Practical guide
Understanding savings account comparison — sensitivity table
Everyday editorial team · GEOINNOVATION CO., LTD · Published · Updated
What this calculation is for
A savings-account comparison puts balances, deposits, yields and recurring fees on the same timeline. A small APY difference can be outweighed by a monthly account fee, especially at modest balances.
How the method works
Both accounts start with the same principal and monthly contribution schedule. Each uses its own assumed APY, while the specifically labeled account fee reduces the applicable contribution stream. The displayed model uses: Calculate monthly growth and contributions separately for each account, then subtract fees.
A worked example
For an illustrative savings account comparison scenario, use Starting balance: 10000 $; Monthly deposit: 300 $; Account A APY: 4.5 %; Account B APY: 3.75 %; Monthly fee for account A: 0 $; Comparison term: 3 years. The modeled higher projected account balance is $22,936.02. These are example assumptions, not current prices, official benefit amounts or personalized advice.
Assumptions and real-world differences
Rate tiers, promotional expiration, minimum balances, fee waivers and taxes are not looked up. Do not enter a monthly fee again if you already reduced the deposit by that fee. Rates and fees are held constant. Tax effects and promotional terms are excluded.
Reading the starting balance sensitivity table
The tool evaluates the same model across a range of starting balance values while holding other assumptions constant. Choose a realistic low value, high value and number of points. Each row reports the same headline measure; the table is a set of conditional calculations, not a probability distribution or a forecast. Input-step rounding can make nearby rows equal.
Reproduce this tool’s example
These fixed example inputs are independent of edits you make above. Enter them in this tool to reproduce the result, then replace them with your own assumptions.
- Minimum starting balance
- 5,000 $
- Maximum starting balance
- 15,000 $
- Number of comparison points
- 5 points
- Monthly deposit
- 300 $
- Account A APY
- 4.5 %
- Account B APY
- 3.75 %
- Monthly fee for account A
- 0 $
- Comparison term
- 3 years
Sensitivity analysis: 5 comparison points
Starting balance ranges from $5,000 to $15,000.
- Starting balance: $5,000: $17,230.19
- Starting balance: $7,500: $20,083.11
- Starting balance: $10,000: $22,936.02
Frequently asked questions
- Is the larger projected balance a bank recommendation?
- No. Access, deposit protection, account requirements and future terms also matter.
- Which inputs should I check before using this savings account comparison estimate?
- Check starting balance, monthly deposit, account a apy, account b apy, monthly fee for account a, comparison term. Match each field’s unit and time period, then compare the detailed rows rather than treating the headline alone as the complete answer.
- Does the most favorable row show the most likely outcome?
- No. The table assigns no likelihood to any row. It shows how the result responds to the chosen assumption, and you remain responsible for selecting a plausible range.