Best no-fee, no-minimum high-yield savings accounts
The HYSA list after we throw out every account that charges you, gates the rate, or needs cash to open, ranked by the rate each bank posts on its own page.
Of FinanceRadar's 51 published high-yield savings accounts (average APY 3.26%), most fail a simple test: a $0 monthly fee, $0 to open, and no balance floor, direct-deposit or monthly-deposit rule, or time-limited promotion on the rate we quote. The ones that pass are ranked here by that unconditional APY. Elevault High-Yield Savings is first at 4.34%, paid on balances up to $500,000. Pibank Savings follows at 4.25%, then EverBank Performance Savings at 4.20% (a new-account rate that may not apply to existing accounts) and Zynlo Money Market at 4.05%. Bask Interest Savings (3.90% base rate), Forbright Growth Savings (3.85%), E*TRADE Premium Savings (3.75% base rate), Synchrony High Yield Savings (3.55%) and Barclays Tiered Savings (3.50% under $250,000) complete the nine picks. GO2bank, CIT, BrioDirect, Poppy, Happen Bank LevelUp (formerly LendingClub), Varo, SoFi, Upgrade, and Robinhood fail the test. The date each rate was read is in the comparison table.
FinanceRadar data: our catalog holds 51 published high-yield savings accounts at an average APY of 3.26%; 41 charge no monthly fee and 29 need no minimum deposit (checked July to October 2026). This guide ignores most of that leaderboard on purpose. The test is literal: a $0 monthly fee, a $0 minimum deposit, and no balance floor, direct-deposit or monthly-deposit requirement, or time-limited promotion on the rate we quote. Ranking rule: among the accounts that pass and whose rate was read on the provider's own page in the last 14 days, we rank by that unconditional APY, highest first, and list ties alphabetically. Where a bank also advertises a boosted rate for new customers or referrals, we rank the base rate and mention the boost separately. The full account table is still the source of the numbers, and the flagship HYSA guide is the broader list without this filter.
When we re-ran the test for this 14 October 2026 review, 19 accounts passed. 18 of them had a rate read in the last 14 days, and all 18 are in the comparison table below, in rank order; the top nine are the picks. The nineteenth, TAB Save High Yield Savings, passes on paper, but its page blocked our check and its figure was last read on Aug 11, 2026, so it is not ranked.
That filter knocks out names people will expect to see. GO2bank Savings Vaults posts 4.50%, but on up to a $5,000 average daily balance and with a $5 monthly fee unless a payroll or government benefits direct deposit waives it. CIT Bank Platinum Savings pays 3.75% only from $5,000 (0.25% below that) and needs $100 to open. Happen Bank LevelUp Savings (formerly LendingClub) is $0 to open and $0 a month, but its 4.20% needs $250 or more in deposits each statement cycle; otherwise it pays 3.00%. None of them passes the test.
What is left is a shorter, calmer list. Elevault High-Yield Savings is the rule winner at 4.34%, with interest only on balances up to $500,000. Pibank Savings at 4.25% states no minimum balance to open or keep its rate and no account fees. Synchrony High Yield Savings at 3.55% pays the same rate in every balance tier. For the accounts that failed, see the savings directory and the APY catch report.
Top Picks
Each figure is what the provider's own page states, with the date we read it.
| Product | Lead figure | Best for | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevault High-Yield Savings | 4.34% APY | Savers with less than $500,000 who want the top rate in this filter and do not need an ATM or a checking account at the same place. | |
| Pibank Savings | 4.25% APY | Savers who want a rate near the top of this filter with no balance rule and are fine with a savings-only account, no ATM and no checking. | |
| EverBank Performance Savings | 4.20% APY | New EverBank customers who will confirm the ongoing rate, not just the advertised one. | |
| Zynlo Money Market | 4.05% APY | People who want one rate with no tiers and are happy to open the companion checking account for a debit card. | |
| Bask Interest Savings | 3.90% APY | Savers who want a base rate with no tiers, and new customers willing to open checking too for the boost. | |
| Forbright Growth Savings | 3.85% APY | People who want a plain rate with no promo to expire and no minimum to keep. | |
| E*TRADE Premium Savings | 3.75% APY | New savers who want a base rate that stays after the boost, with extended FDIC coverage across program banks. | |
| Synchrony High Yield Savings | 3.55% APY | People who want an ATM card on their savings and one rate whatever the balance. | |
| Barclays Tiered Savings | 3.50% APY | Savers with large balances who want a higher tier at $250,000 and up, and anyone who wants a plain rate below that. | |
| Axos Bank Business Premium Savings | 3.50% APY | A US business reserve that should earn from the first dollar, not a household account. |
Savers with less than $500,000 who want the top rate in this filter and do not need an ATM or a checking account at the same place.
Savers who want a rate near the top of this filter with no balance rule and are fine with a savings-only account, no ATM and no checking.
New EverBank customers who will confirm the ongoing rate, not just the advertised one.
People who want one rate with no tiers and are happy to open the companion checking account for a debit card.
Savers who want a base rate with no tiers, and new customers willing to open checking too for the boost.
People who want a plain rate with no promo to expire and no minimum to keep.
New savers who want a base rate that stays after the boost, with extended FDIC coverage across program banks.
People who want an ATM card on their savings and one rate whatever the balance.
Savers with large balances who want a higher tier at $250,000 and up, and anyone who wants a plain rate below that.
A US business reserve that should earn from the first dollar, not a household account.
What 'no fee, no minimum' actually means here
Two checks on cost and three on the rate, all of them literal. The monthly fee is $0. The minimum deposit is $0. The APY we quote has no balance floor, needs no direct deposit or monthly deposit, and is not a time-limited promotion. Fail any one of those and the account is out of this guide; the main HYSA guide is the broader list. A one-cent minimum to earn interest, as at Zynlo Money Market, is not a floor in any useful sense, so it passes.
A balance cap is not a floor either, so an account can pass with a cap, but we say so next to the rate. Elevault High-Yield Savings pays interest on balances up to $500,000, and balances above that earn nothing. Boosts get the same treatment every time: Bask Interest Savings, E*TRADE Premium Savings, Marcus Online Savings and UFB Portfolio Savings advertise a higher rate for new customers or referrals on top of a base rate with no strings. We rank the base rate, because that is what you keep after the boost ends.
EverBank Performance Savings needs a warning in the same breath as its 4.20%: EverBank says the advertised APY is for new accounts and may not apply to existing accounts. Our data shows no end date or promotion on it, so it passes, but if you already bank there, ask what your account pays.
Left out and why, using only the fields in our data:
- Monthly fee: GO2bank Savings Vaults ($5 a month unless a qualifying direct deposit waives it) and Robinhood Gold Cash Sweep (needs Robinhood Gold at $5 a month).
- Money to open: CIT Bank Platinum Savings ($100), Bread Savings ($100), Openbank High Yield Savings ($500), Ivy Bank High-Yield Savings ($2,500), BrioDirect High-Yield Savings ($5,000), Betterment Cash Reserve ($10), Raisin ($1), Wealthfront Cash Account ($1) and Cash App Savings ($1). Apple Card Savings has no minimum deposit on file and needs an Apple Card owner or co-owner to open.
- Balance floor: CIT (3.75% only from $5,000), Poppy Bank Premier Online Savings ($1,000 daily balance, on a rate Poppy calls promotional) and Upgrade Premier Savings (days under a $1,000 closing balance earn 0%).
- Deposit habit or direct deposit: Happen Bank LevelUp Savings ($250 in deposits each statement cycle, or 3.00%), Varo Savings ($800 in qualifying direct deposits, first $5,000 only, 1.00% otherwise), SoFi Checking & Savings (direct deposit or $5,000 in deposits every 31 days, or 0.80%), Axos ONE (monthly direct deposit and balance requirements, or up to 1.00%) and Current Savings Pods (a $200 payroll deposit, or 0.25%).
