What is the best CD rate right now?

As of July 2026, CD Valet tracks rates up to 5.09% APY on 12-month CDs across 5,000+ FDIC/NCUA institutions. Among well-known online banks, Marcus by Goldman Sachs offers as low as 4.00% APY on its 9-month CD and Popular Direct offers as low as 4.15% APY on its 1-year CD for qualified applicants. Use CD Valet's free search to find the best rate available in your specific state.

Are CDs safe right now?

Yes. CDs at FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions are federally protected up to $250,000 per depositor, per institution, per ownership category. That protection holds regardless of market conditions. The main risk in CDs is opportunity cost — if rates rise after you lock in, you're stuck at the lower rate unless you hold a no-penalty or rate bump CD.

Should I choose a CD or a high-yield savings account?

If you won't need the money for a set period, a CD usually offers a higher guaranteed rate than an HYSA. HYSAs have variable rates that can drop at any time; CDs lock in your rate for the full term. If you might need access to the funds, an HYSA or no-penalty CD is the safer choice. Many savers use both: an HYSA for their emergency fund and CDs for longer-horizon committed savings.

What happens when my CD matures?

Most banks give you a 7–10 day grace period to withdraw, reinvest, or let the CD auto-renew. If you do nothing, it typically rolls over at the current rate for the same term — which may be lower than when you originally opened it. Always mark your maturity date and compare rates before the grace period expires.

Is CD Valet free to use?

Yes. CD Valet is completely free and requires no account or signup. It earns revenue through data licensing to institutions, not from consumer fees. The rate data comes directly from FDIC and NCUA institution disclosure pages, updated daily.

What is the early withdrawal penalty on a CD?

Penalties vary by bank and term, typically ranging from 60 to 365 days of interest forfeited. Marcus charges 90 days of interest for terms up to 12 months and 270 days for longer terms. Ally's No Penalty CD and Marcus No Penalty CD charge zero early-withdrawal penalty in exchange for a slightly lower rate. Always review the penalty schedule before opening if you're uncertain about your time horizon.

Verified via CD Valet · July 2026

Best CD Rates July 2026

Rates up to 5.09% APY across 5,000+ FDIC and NCUA institutions — verified daily via CD Valet, our primary data partner.

Find My Best Rate via CD Valet All Banking Guides

Daily rate updates FDIC & NCUA verified All 50 states

Popular Direct 1-Year

⭐ EDITOR'S PICKWalletGrower's #1 CD Rate Source

CD Valet — Search 5,000+ Institutions

Most comparison sites show you 10–12 partner banks. CD Valet searches 5,000+ FDIC/NCUA institutions across all 50 states — including local credit unions that routinely offer 5%+ APY rates that never appear on mainstream lists.

Compare CD Rates via CD Valet

5,000+

FDIC/NCUA institutions

5.09%

Top APY tracked (12-mo)

States covered

Daily

Rate updates

CD Rates Comparison — July 2026

Rates verified from issuer disclosure pages, Bankrate, NerdWallet, and CD Valet. APYs change frequently — confirm directly with the institution before opening.

Bank / Provider	Best For	Top Rate (APY)	Min. Deposit	Specialty CDs
Editor's PickCD Valet	Search the full market — all 50 states	Up to 5.09%	Varies	5,000+ institutions
Marcus by Goldman Sachs	Best overall CD suite	4.00% (9-mo)	$500	No-Penalty, Rate Bump
Popular Direct	Best for high balances	4.15% (1-yr)	$10,000	None
Ally Bank	Best flexibility, $0 min	Competitive	$0	No-Penalty, Raise Your Rate
TAB Bank	Best long-term rate	4.20% (5-yr)	$1,000	None
Bread Savings	Best multi-term consistency	4.00% (1/3/5-yr)	$1,500	None

Editor's PickCD Valet

Up to 5.09%

Search the full market — all 50 states · Min: Varies

Marcus by Goldman Sachs

4.00% (9-mo)

Best overall CD suite · Min: $500

Popular Direct

4.15% (1-yr)

Best for high balances · Min: $10,000

Ally Bank

Competitive

Best flexibility, $0 min · Min: $0

TAB Bank

4.20% (5-yr)

Best long-term rate · Min: $1,000

Bread Savings

4.00% (1/3/5-yr)

Best multi-term consistency · Min: $1,500

Verified by the WalletGrower Editorial Team — current as of July 2, 2026. Rates, fees, and offers can change between our update cycles; confirm on the provider's site before applying.

In-Depth Reviews

Our editorial team verifies pros, cons, and rates independently. We do not accept payment for favorable placement.

⭐ Editor's Pick

CD Valet — Best CD Rate Search Engine

Up to 5.09% APY

12-month, across network

Best for: Savers who want the full market — not just a partner bank's lineup

Pros

Searches 5,000+ FDIC/NCUA institutions
Use map and filters to find best local rates
"Open Now" links directly to digital account opening
Subscribe to receive top CD rate alerts
Includes a FREE Early Withdrawal Penalty Calculator for CD planning
Features a CD APY Checkpoint Tool that shows whether your current rate is Excellent, Good, Fair, or Poor compared to today's market.

