Best CD rates in 2026
Nine published certificates of deposit, 3.00% to 4.35%. The top prints are short and mid-term, not the five-year.
FinanceRadar tracks 9 published certificates of deposit. The average APY is 3.94%. The range is 3.00% to 4.35%. Popular Direct CD leads at 4.35% for 18 months with a $10,000 minimum and a 270-day interest penalty. Synchrony Bank Certificate of Deposit is 4.30% for 16 months with a $0 minimum and a 180-day penalty. American Express National Bank CD is 4.25% for 10 months, $0 minimum, 90-day penalty. Marcus by Goldman Sachs High-Yield CD is 4.35% for 18 months at $500. EverBank Performance CD is 4.10% for 7 months at $1,000; the penalty schedule is unpublished. CIT Bank Term CD is 4.00% for 1 year at $1,000; we do not have the penalty on file. First Internet Bank CD is 3.76% for 6 months with a 180-day penalty, which is more interest than the term pays if you exit early. Quontic Bank CD is 3.60% for 3 months; break it and you lose all interest. We left BMO Alto's 3.00% 60-month CD out of the picks.
FinanceRadar's CD catalog is 9 published certificates of deposit. The average APY is 3.94%, and the range runs from 3.00% to 4.35%. That is a tighter, more honest spread than the HYSA table, where the top prints are often promos. A CD locks the rate for a term. You know what you will earn if you leave the money alone. You also know what it costs to leave early, except when the bank has not published the penalty. The CD statistics and the CD directory are the first-party companions to this guide.
The top of this catalog is not a five-year CD. Popular Direct CD at 4.35% is 18 months. Synchrony Bank Certificate of Deposit at 4.30% is 16 months. American Express National Bank CD at 4.25% is 10 months. The long bond of the set is BMO Alto Online Certificate of Deposit at 3.00% for 60 months, which is why it is not a pick. If you want yield in this table, you are buying a year-and-change, not a half-decade.
Compare that to the HYSA catalog: 21 accounts, 3.59% average, two-thirds with a catch. A CD will usually beat a clean savings account on yield and lose on flexibility. The APY catch report is still worth reading if you are deciding whether to lock the money at all.
Top Picks
Based on features, user feedback, and value for money.
| Tool | Starting price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Popular Direct CD | Free | n/a | A lump sum of $10,000 or more that you will not touch for a year and a half. |
| Synchrony Bank Certificate of Deposit | Free | n/a | People who want a mid-teen-month lock and do not have Popular Direct's $10,000. |
| American Express National Bank CD | Free | n/a | Money with a date about 10 months out, especially if you already bank at Amex. |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs High-Yield CD | Free | n/a | People already at Marcus who want to lock a slice of cash for three quarters. |
| EverBank Performance CD | Free | n/a | People who want a short lock at 4.10% and will not fund the CD until EverBank states th... |
| CIT Bank Term CD | Free | n/a | A one-year lock at 4.00% after you get the penalty from CIT in writing. |
| First Internet Bank CD | Free | n/a | A six-month lock only if you are sure you will hold to maturity. Otherwise skip it. |
| Quontic Bank CD | Free | n/a | A 90-day lock on money you will not touch, when you want a CD and not a savings rate. |
A lump sum of $10,000 or more that you will not touch for a year and a half.
People who want a mid-teen-month lock and do not have Popular Direct's $10,000.
Money with a date about 10 months out, especially if you already bank at Amex.
People already at Marcus who want to lock a slice of cash for three quarters.
People who want a short lock at 4.10% and will not fund the CD until EverBank states the penalty.
A one-year lock at 4.00% after you get the penalty from CIT in writing.
A six-month lock only if you are sure you will hold to maturity. Otherwise skip it.
A 90-day lock on money you will not touch, when you want a CD and not a savings rate.
Other CD Rates worth considering
Beyond the editorial top picks, these are also strong choices we evaluated.
What a CD is, and what the penalty actually does
A certificate of deposit is a time deposit. You agree to leave a lump sum with the bank for a stated term. The bank agrees to a fixed APY. If you take the money out early, the bank keeps some of the interest. That penalty is the product. Everything else is a rate chart.
