ArcaTop 5.00% APY · No requirements 4.20% APY

Savings Rates vs. Inflation: Is Your Savings Account Keeping Up?

Updated First published By Alex Quintana, founder of ArcaMS Finance, Vanderbilt OwenRates verified

Yes, as of November 9, 2026, the best high-yield savings accounts pay more than the latest annual inflation rate of 3.7%.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices rose 3.7% over the 12 months through September 2026. To keep up, your savings need to earn more than that. The October report, released November 10, 2026, showed a 0.4% monthly rise but no 12-month figure, so 3.7% is still the inflation number to beat until the November report on December 10, 2026.

The average savings account pays only 0.37% APY (FDIC, September 2026). On a $10,000 balance, that's $37 a year, while a $10,000 savings balance needs to earn $370 a year to keep up with prices.

As of November 9, 2026, the highest savings rate Arca tracks is 5.00% APY at Leader Bank Zeugma Plus High Yield Savings (requires a linked checking account, direct deposit of $1,000+/mo, a minimum opening deposit, and other conditions), tied with Axos ONE® Savings (requires a linked checking account, direct deposit or qualifying deposits, and other conditions); both are promotional rates. The highest savings rate with no requirements (no direct deposit, linked checking account or minimum balance) is 4.20% APY at EverBank Performance Savings, for new accounts only.

Which savings accounts pay more than inflation?

As of , these are the highest-paying online savings accounts Arca tracks, against 3.7% inflation. All are at banks insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). You can withdraw your money at any time; nothing is locked up.

Best rates against inflation — sorted by max APY

By max APY · Rates as of
AccountMax APY ↓Yearly interest on $10,000Bank site
EverBank Performance Savings
EverBank · Member FDIC
Full rate, no requirements
New accounts only
Highest rate, no requirements
4.20% APY
$420 a year on a $10,000 balance
Visit site
See details for EverBank Performance Savings

EverBank Performance Savings pays 4.20% APY as of November 9, 2026, for new accounts, with no minimum balance, no direct deposit required, and no linked checking account required.

Minimum balance to earn 4.20% APY
None. EverBank Performance Savings has no minimum balance required to earn 4.20% APY.
Minimum deposit to open
$0.
Direct deposit
No direct deposit required. EverBank Performance Savings pays its full 4.20% APY without a direct deposit.
Linked checking account
No linked checking account required. EverBank Performance Savings pays its full 4.20% APY as a standalone savings account.
Eligibility
4.20% APY applies to new accounts only; may not apply to existing accounts.
Rate type
Variable. The APY can change at any time.
Rate verified
Verified by Arca on November 9, 2026.
See all details at EverBank for EverBank Performance Savings (opens in a new tab)
Marcus Online Savings Account
Marcus (Goldman Sachs) · Member FDIC
Full rate, no requirements
3.50% APY
$350 a year on a $10,000 balance
Visit site
See details for Marcus Online Savings Account

Marcus Online Savings Account pays 3.50% APY as of November 9, 2026 with no minimum balance, no direct deposit required, and no linked checking account required.

Minimum balance to earn 3.50% APY
None. Marcus Online Savings Account has no minimum balance required to earn 3.50% APY.
Minimum deposit to open
$0.
Direct deposit
No direct deposit required. Marcus Online Savings Account pays its full 3.50% APY without a direct deposit.
Linked checking account
No linked checking account required. Marcus Online Savings Account pays its full 3.50% APY as a standalone savings account.
Rate type
Variable. The APY can change at any time.
Rate verified
Verified by Arca on November 9, 2026.
See all details at Marcus (Goldman Sachs) for Marcus Online Savings Account (opens in a new tab)
Ally Bank Online Savings Account
Ally Bank · Member FDIC
Full rate, no requirements
3.20% APY
$320 a year on a $10,000 balance
Visit site
See details for Ally Bank Online Savings Account

Ally Bank Online Savings Account pays 3.20% APY as of November 9, 2026 with no minimum balance, no direct deposit required, and no linked checking account required.

