Skip to Main Content

Best CD rates of September 2026 (Up to 4.50%)

Written by
Matthew Goldberg
and
Karen Bennett
Edited by
Rhys Subitch
Reviewed by
Stephen Kates, CFP
Verified Badge IconExpert verified

Updated September 21, 2026

At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. Though our partners compensate us from links on this page, we maintain editorial integrity, and partners don't influence our product evaluations. Here's how we make money and here is our advertiser disclosure.

Opening a certificate of deposit (CD) allows you to lock in an attractive fixed rate and earn higher returns compared to traditional savings accounts, while providing guaranteed growth for a set period. Currently, the best CD rates still earn around 4% APY and are highest on short-term CDs. The top rate tracked by Bankrate's editorial team is 4.50% offered by Suncoast Credit Union.

Personalize your search
$

CD rates today

Sponsored offers

These are sponsored offers rated highly by us for competitive rates, fees, and minimums. .

Marcus by Goldman Sachs CD
Marcus by Goldman Sachs
Bankrate score: 4.8 out of 5Member FDIC
APY as of 9/21/2026
4.35%
Minimum deposit
$500
Term
18 month
Bankrate score
Bankrate score: 4.8 out of 5

Backed by the financial expertise of Goldman Sachs.

Synchrony Bank CD
Synchrony Bank
Bankrate score: 4.8 out of 5Member FDIC
APY as of 9/21/2026
4.30%
Minimum deposit
$0
Term
16 month
Bankrate score
Bankrate score: 4.8 out of 5

Open a CD Account with Great Rates and No Minimum Deposit.

Happen Bank CD
LendingClub
Bankrate score: 4.5 out of 5Member FDIC
APY as of 9/21/2026
4.40%
Minimum deposit
$500
Term
2 year
Bankrate score
Bankrate score: 4.5 out of 5

Showing 3 of 3

Find an APY that is 450x higher than big banks

Don't settle for a low APY. Level up your savings with one of Bankrate's top rates.

Member FDIC
APY as of 9/21
0.01%
Min bal for APY
$1,000
Est. earnings
$5
Chase Bank CDRead review
2.5/5Bankrate savings score

Calculate your savings in seconds

$
%

No amount yet in total interest earned

Bankrate’s editorial picks

Our expert’s curated selection of competitive CD offers. Bankrate's editorial team selects these offers based on competitive rates, minimal fees, and overall value to consumers. Our experts regularly review and update these picks to ensure they represent the best options available. How we choose our picks

Popular Direct CD

Member FDICBankrate score: 3.6 out of 5
Read review, opens in a new tab
APY as of 9/15/2026
4.50%
Minimum opening balance
$10,000
Term
3 year

Why Popular Direct:

Popular Direct offers a solid array of CD terms with high yields, ranging from three months to five years. However, the $10,000 minimum deposit required to open one is prohibitively high.

First National Bank of America CD

Member FDICBankrate score: 4.3 out of 5
Read review, opens in a new tab
APY as of 9/21/2026
4.20%
Minimum opening balance
$1,000
Term
18 month

Why First National Bank of America:

First National Bank of America offers a wide range of CDs, including a 10-year CD. Yields vary, but most First National Bank CDs earn solid to high APYs. At least $1,000 is required to open a CD.

Sallie Mae Bank CD

Member FDICBankrate score: 4.2 out of 5
Read review, opens in a new tab
APY as of 9/21/2026
4.40%
Minimum opening balance
$2,500
Term
3 year

Why Sallie Mae Bank:

Sallie Mae Bank offers a wide variety of CD terms. But savers will need to look elsewhere if they don’t have at least $2,500 to open one of these CDs.

