High-Yield Bank MMAs Average 3.033%;
2.303-Point Spread Over Standard
Under Revised 4-Tier Coverage — April 13, 2026

Under a revised classification system that separates tiers by institution type and APY threshold, high-yield bank MMAs average 3.033% while standard MMAs average 0.730% — a 2.303 point spread that underscores the critical importance of rate shopping. Credit union MMA now properly captures 1,485 institutions at 1.217%.

📊 Full 4-tier MMA data — drawn from 13,358 verified APY quotes from 2,509 institutions across all 50 states.

NATIONAL — A revised 4-tier classification of money market account rates, based on institution type and APY thresholds rather than product name patterns, reveals a 2.303 percentage point spread between the most competitive and most common bank MMA products as of April 13, 2026. Bank money market accounts with APY at or above 2.50% — classified as high-yield — average 3.033% across 293 institutions and 564 verified rate quotes. Bank accounts below that threshold average 0.730% across 907 institutions, representing the broad base of traditional MMA products where most depositors’ balances sit.

The revised methodology separates the MMA market into four tiers by institution type and rate level. High-yield bank MMAs (APY ≥ 2.50%) average 3.033% across 293 institutions � these are typically the products offered by online banks and the most rate-competitive traditional banks actively competing for deposit inflows. Standard bank MMAs (APY < 2.50%) average 0.730% across 907 institutions � the much larger pool of everyday money market products at community banks, regional banks, and institutions not currently competing aggressively on rate.

Credit union money market accounts average 1.217% across 1,485 credit unions and 7,623 verified rate quotes � by far the largest institution count of any tier. The prior classification, which relied on CU-specific product naming conventions, had captured only 51 institutions; the revised method correctly identifies all credit union MMA products by institution type, producing a far more representative average. Business money market accounts average 1.084% across 218 institutions and 977 quotes, reflecting the commercial deposit market where business accounts are classified by product name regardless of rate level.

The 2.303 point high-yield-to-standard spread is the defining characteristic of today’s money market landscape. Unlike CD rates, where term premiums give depositors a reason to accept lower short-term yields, money market accounts are all liquid — meaning there is no liquidity trade-off justifying the gap. Savers in standard MMA accounts who have not shopped rates recently may be significantly underearning relative to what competitive institutions are offering. Track how these tier averages evolve week to week on the national money market rate trends page.

Money market account rates reflect two distinct competitive environments operating simultaneously. The high-yield tier at 3.033% is driven by online banks and fintech lenders that have built their deposit franchises around rate competitiveness � they adjust quickly when funding cost pressure eases, as seen in the broader deposit rate softening underway in April 2026. The standard tier at 0.730% reflects institutions where MMAs are offered as a convenience product rather than a rate-competitive tool, and where depositor inertia means rate reductions are slow to trigger account movements.

Credit unions occupy a middle ground at 1.217% � higher than standard bank MMAs but well below the high-yield tier. Credit union MMAs tend to adjust more slowly and less aggressively than bank products in both directions, reflecting the not-for-profit cooperative structure where rate decisions are balanced against membership benefit rather than pure competitive positioning. The 1,485 credit union institutions now properly included in this tier provide a much more accurate read on the CU deposit market than prior releases. Compare the best money market rates from banks and credit unions nationwide →