Minimum balance to earn 3.20% APY
None. Ally Bank Online Savings Account has no minimum balance required to earn 3.20% APY.
Minimum deposit to open
$0.
Direct deposit
No direct deposit required. Ally Bank Online Savings Account pays its full 3.20% APY without a direct deposit.
Linked checking account
No linked checking account required. Ally Bank Online Savings Account pays its full 3.20% APY as a standalone savings account.
Rate type
Variable. The APY can change at any time.
Rate verified
Verified by Arca on November 9, 2026.
See all details at Ally Bank for Ally Bank Online Savings Account (opens in a new tab)

One year of interest on $10,000 at today's APY, rounded to the dollar. Each bank provides its own FDIC insurance; Arca is not a bank and does not hold deposits.

Also above 3.7% inflation as of : Zeugma Plus High Yield Savings at 5.00% APY (requires a linked checking account, direct deposit of $1,000+/mo, a minimum opening deposit, and other conditions; includes a promotional rate through , after which the rate may change), Axos ONE® Savings at 5.00% APY (requires a linked checking account, direct deposit or qualifying deposits, and other conditions; includes a promotional rate, after which the rate is 1.00%), SoFi High-Yield Savings Account at 4.40% APY (requires a linked checking account and direct deposit or qualifying deposits, for new accounts only; includes a promotional rate through , after which the rate is 3.30%), Axos Summit Savings at 4.01% APY (other conditions apply; includes a promotional rate, after which the rate is 3.75%), and CIT Platinum Savings at 3.75% APY (requires a minimum balance).

APYs are variable and can change at any time.

How much does $10,000 earn in savings vs. inflation?

As of Nov 9, 2026, a $10,000 savings balance needs to earn $370 a year to match 3.7% inflation. It earns $420 in EverBank (4.20% APY) and $1 in Chase and Wells Fargo standard savings.

Interest on $10,000 ·
AccountAPYInterest1 yearVs. inflationneeds to earn $370
EverBank Performance Savings4.20%$420+$50
Marcus Online Savings Account3.50%$350−$20
Ally Bank Online Savings Account3.20%$320−$50
American Express High Yield Savings Account3.20%$320−$50
BenchmarksNational average (FDIC)0.37%$37−$333
Chase and Wells Fargo standard savings0.01%$1−$369

The national average is from the FDIC, September 2026.

Interest is on a $10,000 balance over one year at today's APY, before taxes, rounded to the nearest dollar.

Moving $10,000 from a 0.01% account to a 4.20% account earns about $419 more a year. Both accounts are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, per ownership category.

To see the numbers for your own balance, use the Arca savings calculator.

Does your savings account beat inflation? How to check

  1. Find your rate. Look for "APY" on your bank statement, in your bank's app, or on your bank's savings rate page.
  2. Compare it to 3.7%. That's the latest inflation figure (12 months through September 2026). If your rate is higher, your savings are keeping up with prices. If it's lower, your money buys a little less each year.
  3. If you're behind, compare accounts. EverBank Performance Savings (for new accounts only) pays more than 3.7% with no requirements. You can compare current high-yield savings rates on one page, along with what each account requires.

A quick check: if your savings rate starts with "0.", it isn't keeping up with inflation.

What is the average savings account rate?

The average U.S. savings account pays 0.37% APY (FDIC, September 2026), below 3.7% inflation. Standard savings accounts at Chase and Wells Fargo pay 0.01% APY as of Arca's capture. Online high-yield savings accounts carry the same FDIC insurance and pay several percentage points more.

Savings rates vs. inflation

Excludes promotional rates.

Inflation: 12 months through September 2026 (Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). National average: FDIC, September 2026.

Savings rates vs. inflation: each rate and what $10,000 earns in a year at it, against the $370 needed to keep up with 3.7% inflation (Consumer Price Index, 12 months through September 2026). Simple interest before taxes, not a compounded real return.
MeasureRateCompared with inflation
Highest ongoing rate, no requirements4.20%+$50 a year on a $10,000 balance
National average0.37%−$333 a year on a $10,000 balance
Big-bank standard savings0.01%–0.04%−$366 to −$369 a year on a $10,000 balance
Inflation: 12 months through September 2026 (Consumer Price Index)3.7%

Caption: Savings rates vs. inflation, as of . Inflation: 3.7% (Consumer Price Index, 12 months through September 2026). Highest ongoing rate, no requirements: 4.20% APY (EverBank Performance Savings, for new accounts only). National average: 0.37% (FDIC, September 2026). Big-bank standard savings: 0.01% to 0.04%. Source: Arca Savings rate capture.

