Skip to Main Content

Banking

From savings account details to bank reviews, economic insights and more — Bankrate offers valuable information and advice for you.

Explore banking basics

Middle aged woman on laptop

How to open a certificate of deposit (CD)

Banking
Everything you need to know about opening an account.
Woman sitting outside of restaurant looking at cell phone

How to start saving (even if you’re starting from scratch)

Banking
Getting into the habit of paying yourself first is hard. Here are some ideas to help you start.
Illustration of two hands holding phones, sending physical gold coins to one another.

How to transfer money from one bank to another: 4 ways

Banking
Keep fees in check when you shift money from one bank account to another.

Editor's picks

Experts in all things banking

Our expert reporters and editors bring the news and analysis you need—backed by data and firsthand experience.

About Bankrate
Greg McBride

Greg McBride, CFA Arrow Right Icon

Chief Financial Analyst

Sarah Foster

Sarah Foster Arrow Right Icon

Principal U.S. Economy Reporter

Mark Hamrick

Mark Hamrick Arrow Right Icon

Senior Economic Analyst

Banking data studies

Money next to flashing sirens
Over 1 in 3 people tapped emergency savings in the past year, per a new Bankrate survey.
Piggy bank with doctors equipment. Cute and comical
A mid-year checkup is the most effective way to ensure my finances are on track.
And elderly couple discussing HYSA options
Two-thirds of American savers say they’re earning rates below 4% APY. Here’s why.

Featured by names you know and trust

Latest articles

woman, using laptop while working from home
Top high-yielding savings accounts continue to handily outpace inflation.
Woman watering plants.
Check out the latest CD rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of banks and thrifts.
Financial manager meeting with couple in bank branch office
Get the latest rates on top-yielding money market accounts.
Women using tablet
Online checking accounts stand out for different features. Here’s our top picks.
Piggy bank with cash overflowing
Walk away with stacks of cash just for opening a checking or savings account.
Planning, finance and couple with paper and laptop for budget
These joint checking accounts are ideal for sharing finances with another person.
Whimsical illustration of a hand putting a quarter into a miniature but realistic high end safe. As if it were a piggy bank
Comparing savings rates can ensure you get the best return on your savings.
Image by GettyImages, Illustrated by Bankrate
The APY percentage shows how much an account earns per year. Here’s what you need to know.
woman, using laptop while working from home
Top high-yielding savings accounts continue to handily outpace inflation.
Financial manager meeting with couple in bank branch office
Get the latest rates on top-yielding money market accounts.
Whimsical illustration of a hand putting a quarter into a miniature but realistic high end safe. As if it were a piggy bank
Comparing savings rates can ensure you get the best return on your savings.
Image by GettyImages, Illustrated by Bankrate
The APY percentage shows how much an account earns per year. Here’s what you need to know.
Focused young woman entering banking credit card information in computer application, making household payments online, booking flight tickets or hotel, purchasing goods or confirming transaction.
APYs on high-yield savings accounts remain competitive after Fed rate decision.
Woman working from home with a child in the background
A new Bankrate analysis shows mothers earned 31 percent less in wages than fathers in 2023.
Image by Getty Images, Illustration by Bankrate
Recession risks are rising. Learn six smart savings strategies to protect your money before it hits.
Image of a round pink piggybank in a life raft floating on water.
JPMorgan raises recession probability to 50%. Learn five practical steps to protect your savings before economic conditions worsen.
woman working on her laptop at the kitchen table
CDs come in many varieties, making it easy to find one that meets your needs.
Illustration of calculator and stacks of cash
If you have $25,000 to invest in a CD right now, here’s how much you could earn.
Illustration of a bar graph, moving down from left to right.
When policymakers and investors seek economic insight, they often use a tool called the yield curve. A yield curve measures the spread between yields on short- and long-term maturity bonds over time. It’s [...]
A woman ponders
Find out what happens to CDs that are set to mature.
Middle aged woman on laptop
Everything you need to know about opening an account.
A collection of assorted items: old analog alarm clock, padlock, keys, a check, a hand holding cash
CDs often pay better interest than savings accounts and can amp up your nest egg.
Man at laptop, deep in thought
Certificates of deposit offer peace of mind, but they’re not without some drawbacks.
A person researches on a laptop.
Learn when a CD is worth it, when it is not, and alternatives to consider in 2025.
Man working on laptop and drinking coffee
Money market funds are available from several different brokers and fund managers.
A young woman researches on her phone at a cafe.
Short answer? Yes. Here’s what you need to know.
woman at ATM
Our top 5 picks scored highly for access, range of products and digital options.
happy couple signing papers
Earn more on your business cash with high-yield accounts offering competitive APYs.
Ally Bank logo
Ally’s money market account offers a high APY, no minimum deposit or monthly fee.
Business women discussing project at table in modern office
Business money market accounts offer higher yields while maintaining access to funds.
man and woman working together at a computer in an office
Find the right business savings account to help your company’s money grow.
Person working at table with computer, drinking coffee and looking at smartphone
Learn why you need to check your APY.
Women using tablet
Online checking accounts stand out for different features. Here’s our top picks.
Bank of America at Times Square
Bank of America offers perks beyond basic banking, including museum passes, cash back deals and $300 new account bonuses.
A check-cashing store.
If you don’t have a bank account, check-cashing services offer access to your money, at a cost.
close up of hands signing a check
Checks aren’t as ubiquitous as they once were, but you may still have to write one.
Older woman and child putting pennies in a jar
We all use our checking accounts for the basic purposes — direct deposit of our paychecks, paying monthly bills and making debit card purchases. And while usually you’re seeing money leave your checking [...]
Business owner talking on phone.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re considering a switch to business checking.
Stay on top of your money with the right balance between your checking and savings.
Person using an ATM
Check out the 13 different types of checking accounts.