Based in 2021, CD Valet is a searchable database of certificates of deposit charges created by John Blizzard by Seattle Financial institution, the place he has been President and CEO since April of 2014.
Although it was created by a single financial institution, it lists over 30,000 CD charges throughout the nation.
CD Valet’s energy is that it lists CDs throughout the nation, lets you search by state and financial institution title, and may filter based mostly on minimal time period (<6 months to 60 months) and most time period lengths, APY, and quantity. They cowl business banks in addition to credit score unions.
They are going to floor charges you might be unlikely to seek out your self. For instance, do you know that the Lynchburg Municipal Staff FCU has a 78-month CD with a 6.50% APY? (as of 1/13/2026)
Most likely not. It’s a sixty fifth anniversary particular however membership is restricted to people who reside or work in Lynchburg, VA.
You would possibly say to your self – “who cares about an superior CD if I can’t get it?”
Proper now, there are many people in Lynchburg who don’t learn about this CD. This can be the case for you too.
In Maryland, I discovered a Sign Monetary F.C.U. with a 4.24% APY 12-month CD that’s barely higher than one of the best CD charges accessible proper now nationwide (at the moment an Alliant Credit score Union 12-month CD at 4.00% APY). I’m able to be a part of Sign by donating $5 to their charitable basis and since I reside in Maryland.
You by no means know the place a excessive price shall be. Credit score unions are inclined to have barely higher charges than nationwide banks. Native credit score unions are inclined to have higher charges than nationally accessible credit score unions. And except you propose to search for all of your native charges, you received’t discover them.
Desk of Contents
How I’d Use CD Valet
If I have been searching for a 12-month CD, that is precisely how I’d use it.
- Go to CD Valet
- Change the search to Maryland
- Click on on All CDs
4. Assessment the CDs!
In some instances, seemingly the place CD Valet and the monetary establishment have a advertising and marketing relationship, you’ll see a inexperienced Open Now button. You possibly can click on on that to open.
If there isn’t that button, do a Google seek for the financial institution and open it instantly.
Who’s CD Valet For?
If you happen to’re searching for one of the best CD charges however don’t wish to (or don’t have the time to) do the analysis your self, CD Valet is an efficient instrument for the job.
If you happen to’re saving plenty of cash, the place 0.25% to 0.50% bump in your yield makes a distinction, a fast verify of CD Valet offers you confidence you’re selecting the correct financial institution.
It’s not for folk who don’t wish to bounce by hoops as a result of lots of the highest charges shall be from smaller credit score unions with strict eligibility guidelines. Even those that don’t have strict guidelines, like Sign Monetary FCU, you’ll have to make a small donation or be a part of a corporation to realize eligibility.
Additionally, in case you’re not comfy with a non-name model financial institution (you received’t discover Chase, Financial institution of America, or Wells Fargo listed too extremely as a result of their CD charges aren’t nice), it’s additionally not a useful gizmo for you.
Lastly, CD Valet solely lists the charges. You don’t work with CD Valet in any method, it’s a must to go to the financial institution or credit score union on to open an account.
Is CD Valet Secure?
Sure, completely secure.
CD Valet solely lists charges and also you by no means open an account with them. If you happen to register for his or her e mail checklist, you get weekly updates on price modifications and different information however you don’t set up a monetary relationship.
As for the establishments they checklist, CD Valet pulls within the BauerFinancial Score. This can be a score system from BauerFinancial, which is an unbiased financial institution analysis agency that offers every financial institution or credit score union 1 to five stars. 5 stars means it’s a “Superior” establishment that BauerFinancial recommends and 1 star means it’s troubled. I discover these rankings to be superfluous as a result of the monetary establishments are lined by FDIC or NCUA insurance coverage.
What you see on CD Valet is what you will notice on the financial institution or credit score union web site. CD Valet simply lists them in a single place so you may examine them in opposition to others.
CD Valet vs. Raisin
One pure comparability is versus Raisin. Raisin is a monetary expertise firm that provides banking providers with greater yield by its accomplice banks. If you view charges on Raisin, you’re seeing particular charges that they’ve negotiated with banks and credit score unions.
With Raisin, you open an account and truly deposit cash with Raisin. Raisin will get you entry to greater charges from their accomplice banks as a result of the banks need to safe extra deposits. Your cash is put with different Raisin clients and positioned in a pooled account on the establishment. You may have entry to it however you by no means have a relationship with the financial institution itself and also you get pass-through FDIC/NCUA insurance coverage.
✨ Associated: Learn our Raisin overview for extra.
With CD Valet, you’re employed instantly with the banks and credit score unions. CD Valet simply lists the charges. So whenever you wish to open an account, it’s a must to go to the financial institution and credit score union. The account shall be in your title, not pooled, and you’re a recognized buyer to the establishment.
CD Valet vs. Different Websites
There are different price websites however most of them focus solely on nationally accessible charges. They don’t drill down into state particular or into credit score unions.
Bankrate, which began as a price itemizing service in newspapers, tends to solely checklist nationally accessible charges these days. You possibly can enter in your zip code nevertheless it’s not surfacing charges from small credit score unions.
I seemed for charges in 21045 (Columbia, MD) and it confirmed me:
That is what CD Valet confirmed for Maryland:
CD Valet confirmed me 4 credit score unions with greater charges than something on Bankrate’s checklist and it wasn’t till Sallie Mae Financial institution that the 2 lists matched.
For comparability’s sake, right here’s Raisin’s checklist:
As you may see, CD Valet nonetheless comes out on high when it comes to charges although you could possibly argue Raisin makes it simpler to open an account with every financial institution in case you’re comfy with FDIC/NCUA pass-through insurance coverage.
Is CD Valet Value It?
It’s an inventory of one of the best charges they usually survey 1000’s of economic establishments, it’s definitely value a free peek to see if you may get a greater price in your CDs.
Most of the charges are barely greater than what you may get from on-line banks. For instance, my Ally Financial institution CD charges appear to lag what’s listed on CD Valet by round 25 foundation factors.
Whereas it might not make sense for me to open up a completely new account simply to get 25 foundation factors on a CD, somebody with loads of time and on a set revenue might discover it invaluable to take action.
However you solely know what the very best charges are if you will discover a trusted supply for it and for me, that supply is CD Valet.
