Top CDs have more than three times the national average for a certain semester.
A certificate of deposit can be a wise way to protect your funds from falling to falling markets. When you open the CD, your price is fixed, so your gains will remain the same no matter what happens in the economy. This peace of mind can be particularly valuable when fears for tariffs, inflation and recession.
Today's highest CDs offer an annual percentage of up to 4.40%, more than three times the national average of a certain level. However, we have seen rates drop in recent weeks, so if you want to turn on the CD, it might be wise to do this one early.
Best CD rates for the week
| semester | The highest APY* | bank | Estimated earnings from a deposit of $1,000 | Estimated earnings from a $5,000 deposit | Estimated earnings from a $10,000 deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 months | 4.50% | Community-wide federal credit union | $22.25 | $111.26 | $222.52 |
| 1 year | 4.40% | Bask Bank; Community-wide federal credit unions | $44.00 | $220.00 | $440.00 |
| 3 years | 4.15% | The first credit union in the United States | $129.74 | $648.69 | $1,297.38 |
| 5 years | 4.20% | The first credit union in the United States | $228.40 | $1,141.98 | $2,283.97 |
Experts recommend comparing rates to get the best APY before opening a CD account. Enter your information below to get the best interest rates for CNET partners.
Top allowance for CD
CDs offer many benefits, including:
Low risk: CDs held by FDIC Insurance Bank or NCUA-insured credit unions are protected by $250,000 per store, agency, and account category. This means that if your bank fails, your money is safe. Other investments (such as stocks) may produce higher returns in the long run, but they also volatility, which means you may lose money at any time.
Guaranteed return: Unlike savings accounts, when you open the CD, your APY is locked, in which case the interest rate may vary at any time. The fixed interest rate on CDs makes it easy to calculate how much interest you will earn over time and protect your funds from falling interest rates once you open your account.
Competition rate: Traditional savings accounts offer minimal APY, sometimes as low as 0.01%. Today's highest CD has an APY of 4.50% or more, which can change your interest income and help your funds keep up with inflation.
Access barriers: However, if you take the money out before the end of the semester, many CDs will withdraw the fines early. This can help you resist the urge to immerse your money before you need it.
Want to make your money easier to obtain? View high-yield savings accounts
CDs have many benefits, but they are not always suitable for your needs.
“Currently, CDs and high-yield savings accounts are good choices, but you have to remember that CDs have fixed deadlines, and HYSA offers more flexibility to get your funds,” said Krisstin Petersmarck, financial advisor at New Horizon Retirement Solutions. “The trade-off is that CDs offer higher interest rates for your funds than Hysas that offer lower interest rates.”
To determine if CD is the right choice for your money, ask yourself the following questions:
When do you need your funds? If you take the money out of the CD, you will pay the fine. By contrast, you can withdraw cash from your savings account at any time, for free (as long as you mind any monthly withdrawal restrictions).
How much do you have to deposit? Some CDs require a minimum deposit to open an account, usually from $500 to $1,000. If you can't find an attractive APY account you want to deposit the amount, try checking out a low yield savings account that has low or no minimum deposit.
Do you want to increase your money over time? Most CDs (although not all) only allow one-time deposits. If you want to regularly add money to your savings over time, consider a high yield savings account.
Do you need some discipline? If you are worried that you will be tempted to take advantage of your savings before you need it, the CD will withdraw the penalty ahead of time, which can help you stop.
You can earn up to 5% APY in today's best high yield savings accounts. Check Maximum savings rate Now.
Methodology
CNET reviews CD rates based on the latest APY information from the issuer's website. We evaluate CD rates for over 50 banks, credit unions and financial companies. We evaluate CDs based on APY, product products, accessibility and customer service.
The current banks included in CNET's weekly CD averages include Alliant Credit Union, Ally Bank, America First Federal Credit Union, American Express National Bank, Barclays, Bask Bank, BMO Alto, Bread Savings, Capital One, CFG Bank, CIT, CommunityWide Federal Credit Union, Discover, EverBank, First Internet Bank of Indiana, First National Bank of America, Forbright, LendingClub, Limelight Bank, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, MYSB Direct, Nexbank, Quontic, Rising Banking and Sync.
*As of April 25, 2025, according to banks we tracked on CNET. The gain is based on APY and assumes that interest is more complex every year.
