Have $10K in Checking? That Might Be a Problem in May 2025

Motley Fool
05-03

KEY POINTS

  • Leaving $10,000 in checking means earning little to no interest
  • You could be making $400 more a year with a high-yield savings account
  • HYSAs are easy to open and safe to use.

Most checking accounts pay next to nothing. Like, 0.07% APY kind of nothing. If you've got $10,000 just chilling in one, that's earning you...about $7 a year.

Meanwhile, top high-yield savings accounts (HYSAs) are paying around 4.00% APY as of May 2025. That same $10,000 could be earning you $400 or more -- passively, with no extra effort or risk.

I'll be honest, I used to only have a checking account, too. But then I learned about HYSAs and made a switch. Last year alone I earned $798 on my emergency fund!

Checking accounts aren't built for savings

Checking accounts are designed for spending, not growing your money. They're made for quick access and everyday banking needs. They pay a tiny APY (or no APY at all).

Our Picks for the Best High-Yield Savings Accounts of 2025

ProductAPYMin. to Earn
SoFi Checking and Savings
Member FDIC.
APY
up to 3.80%²
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. You can earn the maximum APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
Min. to earn
$0
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings

On SoFi's Secure Website.

Member FDIC.
up to 3.80%²
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. You can earn the maximum APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
$0
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings

On SoFi's Secure Website.

American Express® High Yield Savings Account
Member FDIC.
APY
3.70%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. 3.70% annual percentage yield as of May 3, 2025. Terms apply.
Min. to earn
$0
Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings Account

On American Express's Secure Website.

Member FDIC.
3.70%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. 3.70% annual percentage yield as of May 3, 2025. Terms apply.
$0
Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings Account

On American Express's Secure Website.

Barclays Tiered Savings
Member FDIC.
APY
4.10%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. Balances less than $250,000 earn 4.10%, and balances greater than $250,000 earn 4.30%.
Min. to earn
$0
Open Account for Barclays Tiered Savings

On Barclays' Secure Website.

Member FDIC.
4.10%
Rate info Circle with letter I in it. Balances less than $250,000 earn 4.10%, and balances greater than $250,000 earn 4.30%.
$0
Open Account for Barclays Tiered Savings

On Barclays' Secure Website.

Disclaimers

SoFi disclosure:

¹ New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) OR $300 (with at least $5,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 12/7/2023 and will be available through 1/31/26. See full bonus and annual percentage yield (APY) terms at sofi.com/banking#1.

² SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus with Direct Deposit or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days or with $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. Members without either SoFi Plus or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Only SoFi Plus members are eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. See the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus.

³ We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Checking & Savings Fee Sheet for details at sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/.

⁴ SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per depositor per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations.

Any additional FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $3M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms. See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks.

We’ve partnered with Allpoint to provide you with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. You will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third-party fees incurred when using out-of-network ATMs are not subject to reimbursement. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at our discretion at any time.

Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.

Overdraft Coverage is limited to $50 on debit card purchases only and is an account benefit available to customers with direct deposits of $1,000 or more during the current 30-day Evaluation Period as determined by SoFi Bank, N.A. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the“30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Members with a prior history of non-repayment of negative balances are ineligible for Overdraft Coverage.

Savings accounts are different -- specifically "high-yield" savings accounts. They're perfect for the cash you're saving up for emergencies and short-term goals, and they pay a much bigger APY.

The average interest rate on checking accounts is 0.07%. The top HYSA rate from our partners in May 2025 is 4.40%.

To put this in real numbers, with $10,000…

  • In a 0.07% APY checking account: you'd earn $7 per year.
  • In a 4.40% APY HYSA: you'd earn $440 per year.

That's a $433 difference. Enough to pay for an Amazon Prime membership plus a full year of Netflix Standard (the ad-free plan!).

The psychological power of separate savings

Beyond the higher APY, I've noticed a couple of other benefits to having a separate bank account for my savings.

  1. I naturally save more. Money that goes in doesn't come out. My HYSA is like a one-way street, so the balance just keeps going up.
  2. I splurge way less. Since my checking account has a lower daily balance, it's much harder for me to feel "spendy."
  3. I feel more organized. Having separate buckets for spending and savings (and investing!) is simpler than lumping all my dollars together.

So yeah, it's not just about the interest. My HYSA is part of my grown-up money game plan. #Adulting.

My favorite HYSA right now

Right now, I'm a fan of the CIT Platinum Savings account.

You'll unlock 4.10% APY for balances of $5,000 or more. This is one of the highest APYs available right now. There are also no monthly fees and no minimums to worry about.

Probably what I like best is that CIT Bank is part of First Citizens Bank -- the 15th-largest bank in the U.S. It is FDIC insured, so your money's fully protected.

So if you've got extra savings just sitting idle, do yourself a favor and open a CIT Platinum Savings account. It takes less than five minutes to set up and start saving.

Link your accounts for faster transfers

When you open a new HYSA, it's a good idea to link it to your existing checking account during setup. That way, moving money back and forth can be done with a few taps on your phone.

Transfers between different accounts can take one to three days, but for me it usually happens the very next morning.

Time to put your money to work

If you've got $10,000 sitting in checking, ask yourself, Is it really doing anything for you?

A high-yield savings account gives your cash a job -- earning 4.00% or more with zero effort or risk. Switch your savings over today. You won't regret it.

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