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High-Yield Savings Calculator: Project Your Balance

Use this high yield savings account calculator to project an HYSA balance after months or years of compounding. Top US accounts pay 4–5% APY — see what that looks like on your starting balance.

$
$
%
months
Final balance$0.00
Total contributed$0.00
Interest earned$0.00
Effective monthly rate0.000%
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How this calculator works

HYSA math is the same compound-interest formula as a CD, but applied to a liquid balance with monthly contributions. We convert the bank's quoted APY to a monthly rate and run the future-value-with-payments calculation.

FV = P(1 + m)n + PMT × [((1 + m)n − 1) / m]
m
Monthly rate = (1 + APY)1/12 − 1
P
Starting deposit
PMT
Monthly contribution (assumed end-of-month)
n
Number of months

Unlike a CD, your APY can change at any time — banks are free to adjust HYSA rates with as little as 7 days' notice. The number this calculator shows assumes the rate holds; in practice, expect mild rate drift over the years.

Source: APY definition and disclosure rules — Truth-in-Savings Act, 12 CFR § 1030 (Regulation DD). Interest income reporting — IRS Publication 550.

FAQ

How does a high-yield savings account calculator work?
It uses the future-value-with-payments formula: FV = P(1+m)n + PMT × ((1+m)n − 1)/m, where m is the monthly rate derived from your APY. The result is your projected balance after compounding the starting deposit and any recurring monthly contributions over n months.
Are high-yield savings accounts FDIC-insured?
Yes. Any HYSA at an FDIC-member bank is insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category. Online banks (Marcus, Ally, Capital One 360, SoFi, etc.) are full-service banks with the same FDIC coverage as a brick-and-mortar.
How much will my HYSA earn in a year?
At 4.5% APY, a $10,000 balance earns about $460 in the first year (with monthly compounding). With $200/month contributions added on top, the same account ends the year at $12,860 — that's $400 from interest plus $2,400 in contributions.
Why do online banks pay so much more interest than my Chase savings account?
Online banks have minimal branch overhead and aggressive customer-acquisition strategies, so they share more of the federal funds rate with savers. A traditional megabank (Chase, BoA, Wells Fargo) typically pays 0.01–0.05% APY on savings; a top online HYSA pays 4–5%. Same FDIC coverage, ~100× more interest.
Can the bank lower my APY whenever they want?
Yes. HYSA rates are 'variable' — banks can change them at any time, typically with a few days' notice. They generally track the federal funds rate. If the Fed cuts rates, expect HYSA APYs to fall within weeks. Lock in a CD if you want to fix the rate for a defined period.
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