Best 1-year CD rates
On Nov 10, 2026, the best 12-month CD rates we found were 4.60% APY at Sallie Mae and Popular Direct, both with minimums. Capital One paid 4.45% with no minimum. The FDIC’s national average was 1.76%.
Disclosure: links on this page currently go straight to each provider’s own site, and we don’t earn a commission from them. If we join a provider’s affiliate program later, that will never change which products we include or how we order them. How we make money.
How this page was made: it’s built from each provider’s own terms, rate and fee pages and from regulator sources, all listed at the bottom. We haven’t opened these accounts or products to test them, and we don’t give scores. Every rate shows the day we checked it. Our methodology.
Quick answer
Short answer: Sallie Mae showed 4.60% APY on a 12-month CD on Nov 10, 2026 with a $2,500 minimum balance; Popular Direct also showed 4.60% but needs $10,000 and dates its rate Oct. 26. With no minimum, Capital One paid 4.45% and Synchrony 4.40%. The FDIC national average for 12 months was 1.76% (Oct. 19).
Last updated Rates checked Nov 10, 2026
Key facts at a glance
| Pick | Product | Best for | Key terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest 12-month rate, $2,500 minimum | Sallie Mae CDs | The top 12-month rate if you can keep $2,500 in | 4.60% APY as of Nov 10, 2026; $2,500 minimum |
| Best with no minimum | Capital One 360 CDs | No minimum, with branches | 4.45% APY as of Nov 10, 2026; no minimum |
| Clearest penalty rules, no minimum | Synchrony Bank CDs | A low penalty if plans change | 4.40% APY as of Nov 10, 2026; no minimum |
We read each bank’s CD page on Nov 10, 2026. Where a bank dates its rate earlier than the day we read it, we say so. The FDIC[9][10][11] national average for 12-month CDs was 1.76% as of Oct. 19, 2026. Quontic showed a 12-month CD with a $500 minimum, but its rate was dated Sept. 24, 2026, too old to list as current. We have no affiliate relationship with any bank here.
Our picks
How do they compare?
| Bank | 12-month APY | Minimum | Early withdrawal penalty (12-month term) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sallie Mae Bank | 4.60% APY as of Nov 10, 2026 | $2,500 balance | Amount in the account agreement |
| Popular Direct (Popular Bank) | 4.60% APY (12-month; Popular Direct dates its APYs Oct. 26, 2026) as of Nov 10, 2026 | $10,000 to open and keep | 270 days’ simple interest |
| Capital One 360 | 4.45% APY as of Nov 10, 2026 | None | Penalties apply; see terms |
| Synchrony Bank | 4.40% APY as of Nov 10, 2026 | None | 90 days’ simple interest |
| Marcus (Goldman Sachs Bank USA) | 4.40% APY as of Nov 10, 2026 | $500 | Listed in Marcus’s CD terms |
| EverBank | 3.50% APY (12-month; EverBank dates its APYs Nov. 6, 2026) as of Nov 10, 2026; 13-month 4.30% APY as of Nov 10, 2026 | $1,000 | Penalties apply; see terms |
| American Express National Bank | 3.75% APY as of Nov 10, 2026; 10-month 4.50% APY as of Nov 10, 2026 | None | 270 days’ interest (12 months to under 48) |
The picks in detail
1. Sallie Mae CDs
Best for: The top 12-month rate if you can keep $2,500 inSallie Mae showed 4.60% APY (12-month) as of Nov 10, 2026 with a $2,500 minimum balance to earn interest. It says a penalty may apply for early withdrawal and points to its account agreement for the amount. Deposits are with Sallie Mae Bank, Member FDIC[9][10][11].
Key terms: 4.60% APY as of Nov 10, 2026; $2,500 minimum Sallie Mae terms
Pros
- Tied for the highest 12-month APY we found
- Rate dated the day we checked
Cons
- $2,500 minimum balance
- Penalty not stated on the rate page
2. Popular Direct CD
Best for: Larger depositsPopular Direct’s table showed 4.60% APY for 12 months (4.498% interest rate), with a $10,000 minimum opening deposit and balance. Its disclosure dates the APYs Oct. 26, 2026. Early withdrawal from a 12- to 35-month CD costs 270 days of simple interest. Popular Direct deposits are opened through Popular Bank and combined with any Popular Bank deposits for FDIC[9][10][11] coverage (BankFind cert 34967).
Key terms: 4.60% APY as of Nov 10, 2026; $10,000 minimum Popular Direct terms
Pros
- Tied for the highest 12-month APY
- Penalties spelled out on the page
Cons
- $10,000 minimum
- Rate dated Oct. 26, 2026
- 270-day penalty is steep for a 1-year CD
3. Capital One 360 CDs
Best for: No minimum, with branchesCapital One showed 4.45% APY (12-month) as of Nov 10, 2026 on its 360 CD, effective Nov 10, 2026, with no minimum deposit and no monthly fees. Rates are fixed once you open; early withdrawal penalties apply. Capital One, N.A., Member FDIC[9][10][11].