BTG Pactual Bank CD

Member FDICBankrate score: 4.1 out of 5
Read review, opens in a new tab
APY as of 9/15/2026
4.45%
Minimum opening balance
$500
Term
4 year

Synchrony Bank CD

Member FDICBankrate score: 4.8 out of 5
Read review, opens in a new tab
APY as of 9/21/2026
4.35%
Minimum opening balance
$0
Term
5 year

Why Synchrony Bank:

Synchrony Bank offers nearly any term of CD you’ll need. You can choose between traditional CDs, a no-penalty CD and a bump-up CD. There’s no minimum deposit required, so nearly anyone can start saving with a Synchrony Bank CD.

E*Trade by Morgan Stanley CD

Member FDICBankrate score: 4.5 out of 5
Read review, opens in a new tab
APY as of 9/15/2026
4.35%
Minimum opening balance
$0
Term
3 year

Why E*Trade by Morgan Stanley:

E*Trade from Morgan Stanley offers some of the best CD rates on the market, especially for terms of one year or less. Unlike most competitors offering similarly high rates, it doesn't have a minimum deposit requirement. But its early withdrawal penalties can be hefty (for example, 270 days' worth of interest on a three-year term).

Quorum Federal Credit Union CD

Insured by NCUABankrate score: 4.0 out of 5
Read review, opens in a new tab
APY as of 9/15/2026
4.35%
Minimum opening balance
$100
Term
1 year

Bread Savings CD

Member FDICBankrate score: 4.1 out of 5
Read review, opens in a new tab
APY as of 9/18/2026
4.40%
Minimum opening balance
$1,500
Term
18 month

Why Bread Savings:

Bread Savings offers nine CD terms, ranging from three months to five years. All CDs come with competitive yields. There is a $1,500 minimum opening deposit requirement, which is higher than other banks require.

Marcus by Goldman Sachs CD

Member FDICBankrate score: 4.8 out of 5
Read review, opens in a new tab
APY as of 9/21/2026
4.35%
Minimum opening balance
$500
Term
2 year

Why Marcus by Goldman Sachs:

Marcus by Goldman Sachs offers nearly every term and type of CD that most savers would want, including no-penalty and bump-up CDs, and they all have competitive rates. Marcus also offers a 10-day rate guarantee, giving you the highest rate available if the rate changes after opening the CD.

CFG Bank CD

Member FDICBankrate score: 4.4 out of 5
Read review, opens in a new tab
APY as of 9/21/2026
4.30%
Minimum opening balance
$500
Term
1 year

Why CFG Bank:

CFG Bank is a regional bank that maintains branches in Maryland, although some of its accounts can be opened online. CFG offers four terms of CDs, all of which pay top-notch rates. What’s more, they require a comparatively low minimum deposit of $500.

TAB Bank CD

Member FDICBankrate score: 4.4 out of 5
Read review, opens in a new tab
APY as of 9/15/2026
4.20%
Minimum opening balance
$1,000
Term
5 year

Why TAB Bank:

TAB Bank offers a handful of CDs, ranging from one to five year terms. All CDs can be opened with $1,000 and each term offers highly highly competitive, making this an appealing option for building a CD ladder.

Accordia CD

Member FDICBankrate score: 4.1 out of 5
Read review, opens in a new tab
APY as of 9/15/2026
4.20%
Minimum opening balance
$1,000
Term
1 year

Why Accordia:

Accordia Bank offers CDs ranging from six months to five years, and they all earn solid yields. The minimum deposit of $1,000 required to open an account is also reasonable.

How Bankrate works

Woman looking for rates
01

Compare rates

See savings and CD rates from different banks and credit unions in one place, so you can quickly compare your options.

02

Choose an account

Check the rate, terms and requirements, then pick the account that helps your savings grow faster.

03

Continue to the bank

Click through to the bank or credit union to open your account and start earning interest.

See how we pick our picks: Read our Best CD rates research methodology

Table of contents

Recent news on CD rates

CD rates remain high, for now. The highest CD rates right now, according to Bankrate’s analysis, are mostly found on short-term CDs of five months to twelve months. Unfortunately, with inflation sitting at 3.4% on an annual basis as of July, that doesn't mean as much as it used to. Right now you can protect your purchasing power by storing your savings, but inflation has outpaced CD rates in the recent past.