In this catalog the penalties are not similar. American Express National Bank CD and Marcus by Goldman Sachs High-Yield CD take 90 days of interest. Synchrony Bank Certificate of Deposit and First Internet Bank CD take 180 days. Popular Direct CD takes 270 days. Quontic Bank CD takes all interest on terms of 12 months or less, and the Quontic we list is a 3-month CD, so an early exit is a 0% account with extra steps. EverBank Performance CD has an unpublished schedule. CIT Bank Term CD has a blank penalty in our file; we do not have it, and we will not invent one.
Term and penalty can fight each other. First Internet Bank CD is 6 months at 3.76% with a 180-day interest penalty. Six months is about 180 days. If you break it, you can hand back more interest than the CD has paid. That is in the picks as a warning, not as a recommendation I would make to a friend who might need the money.
When a CD is the right boring choice
A HYSA will move on you. The 21-account savings catalog averages 3.59% today and can be something else in a month. A CD in this catalog will still be the APY on the certificate if you hold to term. That is the whole case for buying one.
It is a good case when the money has a date. A tax bill in 10 months is an American Express National Bank CD problem (4.25%, 10 months, $0 minimum, 90-day penalty). A wedding fund in a year and a half is a Popular Direct CD problem if you have $10,000 (4.35%, 18 months, 270-day penalty). Emergency cash you might spend in March is not a CD problem. That cash belongs in Marcus Online Savings or another HYSA from the no-fee guide.
The wrong reason to buy a CD in this catalog is "5 years must pay more." BMO Alto Online Certificate of Deposit is 3.00% for 60 months. That is the lowest APY in the set and the longest lock. We left it off the picks. If someone is pitching you a five-year CD at 3.00% because "rates might fall," they are asking you to take duration risk for a number the 10-month Amex CD already beats by 1.25 points.
Key Features to Look For
Fixed for the certificate, unlike every HYSA in the savings catalog. The range here is 3.00% to 4.35%. Average 3.94%.
This catalog runs 3 months (Quontic) to 60 months (BMO Alto). The best APYs sit at 7 to 18 months, not at 5 years.
90 days (Amex, Marcus), 180 days (Synchrony, First Internet Bank), 270 days (Popular Direct), all interest (Quontic on ≤12-month terms). EverBank unpublished. CIT not on file.
Synchrony Bank Certificate of Deposit and American Express National Bank CD open at $0. Marcus by Goldman Sachs High-Yield CD and Quontic Bank CD at $500. EverBank Performance CD, CIT Bank Term CD, and First Internet Bank CD at $1,000. Popular Direct CD at $10,000.
First Internet Bank CD is 6 months with a 180-day penalty. Breaking it can cost more interest than the term pays. Quontic Bank CD at 3 months forfeits all interest.
CIT Bank Term CD's penalty is blank in our catalog. EverBank Performance CD's schedule is unpublished. We will not fill those in from memory.
None of the 9 published CDs in this catalog are listed as no-penalty products. If you need out without a haircut, you want a HYSA, not a blank we invent.
Before you lock the money
Match the term to a date you actually have, not to the highest APY. Popular Direct CD at 4.35% is 18 months. If you need the cash in 11 months, that 270-day penalty is the story.
Match the minimum to cash you already have. Popular Direct needs $10,000. Synchrony and Amex need $0. Do not raid a HYSA down to $200 to hit a $10,000 minimum.
Read the penalty in days of interest, then convert it to dollars on your balance. 90 days on Amex is a different haircut than 270 days on Popular Direct.
If the penalty is unpublished (EverBank) or blank in our file (CIT), get it from the bank in writing before you send the money.
If you might need the money, stop. The HYSA guide is the product for that cash.
Evaluation Checklist
Write the date you will need the money. Buy the CD whose term ends near that date, not the one with the highest APY.
Confirm the minimum. Popular Direct is $10,000. Synchrony and Amex are $0. Marcus and Quontic are $500. EverBank, CIT, and First Internet Bank are $1,000.
