Forbright Bank vs. Varo Bank
Forbright Bank's Growth Savings pays 3.85% APY while Varo Bank's High-Yield Savings Account pays 3.75% APY.
Note: Varo Bank's High-Yield Savings Account also needs a checking account.
See how they compare on rate stability, mobile app ratings, and more below.
The Bottom Line
Who pays more interest on $10,000? Forbright Bank pays $148 more than Varo Bank annually ($385 vs $237).
Choose Forbright Bank if getting the best rate matters most, or you want a no-strings-attached account.
Important Considerations
Varo Bank's High-Yield Savings Account pays its top rate only if you also open a checking account with Varo Bank, while Forbright Bank's Growth Savings stands alone.
| Metric | Forbright BankGrowth Savings Sep 14, 2026 | Varo BankHigh-Yield Savings Account Sep 14, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| APY | 3.85% | 1.00% - 3.75% |
Earns in a year | $5,000+$193 $10,000+$385 $25,000+$963 | $5,000+$187 $10,000+$237 $25,000+$387 |
Min. Deposit | $0 | $0 |
Snapshot view. Rates subject to change. | ||
Terms | Limited offer: The stated APY includes a temporary 0.30% APY boost for new customers. Only people who never had a Forbright Bank Growth Savings or Growth CD account can get the boost. The account must be opened online, and a one-time balance of $1,000 must be reached by 08/31/2026. The boost ends on 12/31/2026, and a lower APY applies after that. Existing customers get the standard APY. See terms at Forbright Bank. | Earn the stated APY on up to $5,000 and a lower APY on the rest. A Varo bank account & direct deposit required. |
| Features | FDIC InsuredNo MinimumsGreat iOS AppGreat Android AppZelle® SupportedDaily CompoundingRate Changes Often | FDIC InsuredNo MinimumsGreat iOS AppGreat Android AppZelle® SupportedDirect Deposit ReqChecking BundleDaily 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.
Comparison Analysis
Comparing Forbright Bank vs. Varo Bank
Executive Summary
At a balance of $10,000, Forbright Bank offers 3.85%, its headline Growth Savings account, while Varo Bank offers 1%, and its headline High-Yield Savings Account offers 3.75% from a balance of $0.01. Forbright Bank paid 3.8% on average across all deposits as of June 30, 2026. Varo Bank, on the other hand, paid 3.33% on average across all deposits as of the same date. Forbright Bank has led since July 2, 2026, in this comparison.
The analysis is based on current Banksparency database records
* This content is provided for informational purposes only; always verify details with the provider.
Why Forbright Bank?
- No checking account or direct deposit required
- Physical branch access (Locations in the Washington D.C. area (Maryland and Virginia))
- Offers 4 different high-yield savings options
Why Varo Bank?
No distinct advantages found vs Forbright Bank.
Key Feature Differences
Better Returns at $10,000
Forbright BankForbright Bank's Growth Savings earns more on smaller deposits (approx. $385 vs $237/yr).
Better Returns at $25,000
Forbright BankForbright Bank's Growth Savings pulls ahead with larger amounts (approx. $963 vs $387/yr).
Better for Simplicity
Forbright BankForbright Bank's Growth Savings offers 3.85% APY with no bundling, direct deposit requirement or caps.
Shared Benefits
Over a 1-year period, Forbright Bank's Growth Savings pays $148 more interest on a $10,000 balance than Varo Bank's High-Yield Savings Account.
*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
Forbright Bank vs. Varo Bank Savings Calculator
You earn $147.5 more with Forbright Bank than Varo Bank 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.
Forbright Bank
Growth Savings
Savings Breakdown
- Interest Earned+$385.00(3.7%)
- Total Contributions$0
- Initial Deposit$10,000
Projected Balance
$10,385.00
Varo Bank
High-Yield Savings Account
Savings Breakdown
- Interest Earned+$237.50(2.3%)
- Total Contributions$0
- Initial Deposit$10,000
Projected Balance
$10,237.50
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 $232 a year in interest.
