Business Insider's personal finance team compared Marcus CD rates to the best CD rates and found them to be standard offerings. These CDs have a low minimum opening deposit and good CD rates, as well as strong specialty CDs, but you can find higher CD rates at other online banks and credit unions.
Marcus Bank is a good choice if you're looking to open multiple types of savings accounts with the same bank; both its general savings account and its CDs are well-reviewed. You'll be able to choose from high-yield CDs, no-penalty CDs, and a bump-up CD.
Current Marcus CD Rates
Marcus High-Yield CD Rates
Marcus High-Yield CDs have interest rates ranging from 3.75% to 4.30% APY, which is higher than average CD rates across the board.
Generally, banks require at least $1,000 for an initial deposit. However, Marcus may be worthwhile if you'd like to get a CD with at least $500. Compare Marcus APYs (annual percentage yields) below:
| CD Term | APY (Annual Percentage Yield) |
| Marcus 6 Month CD | 4.20% |
| Marcus 9 Month CD | 4.30% |
| Marcus 1 Year CD | 4.25% |
| Marcus 18 Month CD | 4.10% |
| Marcus 2 Year CD | 4.10% |
| Marcus 3 Year CD | 4.00% |
| Marcus 4 Year CD | 3.75% |
| Marcus 5 Year CD | 3.75% |
| Marcus 6 Year CD | 3.75 % |
Marcus No-Penalty CD Rates
The Marcus No-Penalty CD is one of the bank's strongest accounts, with an interest rate of 4.00% to 4.15% APY.
Not all banks have no-penalty CDs. Marcus stands out from other financial institutions because it has three term lengths for no-penalty CDs: a 7-month, 11-month, and 13-month term.
No-penalty CDs are different from regular CDs because it doesn't charge you an early withdrawal penalty if you decide to take out money before your CD matures.
| Specialty CD Term | APY |
| Marcus 7 Month No-Penalty CD | 4.00% to 4.15% APY |
| Marcus 11 Month No-Penalty CD | 4.00% to 4.15% APY |
| Marcus 13 Month No-Penalty CD | 4.00% to 4.15% APY |
Marcus Bump CD Rates
Marcus also offers the Marcus 20-month Rate Bump CD, which has an interest rate of 3.90% APY. You might consider this CD if you want the flexibility of being able to request a one-time rate increase if Marcus Bank CD rates rise during your CD term.
| Term | APY |
| Marcus 20-month Rate Bump CD | 3.90% APY |
Overview of Marcus CDs
Marcus is a solid choice if you're looking for a variety of CD options. Marcus has high-yield CDs, no-penalty CDs, and bump-up CDs. Not all banks offer no-penalty CDs or bump-up CDs, so Marcus could be worth considering if your priority is to get one of these types of CDs. If you're just interested in earning a high interest rate on a standard CD, other online banks and credit unions offer slightly higher rates.
You may prefer another financial institution if you also want to open a checking or money market account. Marcus only has high-yield savings accounts and CDs. If you want to withdraw money from your account, also bear in mind that you'll have to transfer funds to an external bank account. Marcus's savings accounts and CDs do not come with debit cards or ATM cards.
Marcus CD Rates Pros and Cons
Marcus CD Rate Pros
- High interest rates on a variety of terms
- Specialty CDs
- Low minimum opening deposit
- FDIC-insured
Marcus CD Rate Cons
- Online-only bank
Marcus CD Alternatives
Marcus CDs vs. Alliant CDs
Alliant CD rates range from 3.10% to 4.25% APY and are competitive for a variety of terms.
To open accounts at Alliant, you must become a member first. The easiest way to become a member is to join Foster Care to Success, and Alliant will cover your $5 joining fee.
Marcus will likely be a better option if you don't have that much money for an initial deposit. Marcus CDs have a minimum opening deposit of $500. In comparison, Alliant Credit Union share certificates require at least $1,000.
