High-Yield Cash Accounts Compared

Last reviewed:: September 10, 2026
Next review:: October 10, 2026
Reviewed by:: ROIStreet Publisher

High-yield cash products can look similar while using very different structures. Some are direct bank deposits. Others are brokerage cash accounts that sweep money across a network of participating banks. A few require paid membership, direct deposit or other activity to earn the headline rate.

ROIStreet compares the pieces that determine what the advertised APY actually means: the product structure, qualification rules, fees, minimums, FDIC framework and how quickly the cash can be accessed. Rates are variable, so this page treats every APY as a dated fact rather than a permanent ranking.

Educational comparison of published platform features. Not investment, tax, or legal advice. Not an offer or recommendation to open any account or buy any security. Some links are affiliate links. See disclosure.

How this comparison works

The highest displayed APY is only one part of the comparison. A lower unconditional rate can be economically better than a higher rate that requires a paid membership or deposit activity the customer would not otherwise use.

This rubric measures published cash-account structure, access, fees and rate mechanics—not future yield and not the “best investment.”

Evaluation dimensions and their weights
Dimension	Weight	What it covers
Published APY and rate conditions	25%	Uses the current documented APY or applicable yield measure together with its provider date, variable-rate status and material conditions. A higher quoted rate on one date is not treated as evidence of a better long-term account.
Fees and minimums	15%	Separates account-opening minimums, minimums required for the stated rate, monthly or subscription costs, and waiver conditions. Optional investment-product fees are excluded unless they are required for the cash product.
FDIC insurance structure	20%	Distinguishes direct deposits at one bank from brokerage or fintech sweep programs that distribute eligible cash across participating banks. Published aggregate program limits remain subject to per-bank FDIC rules and the customer's other deposits.
Liquidity and cash access	15%	Examines withdrawal methods, transfer timing, material limits and whether money must move through a brokerage or settlement process before it can be spent or transferred.
Rate qualification mechanics	10%	Documents whether the displayed rate depends on direct deposit, qualifying monthly deposits, paid membership, a promotional enrollment window, a funded investment account or another activity condition.
Bank and sweep transparency	10%	Looks at how clearly the provider identifies the deposit bank, program-bank network, brokerage-before-sweep treatment and the point at which FDIC rather than SIPC protection applies.
Cash-use features	5%	Documents relevant checking-style features such as debit cards, ATM access, bill pay, routing/account numbers and same-brand transfers. More transaction features are descriptive, not automatically superior.

Platform comparison

Listed alphabetically. The order of this table is not a ranking.