Both Forbright Bank and Varo Bank advertise far more than that typical branch-bank rate.
| Feature | Forbright Bank | Varo Bank |
|---|---|---|
| APY | 3.85% Observed: 9/14/2026 0.30%90-day change | 3.75% Range: 1.00% - 3.75% Observed: 9/14/2026 1.25%90-day change |
| Product Name | Growth Savings | High-Yield Savings Account |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Min. Balance for APY | $0 | $0.01 |
| Monthly Fee | $0 | $0 |
| Compound Frequency | Daily | Daily |
| In-Branch Access | No | No |
| Account Type | Online Only | Online Only |
| Physical Branches | 4 (MD) | 1 (UT) |
| Direct Deposit Req. | None | Required |
| Checking Bundle | No | Yes |
| Mobile Apps | ||
| FDIC or NCUA Insured | YesVerify FDIC | YesVerify FDIC |
| Zelle® Support | Available Branch accounts only; Growth Savings online does NOT support. | Available Requires history of qualifying direct deposits. |
| BBB Rating | A+ | A+ |
| Important Notes | Limited offer: The stated APY includes a temporary 0.30% APY boost for new customers. Only people who never had a Forbright Bank Growth Savings or Growth CD account can get the boost. The account must be opened online, and a one-time balance of $1,000 must be reached by 08/31/2026. The boost ends on 12/31/2026, and a lower APY applies after that. Existing customers get the standard APY. See terms at Forbright Bank. | Earn the stated APY on up to $5,000 and a lower APY on the rest. A Varo bank account & direct deposit required. |
| Next Steps | Visit SiteVerify at Forbright Bank Non-sponsored link to official site | Visit SiteVerify at Varo Bank 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.
Forbright Bank
The two figures answer different questions, so they sit side by side and are not combined.
In Q2 2026, Forbright Bank paid a higher average rate on savings and money market deposits than 99% of banks that reported a figure (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.
Varo Bank
The two figures answer different questions, so they sit side by side and are not combined. The 3.75% applies to the first $5,000. The balance above that earns 1.00%.
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 banks that reported a figure for the quarter.
CD rates, term by term
Varo Bank has no CD listed on Banksparency. Forbright Bank lists 5 CD terms, from 9 to 60 months. Its highest rate is 3.75% APY on the 9-month CD. Each row below is one term, with the FDIC national average for that term beside it.
| Term | Forbright Bank APY | FDIC average (Aug 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 months | 3.65% APY$1,000 minimum | 1.71% |
| 9 months | 3.75% APY$1,000 minimum | |
| 24 months | 3.50% APY$1,000 minimum | 1.57% |
| 36 months | 3.25% APY$1,000 minimum | 1.34% |
| 60 months | 3.25% APY$1,000 minimum | 1.36% |
Varo Bank: no CD listed on Banksparency.
Compare Savings Rates Over Time
Historical Performance
| Metric | Forbright Bank | Varo Bank | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growth Savings | Bright Business Savings | Bright Savings | Sprout Savings | High-Yield Savings Account | |
Current APY | 3.85% | 3.46% | 3.46% | 3.46% | 3.75% |
Trend | Stable | Stable | Stable | Stable | Stable |
Speed of change | -0.03 | 0.00 | -0.04 | -0.04 | -0.07 |
Days Since Change | 11 | 151 | 151 | 151 | 74 |
12-Month High | 4.25% | 3.46% | 3.90% | 3.90% | 5.00% |
12-Month Low | 3.85% | 3.45% | 3.45% | 3.45% | 3.75% |
Changes per month | 0.33 | 0.08 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.08 |
Steadiness | 0.026 | 0.001 | 0.029 | 0.029 | 0.039 |
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 Forbright Bank's APY of 3.85% with other banks
| Bank Pair | Competitor APY | Min Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Forbright Bank vs Ally Bank | 3.00% | $0 |
| Forbright Bank vs American Express | 3.00% | $0 |
| Forbright Bank vs Axos Bank | 4.21% | $0 |
| Forbright Bank vs Barclays | 3.65% | $0 |
| Forbright Bank vs Capital One | 3.50% | $0 |
| Forbright Bank vs Chime | 3.75% | $0 |
| Forbright Bank vs CIT Bank | 3.75% | $100 |
| Forbright Bank vs EverBank | 3.90% | $0 |
| Forbright Bank vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs | 3.40% | $0 |
| Forbright Bank vs Newtek Bank | 4.20% | $100 |
| Forbright Bank vs Openbank | 3.80% | $500 |
| Forbright Bank vs Pibank | 4.10% | $0 |
| Forbright Bank vs SoFi Bank | 4.00% | $0 |
| Forbright Bank vs Synchrony Bank | 3.30% | $0 |
| Forbright Bank vs Wealthfront | 3.95% | $0 |