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How we rank: Ranked on the APY you can actually get (not teaser rates), minimums, fees, and the bank's record of staying competitive after it wins your deposit.
Sources: Published APYs from September 2026 roundups (NerdWallet, Forbes Advisor, Motley Fool Money), cross-checked against bank-published rates.
Score shown here: Position in ranking.
Updated September 28, 2026. Full method | # | Company | Score | APY | Best for | |
|---|
| 1 | Go2bankTOP PICK | ★★★★½4.9 | up to 4.50% | Highest headline rate | Check offer |
| 2 | Pibank | ★★★★½4.8 | 4.40% | Highest raw rate | Check offer |
| 3 | Elevault | ★★★★½4.7 | 4.34% | Best high rate with no conditions | Check offer |
| 4 | E*TRADE Premium Savings | ★★★★½4.6 | 4.25% | Best rate with a guarantee | Check offer |
| 5 | Axos Bank | ★★★★½4.5 | up to 4.21% | Best for direct-deposit households | Check offer |
How we rank: Editorial shortlist of widely available rewards structures: published rewards, annual fees, eligibility caveats and regulator guidance. Welcome bonuses are left out of the ranking.
Sources: Issuer product pages and CFPB guidance, checked September 28, 2026. We did not apply for or test the cards.
Score shown here: Position in shortlist (the guide says it is not a numerical rating).
Updated September 28, 2026. Full method | # | Company | Score | Rewards | Best for | |
|---|
| 1 | Citi Double CashTOP PICK | ★★★★½4.9 | 1% when you buy, 1% as you pay; no annual fee | Simple catch-all rewards | Read ranking |
| 2 | Capital One Savor | ★★★★½4.8 | 3% in eligible categories, 1% elsewhere; no annual fee | Grocery, dining and entertainment | Read ranking |
| 3 | Chase Freedom Unlimited | ★★★★½4.7 | 3% dining and drugstores, 1.5% elsewhere, 5% on eligible Chase Travel; no annual fee | Dining and drugstores plus a catch-all | Read ranking |
| 4 | Capital One Quicksilver | ★★★★½4.6 | 1.5% on purchases; no annual fee | Simple rewards with a purchase intro APR | Read ranking |
Rubric (weights): APR range and transparency 30% · Fees including origination 20% · Borrower experience 20% · Funding speed 15% · Eligibility breadth 15%.
Sources: Lender-published terms, re-verified at each update. Rates move, so treat the table as a dated snapshot.
Score shown here: Weighted score on the full ranking page.
Updated September 28, 2026. Full method | # | Company | Score | APR range | Best for | |
|---|
| 1 | SoFiTOP PICK | ★★★★½4.8 | ~9-30% (with discounts) | Best overall | Check offer |
| 2 | LendingTree | ★★★★½4.5 | Varies by matched lender | Comparing multiple offers | Check offer |
| 3 | Upstart | ★★★★☆4.3 | ~7-36% | Fair/thin credit files | Check offer |
How we rank: Editorial ranking by loan types offered, online experience and fit by buyer type. The full ranking page explains each pick.
Sources: See the sources on the full ranking page.
Score shown here: Position in ranking.
Updated September 28, 2026. Full method | # | Company | Score | Loan types | Best for | |
|---|
| 1 | Rocket MortgageTOP PICK | ★★★★½4.6 | Conventional, FHA, VA, jumbo, refi | Best online experience | Check offer |
| 2 | LendingTree | ★★★★½4.5 | Marketplace - all types | Comparing offers | Check offer |
| 3 | Better | ★★★★☆4.3 | Conventional, FHA, jumbo, refi | First-time buyers | Check offer |
How we rank: Editorial ranking by loan terms, rate precision and fit by borrower. Refinancing federal loans gives up federal protections, which the guide explains first.
Sources: See the sources on the full ranking page.
Score shown here: Position in ranking.