Published fees, minimums and product availability by platform, listed alphabetically
Platform	Current cash product	Availability to new accounts	Account type (bank deposit, brokerage sweep, cash management)	Current published APY / yield	Rate conditions or tiers	Minimum to open	Minimum balance for the stated rate	Cash-product fee	Direct-deposit or qualifying-activity requirement	FDIC insurance structure and stated coverage	Direct bank, program-bank network or sweep structure	Withdrawal and transfer access	Debit card, ATM, checking or bill-pay features	Pre-sweep brokerage / SIPC treatment	Last fact checked
Acorns	Acorns Green Card Emergency Savings Account (Emergency Savings). Current new-user product; do not substitute the legacy Mighty Oak Emergency Savings account.	Available to current Acorns Silver and Gold users. For users signing up on or after November 10, 2025, the current product is Green Card Emergency Savings; Mighty Oak Emergency Savings is a legacy product and is not the current new-user account.	FDIC-insured, interest-bearing individual demand-deposit bank account provided through Acorns' banking program and Bank of Record; Acorns itself is not a bank.	3.35% APY, variable. Acorns' current pricing page still displays this rate and dates it December 11, 2025; ROIStreet re-verified the live official page on September 10, 2026.	Emergency Savings APY is available with eligible Silver or Gold subscriptions. No minimum opening deposit or minimum balance is required for the stated rate. APY is variable and can change.	$0 — Acorns states there is no minimum opening deposit for Emergency Savings.	$0 — no minimum balance is required to earn the stated Emergency Savings APY.	No separate Emergency Savings account fee. Access is included with eligible Acorns subscriptions: current new-subscriber pricing is Silver $8/month and Gold $12/month. Legacy subscription pricing can differ for grandfathered users.	No direct-deposit requirement for the stated Emergency Savings APY. Direct deposit and Smart Deposit can be used as funding tools but are not required to qualify for the base stated rate.	Eligible Emergency Savings deposits are held at the Bank of Record; current Acorns pricing identifies nbkc Bank, Member FDIC. Standard FDIC limits apply per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category, subject to the depositor's aggregate balances at that bank.	Direct bank-deposit structure through Acorns' banking program / Bank of Record; not a brokerage program-bank sweep.	Emergency Savings can be funded or withdrawn by ACH through eligible linked sources and Green Card Checking. Acorns documentation says withdrawals can be initiated at any time; transfers into linked Acorns checking can then be used through that account.	Emergency Savings itself does not have a dedicated debit/ATM card. Debit-card, ATM and checking features belong to the linked Green Card Checking product and should not be attributed to Emergency Savings.	Not applicable as a brokerage pre-sweep. Emergency Savings is a bank deposit product; SIPC should not be shown as the protection regime for the deposit.	2026-09-10
Betterment	Betterment Cash Reserve.	Cash Reserve is currently available to eligible Betterment customers and remains open to new eligible accounts.	Cash-management product offered through Betterment's brokerage structure; customer cash is swept to participating Program Banks. Betterment is not itself a bank.	3.25% base APY, variable. Betterment dates the displayed base rate December 12, 2025; ROIStreet re-verified the live official Cash Reserve materials on September 10, 2026.	Base Cash Reserve APY requires no recurring activity beyond funding the account. Current new-customer terms can add a +0.75 percentage-point promotional boost on eligible balances up to $1 million through January 15, 2027 when offer conditions are satisfied. Premium can add 0.25 percentage point to the base rate while its eligible-investment-balance condition is met. Do not assume promotional and Premium boosts stack unless current terms explicitly permit it.	$10 minimum deposit to fund Cash Reserve and receive the base APY.	No maintained minimum balance is required for the base APY; Betterment states a $10 minimum deposit to fund the account.	$0 Cash Reserve account fee. Betterment's managed-investing advisory fee does not apply to Cash Reserve. Premium investment-service pricing must not be mislabeled as a Cash Reserve account fee.	No direct-deposit requirement for the base Cash Reserve APY, and Cash Reserve does not accept direct deposit to its own routing/account number. Promotional or Premium rate boosts have their own eligibility conditions.	Cash Reserve deposits can be eligible for FDIC insurance through participating Program Banks, up to Betterment's published aggregate program limit of $4 million for an individual account and $8 million for a joint account, subject to the standard $250,000 limit per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category and aggregation with other deposits at each bank.	Betterment's Cash Sweep Program allocates Cash Reserve funds among participating Program Banks. Do not use nbkc Bank, the provider associated with Betterment Checking, as the Cash Reserve bank.	Betterment states Cash Reserve generally provides access in 1–2 business days and does not impose a limit on the number of withdrawals. Transfer amounts and timing can remain subject to Betterment and banking-network limits.	Cash Reserve does not have a debit card, ATM card, bill-pay account number or direct-deposit routing number. Those transaction features belong to Betterment Checking, a separate product.	Cash held at Betterment Securities or in transit before reaching a Program Bank is generally subject to the applicable brokerage/SIPC framework; once deposited at a Program Bank it is covered by FDIC rules rather than SIPC.	2026-09-10
Fidelity	Fidelity Cash Management Account — FDIC-Insured Deposit Sweep Program option.	The Fidelity Cash Management Account is currently available to eligible customers and can be opened as a new account.	Brokerage cash-management account, not a bank account. For this roundup, the compared cash option is the FDIC-Insured Deposit Sweep Program, not the SPAXX money-market core option.	1.84% APY on the Cash Management Account's FDIC-Insured Deposit Sweep option, as published by Fidelity with an as-of date of June 12, 2026 and re-verified on Fidelity's current official CMA materials September 10, 2026. Do not substitute SPAXX's 7-day yield for this APY.	The stated APY applies to the FDIC-Insured Deposit Sweep option and is variable. Fidelity also permits an eligible money-market core option such as SPAXX; a money-market 7-day yield is not a bank APY and has a different protection structure.	$0 — Fidelity publishes no minimum balance to open the Cash Management Account.	$0 — no separate minimum balance is published to receive the FDIC sweep rate.	$0 account fee for the Fidelity Cash Management Account. Other optional services or transactions can have separate charges.	No direct-deposit or recurring-activity requirement is published for the FDIC sweep APY. Direct deposit is an optional funding/access feature.	Eligible cash swept to participating Program Banks can receive aggregate FDIC coverage up to Fidelity's published $4 million program limit for an individual CMA, subject to the standard $250,000 limit per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category and the customer's other deposits at each bank.	Fidelity sweeps eligible cash to one or more participating Program Banks. If cash cannot be placed in the bank sweep because of capacity or eligibility, an overflow money-market position can be used; that overflow position is a security and is not FDIC-insured.	The CMA supports electronic transfers, direct deposit, automatic withdrawals and other Fidelity cash-management transfers. Fidelity does not publish a savings-account-style monthly withdrawal-count limit for the CMA.	Debit card, ATM access with eligible ATM-fee reimbursement, Bill Pay, checkwriting, routing/account information, direct deposit and mobile check deposit are available through the Fidelity Cash Management Account.	The CMA is a brokerage account. Eligible securities or broker-held cash before bank placement follow the applicable SIPC framework; deposits at participating Program Banks are FDIC-insured rather than SIPC-protected. SPAXX or other money-market positions are securities, not FDIC deposits.	2026-09-10