CD rates have been trending downward since late 2023, which was the peak of the current rate cycle. That’s because CD rates at least partially respond to moves that the Federal Reserve makes with the benchmark federal funds rate.

They began to move downward in earnest after the Fed cut rate cuts three times in late 2025. In 2026 so far, the Fed has kept the fed funds rate steady, but competitive CD rates have still inched down, slowly.  

Learn more: CD rate forecast for 2026

How to choose the best CD for you

When choosing a CD, find the highest APY for the term that you need for your financial goals. You also want to consider the early withdrawal penalty so you know what’ll happen in the worst-case scenario if you need to pull your money out early. 

Lightbulb Icon

Do the math before you commit

Even though the rate on a short-term CD may be higher than a long-term one, you’ll earn more in a longer-term CD because you’re letting the compound interest accrue longer. 

Compare top CD rates today by term

Here’s where you’ll find some of the top-yielding CDs by term.

Caret Down Icon
Institution APY Min. deposit
Bask Bank 4.10% APY $1,000
Bread Savings 3.90% APY $1,500
Popular Direct 3.90% APY $10,000
Institution APY Min. deposit
Quorum Federal Credit Union 4.30% APY $100
E*TRADE 4.20% APY No minimum
Happen Bank 4.20% APY $500
Institution APY Min. deposit
BTG Pactual Bank 4.35% APY $500
Bask Bank 4.35% APY $1,000
CFG Bank 4.30% APY $500
Institution APY Min. deposit
Popular Direct 4.50% APY $10,000
BTG Pactual Bank 4.40% APY $500
Bread Savings 4.40% APY $1,500
Institution APY Min. deposit
Bread Savings 4.50% APY $1,500
Popular Direct 4.50% APY $10,000
BTG Pactual Bank 4.45% APY $500

Note: Annual percentage yields (APYs) shown were updated between Sept. 14 and Sept. 20. Bankrate's editorial team validates this information regularly. APYs may have changed since they were last updated and may vary by region for some products. Bankrate includes only FDIC banks or NCUA credit unions in its listings.

Your CD can beat the average interest rates for CDs

Researching average interest rates provides insight into the CD rate environment and can help in finding a CD with a yield that's much higher than average. Here are the current average rates as of Sep 21, according to Bankrate's most recent survey of institutions:

CD term CD national average APY
1 year 2.06%
2 year 1.81%
3 year 1.7%
4 year 1.86%
5 year 1.75%

Expert Insight

National CD APY averages are less than half of some top online banks and credit unions. Getting a great rate doesn't take more than a quick shop around with the knowledge that top rates currently sit around 4%. Big banks rely on the convenience of keeping your money all in one place, but an online bank or credit union will likely give you a much better rate for a little more effort.

Image of Rhys Subitch

Rhys Subitch

Editor, Deposits

Pros and cons of CDs

Pros

  • Checkmark Icon

    Guaranteed rate.

  • Checkmark Icon

    Potentially higher APY than other savings products.

  • Checkmark Icon

    A helpful barrier between you and your savings for future expenses.

  • Checkmark Icon

    Federally insured, up to a limit.

Cons

  • There is usually a penalty to access to your money.

  • Risk of rates rising during your CD term.

  • You usually can’t add funds over time.

  • Potentially better returns in the stock market but with a lot more risk.

Types of CDs

Banks and credit unions offer a wide range of CDs to fit different financial needs. Take some time to consider which type of CD is best for you.

Caret Down Icon

Traditional CDs are the most common type of CD. They earn a fixed APY for the entire term and don’t allow you to add more funds after your opening deposit.

They also charge you an early withdrawal penalty for taking your money out before the CD matures.

When this CD makes sense: Traditional CDs are a good choice if you know exactly when you’ll need the money, and there’s no chance of needing it before the term is up. They’re often good for CD ladders or other CD investing strategies in which timing is important.

