Find the Best Rate Yourself
Savings, CD and mortgage rates change weekly — faster than any list can keep up. Instead of a stale table, here are the official benchmarks to check, how to tell a good rate from a teaser, and what a better rate is worth to you.
A Rate List Goes Stale in Days
Banks reprice savings accounts and CDs whenever market rates move, and mortgage rates change daily. A “best rates” table is out of date almost as soon as it’s published — and many rate tables online are ranked by who pays the publisher, not by who pays you.
DigitalWealthSource takes no affiliate or referral money, so rather than show you last month’s numbers, this page shows you how to check the current ones in a few minutes.
Where things stood on September 28, 2026: the Fed raised its target range to 3.75%–4.00% on September 16; the FDIC’s national averages were 0.37% for savings and 1.73% for a 12-month CD (September 21); I bonds pay 4.26% through October 31 and reset November 1. Rates are rising, so check whether your bank has followed. What the hike changes →
Four Numbers to Check Before You Move Money
How to Judge a Savings or CD Rate
- Check insurance first. Banks should be FDIC-insured and credit unions NCUA-insured — generally up to $250,000 per depositor, per institution, per ownership category.
- Separate the promo from the ongoing rate. Some top rates are introductory, require direct deposit, or only apply up to a balance cap.
- Look past the APY. Minimum balances, monthly fees, transfer limits and how fast you can move money out all matter.
- For CDs, price the early-withdrawal penalty (often several months of interest) against how likely you are to need the money. While rates are rising, keep terms short or ladder them so maturing money can move up; a no-penalty CD is another option. How a ladder works.
- Consider Treasuries. Interest on Treasury bills and notes is exempt from state and local income tax. To compare, multiply a bill’s yield by (1 − your federal rate) and a bank rate by (1 − federal − state rate); the bigger number wins. The break-even by state · run your own numbers.
- I bonds pay a rate tied to inflation (4.26% for bonds bought through October 31, 2026, when the rate resets), can’t be cashed in during the first year, and give up the last three months of interest if redeemed within five years. I bonds guide.
What Is a Better Rate Worth?
Enter the rates you’re actually seeing. The defaults are only an example.
How to Shop a Mortgage Rate
- Get official Loan Estimates from at least three lenders, ideally on the same day, so you’re comparing like with like.
- Compare the APR and the points, not just the headline rate. A lower rate that costs two points upfront may not pay off if you move or refinance within a few years.
- Rate-shop in a short window. Credit scoring models generally count multiple mortgage inquiries within 14 to 45 days as a single inquiry.
- Check each quote against Freddie Mac’s weekly average. Your credit score, down payment and loan type all move your actual rate. How to read a Loan Estimate →
Federal Student Loan Rates
Federal student loan rates are set once a year by law — based on the 10-year Treasury auction each May plus a fixed add-on, with caps — and apply to new loans first disbursed from July 1 through June 30. Current rates are published on StudentAid.gov.
Repayment options also changed on July 1, 2026: the SAVE plan has ended and the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) launched. Confirm which plans your loans qualify for at StudentAid.gov before switching.
Common Questions
Why doesn’t DigitalWealthSource publish a list of the best savings rates?
Rates change too often for a static list to stay accurate, and we don’t accept affiliate or referral fees from banks. The official benchmarks on this page are updated by the FDIC, Freddie Mac and the Federal Reserve on a set schedule.
What counts as a good high-yield savings rate?
Compare any offer with the FDIC’s national average savings rate (0.37% in September 2026), the federal funds target range (3.75%–4.00% since September 17, 2026) and short-term Treasury bill yields. The most competitive online accounts pay close to bill yields; anything under 1% is far below the market.
Is a CD better than a high-yield savings account?
A CD locks in a rate for a fixed term, which helps if rates fall, but withdrawing early usually costs a penalty. While rates are rising, a long CD can fall behind a savings account whose rate moves up, so in a rising-rate year like 2026, keep CD terms short or ladder them.
Where These Benchmarks Come From
- FDIC — National Rates and Rate Caps
- Freddie Mac — Primary Mortgage Market Survey
- Federal Reserve — FOMC meeting calendar and statements
- FDIC — Deposit Insurance
- CFPB — Understanding the Loan Estimate
- Federal Student Aid — Interest Rates and Fees
- TreasuryDirect — I bonds
- U.S. Treasury — Daily Treasury bill rates