I Compared My Big Bank's Rate to a High-Yield Account - The Gap Shocked Me

Don't give out an interest-free loan.

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Updated Aug. 20, 2026
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Quick Read

  • If you've never looked at your savings rate, you're not alone. It's easy to put savings on autopilot in an account you never touch, but you could be leaving money on the table.
  • Banks that offer near-zero interest rates are using your money as an interest-free loan (and the big banks don't need your generosity!). 
  • High-yield savings accounts are an opportunity to make your money work for you, but many of them are online-only.
  • At the national average savings rate of 0.38% (as of 06/15/26), $20,000 earns $76 a year. The same balance could earn up to nine times more with a SoFi Checking and Savings account. See SoFi®'s current rate.

I've had the same big bank savings account since high school. I opened it with money from my summer job, and for years it's chugged along, holding a small emergency fund. I've opened up other accounts that are my primary checking and savings, but this savings account remained. I transfer money into it occasionally, but I haven't given it much thought.

Until I was inspired to look at the interest rate one day while reading about high-yield savings accounts.

And I was shocked.

My big bank's standard savings rate for basic accounts is a 0.01% annual percentage yield (APY) … and let's just say, my interest earned so far this year is basically $0. Meanwhile, those high-yield savings accounts I read about? If I had one of those with 4% APY, I'd have $400.

Here's how I found out I was leaving money on the table each year, and what I'm doing about it now that I know a high-yield savings account is dramatically different from the standard big bank savings.

The two rates, side by side

It makes me cringe seeing the numbers side-by-side, knowing how much money I've given up over the years. Let's say I have $10,000 in that account. At $400 a year, I could have earned over $4,000 in interest after a decade. But by leaving it in my old brick-and-mortar account, it would have earned ~$10 over a decade. That's a comparison that hurts to think about.

Balance Big bank (0.01%) High-yield (4%) Annual difference
$5,000 $0.50 $200 $199.50
$10,000 $1 $400 $399
$20,000 $2 $800 $798
$50,000 $5 $2,000 $1,995

Why I never looked

I wish I had a good reason for letting this interest rate go unchecked for so many years, but I don't. I opened it because I was too young to know any better, and there was a branch of this bank near my parents' house. My mom drove me there to open up a checking account to deposit my paychecks, and the savings account came with it. There was no more thought behind it than that.

I moved on to other accounts for my primary savings and retirement, and it never occurred to me to look at whether I was making money on the money in my savings.

We did the research for you.

Having your checking and savings accounts with the same financial institution can make money management a lot simpler. SoFi® was our 2026 award winner for Best Checking and Savings Combo because it delivers on interest and additional features.

For example, you could earn up to 3.80% APY on your savings balance with direct deposit. (3.10% APY2 with +0.70% APY Boost) for up to 6 Months on new accounts.1 SoFi also offers more special features than any other account combo we looked at:

No account fees: No overdraft fees.3 No minimum balance fees. No monthly fees.4 

Get paid up to two days early: Feel the magic of payday up to two days earlier — automatically — when you set up direct deposit.5

Access additional FDIC insurance up to $3M: Typically, single-member deposit accounts are federally insured up to $250,000. With SoFi, FDIC insurance up to $3 million on deposits is available through a seamless network of participating banks.6

Open an account with SoFi here.

What surprised me about the high-yield side

When I looked online to find high-yield savings accounts to compare my pitiful interest rate to, I expected that most of them would be online-only, and that was correct. But the bank is FDIC-insured, which is a must for any account where you're going to put your savings.

It has a $0 minimum deposit, no monthly fee, and a strong APY. It can't get better, right?

What I did with the number

Anytime you're switching banks, the process can feel intimidating. What phone calls do you need to make? What information do you need to provide? But for me, it's going to be worth it to move my money.

This is the perfect experiment to see how much I can grow this account (I also imagine I'll be more motivated to contribute when I actually see the interest increasing my bottom line!).

Bottom line

It's embarrassing to think about how long I just let my money sit in an account where it was earning almost $0. But I know I'm not the only one.

Big banks count on customers getting caught up in the convenience of having their money in one place, even if it means giving up hundreds of dollars in interest. Now that I know better, I'm moving my money to an online-only bank and earning a much higher interest rate.

FAQs

Why do big banks pay so little on savings?

When you don't need customers, you don't need to compete to bring more customers in. The big banks have plenty of account holders and plenty of money. They count on name recognition and customers' desire for convenience to keep their retention rates high and their interest rates low.

Is it worth switching for a slightly higher rate?

Not always. A higher rate may sound appealing, but what matters is how much more you'll actually earn. If it's only an extra $10 or $20 a year, switching may not be worth the effort. But with a larger balance, even a small rate difference can add up. Do the math and decide whether the extra earnings are worth the move.

Would You Spend Ten Minutes for $1,465?

That's roughly the year's difference on $40,000 between the national average and the up-to-4.00% rates available now. And ten minutes isn't a figure of speech. You just provide some information, like your name, address, Social Security number, and the account your deposit money's coming from. But rates are variable and follow the market, which is why the only number worth acting on is today's. Compare the current top accounts here.

Bank/Institution APY info Open Account Bonus Offer
Financebuzz awards badge
2026 AWARD WINNER Best Checking and Savings Combo
5.0
info
3.80
% APY
With $0 min. balanceinfo
Learn More
on SoFi's secure website
Member FDIC
Limited-Time Offer: +0.70% boost on Savings APY to up to 3.80% for up to 6 months on new accounts1 + $50 or $400 Bonus with eligible direct deposit.2 Terms apply.
4.8
info
4.00
% APY
With $250+ monthly depositsinfo
Learn More
on Happen Bank's secure website
Member FDIC
4.3
info
4.10
% APY
With $5,000 min. balance7
Learn More
on CIT Bank's secure website
Member FDIC
Limited-Time Offer: Earn up to 4.10% APY (3.75% APY7with +0.35% APY Boost) on balances of $5,000 or more for up to 6 months.8 Enter code CITBoost to qualify. $100 minimum opening deposit.
4.9
info
4.15
% APY
With $1 min. balance9
Learn More
on Raisin's secure website
Member FDIC
Limited-Time Offer: Use code SUMMER26 to earn a cash bonus based on your savings balance. Earn up to $60 for $10,000, $150 for $25,000, $300 for $50,000, $600 for $100,000, or $1,200 for $200,000 or more. Visit site for full details.10

Limited-Time Offer
Financebuzz awards badge
2026 AWARD WINNER Best Checking and Savings Combo
5.0
info
Open Account on SoFi's secure website, Member FDIC
APY
3.80% info
Minimum Balance for APY
$0
Bonus Offer
Up to $400 info
Why We Like It
  • Limited-Time Offer: Earn a $50 or $400 cash bonus2plus a boosted 3.80% APY1on Savings for up to 6 months when you open a new account and set up eligible direct deposits. Terms apply.
  • No account, overdraft, or monthly fees4
  • Get your paycheck up to two days early with direct deposit5
  • Access additional FDIC insurance up to $3 million6
  • Trustpilot Rating: "Excellent" 4.3/5 
Open Account on SoFi's secure website, Member FDIC

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