Convert the penalty to dollars on your balance. 90 days (Amex, Marcus), 180 days (Synchrony, First Internet Bank), 270 days (Popular Direct), all interest (Quontic).
If the penalty is unpublished (EverBank) or not on file (CIT), get it from the bank before you send money.
On First Internet Bank, compare the 180-day penalty to the 6-month term. If you might break it, do not buy it.
On Quontic, treat an early exit as a 0% account. Only buy it if you will hold 3 months.
If the cash is emergency money, stop. Open a HYSA instead. See /guides/best-high-yield-savings.
Pricing Overview
Popular Direct CD (18 months, $10,000, 270-day penalty). Synchrony Bank Certificate of Deposit (16 months, $0, 180-day penalty). American Express National Bank CD (10 months, $0, 90-day penalty).
Marcus by Goldman Sachs High-Yield CD (9 months, $500, 90-day penalty). EverBank Performance CD (7 months, $1,000, penalty unpublished). CIT Bank Term CD (1 year, $1,000, penalty not on file).
First Internet Bank CD (6 months, 3.76%, 180-day penalty). Quontic Bank CD (3 months, 3.60%, all interest). BMO Alto (60 months, 3.00%, $0 minimum) is in the catalog and not in the picks.
Pricing Comparison
| CD | APY | Term | Min deposit | Early withdrawal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Popular Direct CD | 4.35% | 18 months | $10,000 | 270 days of interest |
| Synchrony Bank Certificate of Deposit | 4.30% | 16 months | $0 | 180 days of interest |
| American Express National Bank CD | 4.25% | 10 months | $0 | 90 days of interest |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs High-Yield CD | 4.35% | 18 months | $500 | 180 days of interest |
| EverBank Performance CD | 4.10% | 7 months | $1,000 | Schedule unpublished |
| CIT Bank Term CD | 4.00% | 1 year | $1,000 | Not on file |
| First Internet Bank CD | 3.76% | 6 months | $1,000 | 180 days of interest |
| Quontic Bank CD | 3.60% | 3 months | $500 | All interest (terms ≤12 months) |
| BMO Alto Online Certificate of Deposit | 3.00% | 60 months | $0 | Not on file |
Catalog dated 2026-09-03. Nine published CDs, average APY 3.94%, range 3.00%–4.35%. We did not invent penalties left blank in the file (CIT, BMO Alto) or unpublished (EverBank). Full table: /statistics/cd-rates.
Mistakes to Avoid
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Buying Popular Direct for the 4.35% without having $10,000, then stretching a HYSA thin to hit the minimum.
- ×
Buying First Internet Bank's 6-month CD and treating the 180-day penalty as a detail.
- ×
Buying Quontic for 90 days and breaking it, which forfeits all interest.
- ×
Funding EverBank or CIT before the penalty is in writing.
- ×
Buying BMO Alto's 60-month 3.00% CD because 'longer must pay more.' It is the lowest APY in the catalog.
- ×
Locking emergency cash in any of these and then paying a penalty to get it back.
Expert Tips
- →
If you have $10,000 and an 18-month date, Popular Direct CD at 4.35% is the catalog peak. If you do not have $10,000, Synchrony Bank Certificate of Deposit at 4.30% is the same idea without the ticket.
- →
If your date is about 10 months, American Express National Bank CD at 4.25% with a 90-day penalty is the one I would actually buy.
- →
Ladder only with terms you understand. A 3-month Quontic plus a 9-month Marcus plus an 18-month Popular Direct is a ladder. Five copies of a 60-month 3.00% CD is not.
- →
Price the HYSA alternative. Marcus savings at 3.40% with no lock beats a CD you are 60% sure you will break.
- →
When rates move, re-read /statistics/cd-rates. This guide is the 2026-09-03 catalog, not a live ticker.
Red Flags to Watch For
- !
This is not financial advice. A CD you break is often a worse savings account than the HYSA you skipped. First Internet Bank's 180-day penalty on a 6-month term is the extreme case.
- !
An unpublished or blank penalty (EverBank, CIT in our file) is not a 'standard penalty.' It is a missing number. Do not fund the CD until you have it.
- !
