5 Savings Account Will Earn You the Least Money in 2025

Do you know which savings account will earn you the least money and why? The right savings account is more than just a safe place to put your money. It’s important to note that the type of account you choose can make a huge difference on how much money you earn since not all savings accounts are built to earn the most money.

It’s important to know which savings account will earn you the least money? to avoid losing potential interest.

Some accounts come with great interest rates and perks, but others give you little returns that can even outrun inflation. Learning why some accounts earn less is the first step to being smarter about money.

Have you ever wondered which savings account will earn you the least money? In this post, we will cover the main determinants of savings account income, account returns at lowest risk and some general advice on how to get the most out of your savings accounts. What Affects Savings Account Earnings?

Not all savings accounts are created equal, and the income variances tend to be determined by financial and operation reasons. Having all these can help you compare accounts and choose one that’s right for you.

Contents

1 What Affects Savings Account Earnings
2 APY & Compounding: What They Do And Why We Do?
3 Types of Savings Accounts and Their Typical Earnings
4 Analysis of Average Revenue by Account Type
- 4.1 Comparison of Typical Earnings by Account Type
5 5 Savings Accounts That Will Earn You the Least Money
6 Why Low-Earning Accounts May Still Be Chosen
- 6.1 Situations Where Low-Earning Accounts Make Sense
7 How To Make More Money From Your Savings
8 Conclusion
- 8.1 Related

What Affects Savings Account Earnings

Can you guess which savings account will earn you the least money?

Factor	Description
1. APY (Annual Percentage Yield)	The annual interest rate earned on your savings, including the effects of compounding. Higher APYs lead to greater earnings over time.
2. Compounding Frequency	How often the bank calculates and adds interest to your account. More frequent compounding (daily or monthly) increases the total interest earned.
3. Fees and Charges	Monthly maintenance fees, withdrawal penalties, or other charges that can reduce your net earnings. Minimizing fees helps maximize your savings growth.
4. Balance Requirements	The minimum amount you need to keep in your account to earn interest or avoid fees. Accounts with lower requirements are more accessible to all savers.
5. Account Type	Different savings accounts (traditional, high-yield, money market) offer varying interest rates and features. Choosing the right type impacts earnings.

Here’s a chart that shows you the factors that impact how much you can earn with a savings account.

Have you ever wondered which savings account will earn you the least money? If you take each of these things into account, you will be able to pick the account that fits your financial plan and earns the most.

APY & Compounding: What They Do And Why We Do?

It’s APY that matters the most to savings account returns as it directly affects your interest rate. An account that offers 0.01% APY, for example, will produce substantially less than one that pays 1.5% APY, even on the same balance.

Can you guess which savings account will earn you the least money?

Combine this with compounding frequency and you can see a significant drop in your overall earnings over time.

Fees also matter. In case of example $10 maintenance fee per month in a low balance account could easily wipe out any profit you earn and leave you worse off than you started.

Types of Savings Accounts and Their Typical Earnings

Knowing what savings accounts there are, and what the savings accounts are earning can help you choose where to put your money. There are pros and cons to all kinds of accounts in terms of interest rates and fees.

Traditional Savings Accounts

Are you asking yourself which savings account will earn you the least money? Savings accounts are the oldest, and these are typically provided by the big banks with branches. They are easily accessible, easy to access and deploy with very low Annual Percentage Yields (APY) which range from 0.01%-0.05%. They’re accounts that are more about convenience than income and might have maintenance fees attached if minimum balance isn’t met.

Online Savings Accounts

Only available online banks have savings accounts that have much higher APYs, between 1% and 5% depending on the bank and the market.

Why is it essential to know which savings account will earn you the least money?

These banks are not expensive in the sense of overhead and therefore can pass the savings to their customers via lower interest rates. They don’t have physical offices but their online sites are easy to use and widely available.

