As one of the biggest banks in the US, Chase Bank is pretty ubiquitous. Chase has more than 4,700 branches, a wide selection of banking services, a huge portfolio of credit cards and a customer base that includes nearly half of all households in the country.
Despite all that, Chase does lag in one category: savings. You can open a savings account with Chase and get easy access at its branch locations across the country. But Chase offers little long-term benefit when it comes to earning interest on your savings balance. You can open a certificate of deposit, or CD, at Chase, but be warned: Chase doesn’t offer lucrative CD rates, so you’ll likely find better-earning potential elsewhere.
If you’re considering investing in a CD in today’s rising rate environment, here’s what to know before parking your money with Chase, and why you should consider other options:
Chase CDs: At a glance
| Minimum deposit | $1,000 |
|---|---|
| Term lengths | One month to 120 months (10 years) |
| Compounding schedule | Daily |
| Early withdrawal penalties | For CDs that are six months or shorter, you’ll forfeit 90 days of interest earnings. If they’re between six and 24 months, you’ll forfeit 180 days (six months) of interest. And if they’re longer than 24 months, you’ll forfeit one full year of interest. |
| Grace period | 10 days |
Chase’s CD rates
There are two main categories for Chase’s CDs: Standard and Relationship. If you don’t have a checking account with Chase, you’ll have access to its Standard CD. If you do have a current Chase checking account and link it to your CD account, you’ll get access to slightly higher APYs with Relationship CDs.
Chase Standard CDs
| Terms | 1 month to 120 months (10 years) |
|---|---|
| Interest rate | 0.01% |
| APY | 0.01% |
| Minimum deposit | $1,000 |
Note: Annual percentage yields, or APYs, shown are as of March 9, 2023. CNET’s editorial team updates this information regularly. APYs may have changed since they were last updated and may vary by region for some products.
No matter how much you deposit in a Standard Chase CD, the interest rate and the APY are identical, and leave a lot to be desired. For example, if you deposit $10,000 in a standard five-year CD with a 1.50% APY, you’ll earn just $772.84 in interest in five years.
Chase Relationship CD rates
| Term length | APY for initial deposit ($1,000–$9,999) | APY for initial deposit ($10,000-$99,999) | APY for initial deposit ($100,000 and above) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 months | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| 3 months | 2.00% | 3.50% | 4.00% |
| 6 months | 0.02% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| 9 months | 0.02% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| 12 months | 3.00% | 3.25% | 3.75% |
| 15 months | 0.02% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| 18 months | 0.02% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| 21 months | 0.02% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| 24 months | 2.00% | 2.00% | 2.00% |
| 30 months | 1.50% | 1.50% | 1.50% |
| 36 months | 2.00% | 2.00% | 2.00% |
| 42 months | 1.50% | 1.50% | 1.50% |
| 48 months | 1.50% | 1.50% | 1.50% |
| 60 months | 1.50% | 1.50% | 1.50% |
| 84 to 120 months | 1.50% | 1.50% | 1.50% |
Note: Annual percentage yields, or APYs, shown are as of March 9, 2023. CNET’s editorial team updates this information regularly. APYs may have changed since they were last updated and may vary by region for some products.
Chase Relationship CD rates vary depending on terms and deposit amounts.
If you don’t have a relationship with Chase -- meaning you don’t have a linked checking account -- you can’t earn much. However, customers with linked Chase checking accounts will earn more, depending on their term and their initial deposit. For example, consider the earning potential for the term lengths in the following example, with a $10,000 deposit, assuming the earnings are compounded daily.
Example: How much can you earn with a Chase CD?
| Term | APY | Total interest earned |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | 0.02% | $0.17 |
| 3 months | 0.02% | $0.50 |
| 6 months | 0.05% | $2.50 |
| 9 months | 0.05% | $3.75 |
| 12 months | 2.02% | $202 |
| 15 months | 0.05% | $6.25 |
| 18 months | 0.05% | $7.50 |
| 21 months | 0.05% | $8.75 |
| 24 months | 2.02% | $408.08 |
| 30 months | 1.51% | $381.79 |
| 36 months | 2.02% | $618.32 |
| 42 months | 1.51% | $538.55 |
| 48 months | 1.51% | $617.82 |
| 84 months | 1.51% | $1,106.11 |
| 120 months | 1.51% | $1,616.85 |
Is Chase a good choice for a savings or CD account?
Compared to other banks, Chase’s savings options, including its CDs, don’t have competitive APYs -- meaning you’ll earn a lower return compared to keeping your money elsewhere.
For example, Chase’s six-month Standard CD rate is 0.1%, much lower than the average rate of six-month CDs -- 0.89% -- according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. This rate is also much lower than some of the best CD rates available, which earn upwards of 4% to 4.50% APY. You’ll often find better CD rates at credit unions and online banks.
If you’re looking for the best bank to save and grow your money, compare APYs and other factors that align with your goals. Make sure any financial institution you choose offers FDIC insurance, which can protect your savings in amounts up to $250,000 per depositor, per account. And check all the options available for making account transfers or withdrawals, so you can access your money when you need it.
This article includes some material that was previously published on NextAdvisor, a CNET Money sister site that was also owned by Red Ventures and which has merged with CNET Money. It has been edited and updated by CNET Money editors.
