Best Savings Accounts with 5% Interest [2023]: Get Your Money’s Worth

BANKING - SAVINGS & MONEY MARKET ACCOUNTS
Some financial institutions offer savings accounts paying at least 5.00% APY, including Varo, Blue Federal Credit Union, and others.
Last updated May 2, 2023 | By Christy Rakoczy Edited By Mindy Woodall
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A 5% interest savings account can provide you with a generous return on your money without taking on the risk of investing in the stock market. The good news is, there are a number of financial institutions that offer accounts that pay this rate, including several credit unions. High APY rates can help you meet your savings goals and improve your personal finances.

There may be requirements you must meet in order to get the best rate, though. This guide will explain your options for accounts offering 5% interest, as well as some financial institutions with rates that are close to this threshold.

In this article

Key takeaways

  • Several banks offer FDIC-insured accounts that pay around 5.00% APY, which is well above the national average.
  • Many banks have a cap on the amount of money on which you can earn the full 5.00% rate. Any amount over the limit earns a lower interest rate.
  • You may need to meet certain requirements to get 5.00% APY, such as setting up direct deposit. There may be deposit amount requirements as well.
  • There are several credit unions that offer NCUA-insured savings accounts that offer these high savings accounts rates as well.

The best savings accounts for 5% interest

These are the best high-yield savings accounts if you want your money to earn at least 5.00% APY:

  • Varo Savings: up to 5.00% (as of May 9, 2023) APY with direct deposit on up to $5,000
  • Blue Federal Credit Union: up to 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY
  • Consumers Credit Union Rewards Checking: up to 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY
  • Netspend Savings: up to 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY
  • Mango Savings: up to 6.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY

Compare savings accounts with 5.00% APY

Account Account type APY Requirements Learn more
Varo Savings Savings Up to 5.00% (as of May 9, 2023) APY on up to $5,000 Direct deposits totaling $1,000 or more.

Both a Varo savings and bank account must have a positive balance at the end of the month.

Visit Varo
Blue Federal Credit Union Accelerated Savings Savings Up to 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY on balances up to $1,000 Membership in Blue Federal Credit Union Visit Blue Federal Credit Union
Consumers Credit Union Rewards Checking Checking Up to 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY on balances up to $10,000 Sign up for electronic documents.

Make 12 purchases with your debit card monthly.

Make direct deposits of at least $500 or more each month.

Spend at least $1,000 monthly on CCU Visa Credit Card purchases.

Visit Consumers Credit Union
Netspend Savings Savings with prepaid debit card Up to 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY on balances up to $1,000 You must have a Netspend card account. Visit Netspend
Mango Savings Savings with prepaid debit card Up to 6.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY on balances up to $2,500 A Mango card.

A minimum $25 savings account deposit balance.

Signature purchases of $1,500 or more per month.

Visit Mango Money

Varo

Pros Cons
  • Up to 5.00% (as of May 9, 2023) APY with direct deposit requirement
  • 3.00% (as of May 9, 2023) regular APY
  • No fees required for the savings account
  • No minimum balance required to keep your account open
  • You need a substantial direct deposit amount each month to qualify for the highest APY rate
  • You can only earn the highest APY rate on up to $5,000
  • You must have a Varo bank account and a savings account with positive balances

Varo is a digital consumer bank that launched in 2020 with “the goal of being a force for good.” Most online banks aren’t actually banks — they’re fintech platforms with associated partner banks, but Varo is a chartered nationwide bank and member FDIC.

The company offers both bank accounts and savings accounts, as well as Varo Advance, which provides cash advance loans of up to $250 to cover unexpected expenses.

Varo Savings lets you get up to 5.00% (as of May 9, 2023) APY, which is one of the most generous rates in the industry, but you must deposit at least $1,000 and end the month with a positive balance in both a Varo bank account and your Varo savings account to qualify for this rate for the upcoming month. You can also qualify for the highest APY rate only on balances up to $5,000.

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The good news is, any remaining balance above that $5,000 earns a still-generous 3.00% (as of May 9, 2023) APY (as does your total balance on months where you don't meet the requirements for the higher interest rate).

