How Does BanksYouPick Score and Rank Bank Accounts?
What is the BanksYouPick scoring model?
BanksYouPick evaluates every bank account using a weighted scoring model with four criteria:
| Criterion | Weight | What BanksYouPick Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Rate value | 35% | APY, compound frequency, tier rules, CD term length, qualification difficulty |
| Cost and access | 25% | Monthly fees, minimum deposit, ATM access, ACH transfers, withdrawal limits, branch access |
| Trust signals | 25% | FDIC status, FDIC certificate number, legal bank identity, clear account terms, disclosure quality |
| Freshness and clarity | 15% | Rate update recency, reviewed date, editorial verification, term clarity |
Where does BanksYouPick get its rate data?
BanksYouPick verifies all published rates directly from each bank's official product page and public rate disclosure. BanksYouPick does not rely on third-party aggregators or press releases. FDIC certificate numbers are verified against the FDIC BankFind database (research.fdic.gov). Rates are reviewed weekly by the editorial team. When a bank updates its APY, BanksYouPick reflects the change within 24 hours.
Does advertiser compensation affect BanksYouPick rankings?
No. The scoring model is applied uniformly to partner and non-partner banks. A non-partner bank with a higher APY and lower fees outranks a partner bank every time. BanksYouPick labels all advertising relationships with a disclosure notice on every comparison page.
What accounts does BanksYouPick exclude?
BanksYouPick excludes: accounts not FDIC- or NCUA-insured, accounts limited to a single state, promotional rates lasting less than 30 days, institutions under active FDIC enforcement action, and cryptocurrency or DeFi yield products (not covered by federal deposit insurance).
Who has editorial oversight?
Content is written by Daniel Levy, CFP®, Certified Financial Planner & Senior Editor. Rate accuracy and FDIC references are reviewed by Sarah Kim, Editorial Reviewer. Editorial decisions are made independently without input from advertising partners.