A 6-month CD is a good option if you want to lock in a healthy return but think you might need access to your money sooner rather than later.
We compared CDs from more than 40 banks, credit unions and online institutions to find the best rates for terms of six months (or close to it). We also considered deposit requirements, early withdrawal fees, customer service, digital experience and other factors.
CDs and rates are accurate as of Oct. 5, 2026. For more on how we made our picks, read our methodology.
Best 6-month CD rates
- California Coast Credit Union — 5.00% APY (5 months)
- Nuvision Credit Union - 5.00% APY (5 months)
- DR Bank — 4.30% APY
- Consumers Credit Union — 4.25% APY (7 months)
- E*TRADE — 4.20% APY
- Accordia Bank — 4.20% APY
- Popular Direct — 4.35% APY
- NBKC Bank — 4.15% APY (7 months)
- OMB Bank — 4.10% APY (7 months)
- Luana Savings Bank — 4.24% APY
- NASA Federal Credit Union — 4.30% APY
- Bread Savings — 4.00% APY
- Synchrony Bank — 4.10% APY
California Coast Credit Union: 5.00% APY
Term: 5 months
Minimum deposit: $500 (maximum $5,000)
Early withdrawal penalty: 180 days of simple interest
California Coast Credit Union CDs
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.10% to 5.00% APY
Terms
3 months to 5 years
Minimum deposit
$500 or $1,000
Monthly fee
None
Early withdrawal penalty fee
For terms 6 to 24 months, the early withdrawal penalty is equal to 180 days of interest on the amount withdrawn. For terms greater than 24 months, the penalty is equal to 365 days of interest on the amount withdrawn.
Terms apply.
Pros
- Above-average APYs
- Range of CD terms
- No monthly fee
Cons
- To join CCCU, you must live, work, worship or study in one of seven qualifying Southern California counties, pay a one-time $5 fee and open a deposit account.
- Only has branch locations in California.
Nuvision Credit Union - 5.00% APY
Term: 5 months
Minimum deposit: $1,000
Early withdrawal penalty: 90 days of simple interest
Nuvision Credit Union Certificate Accounts
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
2.55% to 5.00% APY
Terms
From 3 months to 5 years
Minimum deposit
$1,000
Early withdrawal penalty
Up to 90 days' interest on CDs with terms of three to 12 months. Up to 180 days' interest on terms greater than 12 months but less than 36 months. Up to 365 days' interest on terms of 36 months or longer:
Terms apply.
Pros
- Highly competitive promotional rates on short-term CDs
- Membership only requires joining the American Consumer Council and making a $5 savings account deposit.
Cons
- Promotional short-term CDs capped at $5,000
- Only has branches in California, Alaska, Arizona, Washington and Wyoming
DR Bank: 4.30% APY
Term: 6 months
Minimum deposit: $500
Early withdrawal penalty: 90 days of simple interest
DR Bank CDs
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
4.05% to 4.45% APY
Terms
From 3 months to 24 months
Minimum deposit
$500
Early withdrawal penalty
Ranges from 30 days to 360 days of interest, depending on the length of the CD.
Terms apply.
Pros
- Competitive yields on short-term CDs
- No cap on maximum deposit
Cons
- Only offers short-term CDs
- Mixed customer reviews
- Only two branches, both in Connecticut
Consumers Credit Union: 4.25% APY
Term: 7 months
Minimum deposit: $250
Early withdrawal penalty: 60 days of simple interest
Consumers Credit Union CDs
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
From 0.5% to 4.35% APY
Terms
From 91 days to 60 months
Minimum deposit
$250 (regular certificates), $100,000 (jumbo certificates), $250,000 (super jumbo certificates)
Early withdrawal penalty
For terms of 12 months or less: 60 days of interest. For terms of more than 12 months: 120 days of interest
Terms apply.
Pros
- Offers IRA & HSA CDs
- 91-day, jumbo and super jumbo CDs available
- Minimum deposit for regular CDs is only $250.
Cons
- Membership requires $5 fee and $5 deposit into savings account.
