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Comparison · 4 products tested against published criteria
Where to park an emergency fund: four no-fee savings accounts compared on access, protection and the tooling around them.
By THRYV News Desk · Updated August 26, 2026 · 8 min read
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Prices shown without a retailer are manufacturer list prices. Checked offers show the retailer and the time we last verified the price.
Savings rates move constantly, so a comparison built on a rate table is out of date the week it is published. We compare the parts that hold still: fees, minimums, how quickly you can get the money out, deposit protection, and the tools that make saving happen without you thinking about it. Current rates should always be read on the provider's own page before you apply.
| Product | Score | Price | Monthly fee | Minimum deposit | Deposit protection | Access | Rate type | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcus by Goldman SachsOnline Savings AccountBest overall | 9.1 | No fees | $0 | None | FDIC insured to $250,000 per depositor | Linked-bank transfer, no card | Variable, published on the provider site | |
| Ally BankOnline Savings AccountBest tooling | 8.9 | No monthly fee | $0 | None | FDIC insured to $250,000 per depositor | Transfer, plus linked Ally checking | Variable, published on the provider site | |
| American ExpressHigh Yield Savings Account | 8.4 | No monthly fee | $0 | None | FDIC insured to $250,000 per depositor | Linked-bank transfer | Variable, published on the provider site | |
| DiscoverOnline Savings Account | 8.2 | No fees | $0 | None | FDIC insured to $250,000 per depositor | Transfer, plus linked Discover checking | Variable, published on the provider site | |
| Best price today |
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Prices shown without a retailer are manufacturer list prices. Checked offers show the retailer and the time we last verified the price.
A plain, competitive savings account with no gimmicks.
No fees
Savings with buckets and rules that automate the work.
No monthly fee
A straightforward savings account from a large issuer.
No monthly fee
No-fee savings with strong phone support.
No fees
Marcus is the plainest good account — no fees, no minimum, nothing to manage. Ally wins if you save towards several goals at once, because its buckets do the mental accounting for you. Amex and Discover are solid, and worth choosing when you already hold a card or checking account with them.
Our pick
Marcus by Goldman Sachs Online Savings Account
Specifications and list prices come from each manufacturer's own product page. Offer prices are read from the retailer at the time shown next to the price and are not supplied by the brands.
THRYV publishes the criteria before the shortlist, scores each product against them, and states plainly where a figure comes from the manufacturer rather than our own testing. Prices change constantly — we publish only offers we checked ourselves, with the time we checked. We may earn a commission from the links on this page; it never changes a ranking or a score.
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