Best CD rates today: Fed's 8th rate hold a boon for guaranteed high-APY CDs — August 1, 2024

The Federal Reserve held its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a 23-year high of 5.25% to 5.50% at its rate-setting meeting yesterday, leaving a September rate cut "on the table" — and providing a last push for savvy savers to take advantage of historically high APYs by locking in guaranteed returns on today's top-paying certificates of deposit.

CDs are a safe way to grow your money with fixed rates that make it easy to predict the yields you'll receive at maturity. The best CDs continue to pay out 5% APY and higher on short terms of nine months to longer terms of five years, helping you to save for a home upgrade, leverage a CD ladder for staggered returns, contribute to your retirement or simply nab the highest rates in decades far beyond 2025. 

Here's where to find the best returns on a range of FDIC-insured CDs with low or no minimum requirements — before the first of many cuts drop rates this fall.

Best CD rates for August 1, 2024

Today's best rates of returns are found at FDIC-insured digital banks and online accounts paying out up to 5.35% APY with minimum deposits at NexBank, Bask Bank, Sallie Mae and Lending Club and up to 5.05% APY with no minimums at Barclays, BMO Alto, University Credit Union and other trusted providers as of Thursday, August 1, 2024.

Online-only banks and digital accounts may not sound as familiar as bigger names, though each partners with an FDIC-insured bank to offer deposit accounts that are protected for up to $250,000 by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) — just like those at your neighborhood bank.

Dig deeper: How much should you keep in a CD?

How a certificate of deposit works

A CD is a type of savings or deposit account that's offered by banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. Unlike a traditional savings account, a certificate of deposit holds your money for a fixed period of time — terms of one month to five years or longer — paying out your initial deposit and interest you've earned after the term expires or "matures."

Typical CD rates are fixed, which means you're guaranteed a rate of return that doesn't change. While you can't add to or access your cash until the CD matures, the trade-off is a safe, stable way to earn a much higher yield than you'd find with a traditional savings account.

Dig deeper: How CDs work — including 7 types for boosting your savings

CD rates in the news

CD rates strongly track with the key interest rate set by the Federal Reserve, the U.S.'s central bank. This Fed rate is the benchmark that affects rates on deposit accounts, loans, mortgages, credit cards and other financial products. Typically, as the Fed rate rises, so do APYs on savings products like CDs, high-yield accounts and money market accounts — surging up to 5% and higher today to accelerate your savings.

The Federal Reserve increased the target interest rate 11 times from March 2022 to July 2023 in an effort to combat the highest inflation in four decades coming out of the pandemic.

July 31, 2024: Fed holds benchmark rate unchanged for eighth — and likely final — time

At the conclusion of its fifth rate-setting policy meeting of 2024 on July 31, 2024, the Federal Reserve left the federal funds target interest rate at a 23-year high of 5.25% to 5.50% for an eighth straight time since July 2023.

In its post-meeting statement, the Federal Reserve said "risks to achieving its employment and inflation goals continue to move into better balance,” acknowledging “there has been modest further progress toward the Committee's 2 percent inflation objective,” but reiterated from its June statement that its rate-setting committee "does not expect it will be appropriate to reduce the target range until it has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2 percent."

Economists estimate at least one rate cut this year with an additional four cuts anticipated in 2025.

What to expect at the Fed's September policy meeting

It's too early to predict what the Federal Reserve will decide at its next policy meeting on September 17 and September 18, 2024, though many experts expect the Fed will announce the first of anticipated cuts to the federal funds rate — its first rate cut in four years.

The latest jobs report released July 5 exceeded expectations, showing a 42nd consecutive month of job growth. Employers added 206,000 new jobs in June, returning the job market to pre-pandemic conditions and calling into question the odds of a September 2024 Fed rate cut.