- Limited number of branches, mostly in Illinois
E*TRADE: 4.20% APY
Term: 6 months
Minimum deposit: None
Early withdrawal penalty: 90 days of simple interest
E*TRADE CDs
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
4.20% to 4.75%
Terms
6 months to 60 months
Minimum deposit
None
Early withdrawal penalty
Equal to a certain number of days of simple interest, based on the term. If the penalty amount exceeds the accrued interest, the principal is also subject to penalty.
Terms apply.
Pros
- Above-average yields
- No minimum deposit
- 10-day rate guarantee
Cons
- Lacks no-penalty, bump-up and add-on CDs
- No physical branches
Accordia Bank: 4.20% APY
Term: 6 months
Minimum deposit: $1,000
Early withdrawal penalty: 90 days of simple interest
Accordia Bank CDs
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
3.30% to 4.20%
Terms
6 months to 36 months
Minimum deposit
$1,000
Early withdrawal penalty
For CDs with terms of less than 36 months, the penalty is 90 days of simple interest. For CDs with terms of 36 months or longer, the penalty is 180 days of simple interest.
Terms apply.
Pros
- Above-average yields
- Deposits help fund solar energy projects
Cons
- Only offers CDs and high-yield savings accounts
- No physical branches or mobile app
Popular Direct: 4.35% APY
Term: 6 months
Minimum deposit: $10,000
Early withdrawal penalty: 120 days of simple interest
Popular Direct CDs
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
From 4.30% to 5.00% APY
Terms
From 3 months to 60 months
Minimum deposit
$10,000
Early withdrawal penalty
For terms less than 91 days, the penalty is 89 days simple interest. For terms equal to or greater than 91 days but less than 12 months, it's 120 days simple interest. For terms equal to or greater than 12 months but less than 36 months, it's 270 days simple interest; For terms equal to or greater than 36 months but less than 60 months, it's 365 days simple interest. For terms equal to or greater than 60 months, it's 730 days simple interest.
Terms apply.
Pros
- Above-average APYs
Cons
- $10,000 minimum deposit
- Doesn't have no-penalty or bump-up CDs
- Early withdrawal penalties are among the steepest we’ve seen
NBKC Bank: 4.15% APY
Term: 7 months
Minimum deposit: $1,000
Early withdrawal penalty: 90 days of simple interest
nbkc Bank CDs
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
2.00% to 4.15%
Terms
6 months to 5 years
Minimum deposit
$1,000
Early withdrawal penalty
Any withdrawal of all or part of the funds from your account prior to maturity may result in an early withdrawal penalty.
Terms apply.
Pros
- Broad range of CD terms.
- Offers IRA CDs
Cons
- $1,000 deposit minimum
- Only has branches in Kansas and Missouri
OMB Bank: 4.10% APY
Term: 7 months
Minimum deposit: $1,000
Early withdrawal penalty: 3.5 months of simple interest
OMB Bank CD
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
From 0.20% to 4.65% APY
Terms
From 3 months to 6 years
Minimum deposit
$1,000
Early withdrawal penalty
The penalty is generally equal to one-half of the interest the CD would have earned if held to maturity. Review the truth-in-savings disclosure for complete terms.
Pros
- Wide range of CD terms
- Offers limited-time CD specials
Cons
- $1,000 minimum deposit
- Lower rates on standard CDs
- Interest compounds quarterly
- Few physical locations
Luana Savings Bank: 4.24% APY
Term: 6 months
Minimum deposit: $100,000
Early withdrawal penalty: 90 days of simple interest
Luana Savings Bank CDs
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
3.65% to 4.20% APY
Terms
3 months to 8 years
Minimum deposit
$2,000 ($500 for Kids CDs, $100,000 for jumbo CDs)
Monthly fee
None
Early withdrawal penalty
The early withdrawal penalty equals the interest for half of the CD term (i.e., a 48-month CD will have a penalty of 24 months of interest)
Terms apply.