M1 Finance	M1 High-Yield Cash Account.	The High-Yield Cash Account is currently available to eligible M1 clients who maintain an open primary M1 Investment Account. M1's separate High-Yield Savings Account is paused for new openings and must not be substituted for this product.	Secondary brokerage cash account offered within M1; it is not a bank checking or savings account. Eligible cash can be swept to participating banks.	3.10% APY, variable. M1's product page labels rates current as of January 2026; the rate is also shown in M1's updated August 3, 2026 Help Center materials and was re-verified on current official M1 pages September 10, 2026.	A $100 minimum initial deposit is required to obtain the stated 3.10% APY. M1 states the rate applies to eligible cash in the High-Yield Cash Account under the program terms.	$0 — M1 states there is no minimum deposit required to open the High-Yield Cash Account.	$100 minimum initial deposit is required to obtain the stated APY. No separate ongoing maintained-balance threshold is documented for that rate.	No separate High-Yield Cash account-management fee. M1's platform-wide $3/month Platform Fee can apply unless the customer meets a current waiver condition, including at least $10,000 in aggregate eligible M1 assets during the billing lookback or an active M1 Personal Loan.	No direct-deposit requirement for the stated APY. The documented qualification is the $100 minimum initial deposit; direct deposit is an optional funding method.	Eligible swept cash can receive up to M1's published $4.75 million aggregate FDIC program coverage, subject to the standard $250,000 limit per depositor, per participating bank, per ownership category and aggregation with other deposits at each bank.	M1 uses a brokerage cash-sweep structure supported by B2 Bank and participating partner banks. Eligible funds remain brokerage-held until swept to a participating bank.	M1 states there is no limit on the number of transfers. Use the newer August 3, 2026 Help Center limit of $120,000 per day for ACH transfers; ACH transfers can take up to four business days. Wire and direct-deposit funding are also supported.	The High-Yield Cash Account provides routing/account information and supports direct deposit. No dedicated High-Yield Cash debit card, ATM card or bill-pay feature is documented in the current High-Yield Cash materials reviewed September 10, 2026; treat this as a dated research finding, not a permanent categorical product claim.	Eligible cash held in the M1 brokerage before sweep follows the applicable SIPC framework. After funds are swept to participating Program Banks, eligible deposits receive FDIC coverage under the program terms.	2026-09-10
Public	Public High-Yield Cash Account.	The Public High-Yield Cash Account is currently open to eligible users and is offered as a current sign-up product.	Secondary brokerage cash account offered through Open to the Public Investing, Inc.; it is not a conventional bank savings account. Eligible funds are swept through the program to partner banks.	3.30% APY, variable, as currently displayed on Public's live High-Yield Cash Account page and re-verified September 10, 2026. Preserve the existing canonical publisher month tag of 2026-08 where stored; do not invent a day-level publisher rate date.	Only eligible funds in the High-Yield Cash Account that participate in the cash-sweep program earn the published APY. Ordinary primary-brokerage cash does not automatically receive the High-Yield Cash Account APY. No paid subscription is required.	No specific High-Yield Cash Account opening-deposit dollar minimum is published in the current official materials reviewed September 10, 2026. Public notes that a minimum initial deposit can apply to a customer's first Public deposit. Preserve this as a dated research-status value rather than inventing a dollar amount.	No maintained minimum balance is required for the published High-Yield Cash Account APY; Public states there is no minimum balance requirement.	$0 High-Yield Cash Account fee and no paid subscription required for the published APY.	No direct-deposit, recurring-deposit, membership or other qualifying-activity requirement is published for the base High-Yield Cash Account APY.	Eligible swept deposits can receive up to Public's published $5 million aggregate FDIC program coverage across participating banks, subject to the standard $250,000 limit per depositor, per Partner Bank, per ownership category and aggregation with other deposits at each bank.	Apex operates the High-Yield Cash sweep program and allocates eligible funds among Public's partner-bank network. Public currently describes a network of 20 partner banks.	Public permits unlimited transfer and withdrawal frequency for the High-Yield Cash Account. In the app, users can move cash to an external linked bank or their Public brokerage; on the web, the workflow can route cash through the brokerage first. Cash moved to the brokerage can become available for investing under Public's current transfer mechanics.	No dedicated High-Yield Cash debit card, ATM card, checking or bill-pay feature is documented in the current High-Yield Cash Account materials reviewed September 10, 2026. Treat this as a dated product-scope finding; do not infer features from Public's separate products.	Eligible cash in the High-Yield Cash brokerage structure before placement at a Partner Bank follows the applicable SIPC framework. Once deposited at a participating bank, eligible funds receive FDIC coverage and are no longer SIPC-protected as brokerage cash.	2026-09-10
Robinhood	Robinhood High-Yield Cash Program for eligible self-directed taxable brokerage accounts.	Currently available to eligible Robinhood Gold subscribers who enable the High-Yield Cash Program in an eligible self-directed taxable brokerage account. Self-directed IRAs and Robinhood spending accounts are not the product being compared here.	Optional cash feature of a Robinhood Financial brokerage account; not a bank savings account. Eligible cash may remain brokerage-held or be swept to participating Program Banks depending on program mechanics.	3.35% APY, variable, published by Robinhood as of February 11, 2026 and re-verified on Robinhood's current High-Yield Cash materials September 10, 2026.	Requires Robinhood Gold and enrollment in the High-Yield Cash Program. Eligible settled cash in the taxable self-directed brokerage can earn the stated rate. Robinhood publishes no minimum balance or APY cap for the base program; separate promotions should not be folded into the base rate unless their terms are shown.	$0 separate cash minimum — Robinhood states eligible cash can earn from the first dollar once the user has Gold and the High-Yield Cash Program is enabled.	$0 — no minimum eligible-cash balance is required for the stated High-Yield Cash APY.	Robinhood Gold is required. Current monthly Gold pricing is $5/month. Do not call the High-Yield Cash Program free without showing the required Gold membership cost.	No direct-deposit requirement for the base High-Yield Cash APY. Gold membership, program enrollment and eligible settled cash in the applicable taxable self-directed brokerage are required.	Cash swept to a participating Program Bank can be eligible for FDIC insurance up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category, per Program Bank, subject to aggregation with other deposits at that bank. Do not hard-code one universal aggregate program maximum because available-bank capacity and ownership-category treatment can vary.	Under current High-Yield Cash mechanics, eligible aggregate cash at or below $10,000 can remain Brokerage-Held Cash; eligible cash above that threshold is swept among participating Program Banks according to program terms and the current bank list.	Eligible swept cash can be withdrawn or used through the brokerage. Standard bank transfers can take up to approximately 4–5 business days under Robinhood's published transfer timing; an instant-withdrawal option can carry a 1.5% fee. Cash can also remain available for eligible investing under brokerage mechanics.	The High-Yield Cash Program itself does not provide a dedicated debit/ATM/bill-pay account. Robinhood spending/Cash Card and Gold Card products are separate and must not be attributed to High-Yield Cash.	Eligible Brokerage-Held Cash before sweep is subject to Robinhood's SIPC brokerage framework, including the applicable SIPC cash sublimit. Once cash is deposited at a participating Program Bank it is FDIC-insured under program terms and is not SIPC-protected as bank-deposit cash.	2026-09-10