If your goal is to keep your banking primarily at one financial institution, you may favor Alliant. Alliant has checking accounts, savings accounts, and CDs. It also has accounts specifically for kids and teens.
Marcus CDs vs. Barclays CDs
Barclays is an online-only bank with a high-yield savings account and CDs. Barclays doesn't require opening deposits for savings accounts or CDs. If you'd like to open a CD with Marcus, you'll need at least $500.
Barclays CDs pay 3.00% to 4.00% APY, depending on the term. Barclays pays lower rates than Marcus on all of its other CDs. However, keep in mind rates may fluctuate over time. Barclays also doesn't have no-penalty CDs or a bump-up CD.
Account Management with Marcus CDs
Opening a Marcus CD Account
To open a CD account with Marcus, you can use either its website or its customer service phone line. Opening an account is generally pretty easy.
First, you'll fill out an application, which requires information such as your Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number and your physical address. Then, you'll put an opening deposit of at least $500 into the account from another bank account. Since Marcus is an online bank, you won't be able to use cash to open the CD.
If you fund your CD within 10 days of opening it, you'll earn the highest interest Marcus offers in that 10-day period. For example, if you open a 6-month CD with Marcus at 4.10% APY, fund it immediately, and six days later its rate goes up to 4.15% APY, your CD will earn 4.15% APY for its entire term length. If you instead funded the CD 15 days after you opened it, your CD will only earn 4.10% APY for its entire term length. This 10-day guarantee does not apply to mid-term rate bump requests for Marcus Bump CDs.
CD Ladder Strategies with Marcus CDs
If you're interested in the fixed interest rate that CDs offer but you're worried about the account's lack of liquidity, a CD ladder might be a good fit for your financial goals.
CD laddering is when you open multiple CDs with different term lengths instead of opening just one CD. For example, if you were originally planning on opening a 2-year CD with $30,000, you could instead open a 1-year CD, a 2-year CD, and a 3-year CD with $10,000 apiece. This way, you get access to some of your money sooner in case of emergencies, but you're still locking in a strong interest rate for longer than you would if you just took out a 2-year CD.
CD ladders don't need to be opened with CDs all from the same bank or credit union. That being said, if you prefer the simplicity of keeping all of your CDs at the same financial institution, Marcus would be a good choice since all of its CDs offer strong interest rates.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed Marcus CDs
At Business Insider, we rate bank accounts on a scale from one to five stars. For our CD review, we used our CD methodology, which looks at interest rates, minimum opening deposits, early withdrawal penalties, CD variety, customer support availability, mobile app ratings, miscellaneous features, security, and the ethics of the company.
We use a weighted average to get our star rating, which means we weigh certain features, like interest rates and fees, at a higher weight percentage than others. We understand that these areas can more heavily impact a person's overall banking experience.
Marcus CD Rates FAQs
Current CD rates from Marcus are 3.75% to 4.30% APY for Marcus High-Yield CDs, 4.00% to 4.15% APY for Marcus No-Penalty CDs, and 3.90% APY for a Marcus 20-month Rate Bump CD.
You can open CDs through Marcus by filling out an application on its website or by calling its customer service phone line. You can't open a CD with Marcus in-person at a branch because Marcus is an online-only bank without physical branches.
Yes, there is a minimum opening deposit for Marcus, although it's lower than what you find at many banks. The minimum opening deposit is $500.
Yes, you can withdraw your money from your Marcus CD before the CD matures. You'll have to pay early withdrawal penalties on what you withdraw unless you have a no-penalty CD.
Marcus CD rates are significantly higher than what you can find at traditional brick-and-mortar banks.
No, Marcus does not charge any monthly service fees on its CDs. That being said, you'll have to pay early withdrawal penalties on any funds you take from your CD early unless you have a Marcus No-Penalty CD. If your CD has a term length of a year or less, you'll be charged 90 days of interest; if your CD term is more than 1 year but less than or equal to 5 years, you'll be charged 180 days of interest; and if your CD term is more than 5 years, you'll be charged 270 days of interest.