Pros
- Above-average APYs
- Larger deposits can increase savings APY
- Range of CD terms
- No monthly fee
- Offers Kids CDs with $200 deposit minimum
Cons
- Opening a CD requires a wire transfer through an intermediary bank
- Only physical branch locations in Northeast and Central Iowa
NASA Federal Credit Union: 4.30% APY
Term: 6 months
Minimum deposit: $10,000
Early withdrawal penalty: 182 days of simple interest
NASA Federal Credit Union CDs
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
4.25% to 4.55%
Terms
6 months to 60 months, plus add-on and bump-up CDs
Minimum deposit
$1,000 to $10,000
Early withdrawal penalty
Equal to six to 12 months of simple interest, depending on the length of the certificate term. If the penalty exceeds the accrued interest, the principal is also subject to penalty.
Terms apply.
Pros
- Above-average APYs
- Offers add-on and bump-up CDs
- NASA FCU membership available for free by joining the National Space Society.
Cons
- High minimum deposit requirements
- No physical branches
Bread Savings: 4.00% APY
Term: 6 months
Minimum deposit: $1,500 ($1 million maximum)
Early withdrawal penalty: 90 days of simple interest
Bread Savings™ CDs
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
From 3.90% to 4.50% APY
Terms
3 months to 5 years
Minimum deposit
$1,500
Early withdrawal penalty
For terms of less than 12 months, the penalty is 90 days of simple interest. For terms of 12 months to three years, the penalty is 180 days of simple interest. For terms of four years or longer, the penalty is 365 days of simple interest.
Terms apply.
Pros
- Above-average APYs
- Wide range of terms
Cons
- $1,500 minimum deposit
- Doesn't offer no-penalty or bump-up CDs
- No physical branches
Synchrony Bank: 4.10% APY
Term: 6 months
Minimum deposit: None
Early withdrawal penalty: 90 days of simple interest
Synchrony Bank CDs
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.25% to 4.50% APY
Terms
3 months to 5 years
Minimum deposit
None
Early withdrawal penalty
An early withdrawal penalty may be applied if you withdraw funds from the principal prior to the maturity date. For no-penalty CDs, withdrawals are not allowed within the first 6 days after account funding. After that, only the withdrawal of the entire balance is allowed.
Terms apply.
Pros
- Above-average APYs
- Nine term options, from 3 months to 5 years
- No minimum deposit
- Offers no-penalty, bump-up and IRA CDs
- If the rate increases within 10 days of account opening, you're automatically bumped up to the higher rate
Cons
- No physical branches
- No-penalty CD doesn't allow partial withdrawal
APYs are subject to change at any time without notice. Offers apply to personal accounts only. Fees may reduce earnings. For CD accounts, a penalty may be imposed for early withdrawals. After maturity, if your CD rolls over, you will earn the offered rate of interest for your CD type in effect at that time.
At its Sept. 16 meeting, the Fed instituted its first rate hike since July 2023. Higher interest rates often put upward pressure on CD yields, although the timing and magnitude of any changes depend on how individual institutions respond.
While there are some outliers, the best CD rates currently range roughly from 4.00% to 4.50% APY, depending on the term, deposit amount and institution, with the most competitive yields often available from online banks and credit unions.
What is a CD?
A certificate of deposit, or CD, is a savings account that pays a fixed interest rate for a set period, usually between three months and five years, although there are CDs with terms of 10 years or longer.
With a standard CD, you can only deposit funds at the beginning of the term. There may be a minimum deposit requirement (usually $500 or $1,000).
Withdrawing funds before the CD matures typically means paying an early withdrawal penalty, calculated as a certain number of days' worth of earned interest (dividends) on the amount withdrawn. If the penalty exceeds the interest you've earned, your bank may take the remaining balance from your principal.
When the CD matures, you can access your principal and accrued interest or roll the money over into a new CD. If you do nothing, most banks will auto-renew your CD at the rate offered at maturity.
Unlike savings accounts, CDs don't usually have monthly fees and rates are locked in the day you open the account. That's beneficial if you open an account before rates drop. But if rates rise, you'll miss out on higher earnings.
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
From 3.80% to 4.50% APY
From 6 months to 5 years
Bread Savings™ (formerly Comenity Direct) is a product of Comenity Capital Bank, a Member FDIC.
From 3.90% to 4.45% APY
From 6 months to 6 years
Marcus by Goldman Sachs® is a brand of Goldman Sachs Bank USA, a Member FDIC.