Updated September 28, 2026. Full method | # | Company | Score | Terms | Best for | |
|---|
| 1 | SoFiTOP PICK | ★★★★½4.7 | $5,000+ | Member perks, autopay discount | Check offer |
| 2 | Earnest | ★★★★½4.5 | $5,000+ | Custom terms to the month | Check offer |
| 3 | Laurel Road | ★★★★☆4.3 | $5,000+ | Professional-degree focus | Check offer |
How we rank: Started from the 2026 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Insurance Study (52,216 respondents), then kept companies a typical driver can buy from nationally or in most states. Regional winners are real policyholder scores.
Sources: J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, fielded April 2025 to April 2026.
Score shown here: Position in ranking.
Updated September 28, 2026. Full method | # | Company | Score | JD Power 2026 | Best for | |
|---|
| 1 | Erie InsuranceTOP PICK | ★★★★½4.9 | 704 Mid-Atlantic (also 688 North Central, 691 Southeast) | Best claims satisfaction streak | Check offer |
| 2 | Amica | ★★★★½4.8 | 702 New England | Best in New England | Check offer |
| 3 | Nationwide | ★★★★½4.7 | 711 Usage-Based Insurance | Best telematics program | Check offer |
| 4 | Shelter Insurance | ★★★★½4.6 | 674 Central | Best in the Central region | Check offer |
| 5 | Travelers | ★★★★½4.5 | 657 New York | Best in New York | Check offer |
How we rank: Cost first: core funds charge 0.06% or less unless a specific strategy justifies more.
Sources: Expense ratios cross-checked with fund providers and Morningstar on September 28, 2026, plus Motley Fool's September index-fund roundup for performance context.
Score shown here: Position in ranking.
Updated September 28, 2026. Full method | # | Company | Score | Expense ratio | Best for | |
|---|
| 1 | Fidelity ZERO Large Cap Index FundTOP PICK | ★★★★½4.9 | FNILX | S&P 500 large caps | Check offer |
| 2 | Schwab S&P 500 Index Fund | ★★★★½4.8 | SWPPX | S&P 500 | Check offer |
| 3 | Vanguard Growth ETF | ★★★★½4.7 | VUG | U.S. large-cap growth | Check offer |
| 4 | Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF | ★★★★½4.6 | SCHG | Large-cap growth | Check offer |
| 5 | SPDR S&P Dividend ETF | ★★★★½4.5 | SDY | Dividend aristocrats | Check offer |
Rubric (weights): Fee structure and transparency 25% · Operating track record 25% · Verified customer experience 20% · State availability 15% · Program flexibility 15%.
Sources: Company-published fees and minimums, re-verified at each update. Companies cannot pay for placement.
Score shown here: Weighted score on the full ranking page.
Updated September 28, 2026. Full method | # | Company | Score | Fee | Best for | |
|---|
| 1 | National Debt ReliefTOP PICK | ★★★★½4.8 | 15-25% of enrolled debt | Best overall | Check offer |
| 2 | Freedom Debt Relief | ★★★★½4.6 | 15-25% of enrolled debt | Best for large debts | Check offer |
| 3 | CuraDebt | ★★★★☆4.4 | ~20% of enrolled debt | Smaller debts, IRS/state tax debt | Check offer |
Rubric (weights): Fee transparency and total cost 30% · Sales-process conduct 25% · Verified customer experience 20% · Buyback terms 15% · Minimum accessibility 10%.
Sources: Current published minimums and fee structures, re-verified at each update.
Score shown here: Weighted score on the full ranking page.
Updated September 28, 2026. Full method | # | Company | Score | Min. investment | Best for | |
|---|
| 1 | Augusta Precious MetalsTOP PICK | ★★★★½4.8 | $50,000 | Best overall | Check offer |
| 2 | Goldco | ★★★★½4.6 | $25,000 | Education-first buyers | Check offer |
Head-to-head comparisons
How the scores work
Read the full method on How we rank. Each category above states its own rubric, sources and last update date.
Where a ranking page shows a published rating, the score here is the same one. For every other category the score reflects each company's position in that category's ranking (first place 4.9, then 4.8, 4.7 and so on). Those rankings use the sources named on each full ranking page, such as JD Power 2026 results for auto insurance, published APYs for savings and posted expense ratios for index funds. Scores are not a guarantee of what you will be offered; your rate and approval depend on your own profile.