Market: San Francisco & Oakland
Rates as of August 5, 2026Standard, openable certificates at published base rates — no new-money requirements, no introductory teasers. Where an institution publishes a higher relationship rate, it appears in its own column with what earns it. Promotional rates are listed separately with their conditions.
| Institution | 12-month APY | Relationship APY | Qualifies with | Minimum & conditions | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technology Credit Union (Tech CU)Best local | 4.00% | — | — | $1,000 minimum. Silicon Valley–based, serves the greater Bay Area. Same 4.00% at the 10-month term. | Aug 3, 2026 |
| Capital One 360 (online) | 4.00% | — | — | 360 CD, no minimum. Online only. | Aug 5, 2026 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs (online) | 3.90% | — | — | High-Yield CD, $500 minimum. Online only; its 14-month pays 4.10%. | Jul 31, 2026 |
| Ally Bank (online) | 3.70% | — | — | High Yield CD, no minimum. Online only. | Aug 4, 2026 |
| Stanford Federal Credit Union | 3.50% | 4.00% | Loyalty+ Partner or Ambassador status | Standard 12-month certificate, $100 minimum. Peninsula-based, serves the Bay Area. An 8-month special pays 4.10% for all members; Loyalty+ members earn 4.15% at 60 months. | Aug 5, 2026 |
| Provident Credit Union | 3.40% | — | — | Standard 12-month certificate. | Jul 24, 2026 |
| 1st United Credit Union | 3.25% | — | — | Standard 12-month certificate, $250 minimum. East Bay–based. | Aug 5, 2026 |
| Golden 1 Credit Union | 3.20% | — | — | Standard 12-month certificate, $500 minimum. Statewide; branches in SF and Alameda counties. | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Redwood Credit Union | 3.10% | 4.00% | Active Redwood checking account | 12-to-17-month standard certificate, $1,000 minimum. | Aug 5, 2026 |
| Patelco Credit Union | 3.00% | — | — | Standard 12-month certificate. | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Fremont Bank | 1.25% | — | — | Standard 12-month CD at the $2,500 minimum; 1.50% at $50,000 and 1.75% at $100,000+. Its short promotional terms pay more; see the term table. | Aug 4, 2026 |
| San Francisco Federal Credit Union | 1.50% | — | — | Standard 12-month share certificate; its 13-month special pays 3.50%. | Aug 4, 2026 |
| Bank of America | 0.05% | — | — | Standard 12-month CD. | Jul 24, 2026 |
Standard openable certificates at each institution's published rate for the term shown. A dash means no published standard rate at that term.
| Institution | 6-month | 12-month | 24-month | 36-month | 60-month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technology Credit Union | 3.50% | 4.00% | 3.75% | 3.75% | 3.75% |
| Stanford Federal Credit Union ** | 3.00% | 3.50% | 3.20% | 3.25% | 3.65% |
| Provident Credit Union | 3.60% | 3.40% | 3.30% | — | — |
| Golden 1 Credit Union | 3.05% | 3.20% | 3.25% | 3.35% | 3.55% |
| Patelco Credit Union | 3.00% | 3.00% | 3.00% | 3.00% | 3.50% |
| Redwood Credit Union * | 3.00% | 3.10% | 2.50% | 2.15% | 2.25% |
| 1st United Credit Union | 2.75% | 3.25% | 3.50% | 3.50% | 2.25% |
| San Francisco Federal CU | 1.20% | 1.50% | 1.80% | 2.60% | 3.00% |
| Fremont Bank *** | 3.00% | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% |
| Bank of America | 0.03% | 0.05% | 0.10% | 0.12% | 0.15% |
| Capital One 360 (online) | 3.30% | 4.00% | 3.50% | 3.50% | 3.60% |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs (online) | 3.95% | 3.90% | 3.70% | 3.70% | 3.80% |
| Ally Bank (online) | 3.30% | 3.70% | 3.00% | 3.50% | 3.40% |
Highlighted cells are the best published standard rate at that term in this comparison. Locally, Tech CU owns the 12-month (4.00%), matched online by Capital One; Marcus pays 3.95% at 6 months and 3.80% at 5 years online.
** Stanford's row shows standard rates; Loyalty+ Partners and Ambassadors earn +0.50% on certificates (4.00% at 12 months, 4.15% at 5 years), and an 8-month special pays 4.10% for all members. Also published at other terms: Redwood's 12–17-month certificate pays 4.00% with an active Redwood checking account(3.10% standard — the * row shows standard rates; its relationship rates run 0.65–1.10 points higher, for example 3.75% at 6–8 months); 1st United's 36- and 60-month certificates carry a one-time rate-bump feature (verified live Aug 5, 2026 — all five of its grid cells match its published sheet exactly); San Francisco Federal CU's 13-month special pays 3.50% against its weak standard ladder; Fremont Bank's short promos (4-month 3.35%, checking-linked) sit far above its standard book.
