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Our quick take: Get the Barclays Tiered Savings if you can maintain a high daily account balance and want a no-frills savings account with no fees or account minimums. If you prefer online banking, read on to see if the Barclays Tiered Savings best suits your banking needs.
Barclays Tiered Savings
On Barclays' Secure Website.
On Barclays' Secure Website.
For those who can maintain a high account balance, we think the Barclay Tiered Savings account's APY is hard to beat. Not only does it offer a strong APY, but it also has no monthly fees, no minimum amount to open an account, and no withdrawal limits.
Make sure you're getting the best account for you by comparing savings rates and promotions. Here are some of our favorite high-yield savings accounts to consider.
Account | APY | Promotion | Next Steps |
---|---|---|---|
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings
On SoFi's Secure Website.
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
up to 4.50%²
Rate info
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
|
New customers can earn up to a $300 bonus with qualifying direct deposits!¹
|
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings
On SoFi's Secure Website. |
Open Account for CIT Platinum Savings
On CIT's Secure Website.
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
4.85% APY for balances of $5,000 or more
Rate info
4.85% APY for balances of $5,000 or more; otherwise, 0.25% APY
Min. to earn: $100 to open account, $5,000 for max APY
|
N/A
|
Open Account for CIT Platinum Savings
On CIT's Secure Website. |
Open Account for Capital One 360 Performance Savings
On Capital One's Secure Website.
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
4.25%
Rate info
See Capital One website for most up-to-date rates. Advertised Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is variable and accurate as of April 11, 2024. Rates are subject to change at any time before or after account opening.
Min. to earn: $0
|
N/A
|
Open Account for Capital One 360 Performance Savings
On Capital One's Secure Website. |
Barclays is an online-only bank that offers competitive interest rates on its savings accounts and certificates of deposit (CDs). The Barclays Tiered Savings is a compelling high-yield savings account with no fees and strong APYs, but it won't be right for everyone. With that in mind, let's break it down and see how it works.
Account | APY | Minimum Deposit |
---|---|---|
Barclays Tiered Savings | up to 4.80% | $0 |
The Barclays Tiered Savings account has a tiered interest system that increases your interest rate based on your account balance. You'll earn interest on any amount you deposit, and by default, this account offers a higher APY than the also-free Barclays Online Savings account's 4.20% APY. To get the highest possible APY on the Barclays Tiered Savings account, you'll need a balance of at least $250,000.
If you like the sound of "free," rest assured that the Barclays Tiered Savings is about as free as you'll get. There's no monthly service fee, no statement payment fee, no insufficient funds fee, and no account research fee. The only fee is $0.50 for paper copies of bank statements mailed to you. But as long as you're getting electronic statements, you won't have to worry about this.
This account has no minimum balance requirements to open. This differs from other high-yield savings accounts, which often require you to open an account with $100 or more. Given the account's tiered APY system, however, you may need to maintain a certain balance to continue earning at the same rate.
Barclays states on its website that in order for interest to post to your account you must maintain a minimum balance that would earn you at least $0.01.
Barclays imposes no limit to the number of withdrawals you make from its Barclays Tiered Savings account. You can make as many monthly withdrawals as you like without paying fees for going over a limit.
You can access your Barclays Tiered Savings account through the Barclays U.S. Savings app (Barclays has a separate app for its U.K. banking clients, so make sure you download the right one). The app will let you check your balances, transfer money, and deposit checks.
However, many users have pointed out that the app is outdated (it hasn't been updated since June 2023), clunky, and lacks the charts and budgeting tools found with more highly rated banking apps.
Most online-only savings accounts have higher APYs but don't offer the same withdrawal flexibility as a brick-and-mortar bank. The Barclays Tiered Savings is no different; in fact, your deposits and withdrawals are limited to electronic transfers only, as we'll discuss below.
Deposits into your Barclays Tiered Savings account must be electronic, whether that's an automated clearing house (ACH) transaction or mobile check deposited through the app. You can also fund your account by sending Barclays a physical check, though some check types aren't accepted (like starter and third-party checks). Cash, wire transfers, or money orders are not accepted.
Mobile check deposits have the following limits:
As you might expect by now, withdrawal options are limited to electronic transfers between your Barclays Tiered Savings and another bank account. Unfortunately, since Barclays doesn't have physical branches, you can't withdraw cash in person nor from ATMs.
While there aren't any user reviews on the Barclays Tiered Savings account specifically, Barclays banking clients seem unified in their disdain for the bank's website and mobile app. Most users find the app clunky and outdated.
Others were annoyed by Barclays' external account verification process, which requires receiving two test deposits in the account you're trying to link. Though this verification process is standard for many banks, it seems some clients found the process less intuitive at Barclays.
High APY: This is a great account for high-balance customers as you'll grow your money at Barclays's best rate for savings accounts -- up to 4.80%. While you can certainly find higher APYs on other high-yield savings accounts, this one also has the benefit of simplicity and no fees.
No fees: When you look at the Barclays Tiered Savings fee schedules, it's a bunch of zeros. The only fee you'd pay is for a paper copy of your bank statement ($0.50 per statement). Other than that, this is purely a free savings account.
No withdrawal limitations: You can make as many withdrawals as you'd like within a day with no transaction caps. Since some savings accounts limit your transactions to six per month, this could give you more flexibility if you're someone who typically makes more withdrawals than that.
Balance tier is steep: You need to maintain $250,000 or more to earn this account's highest APY yield.
Limited withdrawal options: While there are no limitations on the number of withdrawals you can make, your options are restricted to electronic transfers. Other banks with high-yield savings accounts will at least offer a checking account with ATM access. Since Barclays doesn't have this luxury, withdrawals from your savings may not be as instant as you like.
Mobile app has low ratings: The majority of users on iOS and Android seem frustrated with the Barclays U.S. Savings app. Users claim that the app frequently forgets their login information, doesn't have a fingerprint login (yet), and sometimes asks you to update the app even when there isn't an update available. If mobile banking is your preference, the app might leave you frustrated.
Yes, the Barclays Tiered Savings account has FDIC insurance. Each depositor on the account is insured up to $250,000 in FDIC insurance.
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate savings accounts on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). We evaluate all savings accounts across four main criteria: annual percentage yield (APY), brand and reputation, fees and minimum requirements, and perks that really make a difference -- think ATM access, linked checking accounts, or even branch access.
Our scores are weighted as:
Learn more about how The Motley Fool Ascent rates bank accounts.
The Barclays Tiered Savings account has a competitive interest rate for high account balances, no fees, and no minimum opening deposits, making it one of the best high-yield savings accounts. The more you save, the better this account gets.
Yes, the Barclays Tiered Savings account can receive direct deposits.
The maximum balance limit is $1 million. Once you reach $1 million, you'll need to open another Barclays Tiered Savings account (maximum limit of three per customer) to deposit more.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.