Chime Savings is the opposite case. It passes, but the rate with no strings is 1.00%; its 3.00% and 4.00% tiers need direct deposit, so it ranks last in the table.
Why the free filter is the one most people should use
A monthly fee is a negative APY, and it hits small balances hardest: Robinhood Gold Cash Sweep's 3.60% comes with a $5 Gold subscription every month. A balance floor does the same damage from the other side: Upgrade Premier Savings pays 0% on any day the closing balance is under $1,000, and Poppy Bank Premier Online Savings needs a $1,000 daily balance for its rate. A deposit rule is the third version: at Happen Bank LevelUp, a statement cycle without $250 in deposits drops the rate to 3.00% from the next cycle.
The catalog average of 3.26% includes all 51 names, catches and fees mixed in. The accounts ranked on this page are the ones where the number on the statement should match the number in the table until the bank moves a variable rate, with three exceptions you can see coming: EverBank's rate is for new accounts, Elevault stops paying interest above $500,000, and a boost (Bask, E*TRADE, Marcus, UFB) ends on its own schedule while the base rate we rank keeps going.
I would rather someone open any account in the table below and keep the money there than open CIT Bank Platinum Savings with less than $5,000 and earn 0.25% while telling their sister they "got a high-yield account." The free filter exists to prevent that conversation.
What to look for
Hard requirement. GO2bank Savings Vaults and Robinhood Gold Cash Sweep (the Gold subscription) charge $5 a month. A fee is a negative APY in disguise.
Hard requirement. CIT ($100), Bread ($100), Openbank ($500), Ivy Bank ($2,500), BrioDirect ($5,000), Betterment ($10) and Wealthfront ($1) fail it.
Hard requirement. CIT pays 3.75% only from $5,000 (0.25% below), Poppy needs a $1,000 daily balance, and Upgrade pays 0% on days under $1,000. A cap is different: Elevault High-Yield Savings pays on balances up to $500,000, and we say so next to its rate.
Hard requirement. Happen Bank LevelUp Savings (formerly LendingClub) is $0 / $0 and still out, because 4.20% needs $250 or more in deposits each statement cycle; otherwise it pays 3.00%. Varo, SoFi, Axos ONE and Current tie their top rate to direct deposit.
Hard requirement for the rate we rank. Bask Interest Savings, E*TRADE Premium Savings, Marcus Online Savings and UFB Portfolio Savings pass because their base rate has no strings; their boosts are mentioned, not ranked. Poppy calls its rate promotional and also needs a balance floor.
Every ranked rate was read on the provider's page in the last 14 days. TAB Save could not be read after Aug 11, 2026, so it is not ranked. Capital One 360 Performance Savings did not display its rate when we read the page; its figure is from Oct 22, 2026.
EverBank Performance Savings at 4.20% is for new accounts and may not apply to existing accounts. If you already bank there, ask what your account pays.
Synchrony High Yield Savings offers an optional ATM card. Zynlo Money Market gives card and ATM access through its companion checking account. Elevault High-Yield Savings, Pibank Savings and Forbright Growth Savings offer no ATM access and no checking account.
How to use this list
If you want the top number that survives the filter, start with Elevault High-Yield Savings at 4.34% (interest on balances up to $500,000), then Pibank Savings at 4.25%.
If you want the same rate at every balance, Synchrony High Yield Savings (3.55%), Marcus Online Savings (3.50%, maximum balance limits apply) and Ally Online Savings (3.10%) all say so on their own pages.
If you are opening a new account anyway, compare the base rate we rank with the boost: Bask pays 4.30% for up to six statement periods to new customers who open savings and checking between October 1 and December 31, 2026, and E*TRADE pays 4.25% for six months on new accounts opened by January 10, 2027. Both then drop to the base rate.
If you already have an EverBank account, do not assume EverBank Performance Savings at 4.20% is your rate.
If you need a card on the account, Synchrony High Yield Savings has an optional ATM card and Zynlo Money Market gives card access through its companion checking account. Elevault, Pibank and Forbright offer no ATM access.