*** Fremont's certificate rates vary by balance; the $2,500-minimum column is shown — its 1-year pays 1.50% at $50,000 and 1.75% at $100,000+. Its Premier CD pays 3.15% but requires a linked Premier Checking account holding $50,000+ with a $1,000 monthly direct deposit.
Liquid (no-penalty) certificates. Technology Credit Union is the only local institution in this comparison publishing them: 3.65% APY at 3, 4, or 5-month terms, $1,000 minimum, with penalty-free withdrawal flexibility. Online, Marcus's 11-month No-Penalty CD pays 4.00% (its 7-month pays 3.75%) and Ally's No-Penalty CD pays 2.70%.
Jumbo certificates ($95,000+ minimum). Technology Credit Union's jumbo ladder pays the same as its standard ladder at the core terms — 4.00% at 10 and 12 months, 3.75% at 24 to 60 months — so the jumbo minimum buys rate parity, not a premium. Most institutions in this comparison publish no jumbo rates at all.
IRA certificates. Technology Credit Union's IRA certificates pay the same rates as its standard ladder above. For other institutions, IRA certificate rates typically match the standard grid.
| Institution | Top APY | What actually earns it | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford Federal Credit UnionBest, qualified | 3.25% | On balances up to $100,000 with monthly qualifying requirements; 0.15% above $100,000. | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Provident Credit Union | 1.26% | On balances up to $25,000 with monthly qualifying requirements; 0.08% above. | Jul 24, 2026 |
| SoFi (online) | 0.50% | Checking APY, no conditions stated. | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Ally Bank (online) | 0.10%–0.25% | Spending Account: 0.10% below $15,000, 0.25% at $15,000 and above. | Aug 4, 2026 |
| Technology Credit Union | 0.10% | Interest Checking at $1,500+; 0.00% below. | Aug 3, 2026 |
| Patelco Credit Union | 0.05% | Standard dividend checking. | Jul 24, 2026 |
| San Francisco Fire Credit Union | 0.00% | Non-dividend checking. | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Bank of America | 0.01%–0.02% | Interest checking by balance. | Jul 24, 2026 |
Savings rates depend on the balance you hold and the conditions you meet. “Whole balance” means every dollar earns the stated rate.
| Institution | Top APY | What actually earns it | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoFi (online, nationwide) | 4.50% | Requires SoFi Plus membership; applies up to $20,000. With eligible direct deposit (no Plus): 3.10%. Without either: 0.80%. | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Technology Credit Union (Tech CU)Best local | 4.00% | First $5,000 only, with a qualifying Tech CU checking account; 2.50% on the next $5,000, 1.50% to $20,000, 0.20% above. | Aug 3, 2026 |
| 1st United Credit Union — High Yield Savings | 2.00%–3.20% | Whole-balance tiers with qualification requirements: 2.00% at $2,000–$100,000, 3.20% at $250,000+; $2,000 minimum to open. | Aug 4, 2026 |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs (online) | 3.40% | High-Yield Savings, whole balance, no conditions. | Jul 31, 2026 |
| Ally Bank / Capital One (online) | 3.00% | Whole balance, no conditions. | Aug 4, 2026 |
| Patelco Credit Union | 0.05%–0.25% | Standard savings tiers; 0.25% above $3,500. | Jul 24, 2026 |
| San Francisco Fire Credit Union | 0.02%–0.05% | Tiered savings by balance. | Aug 5, 2026 |
| Redwood Credit Union | 0.05%–0.15% | Standard savings, by balance. | Aug 4, 2026 |
| San Francisco Federal CU | 0.02% | Standard savings, by balance. | Aug 4, 2026 |
| Institution | Top APY | What actually earns it | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redwood Credit Union — Premier Money MarketBest, qualified | 4.00%–4.15% | Whole-balance tiers from $2,500 with qualification requirements; Redwood's unqualified Performance Money Market pays 2.00%–3.15% by balance. Its basic Money Market Growth pays 1.00%–1.40% by balance. | Aug 4, 2026 |
| Patelco Credit Union — Money Market Plus | 2.50%–3.25% | Whole-balance tiers: 2.50% from the first dollar, rising to 3.25% at $250,000+. Requires a Patelco checking account receiving $500+/month in deposits; otherwise 0.05%. | Aug 5, 2026 |
| Ally Bank (online) | 3.00% | Whole balance, no conditions. | Aug 4, 2026 |