Adding to the good news is data signaling a continued cooling of inflation, falling from a peak of 9.1% in June 2022 to rates that have ranged from 3% and 4% since May 2023. The consumer price index released on July 11 revealed consumer prices rose 3% year over year in June, down from 3.3% in May, slowing more than expected. Producer price index data released on July 12, however, reported a sharper increase in wholesale prices — or the prices manufacturers pay to producers of goods and services — than forecast for June. The index increased 2.6% for the 12 months ending in June, the largest year-over-year gain since March 2023, which likely influenced an already cautious Fed to skip cutting the rate in July.

At a post-meeting press conference on July 31, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said that a September rate cut is “on the table,” but that the central bank “has “made no decisions about future meetings.”

The Powell-led rate-setting panel will announce a rate decision at the conclusion of its meeting on September 18, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET.

Dig deeper: When’s the next Federal Reserve meeting? The FOMC — and how it affects your finances

FDIC averages on CD products: Few changes for July

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation tracks monthly average interest rates paid on certificates of deposit and other savings accounts. Created by Congress, the FDIC is an independent government agency charged with maintaining stability and public confidence in the U.S. financial system and providing insurance on consumer deposit accounts.

Here's how FDIC national deposit rates on a $10,000 minimum deposit compare between June and July 2024, showing steady and low rates across the board.

The FDIC is an independent government agency charged with maintaining stability and public confidence in the U.S. financial system and providing insurance on consumer deposit accounts. 

How to compare CDs

When choosing the best certificate of deposit for your budget, compare these key factors against your specific savings or financial goals.

• Term length. A CD is ideal for saving toward a specific goal with money you’re not likely to need until the account matures. Look to shorter terms for saving toward, say, a family holiday or new appliances. Terms of one to five years or longer can help you lock in today’s highest APYs before interest rates are expected to drop.

• Rate of return. Look for the highest APY for the term you’re interested in. The APY is the amount of interest the CD earns in a year — including compounding. Unlike a savings account, CD rates are fixed, meaning they won’t change over your term.

• Minimum deposit. While you can find CDs without minimum starting deposits, most CDs require $100 to $1,000 to open an account. Generally, if you have the money for a higher initial deposit, you can earn a higher APY — just be sure that amount isn’t a hardship on your budget.

• Type of bank or financial institution. Today’s best interest rates are offered by digital banks, with few exceptions among traditional brick-and-mortar banks or credit unions. If you aren’t comfortable with an online-only bank, look to a high-yield savings account or money market account offering a high rate without withdrawal penalties.

• Penalties and fees. Life happens, and you might find yourself needing to tap into your money before the CD matures. Early withdrawal penalties are typically expressed in months of interest you’re giving up — for example, 90 days of interest for CD terms of up to 24 months. Often the longer the term, the higher the penalty fee.

Dig deeper: When is it worth it to break a CD? A finance expert's thoughts on early withdrawals and breaking even

Benefits of a certificate of deposit

• Guaranteed returns. With a CD, you make one deposit and earn a guaranteed interest rate over your term that’s yours after the CD matures.

• Higher rates than traditional accounts. Many banks and financial institutions offer CDs at rates that are higher than you’ll earn with the average savings or money market account — with digital and online banks offering the highest rates on average.

• Range of CD terms. You can find CD terms of three months to five years or more to fit your financial goals. Rates for six-month CDs can outpace the average bank account, and longer terms offer rates comparable to the best high-yield savings accounts.

Drawbacks of a certificate of a deposit

• Penalty for early withdrawals. If you need to access your money before your CD term expires, you face fees equal to several months of interest — as much as three to six months’ worth, depending on the account and your term.

• Not the highest investment returns. CDs are a safe way to steadily earn interest, but you stand to earn more over the long term through stocks, bonds or securities. And by locking your money in a CD, you could miss out if average rates increase.

• You can’t add more money. After your CD locks, you aren’t able to add to your balance until after the CD matures — at which point, you can move your money to another account or roll it over to a new CD.

Alternatives to a certificate of deposit

A certificate of deposit isn’t the only low-risk way to earn interest on your savings. Look to these alternatives that offer safe, steady returns — with the flexibility to add to or withdraw your money without penalty.

• High-yield savings account. An HYSA offers a way to quickly grow your savings investment at variable rates of 4.5% APY or higher with no penalty for withdrawals.