Evaluation Checklist
Confirm the monthly fee is $0 on the bank's page, not just in a chart. GO2bank and Robinhood fail this at $5.
Confirm the minimum to open is $0. CIT ($100), Openbank ($500) and BrioDirect ($5,000) fail it.
Confirm the advertised APY does not need a balance floor. CIT needs $5,000 for its top rate, and Poppy needs a $1,000 daily balance.
Confirm there is no monthly deposit or direct-deposit habit. Happen Bank LevelUp needs $250 in deposits each statement cycle; Varo and SoFi need direct deposit.
If the page shows a boosted rate, find the base rate underneath and the date the boost ends. That base is what this guide ranks.
If you are looking at EverBank, ask whether 4.20% applies to your account or only to new ones.
If you are looking at Elevault, check that your balance will stay under $500,000, the point above which Elevault pays no interest.
Rates and fees overview
Elevault High-Yield Savings (interest on balances up to $500,000), Pibank Savings, EverBank Performance Savings (new accounts; may not apply to existing ones) and Zynlo Money Market.
Bask Interest Savings and E*TRADE Premium Savings on their base rates, Forbright Growth Savings, Synchrony High Yield Savings and Barclays Tiered Savings (under $250,000). Marcus Online Savings and Vanguard Cash Plus tie Barclays and rank just below it alphabetically.
Marcus Online Savings, Vanguard Cash Plus, UFB Portfolio Savings, Ally Online Savings, American Express High Yield Savings, BMO Alto Online Savings Account, Capital One 360 Performance Savings (figure from Oct 22, 2026), Fidelity Cash Management Account and Chime Savings.
Pricing Comparison
| Account | APY | Min deposit | Monthly fee | Catch | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Elevault High-Yield Savings | 4.34% | no minimum | $0 | Interest only on balances up to $500,000; Elevault dates the rate May 5, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 |
| 2. Pibank Savings | 4.25% | no minimum | $0 | None on the rate; no ATM, no checking | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 3. EverBank Performance Savings | 4.20% | no minimum | $0 | New accounts; may not apply to existing accounts | Oct 21, 2026 |
| 4. Zynlo Money Market | 4.05% | no minimum | $0 | Card and ATM come with the companion checking | Oct 22, 2026 |
| 5. Bask Interest Savings | 3.90% | no minimum | $0 | Base rate; the new-customer boost needs checking too | Oct 22, 2026 |
| 6. Forbright Growth Savings | 3.85% | no minimum | $0 | None on the rate; no ATM, no checking | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 7. E*TRADE Premium Savings | 3.75% | no minimum | $0 | Base rate; new accounts get a six-month boost first | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 8. Synchrony High Yield Savings | 3.55% | no minimum | $0 | Same rate in every balance tier; optional ATM card | Oct 21, 2026 |
| 9. Barclays Tiered Savings | 3.50% | no minimum | $0 | Rate under $250,000; 3.65% from $250,000 to $1,000,000 | Oct 22, 2026 |
| 10. Marcus Online Savings | 3.50% | no minimum | $0 | Maximum balance limits apply; referral boost is separate | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 11. Vanguard Cash Plus | 3.50% | no minimum | $0 | Brokerage bank sweep; Vanguard says rate tiering is coming | Oct 22, 2026 |
| 12. UFB Portfolio Savings | 3.26% | no minimum | $0 | Standard rate; a code boost for new customers who open by October 31, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 13. Ally Online Savings | 3.10% | no minimum | $0 | Same APY across all balance tiers | Oct 21, 2026 |
| 14. American Express High Yield Savings | 3.10% | no minimum | $0 | No minimum balance to earn the APY | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 15. BMO Alto Online Savings Account | 3.00% | no minimum | $0 | Deposits count toward BMO Bank's FDIC limit | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 16. Capital One 360 Performance Savings | 3.00% | no minimum | $0 | Rate did not display on the 14 October 2026 check; figure from the read date shown | Oct 22, 2026 |
| 17. Fidelity Cash Management Account | 1.96% | no minimum | $0 | FDIC sweep rate, if elected; the SPAXX fund yield is separate and not FDIC insured | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 18. Chime Savings | 1.00% | no minimum | $0 | Needs Chime Checking; higher tiers need direct deposit | Oct 14, 2026 |
Ranking rule: $0 monthly fee, $0 minimum deposit, no balance floor, direct-deposit or monthly-deposit requirement, or time-limited promotion on the quoted APY, and a rate read on the provider's own page in the last 14 days; ranked by that APY, ties alphabetical. Rows 1 to 9 are the picks. Not ranked: TAB Save High Yield Savings (last read Aug 11, 2026). Failed the test: GO2bank and Robinhood (monthly fee); CIT, Bread, Openbank, Ivy Bank, BrioDirect, Betterment, Raisin, Wealthfront and Cash App (deposit to open); Poppy and Upgrade (balance floor); Happen Bank LevelUp, Varo, SoFi, Axos ONE and Current (deposit or direct-deposit rule). Source: /statistics/high-yield-savings.
