Standout High-Yield Savings Accounts

Building an emergency fund

Emergency funds don’t get enough credit. They’re useful to literally everyone and protect you from falling into debt when life happens. Think: blown transmission, a surprise vet bill or even losing a job. Experts recommend having 3-6 months of living expenses in your fund. And because the money needs to be available at last notice — but might sit around for quite a while — a high-interest savings account is one of the best accounts you can use.

Why online banks dominate the list

The two most important factors for virtually every bank-shopper are APYs and maintenance fees (since they have the biggest impact on your bottom line). And, as it happens, online banks are offering massive APYs — as much as 10x the average APY** — plus, they also offer rock-bottom maintenance fees.

**10x more interest based on the national average annual percentage yield ("APY") of 0.38% (as reported by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as of Aug 17, 2026) as compared to online banks with interest-bearing savings account APYs of 0.40% or more. Estimated annual earnings result assumes principal and interest remain on deposit for one year and interest rates and APY do not change. Estimated annual earnings are for informational purposes only. Interest rates and APY are subject to change and specific results cannot be guaranteed.

*The national average annual percentage yield ("APY") is listed as 0.38% as reported by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as of Aug 17, 2026.