Why we like it: Opening an account is quick and simple online. There's no minimum balance required to maintain an account, and Varo has no monthly fees. Plus, if you don't earn the highest 5.00% (as of May 9, 2023) APY rate on all of your money, you'll still earn a relatively generous 3.00% (as of May 9, 2023) APY.

What we don’t like about it: The $1,000 minimum direct deposit balance can be hard for some people to meet, and you're required to have both a bank account and savings account to qualify for the highest interest rate. Also, you only earn this rate on only a limited amount of your deposited funds — up to $5,000 max.

Visit Varo

… or read our full Varo review

Blue Federal Credit Union

Pros Cons
  • Up to 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY
  • You don't have to make a monthly transfer to be eligible to earn dividends
  • No minimum balance requirements
  • Relatively easy to qualify for credit union membership
  • You can only earn the highest APY on a maximum of $1,000
  • Interest rates drop quickly for higher balances
  • Must be a credit union member, which requires a one-time upfront donation and small deposit.

Blue Federal Credit Union is a credit union, which means you must be a member to take advantage of the financial products on offer. You can become a member through a family relationship, employment relationship, or by donating to the Blue Foundation.

Blue Foundation donation option
You need $10 to become a credit union member through a donation to the Blue Foundation. Blue Federal uses $5 to establish your account and the rest goes to the foundation. That’s a more accessible membership requirement than many credit unions offer.

Members have access to a wide variety of financial products, including savings and checking accounts, credit cards, certificates of deposit (CDs), and loans. Blue Federal's Accelerated Savings gives up to 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY on balances up to $1,000. For larger balances, there's a tiered rate structure. You’ll see a big dropoff in the interest you receive on higher amounts.

Why we like it: Blue Federal has no minimum balance required and charges no fees to maintain an Accelerated Savings account. You also do not need to make monthly transfers or use it as a direct deposit account to be eligible to collect dividends. Plus, the maximum 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY on up to $1,000 is a generous rate.

What we don’t like about it: Blue Federal only pays the highest APY rate on up to $1,000, which is well below what competitors such as Varo offer. And Blue Federal’s APY rates are much lower for large balances. You also have to pay for membership, although it’s a pretty small one-time payment and half of it goes to Blue Federal’s charitable organization.

Visit Blue Federal Credit Union

Consumers Credit Union

Pros Cons
  • Up to 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY on up to $10,000 — a much higher dollar limit than most competitors offer
  • No monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirement
  • Option for early direct deposit
  • Unlimited check-writing abilities
  • You must meet many requirements to qualify for the highest APY
  • You must be a credit union member, which requires paying a non-refundable upfront fee and a minimum $5 balance in your Membership Share/Savings Account

Consumers Credit Union is a credit union, so its products are available only to members. To become a member, you have to pay a $5 non-refundable fee to Consumers’ sponsor, the Consumers Cooperative Association. You also have to maintain at least a $5 balance in your Membership Share/Savings Account.

Heads up
Unlike most credit unions, Consumers doesn’t offer fee-free membership to specific groups, such as employees of eligible companies or residents of a particular area.

Once you become a Consumers Credit Union member, you’ll have access to the credit union's Rewards Checking account. This isn’t a savings account, but it offers up to 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY on up to $10,000 of your money. That’s a great rate for a checking account. It’s higher than most high-yield savings accounts and makes it easy to keep all your money in one place.

Consumers also gives you access to more than 30,0000 ATMS and 5,000 shared branches, as well as unlimited reimbursement for ATM fees.

Why we like it: Consumers Credit Union has a generous rate — up to 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY. And you can have larger balances than many competitors — $10,000, compared with amounts as low as $1,000 at other institutions. You also get other benefits for banking with Consumer Credit Union, including an option for early direct deposit.

What we don’t like about it: You must complete a lot of requirements in order to be eligible for the highest APY rate. This includes direct deposits, mobile deposits, or ACH transfers of at least $500 monthly, as well as making at least 12 debit card purchases monthly, getting your documents electronically, and spending at least $1,000 monthly on your CCU Visa Credit Card.