Mistakes to Avoid
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Picking CIT from a high-rate chart and calling it a no-minimum account. It needs $100 to open and $5,000 for its top rate.
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Counting Robinhood Gold Cash Sweep's 3.60% as free. It needs Robinhood Gold at $5 a month, which this filter treats as a fee.
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Opening Happen Bank LevelUp for 4.20% and then earning 3.00% because the $250 deposit never happened that cycle.
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Assuming EverBank's 4.20% applies to the account you already have.
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Ranking accounts by their boost. Bask, E*TRADE, Marcus and UFB all quote a higher rate for new customers or referrals; the base rate is what is left after it ends.
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Parking more than $500,000 at Elevault. Balances above that earn no interest.
Tips
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Start at the top of the table and stop at the first account you would actually open. Under this guide's rule that is Elevault High-Yield Savings at 4.34% (on balances up to $500,000), then Pibank Savings at 4.25%.
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If you want a card on the account, go to Synchrony High Yield Savings (optional ATM card) or Zynlo Money Market (card through its companion checking).
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If you are new to Bask or E*TRADE, the boost is a bonus on top of a base rate that already passes. Put a reminder on the day it ends.
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When you are willing to meet a condition for a higher rate, use the flagship guide, which does not apply this filter.
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Re-check the HYSA statistics when rates move. This page is a filter, not a forever rate lock.
Red Flags to Watch For
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This is not financial advice. A $0 minimum to open is not a $0 minimum to earn the rate. Poppy and Upgrade both open at $0 and then need $1,000 for the rate.
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A $5 monthly fee is not 'basically free.' GO2bank Savings Vaults and Robinhood Gold Cash Sweep both charge $5, and GO2bank's rate also stops at a $5,000 average daily balance.
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Happen Bank LevelUp Savings, formerly LendingClub, looks like a $0 / $0 account at 4.20%. That rate needs $250 or more in deposits each statement cycle, and the standard rate is 3.00%.
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A rate stamp older than the day you read the page is a reason to check twice. Elevault High-Yield Savings dates its rate May 5, 2026, even though the page still showed it when we read it.
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New-account APYs that existing customers do not get are teasers. EverBank says its advertised APY is for new accounts and may not apply to existing ones.
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A boost with an end date is not the rate you will earn next year. Bask's boost lasts up to six statement periods and E*TRADE's six months; UFB's code offer, open to new customers until October 31, 2026, lasts six statement cycles.