SoFi	SoFi Checking and Savings — SoFi Savings.	SoFi Checking and Savings is currently open to eligible new customers. Opening the product creates both Checking and Savings accounts under the current SoFi Bank structure.	Direct bank-deposit checking and savings accounts at SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. For this roundup the yield-bearing product is SoFi Savings; it is not the Apex brokerage cash sweep used by SoFi Invest.	SoFi Savings currently publishes 3.10% APY with eligible direct deposit or $5,000 in qualifying deposits every 31 days, and 0.80% APY otherwise. Rates are variable and SoFi identifies these rates as current as of May 28, 2026. Paid SoFi Plus currently publishes 4.50% APY on up to $20,000 in one Savings account and 3.10% on other Savings balances. A current new-member promotion can add 0.90 percentage point to the 3.10% tier for up to six months, producing up to 4.00%, subject to the September 3–December 31, 2026 enrollment and qualification terms. Do not assume the Plus rate and promotional boost stack.	Standard 3.10% Savings APY requires either eligible direct deposit or at least $5,000 in qualifying deposits during each 31-day evaluation period; otherwise the standard Savings rate is 0.80%. SoFi Plus uses separate paid-membership terms. The current new-member promotional boost has its own enrollment, qualification and duration rules and should not be treated as the permanent base rate.	No separate dollar opening-deposit requirement is stated in the current SoFi Checking & Savings product/rate disclosures reviewed September 10, 2026; SoFi states there is no minimum balance requirement. Preserve this as a dated research-status value rather than inventing an opening amount.	No maintained balance minimum is required for the standard account. The 3.10% standard rate is activity-qualified rather than balance-qualified; the alternative qualifying-deposit method requires $5,000 in qualifying deposits during each 31-day period.	$0 ordinary SoFi Checking & Savings account/service/maintenance fee. SoFi Plus is optional and currently costs $10/month if used for the enhanced Savings APY. Separate transaction fees can apply to services such as certain outgoing wires, instant transfers or remittances.	To receive the standard 3.10% Savings APY, maintain eligible direct deposit (SoFi does not require a minimum direct-deposit dollar amount for this route) or make at least $5,000 in qualifying deposits every 31 days. The current new-member promotional boost requires the applicable qualification within the offer window and ongoing qualification under its terms. SoFi Plus uses a separate paid-membership qualification.	Deposits directly at SoFi Bank, N.A. are FDIC-insured up to the standard $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category, subject to aggregation. Eligible customers can opt into SoFi's SoFi Insured Deposit Program for aggregate program coverage up to the currently published $3 million limit through participating banks, subject to program terms and each bank's FDIC limit.	Direct SoFi Bank deposit account. The optional SoFi Insured Deposit Program can distribute eligible balances to participating banks to expand aggregate FDIC capacity. This is not the SoFi Invest/Apex brokerage cash sweep.	Full bank-account access is available through SoFi's banking platform, including ACH transfers and other supported bank-transfer methods. Zelle, wires and other transfer features are subject to their own eligibility, dollar and timing limits.	SoFi Checking & Savings provides checking-linked debit-card access, routing/account numbers, bill-pay/payment functionality, Zelle support and access to the Allpoint ATM network. Card spending and ATM functionality are primarily checking-account features paired with the Savings account.	Not applicable as a brokerage pre-sweep for the ordinary SoFi Bank account. This is a direct bank deposit product; SIPC should not be shown as the protection regime for SoFi Checking & Savings. Optional SIDP deposits remain governed by FDIC/program-bank terms.	2026-09-10
Wealthfront	Wealthfront Cash Account.	The Wealthfront Cash Account is currently available to eligible new and existing customers.	Brokerage cash-management account offered through Wealthfront Brokerage; it is not a conventional bank checking or savings account. Eligible cash is swept to participating Program Banks.	3.30% base APY, variable, published by Wealthfront as of January 30, 2026 and re-verified on Wealthfront's current Cash Account page September 10, 2026.	Base 3.30% APY has no recurring-activity requirement. Current new-client terms can add a +0.65 percentage-point boost for three months on eligible balances up to $150,000. Wealthfront also publishes a +0.25 percentage-point ongoing boost for clients who receive at least $1,000 per month in eligible direct deposits and maintain a funded Wealthfront investing account. Current terms can produce a rate of up to 4.20% when eligibility conditions are met; preserve all qualifications and do not present boosted rates as the permanent base APY.	No minimum balance is required to open the Cash Account; Wealthfront's current materials state clients can start earning with $1.	No minimum balance is required for the base APY.	$0 Cash Account fee. Wealthfront Automated Investing's 0.25% advisory fee does not apply to the Cash Account.	No qualifying activity is required for the base APY. The +0.25 percentage-point ongoing boost requires at least $1,000 per month in eligible direct deposits plus a funded Wealthfront investing account. The new-client boost has separate eligibility and duration terms.	Eligible Cash Account deposits can receive up to Wealthfront's published $8 million aggregate FDIC coverage for an individual account and $16 million for a joint account through the Program Bank network, subject to the standard $250,000 limit per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category and aggregation with other deposits at each bank.	Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps eligible Cash Account balances to participating Program Banks; Wealthfront currently describes a network of up to 32 banks. Wealthfront is not itself the bank holding swept deposits.	Wealthfront offers free 24/7 instant withdrawals to eligible external accounts using RTP/FedNow. Other external withdrawals are generally completed within about one business day under current published timing. Wealthfront does not charge a Cash Account withdrawal fee.	The Cash Account supports routing/account numbers, direct deposit, debit-card access, Bill Pay, check/payment features and ATM access under Wealthfront's current cash-account program. Keep specific ATM-network/reimbursement terms tied to current disclosures rather than treating them as permanent.	Cash held at Wealthfront Brokerage or in transit before reaching a Program Bank can be eligible for SIPC protection subject to SIPC's cash limit and rules. Once deposited at a Program Bank, eligible cash is FDIC-insured under program terms rather than SIPC-protected.	2026-09-10

Acorns

Current cash product: Acorns Green Card Emergency Savings Account (Emergency Savings). Current new-user product; do not substitute the legacy Mighty Oak Emergency Savings account.
Availability to new accounts: Available to current Acorns Silver and Gold users. For users signing up on or after November 10, 2025, the current product is Green Card Emergency Savings; Mighty Oak Emergency Savings is a legacy product and is not the current new-user account.
Account type (bank deposit, brokerage sweep, cash management): FDIC-insured, interest-bearing individual demand-deposit bank account provided through Acorns' banking program and Bank of Record; Acorns itself is not a bank.
Current published APY / yield: 3.35% APY, variable. Acorns' current pricing page still displays this rate and dates it December 11, 2025; ROIStreet re-verified the live official page on September 10, 2026.
Rate conditions or tiers: Emergency Savings APY is available with eligible Silver or Gold subscriptions. No minimum opening deposit or minimum balance is required for the stated rate. APY is variable and can change.
Minimum to open: $0 — Acorns states there is no minimum opening deposit for Emergency Savings.
Minimum balance for the stated rate: $0 — no minimum balance is required to earn the stated Emergency Savings APY.
Cash-product fee: No separate Emergency Savings account fee. Access is included with eligible Acorns subscriptions: current new-subscriber pricing is Silver $8/month and Gold $12/month. Legacy subscription pricing can differ for grandfathered users.
Direct-deposit or qualifying-activity requirement: No direct-deposit requirement for the stated Emergency Savings APY. Direct deposit and Smart Deposit can be used as funding tools but are not required to qualify for the base stated rate.
FDIC insurance structure and stated coverage: Eligible Emergency Savings deposits are held at the Bank of Record; current Acorns pricing identifies nbkc Bank, Member FDIC. Standard FDIC limits apply per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category, subject to the depositor's aggregate balances at that bank.
Direct bank, program-bank network or sweep structure: Direct bank-deposit structure through Acorns' banking program / Bank of Record; not a brokerage program-bank sweep.
Withdrawal and transfer access: Emergency Savings can be funded or withdrawn by ACH through eligible linked sources and Green Card Checking. Acorns documentation says withdrawals can be initiated at any time; transfers into linked Acorns checking can then be used through that account.
Debit card, ATM, checking or bill-pay features: Emergency Savings itself does not have a dedicated debit/ATM card. Debit-card, ATM and checking features belong to the linked Green Card Checking product and should not be attributed to Emergency Savings.
Pre-sweep brokerage / SIPC treatment: Not applicable as a brokerage pre-sweep. Emergency Savings is a bank deposit product; SIPC should not be shown as the protection regime for the deposit.
Last fact checked: 2026-09-10

Betterment

Current cash product: Betterment Cash Reserve.
Availability to new accounts: Cash Reserve is currently available to eligible Betterment customers and remains open to new eligible accounts.
Account type (bank deposit, brokerage sweep, cash management): Cash-management product offered through Betterment's brokerage structure; customer cash is swept to participating Program Banks. Betterment is not itself a bank.
Current published APY / yield: 3.25% base APY, variable. Betterment dates the displayed base rate December 12, 2025; ROIStreet re-verified the live official Cash Reserve materials on September 10, 2026.
Rate conditions or tiers: Base Cash Reserve APY requires no recurring activity beyond funding the account. Current new-customer terms can add a +0.75 percentage-point promotional boost on eligible balances up to $1 million through January 15, 2027 when offer conditions are satisfied. Premium can add 0.25 percentage point to the base rate while its eligible-investment-balance condition is met. Do not assume promotional and Premium boosts stack unless current terms explicitly permit it.
Minimum to open: $10 minimum deposit to fund Cash Reserve and receive the base APY.
Minimum balance for the stated rate: No maintained minimum balance is required for the base APY; Betterment states a $10 minimum deposit to fund the account.
Cash-product fee: $0 Cash Reserve account fee. Betterment's managed-investing advisory fee does not apply to Cash Reserve. Premium investment-service pricing must not be mislabeled as a Cash Reserve account fee.
Direct-deposit or qualifying-activity requirement: No direct-deposit requirement for the base Cash Reserve APY, and Cash Reserve does not accept direct deposit to its own routing/account number. Promotional or Premium rate boosts have their own eligibility conditions.
FDIC insurance structure and stated coverage: Cash Reserve deposits can be eligible for FDIC insurance through participating Program Banks, up to Betterment's published aggregate program limit of $4 million for an individual account and $8 million for a joint account, subject to the standard $250,000 limit per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category and aggregation with other deposits at each bank.
Direct bank, program-bank network or sweep structure: Betterment's Cash Sweep Program allocates Cash Reserve funds among participating Program Banks. Do not use nbkc Bank, the provider associated with Betterment Checking, as the Cash Reserve bank.
Withdrawal and transfer access: Betterment states Cash Reserve generally provides access in 1–2 business days and does not impose a limit on the number of withdrawals. Transfer amounts and timing can remain subject to Betterment and banking-network limits.
Debit card, ATM, checking or bill-pay features: Cash Reserve does not have a debit card, ATM card, bill-pay account number or direct-deposit routing number. Those transaction features belong to Betterment Checking, a separate product.
Pre-sweep brokerage / SIPC treatment: Cash held at Betterment Securities or in transit before reaching a Program Bank is generally subject to the applicable brokerage/SIPC framework; once deposited at a Program Bank it is covered by FDIC rules rather than SIPC.
Last fact checked: 2026-09-10