Money Market Accounts

Do you know how to identify which savings account will earn you the least money? Money market accounts marry the savings and checking features, with APYs of 0.5% to 2%, depending on the balance. But these accounts usually demand higher minimum deposits and balances to qualify for the best rates, so some are not as accessible.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

Are you aware of which savings account will earn you the least money? These are not a part of the online savings accounts but are created to give you the highest APYs, sometimes up to over 4%. They are great for making the most money, though they may be tied down with terms such as not more than 5,000 transactions per month and no real-time access.

Specialty Savings Accounts

Could you be using which savings account will earn you the least money without realizing it? You can find accounts like kids’ savings accounts or goal-directed savings accounts with low APYs like most other accounts. They are good for saving or targeted savings, but not great for substantial financial accumulation.

Analysis of Average Revenue by Account Type

Want to find out which savings account will earn you the least money?

Comparison of Typical Earnings by Account Type

Account Type	Typical APY Range	Pros	Cons
Traditional Savings	0.01% – 0.05%	Accessible, convenient, wide branch networks	Very low APY, potential maintenance fees
Online Savings	1% – 5%	Higher APY, no maintenance fees, easy access	No physical branches, transaction limits
Money Market	0.5% – 2%	Competitive APY, check-writing capabilities	Higher minimum deposit and balance required
High-Yield Savings	2% – 4%+	Maximizes earnings, secure and FDIC insured	Limited withdrawals, online-only restrictions
Specialty Savings	0.01% – 0.5%	Encourages savings goals or habits	Low APY, limited flexibility

How can you determine which savings account will earn you the least money? This table makes it easy for readers to know how much each savings account type can earn, plus and minuses, and what’s the difference. The type of account you select will be based on your personal financial needs and wants. A standard account might be the one for you if convenience is important, but online accounts or high yield accounts are ideal for saving and accumulating savings.

Is it obvious to you which savings account will earn you the least money?

5 Savings Accounts That Will Earn You the Least Money

There are not all savings accounts that will grow your money. Some value accessibility, ease or certain customer demands above returns. The following are the 5 savings accounts with the lowest average earnings (low APYs) and terms.

Simple Savings Accounts from Big Banks

Would you like to know which savings account will earn you the least money? Basic savings accounts from your local banks (eg, Chase or Wells Fargo) have APY’s as low as 0.01% – 0.05%. These accounts are common, and have easy access to branches, but they have one of the lowest interest rates on the market.

Passbook Savings Accounts

What should you look for to identify which savings account will earn you the least money? Passbook savings accounts, still offered by some small banks and credit unions, are for those who like a physical log of what they’ve done. They have a bad look as well as a bad return, where APYs often come under 0.1%.

The Youth Savings Accounts for Youth or Students

Are you sure you’re not stuck with which savings account will earn you the least money? Teen/student accounts focus on financial education over return maximization. Such accounts usually offer 0.01%- 0.5% APY but minimal fees and lower balance requirements to woo young savers.

Low-Balance Savings Accounts Without Tiered APY

How important is it to understand which savings account will earn you the least money? Accounts with no tiering penalty lower balances by paying the base APY (which is typically 0.01% to 0.03%). If customers can’t hold high balances, they lose the opportunity to receive better interest rates and so cannot grow.

Non-FDIC-Insured Accounts from Non-Traditional Institutions

Are you using which savings account will earn you the least money right now? Non-banks and financial services companies (e.g., Fintech companies with savings-like offerings) can offer very low APYs but without FDIC coverage. These accounts are handy, but they don’t offer competitive interest rates and so are poor investments.

Do you know why it matters to identify which savings account will earn you the least money?

These are the account types that cater to certain needs but not enough opportunities for earning. If you go with another type like an online or high-yield savings account, you can get more out of it.

