Is high-yield savings safe?

Reputable high-yield accounts carry the same FDIC insurance (up to $250k per depositor) as a big bank. The higher rate comes from lower overhead, not more risk.

Why does the big bank pay so little?

Large banks pay rock-bottom rates (often 0.01%) because most customers don't move. Online banks compete on rate — which is exactly the gap the calculator surfaces.

Savings

How much is your bank quietly costing you?

The average big-bank account pays about 0.01%. See what the same money earns at 4%+ — and the gap.

Free · real compound-interest math

How much you're leaving on the table

The average big-bank savings account pays about 0.01%. See what the same money earns in a high-yield account.

Starting balance ($)

Added per month ($)

High-yield APY (%)

Years

Monthly compounding; assumes a steady APY (real rates move). Compared against a 0.01% APY big-bank account.

An emergency fund sitting in a big-bank savings account is quietly losing to inflation while the bank pays you almost nothing. A high-yield savings account — same FDIC insurance, just lower overhead — pays 40 to 400 times more.

The calculator compounds your starting balance and monthly contributions monthly, then shows the same money at a 0.01% big-bank rate. The gap is what the convenience of not switching is costing you.

FAQ

Is high-yield savings safe?: Reputable high-yield accounts carry the same FDIC insurance (up to $250k per depositor) as a big bank. The higher rate comes from lower overhead, not more risk.
Why does the big bank pay so little?: Large banks pay rock-bottom rates (often 0.01%) because most customers don't move. Online banks compete on rate — which is exactly the gap the calculator surfaces.