Fidelity

Current cash product: Fidelity Cash Management Account — FDIC-Insured Deposit Sweep Program option.
Availability to new accounts: The Fidelity Cash Management Account is currently available to eligible customers and can be opened as a new account.
Account type (bank deposit, brokerage sweep, cash management): Brokerage cash-management account, not a bank account. For this roundup, the compared cash option is the FDIC-Insured Deposit Sweep Program, not the SPAXX money-market core option.
Current published APY / yield: 1.84% APY on the Cash Management Account's FDIC-Insured Deposit Sweep option, as published by Fidelity with an as-of date of June 12, 2026 and re-verified on Fidelity's current official CMA materials September 10, 2026. Do not substitute SPAXX's 7-day yield for this APY.
Rate conditions or tiers: The stated APY applies to the FDIC-Insured Deposit Sweep option and is variable. Fidelity also permits an eligible money-market core option such as SPAXX; a money-market 7-day yield is not a bank APY and has a different protection structure.
Minimum to open: $0 — Fidelity publishes no minimum balance to open the Cash Management Account.
Minimum balance for the stated rate: $0 — no separate minimum balance is published to receive the FDIC sweep rate.
Cash-product fee: $0 account fee for the Fidelity Cash Management Account. Other optional services or transactions can have separate charges.
Direct-deposit or qualifying-activity requirement: No direct-deposit or recurring-activity requirement is published for the FDIC sweep APY. Direct deposit is an optional funding/access feature.
FDIC insurance structure and stated coverage: Eligible cash swept to participating Program Banks can receive aggregate FDIC coverage up to Fidelity's published $4 million program limit for an individual CMA, subject to the standard $250,000 limit per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category and the customer's other deposits at each bank.
Direct bank, program-bank network or sweep structure: Fidelity sweeps eligible cash to one or more participating Program Banks. If cash cannot be placed in the bank sweep because of capacity or eligibility, an overflow money-market position can be used; that overflow position is a security and is not FDIC-insured.
Withdrawal and transfer access: The CMA supports electronic transfers, direct deposit, automatic withdrawals and other Fidelity cash-management transfers. Fidelity does not publish a savings-account-style monthly withdrawal-count limit for the CMA.
Debit card, ATM, checking or bill-pay features: Debit card, ATM access with eligible ATM-fee reimbursement, Bill Pay, checkwriting, routing/account information, direct deposit and mobile check deposit are available through the Fidelity Cash Management Account.
Pre-sweep brokerage / SIPC treatment: The CMA is a brokerage account. Eligible securities or broker-held cash before bank placement follow the applicable SIPC framework; deposits at participating Program Banks are FDIC-insured rather than SIPC-protected. SPAXX or other money-market positions are securities, not FDIC deposits.
Last fact checked: 2026-09-10

M1 Finance

Current cash product: M1 High-Yield Cash Account.
Availability to new accounts: The High-Yield Cash Account is currently available to eligible M1 clients who maintain an open primary M1 Investment Account. M1's separate High-Yield Savings Account is paused for new openings and must not be substituted for this product.
Account type (bank deposit, brokerage sweep, cash management): Secondary brokerage cash account offered within M1; it is not a bank checking or savings account. Eligible cash can be swept to participating banks.
Current published APY / yield: 3.10% APY, variable. M1's product page labels rates current as of January 2026; the rate is also shown in M1's updated August 3, 2026 Help Center materials and was re-verified on current official M1 pages September 10, 2026.
Rate conditions or tiers: A $100 minimum initial deposit is required to obtain the stated 3.10% APY. M1 states the rate applies to eligible cash in the High-Yield Cash Account under the program terms.
Minimum to open: $0 — M1 states there is no minimum deposit required to open the High-Yield Cash Account.
Minimum balance for the stated rate: $100 minimum initial deposit is required to obtain the stated APY. No separate ongoing maintained-balance threshold is documented for that rate.
Cash-product fee: No separate High-Yield Cash account-management fee. M1's platform-wide $3/month Platform Fee can apply unless the customer meets a current waiver condition, including at least $10,000 in aggregate eligible M1 assets during the billing lookback or an active M1 Personal Loan.
Direct-deposit or qualifying-activity requirement: No direct-deposit requirement for the stated APY. The documented qualification is the $100 minimum initial deposit; direct deposit is an optional funding method.
FDIC insurance structure and stated coverage: Eligible swept cash can receive up to M1's published $4.75 million aggregate FDIC program coverage, subject to the standard $250,000 limit per depositor, per participating bank, per ownership category and aggregation with other deposits at each bank.
Direct bank, program-bank network or sweep structure: M1 uses a brokerage cash-sweep structure supported by B2 Bank and participating partner banks. Eligible funds remain brokerage-held until swept to a participating bank.
Withdrawal and transfer access: M1 states there is no limit on the number of transfers. Use the newer August 3, 2026 Help Center limit of $120,000 per day for ACH transfers; ACH transfers can take up to four business days. Wire and direct-deposit funding are also supported.
Debit card, ATM, checking or bill-pay features: The High-Yield Cash Account provides routing/account information and supports direct deposit. No dedicated High-Yield Cash debit card, ATM card or bill-pay feature is documented in the current High-Yield Cash materials reviewed September 10, 2026; treat this as a dated research finding, not a permanent categorical product claim.
Pre-sweep brokerage / SIPC treatment: Eligible cash held in the M1 brokerage before sweep follows the applicable SIPC framework. After funds are swept to participating Program Banks, eligible deposits receive FDIC coverage under the program terms.
Last fact checked: 2026-09-10

Public

Current cash product: Public High-Yield Cash Account.
Availability to new accounts: The Public High-Yield Cash Account is currently open to eligible users and is offered as a current sign-up product.
Account type (bank deposit, brokerage sweep, cash management): Secondary brokerage cash account offered through Open to the Public Investing, Inc.; it is not a conventional bank savings account. Eligible funds are swept through the program to partner banks.
Current published APY / yield: 3.30% APY, variable, as currently displayed on Public's live High-Yield Cash Account page and re-verified September 10, 2026. Preserve the existing canonical publisher month tag of 2026-08 where stored; do not invent a day-level publisher rate date.
Rate conditions or tiers: Only eligible funds in the High-Yield Cash Account that participate in the cash-sweep program earn the published APY. Ordinary primary-brokerage cash does not automatically receive the High-Yield Cash Account APY. No paid subscription is required.
Minimum to open: No specific High-Yield Cash Account opening-deposit dollar minimum is published in the current official materials reviewed September 10, 2026. Public notes that a minimum initial deposit can apply to a customer's first Public deposit. Preserve this as a dated research-status value rather than inventing a dollar amount.
Minimum balance for the stated rate: No maintained minimum balance is required for the published High-Yield Cash Account APY; Public states there is no minimum balance requirement.
Cash-product fee: $0 High-Yield Cash Account fee and no paid subscription required for the published APY.
Direct-deposit or qualifying-activity requirement: No direct-deposit, recurring-deposit, membership or other qualifying-activity requirement is published for the base High-Yield Cash Account APY.
FDIC insurance structure and stated coverage: Eligible swept deposits can receive up to Public's published $5 million aggregate FDIC program coverage across participating banks, subject to the standard $250,000 limit per depositor, per Partner Bank, per ownership category and aggregation with other deposits at each bank.
Direct bank, program-bank network or sweep structure: Apex operates the High-Yield Cash sweep program and allocates eligible funds among Public's partner-bank network. Public currently describes a network of 20 partner banks.
Withdrawal and transfer access: Public permits unlimited transfer and withdrawal frequency for the High-Yield Cash Account. In the app, users can move cash to an external linked bank or their Public brokerage; on the web, the workflow can route cash through the brokerage first. Cash moved to the brokerage can become available for investing under Public's current transfer mechanics.
Debit card, ATM, checking or bill-pay features: No dedicated High-Yield Cash debit card, ATM card, checking or bill-pay feature is documented in the current High-Yield Cash Account materials reviewed September 10, 2026. Treat this as a dated product-scope finding; do not infer features from Public's separate products.
Pre-sweep brokerage / SIPC treatment: Eligible cash in the High-Yield Cash brokerage structure before placement at a Partner Bank follows the applicable SIPC framework. Once deposited at a participating bank, eligible funds receive FDIC coverage and are no longer SIPC-protected as brokerage cash.
Last fact checked: 2026-09-10

