Best 3-month CD rates for April 2025

Note: Annual percentage yields (APYs) shown were updated between April 21 and April 27. Bankrate's editorial team validates this information regularly, typically biweekly. 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.

Check out the best three-month CDs offered by banks and credit unions and weigh the pros and cons of going with a short-term CD over an account that’s more liquid. Don’t forget to crunch the numbers and calculate how much interest you could earn by the end of your term.

Annual percentage yields (APYs) on CDs can vary greatly among banks, so it pays to shop around on a site such as Bankrate for a CD with the highest yield. Often, online-only banks and some credit unions pay considerably higher rates than large brick-and-mortar banks.

A benefit of a three-month CD is it only ties up your money for a relatively short period of time, yet a drawback is you’ll often find higher rates from longer-term CDs.

Other factors to consider when choosing a three-month CD include minimum deposit requirements as well as what the penalty is for early withdrawals.

Whether a three-month CD is right for you depends on your own financial situation and goals. Due to its short term, a three-month CD could be a good investment for those who want the money freed up soon for planned purchases or to invest elsewhere.

When looking at three-month CDs, be sure to compare their rates with those offered from top high-yield savings accounts. You may be able to find a savings account that earns a higher yield, and this way you won’t need to lock in your funds for any amount of time — although savings accounts have variable APYs, which means banks can change them at any time.

• Savings accounts: You may be able to score a higher APY from a savings account than from a three-month CD, and an added benefit of a savings account is it doesn’t tie up your money for any period of time.
• Money market accounts: Like savings accounts, money market accounts are liquid accounts, meaning you have access to your money at any time without an early withdrawal penalty. An added benefit of money market accounts is they sometimes come with a debit card and check-writing privileges, unlike CDs or standard savings accounts (although their minimum deposit requirements may be higher than those of other deposit accounts).
• Bonds: Like CDs, bonds can offer a higher degree of security than stocks, with both often providing a fixed interest rate. As for liquidity, CDs usually carry an early withdrawal penalty, while bonds have maturity dates — although it’s possible to sell most bonds sooner on secondary markets.

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 three-month CD rates, we regularly survey three-month CD offerings from the banks and credit unions that continually offer the most competitive rates.

The banks and credit unions on this page are selected based on their current APY for a three-month CD and minimum deposit requirements. Only banks and credit unions with broadly available CDs made the list. Learn more about our methodology for reviewing banks.