| San Francisco Fire Credit Union | 2.00% | Whole balance, no balance tiers — but the account must be funded with new money (funds not already at SF Fire). | Aug 5, 2026 |
| Technology Credit Union (Tech CU) | 0.00%–2.05% | Balance ladder: 0.50% at $2,500–$25,000, rising to 2.05% only at $1,000,000+. +0.10% boost at $50,000+ with a Tech CU checking account and $100 monthly direct deposit. | Aug 3, 2026 |
| Golden 1 Credit Union | up to 3.50% | Balance tiers: 1.00% at $10,000, 1.50% at $100,000, 2.50% at $250,000, 3.50% at $500,000+; 0.05% below $10,000. | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Stanford Federal Credit Union | 1.56%–1.81% | Standard money market range. | Jul 24, 2026 |
| Provident Credit Union | up to 3.60% | Limited-time promotional rate, only at $250,000+; standard tiers below run 0.08%–0.76%. | Jul 24, 2026 |
| San Francisco Federal CU | 0.10%–1.005% | Whole-balance tiers from $2,500: 0.10% to $20,000, 0.15% to $50,000, 0.35% to $100,000, 0.75% to $500,000, 1.005% above. Its North Star money market pays up to 2.50% but requires a new checking account and $2,500 of new money. | Aug 4, 2026 |
| 1st United Credit Union | 0.02%–0.30% | Standard tiers; tops out at 0.30%. | Aug 4, 2026 |
| Fremont Bank | 0.05%–0.30% | Standard tiers; tops out at 0.30%. | Aug 4, 2026 |
From each institution's published fee schedule: monthly service fee on the primary consumer checking account, overdraft, returned-item (NSF), and out-of-network ATM. "$0" means no published fee for that item on that account.
| Institution | Monthly fee | Overdraft | NSF / returned item | Out-of-network ATM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redwood Credit UnionLowest NSF | $0 | $14 | $7 | $0 + reimburses other ATMs' fees (2–4/month) |
| SF Fire Credit Union | $0 | $14 | $14 | $2 |
| Patelco Credit Union | $0 | $0 | $14 | $1.75 |
| 1st United Credit Union | $0 | $14 | — | — |
| Technology Credit Union | $0 | $14 | $14 | — |
| San Francisco Federal CU | $0 | $30 | $30 | varies |
| Fremont Bank | — | $30 | $30 | — |
| Wells Fargo | $5+ by account | $35 ($0 Clear Access) | — | $0–varies |
| Bank of America | $4.95–$25 by account | $10 ($0 SafeBalance) | $0–$35 by account | $2.50–$3 |
| Chase | $0 on entry accounts | $34 ($0 Secure Banking) | $0 | varies |
| Ally Bank (online) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Capital One (online) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| SoFi (online) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
For tiered accounts, the summary above shows the headline; these are the complete published ladders. In a whole-balance account every dollar earns the rate of the tier the total balance lands in; in a split-tier account each slice earns its own rate.
| Balance | APY |
|---|---|
| $1 – $49,999.99 | 2.50% |
| $50,000 – $99,999.99 | 2.70% |
| $100,000 – $249,999.99 | 3.00% |
| $250,000 and above | 3.25% |
| Balance slice | APY on that slice |
|---|---|
| $0.01 – $5,000.00 | 4.00% |
| $5,000.01 – $10,000.00 | 2.50% |
| $10,000.01 – $20,000.00 | 1.50% |
| $20,000.01 and above | 0.20% |
| Balance | APY |
|---|---|
| $0.01 – $2,499.99 | 0.00% |
| $2,500 – $24,999.99 | 0.50% |
| $25,000 – $49,999.99 | 0.85% |
| $50,000 – $99,999.99 | 1.00% |
| $100,000 – $149,999.99 | 1.25% |
| $150,000 – $299,999.99 | 1.50% |
| $300,000 – $499,999.99 | 1.90% |
| $500,000 – $999,999.99 | 1.95% |
| $1,000,000 and above | 2.05% |
A +0.10% rate boost applies at $50,000 and up with a Tech CU checking account and $100 monthly direct deposit.
| Balance | APY |
|---|---|
| $0.01 – $9,999.99 | 0.05% |
| $10,000 – $99,999.99 | 1.00% |
| $100,000 – $249,999.99 | 1.50% |
| $250,000 – $499,999.99 | 2.50% |
| $500,000 and above | 3.50% |
What each account is for, how to read a rate, and how banks and credit unions differ: Checking, savings, money market or a certificate: which account does what?
Every figure on this page comes from the issuing institution's own published rate sheet, rate page, or fee schedule — never from third-party aggregators. Standard openable products at base rates are compared like-for-like; promotional, new-money, new-member, and relationship rates are shown with the conditions that earn them. The date beside each row is the date that figure was confirmed against the institution's published source.