What is the inflation rate right now?

Prices rose 3.7% over the 12 months through September 2026, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, released .

The October report came out . Prices rose 0.4% from September, but the Bureau did not publish a 12-month figure for October. It never collected October 2025 prices during the 2025 government shutdown, so 3.7% is still the latest annual rate. The next annual figure comes with the November report, due .

Much of the increase came from energy, whose prices rose 20.4% over the same 12 months. Excluding food and energy, prices rose 2.6%. We compare savings rates to the full 3.7% because groceries and gas are part of your budget too.

Do taxes affect whether savings beat inflation?

Yes. Savings interest is taxed as ordinary income. After taxes, you need a rate somewhat above 3.7% to fully keep up with inflation, and how far above depends on your tax bracket. Rate comparisons, including the ones on this page, are shown before tax.

Rates change, too. Savings rates are variable, so any of these accounts can move up or down, and the inflation figure changes every month. Arca checks each account's rate every week and updates this page when rates or inflation change.

Frequently asked questions

Which savings accounts pay more than inflation right now?

According to Arca Savings' rate capture, these savings accounts pay more than the 3.7% inflation rate (12 months through September 2026): Zeugma Plus High Yield Savings (5.00% APY with a linked checking account, direct deposit of $1,000+/mo, a minimum opening deposit, and other conditions; includes a promotional rate through ), Axos ONE® Savings (5.00% APY with a linked checking account, direct deposit or qualifying deposits, and other conditions; includes a promotional rate), SoFi High-Yield Savings Account (4.40% APY with a linked checking account and direct deposit or qualifying deposits, for new accounts only; includes a promotional rate through ), EverBank Performance Savings (4.20% APY, new accounts only), Axos Summit Savings (4.01% APY, new accounts only; includes a promotional rate), and CIT Platinum Savings (up to 3.75% APY, with a minimum balance). EverBank Performance Savings has no direct deposit or minimum balance requirements. Source: Arca Savings, updated November 9, 2026.

What savings rate do I need to beat inflation?

To beat inflation, a savings account needs an APY above 3.7%, the 12-month inflation rate through September 2026 (Consumer Price Index, released ). That's before taxes. On a $10,000 balance, 3.7% works out to $370 a year. Source: Arca Savings, updated November 9, 2026.

Do savings accounts beat inflation in 2026?

As of , some high-yield savings accounts beat 3.7% inflation, according to Arca Savings' weekly rate capture. EverBank Performance Savings (for new accounts only) pays 4.20% APY with no requirements. Marcus Online Savings Account pays 3.50%, below inflation. The national average savings rate is 0.37% (FDIC, September 2026). Source: Arca Savings, updated November 9, 2026.

Is my money losing value in a savings account?

Money in a savings account loses buying power when the account's APY is lower than inflation, which was 3.7% for the 12 months through September 2026. At the 0.37% national average rate (FDIC, September 2026), a $10,000 savings balance earns about $37 a year, while keeping up with 3.7% inflation would take $370. Accounts with an APY above 3.7% keep pace before taxes. Source: Arca Savings, updated November 9, 2026.

What's the highest savings rate with no requirements?

As of , the highest savings rate with no requirements is 4.20% APY at EverBank Performance Savings, for new accounts only, according to Arca Savings' weekly rate capture. No direct deposit, linked checking account or minimum balance is required. On a $10,000 balance, that's about $420 a year, $50 more than 3.7% inflation. Source: Arca Savings, updated November 9, 2026.

How much does $10,000 earn in a savings account in a year?

As of , $10,000 in savings earns about $420 a year at 4.20% APY (EverBank Performance Savings, for new accounts only), $37 at the 0.37% national average (FDIC, September 2026), and $1 at 0.01% APY (Chase and Wells Fargo standard savings). To keep up with 3.7% inflation, a $10,000 balance needs to earn $370 a year. Source: Arca Savings, updated November 9, 2026.

How we get our rates

Arca Savings checks each bank's own published savings rate page every week and records each rate with the date it was checked. The rates on this page come from the check. Inflation figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the national average from the FDIC. Arca is not a bank and doesn't hold deposits; deposit insurance comes from each bank listed.

Arca has no paid placements and no affiliate relationships as of November 2026.

Updates