Robinhood

Current cash product: Robinhood High-Yield Cash Program for eligible self-directed taxable brokerage accounts.
Availability to new accounts: Currently available to eligible Robinhood Gold subscribers who enable the High-Yield Cash Program in an eligible self-directed taxable brokerage account. Self-directed IRAs and Robinhood spending accounts are not the product being compared here.
Account type (bank deposit, brokerage sweep, cash management): Optional cash feature of a Robinhood Financial brokerage account; not a bank savings account. Eligible cash may remain brokerage-held or be swept to participating Program Banks depending on program mechanics.
Current published APY / yield: 3.35% APY, variable, published by Robinhood as of February 11, 2026 and re-verified on Robinhood's current High-Yield Cash materials September 10, 2026.
Rate conditions or tiers: Requires Robinhood Gold and enrollment in the High-Yield Cash Program. Eligible settled cash in the taxable self-directed brokerage can earn the stated rate. Robinhood publishes no minimum balance or APY cap for the base program; separate promotions should not be folded into the base rate unless their terms are shown.
Minimum to open: $0 separate cash minimum — Robinhood states eligible cash can earn from the first dollar once the user has Gold and the High-Yield Cash Program is enabled.
Minimum balance for the stated rate: $0 — no minimum eligible-cash balance is required for the stated High-Yield Cash APY.
Cash-product fee: Robinhood Gold is required. Current monthly Gold pricing is $5/month. Do not call the High-Yield Cash Program free without showing the required Gold membership cost.
Direct-deposit or qualifying-activity requirement: No direct-deposit requirement for the base High-Yield Cash APY. Gold membership, program enrollment and eligible settled cash in the applicable taxable self-directed brokerage are required.
FDIC insurance structure and stated coverage: Cash swept to a participating Program Bank can be eligible for FDIC insurance up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category, per Program Bank, subject to aggregation with other deposits at that bank. Do not hard-code one universal aggregate program maximum because available-bank capacity and ownership-category treatment can vary.
Direct bank, program-bank network or sweep structure: Under current High-Yield Cash mechanics, eligible aggregate cash at or below $10,000 can remain Brokerage-Held Cash; eligible cash above that threshold is swept among participating Program Banks according to program terms and the current bank list.
Withdrawal and transfer access: Eligible swept cash can be withdrawn or used through the brokerage. Standard bank transfers can take up to approximately 4–5 business days under Robinhood's published transfer timing; an instant-withdrawal option can carry a 1.5% fee. Cash can also remain available for eligible investing under brokerage mechanics.
Debit card, ATM, checking or bill-pay features: The High-Yield Cash Program itself does not provide a dedicated debit/ATM/bill-pay account. Robinhood spending/Cash Card and Gold Card products are separate and must not be attributed to High-Yield Cash.
Pre-sweep brokerage / SIPC treatment: Eligible Brokerage-Held Cash before sweep is subject to Robinhood's SIPC brokerage framework, including the applicable SIPC cash sublimit. Once cash is deposited at a participating Program Bank it is FDIC-insured under program terms and is not SIPC-protected as bank-deposit cash.
Last fact checked: 2026-09-10