Visit Consumers Credit Credit Union

Netspend

Pros Cons
  • Up to 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY
  • No minimum balance required
  • You can set up automated transfers to savings
  • No monthly direct deposit minimums to get the maximum APY
  • You must have a Netspend prepaid debit card account and use it to transfer money to your savings account
  • You can only transfer money from savings to your Netspend card six times monthly
  • You can only earn the highest APY on balances up to $1,000

Netspend is best known for its prepaid debit card, which has more than 10 million users. But Netspend offers a savings account as well. In fact, you can automatically transfer money from your Netspend card account into savings or manually transfer money over when you have a little extra money. When you transfer money to savings, you'll get a generous 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY on a balance of up to $1,000.

Why we like it: Netspend doesn’t require a minimum balance in order to open a savings account or to qualify for up to 5.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY. You also don’t need to set up direct deposit in order to get access to this generous interest rate. You can simply move money over when you want to or set up AutoSave to automatically transfer money into savings whenever you load funds on your Netspend card.

What we don’t like about it: You must have a Netspend debit card account to take advantage of the Netspend savings account. The prepaid debit card account includes fees, which vary depending on if you opt for the Pay-As-You-Go Plan or the Monthly Plan. You also earn the the highest APY only on balances up to $1,000 while the rate for money over this amount is very low.

Visit Netspend

Mango Money

Pros Cons
  • Up to 6.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY, which is higher than many competitors
  • Only a $25 minimum balance needed to qualify for the highest APY
  • You must have a Mango Card in order to qualify for the savings account, and this card charges fees
  • You must make signature purchases of at least $1,500 each month to qualify for the highest APY
  • The APY on balances above $2,500 is very low

Mango describes itself as providing a "fresh way to manage money." It features a Mango Card, which you can qualify for with no credit check or activation fee.

The Mango Card is a prepaid MasterCard, which you can add money to and use wherever MasterCard is accepted. As a prepaid debit card, the Mango Card comes with fees, including ATM or teller withdrawal fees, a monthly fee, and an inactivity fee. But once you've opened your Mango Card, you can easily begin saving in a high-yield savings account.

Why we like it: Mango’s highest 6.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY is higher than what most competitors offer. You also don't need a large balance to get it, or a certain number of direct deposits. This theoretically makes it easier to qualify for the highest APY.

What we don’t like about it: You're eligible for a savings account only if you have a Mango Card, which means paying the fees that come with it. You also must make at least $1,500 worth of signature purchases on your Mango prepaid debit card to get the highest rate, which is a lot to spend every month. If you can't meet these requirements, your APY will be much lower. The $2,500 limit on the highest APY is also lower than some other competitors.

What is a signature purchase?
A signature purchase is when you sign the receipt to complete a transaction rather than enter your debit card PIN. Press “credit” at checkout (rather than debit) to make it a signature purchase.

Some prepaid debit card accounts charge fees for signature purchases, but Mango only charges a signature purchase fee on international transactions.

Visit Mango Money

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While these accounts don't offer a full 5.00% APY, they are close to that level. However, you will want to check the individual requirements for each account to make sure you qualify for the highest rate, as there are often requirements you have to meet and limits on the amount of money you can earn on.

For example, CIT Bank provides a rate of 4.60% (as of May 23, 2023) APY on its Savings Connect account, but there's a $100 minimum opening deposit required to open your account. And T-Mobile MONEY provides up to 4.00% (as of May 9, 2023) APY on balances up to $3,000 if you're enrolled in a qualifying T-Mobile Plan, registered for perks with your T-Mobile ID, and have made at least 10 qualifying transactions or instant payments using T-Mobile MONEY or your checking account.

APY vs. simple interest rate and APR

APY stands for annual percentage yield and it’s a bit different from an interest rate, or an annual percentage rate (APR). An APY rate accounts for the effect of compound interest while APRs and simple interest rates do not.

For example, an account with 5.00% APY where interest compounds daily will have an APR of 4.88%.

