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Best High-Interest Savings Accounts Canada 2026 | HISA Comparison

Updated

Best High-Interest Savings Accounts – 2026

Compare HISA rates from Canadian banks to maximize your interest earnings.

Rates change frequently. Verify current rates before opening an account.

Best Regular HISA Rates

Institution Interest Rate Min. Balance Monthly Fee CDIC
EQ Bank 4.00% $0 $0
Wealthsimple 4.00% $0 $0
Motive Financial 3.90% $0 $0
Tangerine 0.25%* $0 $0
Simplii 0.20%* $0 $0
TD Bank 0.05% $0 $0**
RBC 0.05% $0 $0**

*Regular rate; often has 5%+ promotional rates for new deposits **Fee waived with minimum balance or account package

Best TFSA Savings Account Rates

Institution Interest Rate Min. Balance CDIC
EQ Bank TFSA 4.00% $0
Wealthsimple TFSA 4.00% $0
Tangerine TFSA 0.25%* $0
Simplii TFSA 0.20%* $0
Big Bank TFSAs 0.05-0.10% $0

Promotional Rates (Limited Time)

Institution Promo Rate Duration Conditions
Tangerine 5.25% 5 months New deposits only
Simplii 5.00% 5 months New deposits only
EQ Bank 4.50% Ongoing No promo (regular rate)

Promo rate strategy: Move money to capture promo rates, then switch to EQ Bank or similar when promos end.

HISA vs Big Bank Savings

Big Bank Online HISA Difference
Rate 0.05% 4.00% 80× higher
On $10,000 $5/year $400/year $395/year
On $25,000 $12.50/year $1,000/year $987.50/year
On $50,000 $25/year $2,000/year $1,975/year

Best HISAs by Feature

Feature Best Option
Highest everyday rate EQ Bank, Wealthsimple
Best promo rates Tangerine, Simplii
Full-service banking Tangerine
Best TFSA savings EQ Bank
Best mobile app Wealthsimple
No minimum balance All online banks

EQ Bank vs Wealthsimple Comparison

Feature EQ Bank Wealthsimple
Savings rate 4.00% 4.00%
TFSA savings Yes Yes
RRSP savings Yes No
Chequing account Yes Yes
Joint accounts Yes Yes
GICs Yes No
Investing No Yes
CDIC insured Yes Yes

When to Use a HISA

Purpose Why HISA
Emergency fund Instant access, earns interest
Short-term savings Don’t lock in with GIC
Down payment savings Easy deposits, no penalties
Tax refund parking While planning next steps
Between investments Cash waiting to be deployed

When a GIC Is Better

Situation Why GIC
Money locked 1+ years Higher rate than HISA
Rising rate environment Lock in current rate
Low willpower Can’t access GIC early

See our GIC vs HISA comparison for detailed analysis.