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Synchrony Bank Review: Competitive APYs, ATM Card for Savings

 1 year ago
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Synchrony Bank review: Earn competitive interest rates, and receive an ATM card with your savings account

Updated
May 2, 2023, 10:18 PM UTC
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Synchrony Bank is an online-only institution. Synchrony Bank; Insider
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Our experts choose the best products and services to help make smart decisions with your money (here's how). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.

The bottom line: Synchrony Bank pays some of the best CD rates right now, and it has strong savings and money market accounts. But you'll need to go to another bank to open a checking account.

How Synchrony Bank products compare
  • 5ea352d3f242ab1d27072684?width=400
    Synchrony High-Yield Savings Account
  • 5a984623aae6058c008b473a?width=400
    Synchrony CD
  • 5ea352d3f242ab1d27072684?width=400
    Synchrony Money Market Account
Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Annual Percentage Yield (APY) Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
4.15%
Annual Percentage Yield (APY) Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
2.25% to 5.00%
Annual Percentage Yield (APY) Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
2.25%
Start saving
Synchrony Bank, Member FDIC

Overall bank rating

FeatureInsider rating (out of 5)
Savings5
CD4.5
Money market account4.75
Trustworthiness 5
Total4.75
Synchrony High-Yield Savings Account pays some of the best CD rates right now, and it has strong savings and money market accounts.

Pros and cons

ProsCons
  • High interest rate on savings account and CDs

  • Savings account comes with an ATM card

  • Money market account comes with an ATM card and paper checks

  • Digital banking only
  • No checking account
  • No debit card

Synchrony High-Yield Savings Account

Synchrony High-Yield Savings Account
5/5
A five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed star
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
4.15%
Minimum Deposit Amount
no monthly service fee
Synchrony Bank, Member FDIC
Synchrony High-Yield Savings Account
Synchrony Bank, Member FDIC
Details
no monthly service fee
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
4.15%
Minimum Deposit Amount
Editor's Rating
5/5
A five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed star
Pros & Cons Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Highlights Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
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The Synchrony High-Yield Savings Account pays a competitive rate. Synchrony doesn't require an opening deposit or minimum account balance, and it doesn't charge monthly fees.

The Synchrony High-Yield Savings Account is unique because unlike most savings accounts, it comes with an ATM card, giving you easy access to your savings.

Read Insider's guide to thebest high-yield savings accounts »

Synchrony CD

Synchrony CD
4.5/5
A five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed star
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
2.25% to 5.00%
Minimum Deposit Amount
Synchrony Bank, Member FDIC
Synchrony CD
Synchrony Bank, Member FDIC
Details
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
2.25% to 5.00%
Minimum Deposit Amount
Editor's Rating
4.5/5
A five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed star
Pros & Cons Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Highlights Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Additional Reading Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

Synchrony Bank CD terms range from three months to five years. The bank pays higher interest rates on CDs than many brick-and-mortar and online banks.

Synchrony Money Market Account

Synchrony Money Market Account
4.75/5
A five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed star
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
2.25%
Minimum Deposit Amount
Synchrony Bank, Member FDIC
Synchrony Money Market Account
Synchrony Bank, Member FDIC
Details
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
2.25%
Minimum Deposit Amount
Editor's Rating
4.75/5
A five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed starA five pointed star
Pros & Cons Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Highlights Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Additional Reading Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

This money market account pays a competitive rate. It doesn't require an initial deposit or minimum account balance, and it doesn't charge a monthly fee.

The account also comes with both paper checks and an ATM card, making it easy to access your money. Use the ATM network for free, and Synchrony reimburses up to $5 per month for out-of-network ATM fees.

How Synchrony Bank works

Synchrony Bank is an online-only institution, so there are no physical branch locations. Its website is easy to navigate. Its mobile app has received 4.8 out of 5 stars in the Apple store, and 4.6 out of 5 stars in the Google Play store.

If you have questions, you can chat online with customer support 24/7. You'll initially be connected to a virtual assistant, and if the virtual assistant can't answer your query, you'll be transferred to a live assistant. Or you can call an agent from 8 a.m. to midnight ET.

Synchrony doesn't offer a checking account. It does provide an ATM card with its savings and money market accounts, though, and you can use your card for free at any Plus, STAR, or NYCE ATM. Synchrony also reimburses up to $5 per month in out-of-network ATM fees.

Synchrony accounts are FDIC insured for up to $250,000, or $500,000 if you have a joint account.

Synchrony trustworthiness and BBB rating

The Better Business Bureau gives Synchrony an A+ rating. A strong BBB rating indicates the company is transparent in how it handles business, responds effectively to customer complaints, and is honest in its advertising. However, BBB ratings won't necessarily guarantee a smooth relationship with a bank. You'll want to consider online customer reviews or talk to current customers to see if the bank might be a good fit for you.

Banks such as Wells Fargo and Bank of America have faced scandals regarding their treatment of racial minorities and people with disabilities. Synchrony doesn't have any public scandals, though, so you may feel comfortable parking your money at this bank.

Synchrony review vs. Ally review

Both Synchrony and Ally offer savings accounts, money market accounts, and CDs. Synchrony offers higher rates on CDs and savings accounts, while Ally offers a higher interest rate on a money market account.

You may prefer Ally if you want to open a checking account, because Synchrony doesn't offer one. 

Synchrony provides an ATM card with its savings account, while Ally does not. But Ally provides a debit card with the money market account, not just an ATM card — this means you can use your debit card to make regular purchases.

Synchrony review vs. Discover review

You'll prefer Discover to Synchrony if you're looking for a checking account, because Synchrony doesn't have one. The Discover Cashback Debit Account could be a good option if you want a checking account that pays cash back. You'll earn 1% cash back with your Discover debit card for up to $3,000 per month in purchases.

If you don't have $2,500 to open a money market account with Discover, then you may prefer Synchrony, which has no minimum deposit for a money market account.

See Insider's list of the best savings accounts »

Personal Finance Reviews Editor
Laura Grace Tarpley (she/her) is a personal finance reviews senior editor at Insider. She oversees coverage about mortgage rates, refinance rates, lenders, bank accounts, investing, retirement , and borrowing and savings tips for Personal Finance Insider. She was a writer and editor for Insider's "The Road to Home" series, which won a Silver award from the National Associate of Real Estate Editors. She is also a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF). She has written about personal finance for seven years. Before joining the Insider team, she was a freelance finance writer for companies like SoFi and The Penny Hoarder, as well as an editor at FluentU. You can reach Laura Grace at [email protected]. Learn more about how Personal Finance Insider chooses, rates, and covers financial products and services »
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Compliance Associate
Evelyn He is a compliance associate at Insider who supports the Personal Finance Insider team. Personal Finance Insider is Insider's personal finance section that incorporates affiliate and commerce partnerships into the news, insights, and advice about money that Insider readers already know and love. The compliance team's mission is to provide readers with stories that are fact-checked and current, so they can make informed financial decisions. The team also works to minimize risk for partners by making sure language is clear, precise, and fully compliant with regulatory and partner marketing guidelines that align with the editorial team. Before joining Insider, she served in various legal and compliance roles in different industries, including the legal and pharmaceutical industries.    Evelyn obtained her M.S. degree in Marketing at Boston University in 2022. Prior to combining and consolidating her knowledge of law and business, she spent one year finishing 1L courses at Suffolk University Law School to further her legal knowledge. She has also completed MBA business law courses while working on her Bachelor of Business Administration in Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.  Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her 14-year-old Shih Tzu named Money, and her 4-year-old Bichon named Tibber.
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Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.

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