• Money market account. Also called a money market savings account, the rate on an MMA can beat those of traditional savings accounts, with the same flexible access to your money.

• Higher-risk investments. Stocks, index funds and mutual funds average higher returns than CDs, though with higher potential losses.

Dig deeper: High-yield savings account vs. CD: What to know when rates are high

Frequently asked questions about CDs

Learn more about how certificates of deposit work when comparing the best for your budget and financial goals.

How do banks make money with a CD?

Banks charge higher interest rates on money they lend out than the interest they pay on customer deposit accounts. The difference is called a spread, and it’s what banks rely on to make money. Unlike a traditional savings account that allows for flexible movement of your money without penalty, a CD requires you to lock in your deposit over a specified period of time, returning your principal plus interest after the account matures. That lock-in period — and penalties that discourage your early withdrawal — allows a bank to better plan how long it has to make money off your deposit, and it’s typically willing to pay a little more for that reliability.

Is my money safe with an online-only bank like Lending Club or SoFi?

Yes. Online-only banks and digital accounts are as safe as their traditional counterparts. They are either FDIC-insured chartered banks or partner with more recognizable banks to offer deposit accounts that are protected by the government for up to $250,000. The FDIC insures the safety of your money, even if the fintech were to fail or go out of business. Look for terms like "member FDIC," "FDIC insured" or "NCUA insured" when comparing your options. Learn more about how online banks compare to traditional banks when it comes to rates, fees and management of your money.

Which is best: fixed rates or variable rates?

There's no best type of interest rate — rather, the difference is that fixed rates stay the same over time while variable rates can change based on market conditions. In many cases, the choice between fixed and variable rates will be a choice between products. Learn more about the difference between fixed and variable rates, and the ways they affect how you borrow and save money.

What is compound interest?

Compound interest is often described as earning interest on your interest. It’s a powerful way to boost your savings over time by earning interest on both your initial deposit and any interest you earn along the way. It means that every dollar you save is working harder and growing faster toward your financial goals.

An account's APY is the total amount of interest you'll earn on your deposit over one year, including compound interest, expressed as a percentage.

What is a jumbo CD?

A jumbo CD is a certificate of deposit that requires a minimum of $100,000 to open the account. Like regular CDs, jumbo CDs come with a fixed interest rate and term. In the past, jumbo CDs offered a way for people and businesses to safely invest money at higher rates than available with a traditional CD.

However, with the Fed holding interest rates at 23-year highs, it’s not always true that jumbo CDs have a higher interest rate than traditional CDs. Learn more about jumbo CDs and why it's wise to shop around before locking your money into one.

What is a no-penalty CD?

A no-penalty CD — also called a liquid CD — is like a traditional CD through which you lock in a deposit for a guaranteed rate of return over a stated period of time, but with the flexibility of withdrawing your money without penalty before the CD matures. This flexibility comes with trade-offs, however, including lower rates of return than a traditional CD. With rates at historic highs, a high-yield savings account may offer comparable or even higher rates than a no-penalty CD with the same flexibility.

What is a CD ladder?

A CD ladder is a savings strategy designed to spread out your money across multiple CDs to leverage high rates without tying up your full investment into one long-term CD. The result of CD laddering is access to a portion of your investment at regular, timed intervals. With rates at all-time highs, a short-term CD ladder combines the high rates of return of a long-term CD with the flexible access to your money that a shorter-term CD offers.

Learn how to build a CD ladder that helps you lock in today's highest rates while enjoying rolling returns — before rates drop.

Editor's note: Annual percentage yields shown are as of Thursday, August 1, 2024, at 8:05 a.m. ET. APYs and promotional rates for some products can vary by region and are subject to change.

Sources

• National Rates and Rate Caps, FDIC. Accessed July 16, 2024.

• Consumer Price Index Summary, U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Accessed July 12, 2024.

• Producer Price Index News Release summary, U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Accessed June 14, 2024.

• Employment Situation Summary, U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Accessed July 9, 2024.