Key terms: 4.45% APY as of Nov 10, 2026; no minimum Capital One terms
Pros
- No minimum deposit
- Rate dated the day we checked
Cons
- Penalty amount not on the rate page
4. Synchrony Bank CDs
Best for: A low penalty if plans changeSynchrony showed 4.40% APY (12-month) as of Nov 10, 2026 with no minimum deposit or balance. Its penalty for terms of 12 months or less is 90 days of simple interest, the lowest stated on this page for a 12-month term. Synchrony Bank, Member FDIC[9][10][11].
Key terms: 4.40% APY as of Nov 10, 2026; no minimum Synchrony terms
Pros
- Lowest stated 12-month penalty here
- No minimum
Cons
- 0.20 points below the top rate
5. Marcus High-Yield CDs
Best for: Protection if rates rise right after you openMarcus showed 4.40% APY (12-month) as of Nov 10, 2026 with a $500 minimum. Its 10-Day CD Rate Guarantee gives you the higher rate if your term’s rate rises in the first 10 days after you open, as long as you deposit at least $500 in that window. Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Member FDIC[9][10][11].
Key terms: 4.40% APY as of Nov 10, 2026; $500 minimum Marcus terms
Pros
- 10-Day CD Rate Guarantee
- Low minimum
Cons
- Below the top rate
Also considered
EverBank showed 3.50% APY (12-month; EverBank dates its APYs Nov. 6, 2026) as of Nov 10, 2026 for 12 months but 4.30% APY as of Nov 10, 2026 for 13 months ($1,000 minimum); its 13-month CD renews into a 12-month CD at maturity. American Express showed 3.75% APY as of Nov 10, 2026 for 12 months and 4.50% APY as of Nov 10, 2026 for 10 months, with no minimum. Quontic’s 12-month CD rate was dated Sept. 24, 2026, so we didn’t list it.
Why the penalty matters on a 1-year CD
On a 12-month CD, the penalty can be a large share of the interest. Synchrony charges 90 days of simple interest; Popular Direct and American Express charge 270 days, about three-quarters of a year’s interest. American Express notes a penalty can cut into principal if it exceeds the interest earned. If you might need the money early, compare no-penalty CDs.
Who should skip this
- Money you may need within the year. Use a high-yield savings account or a no-penalty CD.
- More than $250,000 at one bank in one ownership category; the excess isn’t FDIC-insured.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best 1-year CD rate right now?
How does that compare with the national average?
What’s the penalty for cashing out a 1-year CD early?
Are these CDs FDIC-insured?
Do you earn money from these banks?
Sources
Every source below was opened and read for this page (rates last checked Nov 10, 2026). Providers’ own pages are labeled with the provider’s name; regulator pages are labeled with the agency. Rates and terms change often, so confirm on the provider’s site before you apply.
- Sallie Mae: Certificates of Deposit (salliemae.com, checked Nov 10, 2026)
- Popular Direct: CDs (populardirect.com, checked Nov 10, 2026)
- Capital One: 360 CDs (capitalone.com, checked Nov 10, 2026)
- Synchrony Bank: CDs (synchronybank.com, checked Nov 10, 2026)
- Marcus by Goldman Sachs: High-Yield CDs (marcus.com, checked Nov 10, 2026)
- EverBank: CDs (everbank.com, checked Nov 10, 2026)
- American Express: Certificates of Deposit (americanexpress.com, checked Nov 10, 2026)
- Quontic: 12 Month CD (quontic.com, checked Nov 10, 2026)
- FDIC: National Rates and Rate Caps (October 2026) (fdic.gov, checked Nov 10, 2026)
- FDIC: Understanding Deposit Insurance (fdic.gov, checked Nov 10, 2026)
- FDIC BankFind: Popular Bank (banks.data.fdic.gov, checked Nov 10, 2026)
- FDIC BankFind: EverBank, N.A. (banks.data.fdic.gov, checked Nov 10, 2026)
Related
Best no-penalty CDs
A no-penalty CD fixes your rate for the term but lets you take your money out early without an early withdrawal penalty, usually after a short wait. We read each bank’s page on Nov 10, 2026.
best ofBest CD rates
A CD locks an APY for a set term in exchange for a penalty if you withdraw early. On Nov 10, 2026, the best rates we found were 5.00% APY for 5 years and 4.60% for 1 year at Sallie Mae, and 4.20% for 6 months at Synchrony.