No-penalty CDs — also known as liquid CDs — allow you to withdraw your money early without being charged a penalty. 

No-penalty CD rates tend to be lower than regular CD rates, but they can be better than some high-yield savings account or money market account rates.

When this CD makes sense: Consider a no-penalty CD if you don’t plan to withdraw the money before the CD matures, but you want to keep some flexibility just in case.

Bump-up CDs allow you to request an increase in your rate during the CD term under certain conditions. Banks that offer this CD usually allow just one bump-up per term. Like no-penalty CDs, bump-up CDs often pay lower rates than traditional CDs.

When this CD makes sense: A bump-up CD could be a good option if rates are expected to rise significantly during the term of the CD. Otherwise, you’re likely accepting a lower rate for limited potential upside.

Alternatives to CDs

High-yield savings account

These accounts pay rates that are on par with many of the best CDs but give you easier access to your savings.

Caret Right Icon

Money market account

This is an interest-bearing account that’s similar to a savings account but also offers some checking account features.

Caret Right Icon

CD FAQs

How to use CDs to prepare for your next big purchase

Use a CD to save for a down payment

And learn about other ways to save toward a house

Caret Right Icon
Father holding his baby child while working on financial documents

Build a CD ladder

Learn how to use a CD ladder for short- and long-term investing

Caret Right Icon

Bankrate's CD calculator

Calculate your potential earnings with our CD calculator

Caret Right Icon

Find the best jumbo CD rates

If you have a lot saved toward a downpayment, you could find higher CD rates with a jumbo CD

Caret Right Icon

Meet our Bankrate experts

Matthew Goldberg
Written by
Matthew Goldberg Matthew Goldberg Arrow Right Icon
Former Senior Consumer Banking Reporter
Read more from Matthew
Matthew Goldberg is an award-winning writer who has been in financial services for more than 14 years. He uses his banking experience to help inform readers as they make important personal finance decisions.
CD Icon
Credentials
  • Property (Colorado)
  • Life (Colorado)
Ribbon Icon
Expertise
  • Consumer banking
  • Savings accounts and CDs
Karen Bennett
Co-written by
Karen Bennett Karen Bennett Arrow Right Icon
Consumer Banking Reporter
Read more from Karen
Karen Bennett is a senior consumer banking reporter at Bankrate where she uses her years of banking and personal finance experience to help inform readers about money-related decisions. She’s been a reporter at Bankrate since 2021.
Ribbon Icon
Expertise
  • Consumer banking
  • Savings accounts
Rhys Subitch
Edited by
Rhys Subitch
Editor, Deposits
Stephen Kates, CFP
Reviewed by
Stephen Kates, CFP
Former Bankrate Financial Analyst, Wealth

Research methodology

Bankrate researches over 100 banks and credit unions, including some of the largest financial institutions, online-only banks, regional banks and credit unions with both open and restrictive membership policies. 

To find the best CD rates, we regularly survey CD offerings from the banks and credit unions that continually offer the most competitive CD rates. We also score these institutions on their CD offerings, including APY, minimum deposit requirements, term selection and more. Banks and credit unions receive penalties against their overall scores for each consent decree, penalty in a case brought by a federal regulator or in a certified, federal class-action lawsuit, or adverse federal judgment for harming deposits customers.

The banks and credit unions on this page are selected based on their CD APYs, minimum opening deposit requirements and Bankrate’s score for their CDs. Only banks and credit unions with broadly available CD offerings made the list. Learn more about how we choose the best banking products and our methodology for reviewing banks.

Clock and dollar bills representing a Certificate of Deposit, with the title Best CD Rates

Learn more

Calculator Icon
Get Started

Calculate your CD earnings

Estimate how much money you will earn with a fixed APY when your CD matures.

CD Icon
Compare

Pros and cons of CD investing

Weigh the benefits and drawbacks of CD accounts to determine if this savings strategy is right for you.

Invest Rate Icon
In the news

Current CD rates

Stay informed about today's rate environment and what our experts have to say about opening a CD.