The Bottom Line
Most high-yield savings accounts in this catalog fail at least one part of a simple test. Of 51 published accounts averaging 3.26% APY, this page ranks only the ones that charge $0, open at $0, and put no balance floor, deposit rule or time-limited promotion on the rate we quote, and it ranks them by that rate. Elevault High-Yield Savings leads at 4.34% on balances up to $500,000. Pibank Savings (4.25%), EverBank Performance Savings (4.20%, new accounts) and Zynlo Money Market (4.05%) follow. Bask Interest Savings, Forbright Growth Savings, E*TRADE Premium Savings, Synchrony High Yield Savings and Barclays Tiered Savings complete the nine. GO2bank, CIT, Poppy, Happen Bank LevelUp, Varo, SoFi and Robinhood fail the test and stay off this page; the APY catch report is the next read.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which high-yield savings accounts have no monthly fee and no minimum deposit?
In the data behind the 14 October 2026 review, the accounts that combine a $0 monthly fee, a $0 minimum deposit, and no balance floor, deposit rule or time-limited promotion on the quoted APY, ranked by that APY, start with Elevault High-Yield Savings (4.34%, on balances up to $500,000), Pibank Savings (4.25%), EverBank Performance Savings (4.20%, new accounts only), Zynlo Money Market (4.05%), Bask Interest Savings (3.90% base rate), Forbright Growth Savings (3.85%), E*TRADE Premium Savings (3.75% base rate), Synchrony High Yield Savings (3.55%) and Barclays Tiered Savings (3.50% under $250,000). Nine more pass at lower rates. GO2bank, CIT, BrioDirect, Poppy, Happen Bank LevelUp, Varo, SoFi, Upgrade and Robinhood do not meet that test.
Why is Forbright Growth Savings on the no-minimum list now?
Because its page passes every part of the test. Forbright's Growth Savings page, read on Oct 14, 2026, posts 3.85% APY with no fees, no minimum deposit, no promotional rate and no balance floor, so it ranks sixth under this guide's rule. The rate is variable, and Forbright says it may change before or after you open the account.
Why isn't CIT Bank Platinum Savings included?
CIT Bank Platinum Savings needs $100 to open, so it fails the $0-to-open test. Its 3.75% APY also needs a balance of $5,000 or more; below that the account earns 0.25%. That balance floor is the second test it fails, so it is not ranked on this page.
Does LendingClub LevelUp Savings count as no-minimum?
The account is now Happen Bank LevelUp Savings (formerly LendingClub). It opens at $0 and charges $0 a month, but the 4.20% APY applies only in statement cycles with $250 or more in deposits; otherwise the standard rate is 3.00%. New accounts earn the higher rate until the third statement cycle. We treat that deposit habit as a catch, so it is not ranked here.
What is the best no-fee HYSA if I want the simplest account?
Under this guide's rule the top-ranked account is Elevault High-Yield Savings at 4.34% on balances up to $500,000, but simple means different things to different people. If simple means one rate at every balance, Synchrony High Yield Savings (3.55%, the same rate in all three balance tiers), Marcus Online Savings (3.50%, the same rate for all balances, with maximum balance limits) and Ally Online Savings (3.10%, the same APY across all balance tiers) all say so on their own pages, with $0 to open and no monthly fee.
Is Pibank Savings a no-fee, no-minimum account?
Yes. When we read Pibank's page on Oct 14, 2026, it stated 4.25% APY with no minimum balance to open or keep the rate and no fees related to the account, and the page title showed the same rate as the page body. It ranks second under this guide's rule. It is savings only, with no ATM access or checking account, and the rate is variable.
Is there a no-fee, no-minimum business savings account?
Axos Bank Business Premium Savings lists 3.50% APY with no monthly fee and no opening minimum, read October 17, 2026. It is a business account. Grasshopper Bank Innovator Savings lists no monthly fee but asks for $100 to open, so it fails the $0-to-open test. The full comparison is best business savings.
Sources
Rates, fees and terms on this page were checked on each provider's own site:
- Elevault High-Yield Savings, checked
- Pibank Savings, checked
- EverBank Performance Savings, checked
- Zynlo Money Market, checked
- Bask Interest Savings, checked
- Forbright Growth Savings, checked
- E*TRADE Premium Savings, checked
- Synchrony High Yield Savings, checked
- Barclays Tiered Savings, checked
- Axos Bank Business Premium Savings, checked