SoFi

Current cash product: SoFi Checking and Savings — SoFi Savings.
Availability to new accounts: SoFi Checking and Savings is currently open to eligible new customers. Opening the product creates both Checking and Savings accounts under the current SoFi Bank structure.
Account type (bank deposit, brokerage sweep, cash management): Direct bank-deposit checking and savings accounts at SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. For this roundup the yield-bearing product is SoFi Savings; it is not the Apex brokerage cash sweep used by SoFi Invest.
Current published APY / yield: SoFi Savings currently publishes 3.10% APY with eligible direct deposit or $5,000 in qualifying deposits every 31 days, and 0.80% APY otherwise. Rates are variable and SoFi identifies these rates as current as of May 28, 2026. Paid SoFi Plus currently publishes 4.50% APY on up to $20,000 in one Savings account and 3.10% on other Savings balances. A current new-member promotion can add 0.90 percentage point to the 3.10% tier for up to six months, producing up to 4.00%, subject to the September 3–December 31, 2026 enrollment and qualification terms. Do not assume the Plus rate and promotional boost stack.
Rate conditions or tiers: Standard 3.10% Savings APY requires either eligible direct deposit or at least $5,000 in qualifying deposits during each 31-day evaluation period; otherwise the standard Savings rate is 0.80%. SoFi Plus uses separate paid-membership terms. The current new-member promotional boost has its own enrollment, qualification and duration rules and should not be treated as the permanent base rate.
Minimum to open: No separate dollar opening-deposit requirement is stated in the current SoFi Checking & Savings product/rate disclosures reviewed September 10, 2026; SoFi states there is no minimum balance requirement. Preserve this as a dated research-status value rather than inventing an opening amount.
Minimum balance for the stated rate: No maintained balance minimum is required for the standard account. The 3.10% standard rate is activity-qualified rather than balance-qualified; the alternative qualifying-deposit method requires $5,000 in qualifying deposits during each 31-day period.
Cash-product fee: $0 ordinary SoFi Checking & Savings account/service/maintenance fee. SoFi Plus is optional and currently costs $10/month if used for the enhanced Savings APY. Separate transaction fees can apply to services such as certain outgoing wires, instant transfers or remittances.
Direct-deposit or qualifying-activity requirement: To receive the standard 3.10% Savings APY, maintain eligible direct deposit (SoFi does not require a minimum direct-deposit dollar amount for this route) or make at least $5,000 in qualifying deposits every 31 days. The current new-member promotional boost requires the applicable qualification within the offer window and ongoing qualification under its terms. SoFi Plus uses a separate paid-membership qualification.
FDIC insurance structure and stated coverage: Deposits directly at SoFi Bank, N.A. are FDIC-insured up to the standard $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category, subject to aggregation. Eligible customers can opt into SoFi's SoFi Insured Deposit Program for aggregate program coverage up to the currently published $3 million limit through participating banks, subject to program terms and each bank's FDIC limit.
Direct bank, program-bank network or sweep structure: Direct SoFi Bank deposit account. The optional SoFi Insured Deposit Program can distribute eligible balances to participating banks to expand aggregate FDIC capacity. This is not the SoFi Invest/Apex brokerage cash sweep.
Withdrawal and transfer access: Full bank-account access is available through SoFi's banking platform, including ACH transfers and other supported bank-transfer methods. Zelle, wires and other transfer features are subject to their own eligibility, dollar and timing limits.
Debit card, ATM, checking or bill-pay features: SoFi Checking & Savings provides checking-linked debit-card access, routing/account numbers, bill-pay/payment functionality, Zelle support and access to the Allpoint ATM network. Card spending and ATM functionality are primarily checking-account features paired with the Savings account.
Pre-sweep brokerage / SIPC treatment: Not applicable as a brokerage pre-sweep for the ordinary SoFi Bank account. This is a direct bank deposit product; SIPC should not be shown as the protection regime for SoFi Checking & Savings. Optional SIDP deposits remain governed by FDIC/program-bank terms.
Last fact checked: 2026-09-10

Wealthfront

Current cash product: Wealthfront Cash Account.
Availability to new accounts: The Wealthfront Cash Account is currently available to eligible new and existing customers.
Account type (bank deposit, brokerage sweep, cash management): Brokerage cash-management account offered through Wealthfront Brokerage; it is not a conventional bank checking or savings account. Eligible cash is swept to participating Program Banks.
Current published APY / yield: 3.30% base APY, variable, published by Wealthfront as of January 30, 2026 and re-verified on Wealthfront's current Cash Account page September 10, 2026.
Rate conditions or tiers: Base 3.30% APY has no recurring-activity requirement. Current new-client terms can add a +0.65 percentage-point boost for three months on eligible balances up to $150,000. Wealthfront also publishes a +0.25 percentage-point ongoing boost for clients who receive at least $1,000 per month in eligible direct deposits and maintain a funded Wealthfront investing account. Current terms can produce a rate of up to 4.20% when eligibility conditions are met; preserve all qualifications and do not present boosted rates as the permanent base APY.
Minimum to open: No minimum balance is required to open the Cash Account; Wealthfront's current materials state clients can start earning with $1.
Minimum balance for the stated rate: No minimum balance is required for the base APY.
Cash-product fee: $0 Cash Account fee. Wealthfront Automated Investing's 0.25% advisory fee does not apply to the Cash Account.
Direct-deposit or qualifying-activity requirement: No qualifying activity is required for the base APY. The +0.25 percentage-point ongoing boost requires at least $1,000 per month in eligible direct deposits plus a funded Wealthfront investing account. The new-client boost has separate eligibility and duration terms.
FDIC insurance structure and stated coverage: Eligible Cash Account deposits can receive up to Wealthfront's published $8 million aggregate FDIC coverage for an individual account and $16 million for a joint account through the Program Bank network, subject to the standard $250,000 limit per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category and aggregation with other deposits at each bank.
Direct bank, program-bank network or sweep structure: Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps eligible Cash Account balances to participating Program Banks; Wealthfront currently describes a network of up to 32 banks. Wealthfront is not itself the bank holding swept deposits.
Withdrawal and transfer access: Wealthfront offers free 24/7 instant withdrawals to eligible external accounts using RTP/FedNow. Other external withdrawals are generally completed within about one business day under current published timing. Wealthfront does not charge a Cash Account withdrawal fee.
Debit card, ATM, checking or bill-pay features: The Cash Account supports routing/account numbers, direct deposit, debit-card access, Bill Pay, check/payment features and ATM access under Wealthfront's current cash-account program. Keep specific ATM-network/reimbursement terms tied to current disclosures rather than treating them as permanent.
Pre-sweep brokerage / SIPC treatment: Cash held at Wealthfront Brokerage or in transit before reaching a Program Bank can be eligible for SIPC protection subject to SIPC's cash limit and rules. Once deposited at a Program Bank, eligible cash is FDIC-insured under program terms rather than SIPC-protected.
Last fact checked: 2026-09-10

Which platform fits which situation

Direct-bank checking and savings

SoFi

SoFi is the clearest direct-bank structure in this group: the compared product is SoFi Checking & Savings at SoFi Bank, N.A., not a brokerage sweep. Savings currently publishes 3.10% APY with qualifying direct deposit or $5,000 in qualifying deposits every 31 days, and 0.80% otherwise.

Not a fit if: Not a fit if you want the highest rate without tracking qualification rules or prefer a brokerage-sweep account instead of a direct bank account.