Varo Bank3.75%$0
American Express vs Wealthfront3.95%$0
American Express vs Wells Fargo0.05%$25
Compare FNBO Direct's APY of 3.00% with other banks