Quontic's all-interest penalty on a 3-month CD means an early withdrawal earns nothing. That is not a slap on the wrist.
- !
Popular Direct's 4.35% looks best until you do not have $10,000 or you need the money in month 14. The 270-day penalty is the price of that print.
- !
A 60-month CD at 3.00% (BMO Alto, in the catalog, not a pick) locks you below every mid-term print in this table. Long is not automatically better.
- !
Do not buy a CD with money you might spend. That is what the savings accounts are for.
The Bottom Line
Nine published CDs, average APY 3.94%, range 3.00% to 4.35%. Popular Direct CD at 4.35% for 18 months is the top print if you have $10,000 and can live with a 270-day penalty. Synchrony Bank Certificate of Deposit at 4.30% for 16 months is the $0-minimum version of that idea. American Express National Bank CD at 4.25% for 10 months is the cleanest top-tier lock (90-day penalty, $0 to open). Marcus by Goldman Sachs High-Yield CD lists 4.35% for 18 months at $500. EverBank Performance CD lists 4.10% for 7 months; EverBank's penalty is unpublished. CIT Bank Term CD is 4.00% for a year; we do not have the penalty on file. First Internet Bank CD at 3.76% for 6 months has a 180-day penalty that can exceed the term. Quontic Bank CD at 3.60% for 3 months forfeits all interest if you exit early. BMO Alto at 3.00% for 60 months stayed in the table and out of the picks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest CD rate in FinanceRadar's catalog?
As of the 2026-09-03 catalog, Popular Direct CD lists 4.35% APY for an 18-month term. That is the highest of 9 published certificates of deposit. The minimum deposit is $10,000 and the early-withdrawal penalty is 270 days of interest. Synchrony Bank Certificate of Deposit is next at 4.30% for 16 months with a $0 minimum.
What is the average CD rate in FinanceRadar's catalog?
The 9 published certificates of deposit average 3.94% APY. The range is 3.00% (BMO Alto Online Certificate of Deposit, 60 months) to 4.35% (Popular Direct CD, 18 months). The best prints in this catalog are short and mid-term, not five-year.
Which CDs have no minimum deposit?
In the 2026-09-03 catalog, Synchrony Bank Certificate of Deposit (4.30% APY, 16 months, 180-day penalty) and American Express National Bank CD (4.25% APY, 10 months, 90-day penalty) list a $0 minimum. BMO Alto Online Certificate of Deposit also lists $0, at 3.00% for 60 months. Popular Direct CD requires $10,000.
What is the early-withdrawal penalty on these CDs?
Published penalties in the 2026-09-03 catalog: Popular Direct CD, 270 days of interest; Synchrony Bank Certificate of Deposit and First Internet Bank CD, 180 days; American Express National Bank CD and Marcus by Goldman Sachs High-Yield CD, 90 days; Quontic Bank CD, all interest on terms of 12 months or less. EverBank Performance CD's schedule is unpublished. CIT Bank Term CD's penalty is not on file. We did not invent the missing ones.
Why is First Internet Bank CD's penalty a red flag?
First Internet Bank CD pays 3.76% APY for a 6-month term and charges 180 days of interest if you withdraw early. Six months is about 180 days, so breaking the CD can cost more interest than the term has paid. Only buy it if you will hold to maturity. If you might need the money, use a high-yield savings account instead.
Should I buy a 5-year CD for a higher rate?
Not in this catalog. BMO Alto Online Certificate of Deposit is the 60-month product we publish, and it lists 3.00% APY, the lowest rate in the set. The top prints are Popular Direct at 4.35% for 18 months, Synchrony at 4.30% for 16 months, and American Express National Bank at 4.25% for 10 months. Longer is not higher here.
When should I use a CD instead of a high-yield savings account?
Use a CD when the money has a date and you can hold to term. FinanceRadar's HYSA catalog averages 3.59% APY and the rate can change; the CD catalog averages 3.94% and the rate is fixed if you stay. Popular Direct at 4.35% beats every published HYSA we track, in exchange for an 18-month lock and a 270-day penalty. Emergency cash belongs in a HYSA, not a CD.
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