How to choose a 6-month CD
To pick the right CD, start by looking for banks that offer a six-month term. From there, consider these other factors:
- APYs: Shop banks, credit unions and online institutions to find the best rate.
- Minimum deposit: Minimum deposits can range from $100 to $10,000, with $500 the most common amount. (Jumbo CDs can require as much as $100,000 or more.) Some institutions, including E*TRADE, have CDs with no minimum deposit requirement.
- Early withdrawal penalty: See what the fee is if you take your money out early. It might be worth a slightly lower APY if you have more flexibility.
- Compounding interest: See whether interest compounds daily or monthly.
- Customer service: Does the bank have physical branches for in-person banking or robust digital banking features?
- FDIC or NCUA insurance: Only open an account at a bank or credit union with deposits that are federally insured up to at least $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category.
Types of CDs
There are several kinds of CDs, each designed for specific needs.
- Traditional CD: A standard CD with a fixed interest rate and a set term. You agree to leave your money untouched until maturity to avoid early withdrawal penalties.
- High-yield CD: A CD offering a higher-than-average return.
- No-penalty CD: Lets you withdraw your money before the term ends without facing an early withdrawal fee, usually after a short lock-in period.
- Bump-up (or step-up) CD: Allows you to request a higher rate once (or sometimes more) during the term if the bank's CD rates increase.
- Add-on CD: Lets you deposit more money into the CD after opening it — helpful if you want to build your balance over time without opening multiple CDs.
- Jumbo CD: In exchange for a higher rate, jumbo CDs require a larger minimum deposit (often $50,000 to $100,000).
- Brokered CD: Sold through brokerage firms instead of directly from a bank. They can offer competitive rates but may be riskier if sold on the secondary market.
- IRA CD: A CD held inside an individual retirement account, giving you the safety of a CD with the tax advantages of an IRA.
CD pros and cons
Pros
- The fixed interest rate means predictable earnings regardless of market fluctuations.
- The early withdrawal penalty discourages spending money meant for savings.
Cons
- There may be a minimum deposit requirement.
- CDs have lower returns than stocks and other investments.
- An early withdrawal penalty means CDs have limited liquidity.
- The value of your CD could decline if your APY slips below inflation.
FAQs
How much will $10,000 in a six-month CD earn?
The amount of interest you'll earn on a $10,000 six-month CD depends on the APY when you open the account. With a 4.00% APY, a $10,000 deposit would earn about $200 in interest over six months.
Which is better, a six-month CD or a high-yield savings account?
Whether a CD or HYSA is better depends on your goals and risk tolerance. A six-month CD offers a fixed rate and guaranteed returns, while an HYSA provides easier access to your money.
Can I withdraw my money early from a six-month CD?
Unless you have a no-penalty CD, taking your money out before the CD matures results in an early withdrawal penalty, typically equal to up to a certain number of days of earned interest (dividends) on the amount withdrawn. For many banks, the penalty is 90 days of interest.
Is a six-month CD a good idea?
A six-month CD can be a good idea if you're worried about tying up your money. You can lock in a good interest rate and only have to keep the funds in place for 180 days. Returns are often higher for longer-term CDs, but that requires locking up your money for months or even years longer.
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Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every CD review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of savings products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
Our methodology
To determine the best six-month CDs, CNBC Select compared certificates of deposit from more than 40 banks, credit unions and online financial institutions. We prioritized accounts offering the highest APYs, but also evaluated each using the following criteria:
- Minimum opening deposit: Accounts with low or no minimum deposit requirements were given more weight.
- CD types: Banks that offered no-penalty, bump-up and other account types in addition to standard CDs were given more weight.
- Early withdrawal penalty: We compared penalty policies and gave preference to CDs with less restrictive terms.
- Deposit insurance: We only considered CDs offered by banks insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or credit unions insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). We also considered whether institutions offered expanded FDIC insurance through deposit sweep programs.
- Customer experience: We considered a bank's mobile banking offers and customer support hours, and reviewed the overall ease of managing an account.
- Branch availability: We considered whether an institution had physical branches for savers to conduct in-person banking.
- Additional banking services: We considered whether an institution also offered checking and savings accounts, personal loans, mortgages, investments and other financial products.
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.