Here’s a table highlighting five savings accounts from major U.S. banks that typically offer low Annual Percentage Yields (APYs):

Bank	Account Name	Typical APY	Monthly Fee	Minimum Balance to Avoid Fee	Account Details
Bank of America	Advantage Savings	0.01%	$8	$500	Low APY; fee waived with minimum balance or qualifying activities.
Wells Fargo	Way2Save Savings	0.01%	$5	$300	Minimal interest; fee can be waived with specific conditions.
Chase	Savings Account	0.01%	$5	$300	Offers low interest rates; monthly fee avoidable with certain criteria.
U.S. Bank	Standard Savings	0.01%	$4	$300	Low APY; fee waived with minimum balance or recurring transfers.
PNC Bank	Standard Savings	0.01%	$5	$300	Nominal interest; fee can be waived with minimum balance or automatic transfers.

Please Note: APYs are not guaranteed and can be regional. Check with the banks directly for rates and account details.

These accounts are very common and they come with some nice tools, but the low interest rate ensures your savings grows very slowly.

Why Low-Earning Accounts May Still Be Chosen

Even though low interest savings accounts have limited earning capacity, people still choose them. They tend to be attractive because they have certain tangible advantages over those that come with sluggish income growth.

Accessibility and Convenience

Low-interest accounts — the kind that big banks sell — are unrivalled in terms of accessibility. These accounts are great for daily bank banking as they have large number of branch and ATMs where one can simply deposit and withdraw money. And also, because they’re merged with other financial services like checking accounts or credit cards, finances become centralized.

Safety and Trust

Big old-fashioned banks with high-yielding savings accounts are generally thought of as safer and more stable. A lot of people prefer the security of FDIC insurance, which guarantees deposits up to $250,000. These accounts are still the number one choice for people who prefer peace of mind over returns.

Don’t Have Alternatives or Financial Awareness.

For others, the fact that they don’t know about alternative solutions, like HYSA or the internet bank, narrows down the options. Others get overwhelmed with money and prefer safe products that are more recognizable. It’s especially the case for senior populations or those who aren’t really saved yet.

Situations Where Low-Earning Accounts Make Sense

Emergency Funds: Instant fund transfer in a liquid account.
The First Time Saver: Getting started savers might want more simple than complex.
Short-Term Objections: Low-Earnings Accounts are enough for short-term goals, like vacation funds.

Although low-interest savings accounts have their downsides, they’re a particular kind of account for people who care about accessibility, security or convenience. Detour can be used by customers to balance these advantages with greater returns.

How To Make More Money From Your Savings

To get the most out of your savings, try to look for accounts with higher APYs than savings accounts. Savings accounts with high yield and money market accounts are great options to have because they can offer higher rates while also giving you peace of mind.

Top 5 Alternative Savings Accounts to Boost Your Earnings

Bank	Account Type	APY	Minimum Deposit	Monthly Fee	Key Features
Pibank	High-Yield Savings	5.50%	$0	$0	Competitive APY with no minimum balance requirements.
Newtek Bank	Personal High Yield Savings	5.25%	$0	$0	High APY with no minimum deposit, ideal for maximizing returns.
Quontic Bank	Money Market Account	4.75%	$100	$0	Offers check-writing capabilities and a competitive APY.
Vio Bank	Cornerstone Money Market	4.90%	$100	$0	High APY with low minimum deposit, suitable for savers seeking flexibility.
Ivy Bank	High-Yield Savings	5.00%	$2,500	$0	Attractive APY for balances above the minimum deposit.

Note: APYs are indicative, check rates and conditions with your bank for rates and conditions.

Put your savings in these high yield savings or money market accounts and watch your savings compound much faster than savings accounts. They’re often FDIC insured accounts so you won’t have to stress over your deposit.

Conclusion

You have to make sure you choose the right savings account in order to maximize your money. Traditional savings accounts may be focused on accessibility and convenience but they’re not always as profitable. When you know the most important things impacting savings account yield — APY, compounding rate, fees — you can make better choices to get the most return.

Look into options such as high-yield savings accounts, money market accounts or other competitive accounts to make your savings soar. Check terms, benefits and safety of each one so it can be the right one for you financially. As you know, even small differences in APY add up in the long run so take the time to choose wisely.