Best Money Market Accounts (May 2026)
Verified across 8 banks. Top APY is Vio Bank at 4.31% — roughly 8x the FDIC national average of 0.49%. Includes the one feature that separates MMAs from HYSAs.
Updated May 1, 2026·What changed: Verified all 8 MMA rates against current bank disclosures, Bankrate's April 2026 MMA report, CNBC Select, and Money.com 2026 review. National average MMA rate confirmed at 0.49% per Bankrate. Synchrony's MMA (2.25%) underperforms their own HYSA (3.50%) — flagged as a watchout.
Verified by the WalletGrower Editorial Team — current as of April 2026. We update rates, bonuses, fees, and product details regularly against each provider's published disclosures. Vendors can change offers between our update cycles, so we always recommend confirming the current published rate or bonus on the provider's site before signing up or applying.
Quick Answer
- Highest APY (any balance): Vio Bank Cornerstone MMA at 4.31% APY, $100 to open.
- Best with debit card included: Quontic Bank MMA at 4.25% APY, $100 to open, debit card + check writing.
- Best $0-minimum option: Sallie Mae MMA at 3.85% APY.
- National average: 0.49% APY (Bankrate). Top MMAs pay roughly 8x the average.
- MMA vs HYSA:MMAs come with check-writing + debit access. If you don't need either, a HYSA does the same job with a simpler account.
- Watch-out:not all bank MMAs are competitive. Synchrony's MMA pays 2.25% — far below their own HYSA at 3.50% and CDs at 4.00%.
Top 5 MMAs Compared
| Feature | Vio Bank | Quontic | Sallie Mae | UFB Direct | Discover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APY (top tier) | 4.31%Best | 4.25% | 3.85% | 3.51% | 3.40–3.45% |
| Min opening deposit | $100 | $100 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Min balance for top APY | $0 (any balance) | $0 (any balance) | $0 | Tiered ($25K+) | $0 / $100K for slight bump |
| Check writing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Debit card | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Highest APY at any balance | Tied for cheapest minimum + strong rate | No-minimum, mid-tier rate | Axos / UFB ecosystem | Discover ecosystem + brand trust |
All 8 MMAs — Verified May 2026 Rates
| Bank | APY | Min open | Checks | Debit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vio Bank (Cornerstone) | 4.31% | $100 | Yes | No | Highest published rate. Online-only. ATM access via debit card available on companion checking. |
| Quontic Bank | 4.25% | $100 | Yes | Yes | No monthly fee, no minimum balance. Online-only. Strong all-around MMA. |
| Sallie Mae | 3.85% | $0 | Yes | No | No minimum, competitive rate. Same-bank synergy with Sallie Mae CDs and student loan refi. |
| UFB Direct (Portfolio MMA) | 3.51% | $0 | Yes | Yes | Tiered — top APY requires $25K+ balance. Axos Bank-owned, full digital banking. |
| Discover Money Market | 3.40% / 3.45% | $0 | Yes | Yes | Slightly higher rate (3.45%) on $100K+ balances. Strong customer service, full Discover ecosystem. |
| First Internet Bank MMA | 3.65% | $100 | Yes | Yes | Older online bank, competitive rates, full-service banking |
| Ally Bank MMA | 3.20% | $0 | Yes | Yes | Behind top-tier rates, but Ally's full-service ecosystem (checking + savings + brokerage) is strong |
| Synchrony Bank MMA | 2.25% | $0 | Yes | Yes | Synchrony's HYSA (3.50%) and CDs (4.00%) pay more — MMA is the weakest of their three deposit products |
MMA vs HYSA vs CD — At a Glance
MMA
Top: 4.31% APY
- Check writing + debit card
- FDIC insured up to $250K
- ~6 transactions/mo soft limit
- Best for: hybrid savings + spending
HYSA
Top: 3.50–4.00% APY
- ACH transfers only
- FDIC insured up to $250K
- ~6 transactions/mo soft limit
- Best for: emergency fund, simplest savings
CD
Top: 4.05–4.34% APY
- Locked term, early-withdrawal penalty
- FDIC insured up to $250K
- Rate certainty
- Best for: known-date goals (down payment, tuition)
Which MMA should you open?
Pick the row that matches your situation:
- You want the highest rate, no debit card needed→ Vio Bank Cornerstone (4.31%)Highest published rate. Open companion Vio checking for ATM/debit access if needed.
- You want one MMA with everything (rate + debit + checks)→ Quontic Bank (4.25%)Top combination of APY, no minimum balance, and full day-to-day flexibility.
- You don't want a $100 minimum to open→ Sallie Mae (3.85%) or Ally (3.20%)Both fund with $0. Sallie Mae pays more; Ally adds full-ecosystem banking.
- You want $250K+ insured but don't want to split across banks→ Pair Vio MMA + Quontic MMA + Sallie Mae MMAThree accounts × $250K each = $750K FDIC coverage with all rates above 3.85%.
- You're already at Synchrony for HYSA / CDs→ Skip the Synchrony MMASynchrony MMA pays only 2.25% — their own HYSA (3.50%) and CDs (4.00%) pay more.
- You want it for daily spending in addition to savings→ Reconsider — use a high-yield checkingEven MMAs with debit cards have 6 transactions/mo soft limits. For daily spending, a high-yield checking or rewards checking is built for the use case.
Open a Quontic MMA
Quontic's MMA pays 4.25% APY on any balance, $100 to open, with both check writing and a debit card included. Best all-around money market account verified May 2026.
Open an AccountSponsored partner
Frequently Asked Questions
How we verified this
All 8 MMA rates verified May 1, 2026 against the bank's own current rate disclosure, plus cross-referenced against Bankrate's April 2026 MMA report, CNBC Select's May 2026 best MMAs, Money.com's 2026 review, and FinanceBuzz. National average rate (0.49%) cited from Bankrate's April 2026 national rate average. MMA rates change frequently — confirm with the bank before funding.
Related guides
Best high-yield savings 2026
HYSA alternative without check writing.
Read the guide
Best CD rates 2026
Up to 4.34% APY. For locked savings goals.
Read the guide
Best checking bonuses
Up to $400 for direct-deposit signups.
Read the guide
SoFi vs Marcus vs Ally
3-way HYSA + ecosystem comparison.
Read the comparison