Discover Savings Account Interest Rates: March 2024

Discover offers a relatively accessible savings account, but the APY is low compared to top high-yield savings options

Fact checked by Michael Rosenston

Discover Savings Account Interest Rates

Discover offers a high-yield savings account that comes with an annual percentage yield (APY) that’s much higher than the national average. The interest rate applies regardless of your balance, so you don’t have to worry about complicated APY tiers.

Important

The APYs listed are up to date as of the date of publication of this article. We review the bank’s savings account rates every two weeks and update the information below accordingly.

See the best savings account rates today:

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Discover Savings Accounts: Key Features

The Discover Online Savings account is easy to open, with no minimum deposit or balance requirement. You’ll also earn the same APY regardless of your balance. Interest is compounded daily and paid monthly. Although the bank’s APY is high compared to the national average (0.47%, as of Jan. 16, 2024), it’s low compared to the best high-yield savings accounts on the market.

Discover doesn’t charge any account fees, though, so you don’t have to worry about extra costs. 

Like many other savings accounts, this one has a limit of six withdrawals per statement cycle, and while Discover won’t charge you a fee for excessive withdrawals beyond that threshold, it may refuse to complete the transaction. If you exceed the withdrawal limit regularly, the bank may close your account.

About Discover: Other Savings Options

Discover offers savings accounts nationwide, but the online bank has no physical locations. It also offers a rewards checking account, a money market account, and certificates of deposit, among other banking services.

The bank has a reputation for good customer service, receiving top marks in J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Direct Banking Satisfaction Study.

Important

Savings account interest rates can fluctuate regularly, so while one bank may offer the best APY at the moment, there’s no guarantee it will stay that way as banks compete for consumers’ business. While a high APY is important, consider all account features to determine the best fit for you.

Compare Savings Account Rates

In the News

In the News: Savings account rates reached higher in 2023 than we’d seen in more than 20 years, pushed up by the Federal Reserve’s rate-hike campaign that began in March 2022 to tame decades-high inflation. For its last four meetings, however, the Fed has held the federal funds rate steady, and signaled on Jan. 31 that the committee’s rate-hike cycle has almost certainly ended. While most Fed members expect two to four rate decreases will occur in 2024, the Fed has cautioned that it could be some time before the first cut is implemented.

Because savings account yields closely follow the fed funds rate, the Fed’s current holding pattern has caused savings rates to plateau, and declines should be expected once it appears the Fed is ready to make its first cut.

Pros and Cons of Discover Savings Account

Pros

• APY is usually high compared to the national average

• No minimum deposit requirement

• No tiered APY

Cons

• APY is low compared to the top high-yield savings accounts

• No physical branch locations

• Monthly withdrawal limit

Pros Explained

• APY is usually high compared to the national average: If you have a savings account with a traditional bank, you may earn next to nothing on your balance. Discover’s savings account interest rates are typically much higher than the national average savings interest rate.
  
• No minimum deposit requirement: You don’t need to make a minimum deposit to open an account or maintain a minimum balance to earn interest, making it relatively accessible compared to accounts with minimum requirements of several hundred or thousand dollars.
• No tiered APY: Some savings accounts reserve their highest interest rates for higher balances. With Discover, you’ll earn the same rate regardless of your balance.

Cons Explained

• APY is low compared to the top high-yield savings accounts: While Discover Bank’s savings account interest rates are high compared to the national average, you can get a higher yield with the best high-yield savings accounts.
  
• No physical branch locations: Discover doesn’t have any physical locations, and there’s no ATM access if you don’t also have a Discover checking account. If you want more flexibility with how you can access your cash, consider other options.
  
• Monthly withdrawal limit: The Federal Reserve no longer requires banks to limit savings account withdrawals to six per month, but Discover maintains that limit.

Alternatives to Discover Savings Account Interest Rates

Unless you already bank with Discover, it might be worth checking out other alternatives to ensure you get the right account for your financial situation.

Higher-Yield Savings Accounts

If you want to maximize the interest you earn on your savings, you’ll find higher interest rates with other high-yield savings accounts. These accounts are typically offered by other online banks, though you may also find them with some traditional banks and credit unions.

Money Market Accounts

If you want better access to your funds but don’t want to open both a checking and savings account, you may consider a money market account. These accounts can offer high yields, but they may also provide you with a debit card and check-writing privileges. That said, they may have higher deposit requirements and may charge monthly fees.

Warning

Like savings accounts, money market accounts can also come with a limit of six withdrawals per month, which can impact your ability to use your account in the way you want.

Certificates of Deposit

Interest rates on savings and money market accounts fluctuate regularly. If you want to lock in a high interest rate on your savings, consider a certificate of deposit (CD). These accounts typically offer higher yields in exchange for locking up your funds for a certain period of time, which can range from a few months to several years. If you withdraw your money before the account matures, though, you may face early withdrawal penalties. See our picks for the best CD rates to see how much you could earn.

I Bonds

I Bonds are issued by the U.S. government and are designed to provide protection against inflation—in many cases, high-yield savings interest rates don’t provide inflation protection. These bonds have maturities of up to 30 years, but you can cash them in early.

Warning

You cannot redeem I Bonds in the first year, and if you cash them in during the first five years, you’ll forfeit the previous three months’ worth of interest. 

U.S. Treasuries

Treasury Bills, or T-Bills, are issued by the U.S. government and have maturities of one year or less. Because they’re fully backed by the federal government, they’re considered to be essentially risk-free.  

Is Discover Good for Savings?

Discover offers a high yield on its savings account, but if you’re looking to maximize your return on your short-term savings needs (like for an emergency fund or home down payment), you can find better APYs elsewhere. Take a look at the best high-yield savings accounts to see the highest rates on the market today.

What’s the Minimum Balance for a Discover Savings Account?

Discover doesn’t have a minimum balance requirement to open a savings account or to earn interest. With some other banks, you may need to make a minimum deposit to get started or maintain a certain balance to earn the account’s highest interest rate, which makes Discover relatively accessible.

How Do You Withdraw Money From a Discover Savings Account?

You can withdraw money from your Discover Online Savings account through a bank transfer (either to a Discover checking account or to an external account), a wire transfer, or a bank check. The account doesn’t come with an ATM or bank card, so there’s no way to withdraw cash. 

Remember that there’s a limit of six withdrawals per statement cycle. If you make more than that, the bank may decline your request.

Are Discover Savings Accounts FDIC-Insured?

Yes, Discover offers FDIC insurance up to the maximum limit of $250,000 per account category, per owner. In other words, you’re insured up to $250,000 on your own or $500,000 with a joint account owner.

Does Discover Savings Pay Interest Monthly?

Yes, Discover compounds the interest you earn on a daily basis and pays it out monthly.

Is Discover’s Savings Account Safe?

Yes, Discover’s savings account is a safe place to put your money. Your deposits are insured by the FDIC up to the maximum coverage limit of $250,000.

How Does Discover’s Savings Account Work?

Discover’s savings account is an online savings account. You can make deposits via bank transfers, mobile check deposits, mailed checks, and direct deposit, and you can withdraw money through bank transfers, wire transfers, or an official bank check. 

However, you cannot access your money at a bank branch, and there’s also no ATM access unless you have a Discover checking account—and you’d need to transfer money from savings to checking before your ATM withdrawal.

How Much Do I Need to Keep in My Discover Savings Account?

Discover doesn’t have a minimum balance requirement. To determine how much to save, think about your goals and what you want to accomplish with your short-term savings, and look at how much you can expect to earn at different rates and deposit amounts.

Read the original article on Investopedia.