Best 6-Month CD Rates for May 2024 (Up to 5.51%) (2024)

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A 6-month CD is a type of savings option that lets you maintain a fixed interest rate for a short period of time. The national average CD rate on a 6-month term is 1.79% APY (Annual Percentage Yield), according to the FDIC.

However, there are much higher interest rates on 6-month CDs right now. The best CD rate for a 6-month term is TotalDirectBank 6 Month CD APY available at 5.51%.

We check rates daily to find the best rates for 6-month terms. Below, you'll find our top picks.

Best 6-Month CDs

• TotalDirectBank 6 Month CD: 5.51% APY
• Rising Bank 6 Month CD: 5.35% APY
• Newtek Bank 6 Month CD: 5.35% APY
• Popular Direct 6 Month CD: 5.30% APY
• TAB Bank 6 Month CD: 5.27% APY
• Vio Bank 6 Month CD: 5.25% APY
• America First Credit Union 6 Month Certificate: 5.25% APY
• Western Alliance Bank 6 Month CD, powered by Raisin: 5.23% APY
• Dow Credit Union 6 Month Simple CD: 5.21% APY
• MYSB Direct 6 Month CD: 5.16% APY

Compare the Best 6-Month CDs

You can find the top CDs primarily at online banks. That said, there are also two credit unions with competitive 2-year terms.

When you are choosing a CD, you can compare different features to narrow down the best fit. For example, consider how much money you want to deposit and see if the bank's minimum opening deposit requirements aren't a reach. You can also weigh the overall banking experience and check out the bank's customer service availability and mobile app ratings before settling on an account.

6-Month CD FAQs

6-Month CD Reviews

These are our picks for the best 6-month CD rates. Our top picks for CDs are protected by FDIC or NCUA insurance. If you're worried about bank failures, keep in mind money is safe at a federally insured financial institution. When a financial institution is federally insured, up to $250,000 per depositor is secure in a bank account.

TotalDirectBank 6 Month CD

TotalDirectBank CDs may be a good choice if you're searching for a variety of short-term CDs with high interest rates. The 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year terms, in particular, offer CD rates significantly above the national average.

TotalDirectBank CDs have a steep minimum opening deposit of $25,000 and a maximum deposit of $1 million. The online institution also doesn't operate in Florida, Somoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or US Virgin Islands.

APY for 6-month CD.5.51% APY

6-month CD early withdrawal penalty: 30 days of interest

Rising Bank 6 Month CD

Rising Bank could be a good option if you have at least $1,000 to open an account. The online bank offers a competitive interest rate on a variety of short-term CDs, including a 6-month term.

Rising Bank CDs compound interest every three months. Other financial institution may compound interest monthly or daily. Depending on your account balance, this could make a significant difference in how much you earn during the term.

Interest for 6-month CD: 5.35% APY

6-month CD early withdrawal penalty:90 days of interest

Rising Bank Review

Newtek Bank 6 Month CD

Newtek Bank CDs may be appealing if you're searching for a variety of terms that pay well above the national average. Newtek Bank also has standard early withdrawal penalties.

Newtek Bank CDs have a $2,500 minimum opening deposit. Other financial institutions may let you open a CD with less money upfront.

Interest for 6-month CD: 5.35% APY

6-month CD early withdrawal penalty: 90 days of interest

Newtek Bank Savings Review

Popular Direct 6 Month CD

Popular Direct, the online division of Popular Bank, pays high CD rates overall. It also compounds interest daily, which helps grow your money more quickly than monthly or quarterly compounding.

You need at least $10,000 to open a CD with Popular Direct. It also charges relatively high early withdrawal penalties.

APY for a 6-month term: 5.30% APY

6-month CD early withdrawal penalty: 120 days of simple interest

Popular Direct Review

TAB Bank 6 Month CD

TAB Bank could be a good choice if you have at least $1,000 to open an account.

TAB Bank also offers one of the best high-yield savings accounts with a high interest rate and easy opening requirements.

Keep in mind other financial institutions have higher CD rates overall.

APY for 6-month CD:5.27% APY

6-month CD early withdrawal penalty:90 days of interest

TAB Bank Review

Vio Bank 6 Month CD

Vio Bank's 6-month CD has good rates. It also requires a low minimum opening deposit of $500, and offers CD term lengths up to 10 years, significantly longer than standard term lengths. You're looking for long-term CDs, or if you're interested in opening a CD with a low minimum opening deposit, Vio Bank might be a good pick for you.

However, Vio Bank doesn't have 24/7 customer service. If you're interested in a bank that does offer 24/7 service, you might be better off with another bank.

APY for a 6-month term: 5.25% APY

6-month CD early withdrawal penalty: 1% of the funds withdrawn, plus a $25 fee

Vio Bank Review

America First Credit Union 6 Month Certificate

America First Credit Union only requires $500 to open a 6-month CD, which is less than you'll need with many institutions. It also charges relatively low early withdrawal penalties.

This credit union is a great choice if you live in certain areas in the Western United States. Membership is available to people who live, work, study, worship or volunteer in select counties of New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah. You're also eligible to join if you work for a company on its Select Employer Group list or are a member of an affiliated association.