Savings accounts commonly advertise the APY first and you may have to dig a bit to find the APR. APRs can also fluctuate depending on how often interest compounds. Accounts with interest that compounds daily will likely list lower APRs than accounts where interest compounds monthly. And APRs are also different from simple interest rates, which don’t account for things like fees.

If you want a longer-term view on how your account will perform, then the APY is more important — especially for stable account balances. But if your account balance tends to fluctuate a lot throughout the year, then you may find it more useful to look at the APR.

How to choose the best accounts with 5% interest

To pick the best savings accounts with a 5.00% APY, there are a few key tips you should follow:

  • Understand the requirements you need to meet: Depending on the account you choose, you may have to meet direct deposit requirements, use other financial products, or meet other criteria such as becoming a credit union member before you can get the highest APY rate.
  • Know how much money you can earn 5.00% APY on: It’s hard to find a savings account (or other type of account) that offers 5.00% APY on an unlimited sum of money. You may get this generous rate only on balances up to $1,000, $2,500, or $10,000.
  • Know what APY applies if you don't meet the requirements: If you do not meet the requirements for the 5.00% APY, find out what rate you will earn on your money. If it’s very low and you know you won’t always be able to meet the rate requirements, then you could ultimately earn more with a lower-rate savings account that has fewer hoops to jump through.

Do your research to make sure that a specific account works for you and your budget.

FAQ about 5% interest savings accounts

Can you get a 5.00% APY?

Yes, it’s possible to get 5.00% APY if you choose the right savings account and meet its requirements for earning this rate. Typically, those requirements include things like maintaining a certain account balance or having a certain amount of money directly deposited on a monthly basis. You will usually also be capped at how much money you can earn 5.00% APY on.

Do 5% interest savings accounts have minimum deposits?

Some of them do. For example, Mango Savings offers up to Up to 6.00% (as of May 23, 2023) APY, but you must have a minimum of $25 deposited. But some accounts are more lenient. 

Varo’s savings account offers up to 5.00% (as of May 9, 2023) APY with no minimum balance requirement other than a positive balance. Varo does have a direct deposit requirement, though. Be sure to read the details carefully when you look for a high-interest savings account.

Do 5.00% APY savings accounts have caps?

Usually, yes. Savings accounts offering 5.00% APY do typically cap the amount of money you can earn this interest rate on. For example, Netspend's Savings accounts caps the amount you can earn the highest interest rate on at $1,000. Others have higher caps, such as Consumers Credit Union Rewards Checking, which will pay its highest APY rate on balances up to $10,000.

How long will it take $1,000 to double at 5% interest?

It would take about 14.4 years for your money to double if you are earning 5% interest, assuming your interest compounds annually.

What is the rule of 69?

The rule of 69 is a method people use to estimate how long it would take for invested funds to double if interest compounded continuously. To figure out a principal’s doubling time using this rule, divide 69 by the rate of return for your investment and then add .35 to the number you get.

For example, if you were earning a 10% return with continuous compound interest, you could divide 69 by 10 and then add 0.35 to get 7.25 years.

Keep in mind that compound interest doesn’t work this way in the real world. Interest typically compounds daily, monthly, or annually.

Methodology

We looked for savings accounts or similar accounts (such as cash reserve, prepaid debit card, and rewards checking accounts) with at least 5.00% APY for our main picks. All of our picks offer mobile banking. We did not include money market accounts. We also excluded credit unions with location-based membership requirements. For our secondary list of picks, we looked for savings accounts with 4.00% APY or above. We did not consider every possible account available on the market for either list.

Varo Benefits

  • No monthly maintenance fees
  • Get paid up to two days early with direct deposit
  • Save more with a high-yield Varo savings account
  • Deposits are FDIC insured to at least $250,000

Author Details

Christy Rakoczy Christy Rakoczy has a Juris Doctorate from UCLA Law School with a focus in Business Law, and a Certificate in Business Marketing with an English Degree from The University of Rochester. As a full-time personal finance writer, she writes about all things money-related but her special areas of focus are credit cards, personal loans, student loans, mortgages, smart debt payoff strategies, and retirement and Social Security. Her work has been featured by USA Today, MSN Money, CNN Money and more, and you can learn more at her LinkedIn profile.