Best No-Minimum Savings Accounts 2026
Start saving with any amount—even $1. These accounts have no minimum balance requirements, no fees, and competitive rates.
💡 Why No-Minimum Matters
Many banks require $100, $500, or even $5,000 to earn their advertised rates. These accounts let you earn the same high APY whether you have $50 or $50,000. Perfect for building savings from scratch or keeping multiple goal-based accounts.
Our Top Picks
Pibank
The highest flat-rate APY available with truly no strings attached. Earn 4.60% on every dollar from $1 to $1 million.
Ally Bank
Ally combines competitive rates with savings buckets to organize multiple goals in one account. Perfect for the organized saver.
Read review →Marcus by Goldman Sachs
Marcus offers same-day ACH transfers for emergency access, backed by one of the world's most prestigious financial institutions.
Read review →Barclays
Barclays combines a competitive 4.00% APY with a $200 bonus for $25K deposits—all with no minimum balance to open.
Read review →Discover
Discover's app is best-in-class, plus you get 1% cashback on debit purchases—a feature no other savings account offers.
Read review →Why "No Minimum" Matters More Than You Think
Many banks advertise high APYs but bury minimum balance requirements in the fine print:
- CIT Bank: 4.10% APY—but only on balances over $5,000
- Varo: 5.00% APY—but only on your first $5,000 with DD
- LendingClub: 4.00% APY—but requires $250/month deposits
If you don't meet these requirements, your rate drops dramatically—sometimes to 0.25% or lower.
True no-minimum accounts treat every saver equally. Whether you're starting with $50 or $50,000, you earn the same rate.
Use Cases for No-Minimum Accounts
Starting from Zero
Building your first emergency fund? These accounts let you start with whatever you can spare—even $20/paycheck—without penalty.
Multiple Goal Accounts
Want separate accounts for emergency fund, vacation, and car maintenance? No-minimum accounts let you maintain several small-balance accounts without fees eating into your savings.
Kids' Savings
Teaching children about saving? Start with small amounts they can understand while still earning real interest.
Backup Accounts
Keep a secondary savings account at a different bank for redundancy—even with a small balance, it's ready when you need it.
Accounts to Avoid (Hidden Minimums)
These accounts advertise high rates but penalize small balances:
⚠️ Watch Out For:
- CIT Platinum Savings: 4.10% over $5K, but 0.25% under $5K
- Varo: 5% on first $5K with DD only
- LendingClub: 4% requires monthly deposits
- Current: 4% on first $6K only
Quick Comparison
| Bank | APY | Min to Open | Min for Rate | Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pibank | 4.60% | $0 | $0 ✓ | None |
| Barclays | 4.00% | $0 | $0 ✓ | $200 |
| Ally | 3.70% | $0 | $0 ✓ | None |
| Marcus | 3.65% | $0 | $0 ✓ | None |
| Discover | 3.60% | $0 | $0 ✓ | $200 |
The Bottom Line
The best no-minimum savings accounts prove you don't need $5,000 or $10,000 to earn competitive interest. Start with whatever you have—$1, $100, or $1,000—and grow from there.
Our top recommendations:
- Highest rate: Pibank (4.60% APY)
- Best features: Ally (savings buckets + 3.70%)
- Fastest access: Marcus (same-day transfers)