Cons

Open accounts directly with each institution, not CD Valet
Some CDs are not available nationwide

WG Verdict: CD Valet is our top pick because it shows you the full market. If you're serious about getting the best rate — not just the best among a limited lineup of partner institutions — start here.

Search CD Rates via CD Valet

#2 Best Overall Suite

Marcus by Goldman Sachs — Best Overall CD Suite

4.00% APY

9-month, as low as

Best for: Savers who want rate variety, specialty CDs, and a trusted name with a low $500 minimum

Pros

13 term lengths from 6 months to 6 years
No-Penalty CD — withdraw early without losing interest
Rate Bump CD — request a one-time rate increase if Marcus raises rates
$500 minimum — low by major-bank standards
FDIC-insured up to $250,000

Cons

Not available in all states for new customers
Standard CDs have early withdrawal penalties (90–270 days interest)
Rates have trended lower since 2024 peaks

WG Verdict: Marcus earns its spot for having the most comprehensive CD menu among major online banks — no other major brand offers No-Penalty + Rate Bump + 13 terms at a $500 minimum.

View Marcus CD Rates

#3 Best High Balance

Popular Direct — Best for High-Balance Savers

4.15% APY

1-year, as low as

Best for: Savers who can meet a $10,000 minimum and want a strong 1-year rate

Pros

Competitive 1-year rate among established online banks
FDIC-insured as part of Popular Bank
Available nationwide online
Multiple term lengths from 3 months to 5 years

Cons

$10,000 minimum deposit required
No specialty CD types (no-penalty or rate bump)
More limited customer service than full-service banks

WG Verdict: Popular Direct's rate-to-minimum ratio is strong for high-balance savers who want a name-brand institution and don't need specialty CD features.

View Popular Direct CD Rates

#4 Best Flexibility

Ally Bank — Best for Flexibility

Competitive APY

no minimum deposit

Best for: Savers who want $0 minimum and the ability to exit early or raise their rate

Pros

No Penalty CD — withdraw full balance penalty-free after 6 days
Raise Your Rate CD — request rate increase once (2-yr) or twice (4-yr)
$0 minimum deposit on all CDs
Strong 24/7 customer service

Cons

Standard High Yield CD rates typically don't lead the market
Online-only — no branches
No-Penalty CD rate is lower than comparable fixed CDs

WG Verdict: Ally is the best pick for savers who value optionality over maximizing yield — no minimum, penalty-free exit, and the ability to capture rate increases mid-term.

View Ally CD Rates

#5 Best Long-Term

TAB Bank — Best Long-Term Rate

4.20% APY

5-year, as low as

Best for: Savers looking to lock in a rate for 3–5 years with a modest $1,000 minimum

Pros

Competitive 5-year rate above the national average
FDIC-insured (cert #34601)
Available nationwide online
$1,000 minimum — modest for long-term CDs

Cons

Less name recognition than major brands
No specialty CD types
Online-only — no branches

WG Verdict: TAB Bank's 5-year rate is worth considering if you want to lock in returns through potential future rate cuts. Verify FDIC membership at bankfind.fdic.gov before opening.

View TAB Bank CD Rates

#6 Best Multi-Term

Bread Savings — Best Consistent Multi-Term Rates

4.00% APY

1-, 3-, 5-year, as low as

Best for: Savers who want consistent rates across multiple terms for CD laddering

Pros

Consistent rates across 1-, 3-, and 5-year terms
FDIC-insured
Clean, simple online interface
Modest $1,500 minimum

Cons

$1,500 minimum deposit
No specialty CDs
Rates can lag market leaders in fast-moving rate environments

WG Verdict: Bread Savings is the most reliable pick for CD laddering — consistent rates across multiple terms mean you're not hunting for a single peak-rate product each time a rung matures.

View Bread Savings CD Rates

Which CD Is Right for You?

Match your timeline to the right product.

⚡

Need money in under 12 months

→ Ally No-Penalty CD or Marcus 9-month

No-Penalty CD lets you exit early; Marcus 9-month locks in a strong short-term rate

🎯

Saving for a 1–2 year goal

→ Popular Direct 1-year or Marcus 12-month

Best blend of rate and access for defined near-term goals like a home down payment

🔒

Won't need it for 3–5 years

→ TAB Bank 5-year

Locks in today's rate through potential future Fed cuts — reduces reinvestment risk

🪜

Unsure of timeline — want flexibility

→ CD ladder across 1-, 2-, 3-year CDs

Split across multiple maturities: rolling liquidity + rate diversification across environments

Frequently Asked Questions

Savings rate spotlight

Live, FDIC-insured picks from our partner network — verified and dated in the panel below.

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CD Valet searches 5,000+ FDIC/NCUA institutions daily. Free to use, no signup required. See rates mainstream sites never show.

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WalletGrower may receive compensation for referrals. Our editorial rankings are independent.

Methodology

WalletGrower verifies CD rates using a three-source process: CD Valet (primary — daily aggregation from 5,000+ FDIC/NCUA institution disclosure pages), Bankrate (cross-verification for major national bank rates), and NerdWallet (specialty CD type verification). We do not accept payment from banks for favorable placement. CD Valet is our data partner; editorial rankings are independent of that relationship.

Updated July 2, 2026.