APY for 6-month CD: 5.25% APY

6-month CD early withdrawal penalty: 60 days of interest

America First Credit Union Review

Western Alliance Bank 6 Month CD

The Western Alliance Bank 6 Month CD, powered by Raisin offers a competitive interest rate and has a $1 minimum opening deposit. Raisin is an online platform that allows you to find, fund, and manage multiple high-yield savings accounts, money market accounts, and CDs from different bank and credit unions.

While Raisin is a great option for different types of savings accounts, you'll want to consider other options if you want to open a checking account.

APY for 6-month CD: 5.23% APY

6-month CD early withdrawal penalty: 90 days of interest

Raisin Review

Dow Credit Union 6 Month Simple CD

Dow Credit Union offers a good interest rate on a 6-month Simple CD. It also has one of the best 3-month CD rates.

The easiest way to become a member of Dow Credit Union is to make a $10 donation to the Midland Area Community Foundation. The credit union also has other ways to join, such as being part of a Select Employer Group or having a family member who is a current credit union member.

APY for 6-month CD:5.21% APY

6-month CD early withdrawal penalty: 90 days of interest

MYSB Direct 6 Month CD

MYSB Direct pays a high interest rate on an online 6-month term and also offers one of the best 18-month CD rates.

The bank compounds interest monthly, not daily. Depending on how much money you plan to keep in a CD, this may or may not make a significant difference.

APY for a 6-month term:5.16% APY

CD early withdrawal penalty:90 days of interest

Bank Trustworthiness and BBB Ratings

We've compared each financial institution's Better Business Bureau score. The BBB grades businesses based on factors like responses to customer complaints, honesty in advertising, and transparency about business practices.

Here is each company's score:

City National Bank of Florida has an B- rating because it has two customer complaints filed against the business that it hasn't responded to.

The Better Business Bureau gives TAB Bank an A rating because the government has taken action against the bank.

Raisin has an B+ rating from the BBB. The rating is due to several complaints filed against the business.

MYSB Direct's parent bank, M.Y.Safra Bank, has an NR rating from the BBB because the BBB doesn't have enough information to rate the bank.

Even though they have strong BBB ratings, some of our top picks do have recent public controversies.

In 2022, TAB bank entered an Assurance of Discontinuance with the State of Iowa. According to the settlement, the State of Iowa accused TAB Bank of charging Iowa residents more than the permitted maximum APR for consumer installment loans. The bank has stopped making consumer installment loans to Iowa residents and can resume if they provide a 30-day notice to the state and follow the state code.

Popular Bank has been involved in two recent public controversies. In 2023, the Federal Reserve Board required Popular Bank to pay a $2.3 million fine, claiming it processed Payment Protection Program loans even though potential instances of fraud were detected and not reporting the potential fraud in a timely manner.

In 2022, the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control required Banco Popular de Puerto Rico — the bank's Puerto Rico locations — to pay over $255,000 in a settlement that accused the bank of violating Venezuela Sanctions Regulations when processing transactions with two Venezuelan government employees.

Why You Should Trust Us: Expert Advice on Choosing the Best 6-Month CD

To learn more about what makes a good CD and how to choose the best fit, Business Insider consulted four experts:

Here's what they had to say about CDs. (Some text may be lightly edited for clarity.)

How can someone figure out whether a bank is right for them?

Tania Brown, certified financial planner and vice president of coaching strategy at OfColor:

• It should be FDIC insured
• It should fit the banking experience you want (A local bank to visit in person? An online bank to use through your phone? The ability to write checks?)

Sophia Acevedo, banking editor, Business Insider:

• Prioritize what matters to you, like whether you can waive a monthly service fee
• Pay attention to rates if you want a high-interest account (it should pay higher than average bank account rates)

How should you choose the right CD term length?

Roger Ma, certified financial planner with lifelaidout® and author of "Work Your Money, Not Your Life":

• Consider when you need the money
• Compare your timeline with current CD rates to find the best rates for the closest timeline

Mykail James, MBA, certified financial education instructor BoujieBudgets.com:

• Have a goal for the money in that CD
• Consider your timeline for the goal, and choose a term length that matches that timeline

How should you decide between a high-yield savings account, money market account, or CD?

Tania Brown, CFP:

• Start off with how much money you want to put in
• Add the level of transactions you plan to have — CDs won't let you touch the money

Sophia Acevedo, Business Insider:

• A high-yield savings account or money market account are good options for an emergency fund or short-term savings goals
• Money market accounts are worth considering if you want more account accessibility (paper checks, ATM cards, or debit cards)
• CDs could be worthwhile if you don't need access to that money, since they have a fixed interest rate for a specific term

Methodology

Business Insider's mission is to help smart people make the best decisions with their money. We understand that "best" is often subjective, so in addition to highlighting the clear benefits of a financial product or account — a high APY, for example — we outline the limitations, too. We spent hours comparing and contrasting the features and fine print of various products so you don't have to.

First, we researched to find over 20 banks and credit unions that offered 6-month CDs. Then, we reviewed each institution using our CD rating methodology to find the most-well rounded banking options. For each account, we compared the minimum opening deposits, early withdrawal penalties, and interest rates. We also considered the overall banking experience at each bank by assessing customer support availability, mobile app ratings, and ethics.