U.S. Bank: With more than 2,000 branches, this might be the most attractive option for in-person banking. The Bank Smartly Savings account earns a yield that aligns with other high-yield accounts, but you must connect it to a Bank Smartly Checking account or a Safe Debit account. You need $25 as an opening deposit.

Learn more With banks and credit unions now touting high-yield options at nearly 10 times the dismal industry average of 0.38% APY for a savings account, Bankrate financial analyst and certified financial planner Stephen Kates says anyone in the market for a new account should set the bar much higher.

Here's what both account types could earn with a $10,000 deposit tied to today's available interest rates, assuming the CD account isn't hit with an early withdrawal penalty and that the high-yield savings account rate remains the same for the full six months: