Savings Account Interest Rates

Last Updated : April 2, 2018, 9:45 a.m.

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Savings Account is the oldest and most common form of savings. The reason behind people preferring a savings account over any other form of savings is that here the principal amount is always safe no matter how much interest is earned. It can thus be said that the convenience of keeping the money in a bank account and earning interest is also the simplest form of investment.

The minimum balance required to maintain a savings account is subject to change from one bank to another just like the rate of interest. Banks have a certain minimum balance limit which an account holder has to maintain else he/she has to pay the penalty.

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However, with the changes in other banking products, savings account has also seen a major shift from being minimum balance account to zero balance savings account. Many banks now offer zero balance savings account with high-interest rate which is more in demand as compared to the age-old pattern of keeping a few thousands in bank account to avoid penalties. Here is the list of all Indian banks and the features of their savings account.

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All Banks Savings Account Interest Rates April 2024

Below are the interest rate, minimum balance requirement and features of all banks offering savings account in India.

Features of All Savings Account Banks in India

Allahabad Bank

• Only for individuals
• Initial Deposit- NIL
• Minimum Balance- NIL
• No charge will be levied for non-operation/activation of in-operative ‘All Bank Saral Savings Account’
• Option to switch to normal SB account and to maintain applicable minimum balance
• No charges for closure of account.

Andhra Bank

• Minimum balance of ₹5/-
• No Charges on non maintenance of Minimum Balance
• No other service charges
• No Restrictions on the number of withdrawals in the account
• No cheque book shall be issued
• No ATM / Debit card facility
• No ABB facility

AU Finance

• Higher interest rate up to 7.00%
• Minimum balance of INR 5,000 required
• Debit card with exciting discount offers on Shopping, Dining, Entertainment, Travel, Health & Wellness or Business
• NEFT, RTGS, Demand Draft and locker facility for customers
• Minimum documents including KYC and application form
• Cash deposit limit up to INR 10 lakh
• Additional Insurance feature on AU Finance

Axis Bank

• Instant Account Number
• Auto FD feature for balances above ₹10,000
• Zero Balance Account
• Complimentary online debit card/ Optional physical debit card
• Unlimited ATM transactions at all Axis Bank and other banks’ ATM
• Preferential Pricing on Lockers and De-Mat
• ₹150 discount on BookMyshow, ₹ 1,000 cashback on Cleartrip App, 2 months free subscription of Airtel Wynk
• Minimum 15%* off at our partner restaurants

Bank of Baroda

• Zero Balance Facility
• Unlimited Cheque book Facility
• Free Debit Card
• Interest on quarterly basis
• Individuals eligible to open Savings Account singly / jointly and having attained the age of 18 Years

Bank of India

• Internet Banking facility
• Unlimited ATM transactions (Only at BOI ATMs)
• Online Income Tax return filing facility
• Personalised cheque book on request
• Free utility bills payment facility through Epay

Bandhan Bank

• 24-hour customer care facility
• Nomination facility
• Complimentary passbook, monthly e-statement, consolidated annual statement, Debit cum ATM card, Net Banking, Phone Banking, Mobile Banking, Electronic Fund Transfer

Bank of Maharashtra

• Telebanking facility, SMS Banking facility, Mobile banking facility and Internet Banking are available
• TDS is not applicable for interest earned on the account
• Free Mahabank VISA ATM/Debit Card
• Deposit Insurance Cover upto ₹1 lakh

Canara Bank

• ATM-cum-Debit Card, Pass book/Pass sheet, Nomination, Standing Instructions, Cheque Collection, Instant Credit of Outstation Cheque upto ₹15,000/-, Internet & Mobile Banking etc.

Central Bank of India

• An account can be opened with initial deposit of ₹50/-
• Minimum balance of ₹50/-
• One cheque book per year free of charge
• 50 (Fifty) withdrawals per year free of charge
• Total credits in a year should not exceed ₹1,00,000/- and balance in the account should not exceed ₹50,000/- in all accounts taken together

Corporation Bank

• 40 Free Cheque leaves (per FY), Rs. 4/- per additional leaf
• Interest paid quarterly
• Instant Debit card, Internet Banking
• SMS/ Mobile Banking & IMPS
• Any Branch Banking
• Personalized Cheque Book
• Fund Transfer through NEFT & RTGS etc
• Mobile Recharge through SMS
• LIC Premium payment through internet & ATM
• Advance Tax Payment through ATM
• E-Payment of Tax
• Card to Card fund transfer
• Online opening of Deposit [FD/KCC] through internet
• Applying IPO through ASBA
• Insurance & Mutual Funds
• Email statement
• E-passbook
• E- mandate
• Missed Call Facility
• Apna-App
• E-purse

Dena Bank

• ‘Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account’ is available to all Indian Residents
• No minimum balance requirement
• Nomination facility is also available
• No charge will be levied for non-operation/activation of the savings account
• Debit cum ATM card facility

Dhanlaxmi Bank

• No minimum balance requirement
• Door Step Banking facility
• Free cash withdrawal from any other banks’ ATM

Digibank

• Zero balance savings account with no minimum balance charges
• India’s First paperless, signatureless and branchless bank
• Open Digibank e-wallet within 90 seconds
• Convert digibank e-wallet into DigiSavings Account with Aadhaar OTP
• Earn up to 7% interest per annum
• Unified Payments Interface (UPI) facility to manage all bank accounts
• Purchase, track and redeem mutual funds with SIP investments
• 24X7 Virtual Assistance
• Up to 10% cashback from a wide range of online merchants
• Free Visa Virtual Debit Card
• Make payments using Digibank App
• Intuitive Budget Optimizer
• Inbuilt security for easy and secure payments

Federal Bank

• No Minimum balance requirements
• One Free Cheque Book (20 leaves) per financial year
• Proprietary ATM card
• 1 monthly statement free (if not opted for Pass Book)
• Account view facility on Fednet (Internet Banking)
• Only 4 withdrawals in a month are permitted including branch, ATM, cheque clearing, etc.
• Aadhaar based credit of subsidy/government benefits are free of charge

HDFC Bank

• Discounts and offers through online shopping
• Safe deposit lockers
• Customized banking service
• No annual maintenance charges for the first year

HSBC Bank

• Zero annual charges on debit card
• Cash withdrawal limit of INR 25,000 per day
• Purchase limit of INR 10,000
• Free 4 withdrawals on monthly transactions
• No funds or cheque required to open the account

ICICI Bank

• Choose your own account number
• Get added advantages with ICICI EPF account
• 24*7 Banking service
• Mobile Banking and Contactless Mobile Payments

IDBI Bank

• Faster transfer of funds
• Online options to pay your bills or tax
• Good options to grow money at attractive interest rates Instant Banking
• International Debit Card
• Demand drafts and Pay order -Easy Payments
• Bank on the Move
• Profit from your Account -Value Added Services
• Travel and Gift Solutions
• International Debit cum ATM card
• Free five ATM transactions at other Bank ATMs at Non Metro Locations

IDFC Bank

• Aadhaar based account opening facility
• Free ATM transactions in India
• Free VISA signature Debit card
• Unlimited fund transfer

India Post Payments Bank

• Open account with Aadhaar card
• Zero monthly balance
• Account statement via SMS
• Fund transfer through the IMPS service
• Scan & Pay feature for Bill Payment
• Interest rate credited quarterly on deposits

Indian Bank

• ECS/RTGS/NEFT facilities are available
• No charges for Intra city transactions except cash deposit and cash withdrawal charges at host branches for transactions above ₹50000/-
• ATM cards/Debit cards free for the first year
• 3 transactions Free at ATMs of other Bank in Metro and 5 transactions Free at ATMs of other Bank in Non Metro Areas
• Intra city, intercity transactions, Internet/ mobile /phone banking facilities are available at all branches
• Nomination facilities available
• 50 withdrawals permitted free per half year excluding debit entries related to ATM / IRCTC transactions /POS / Internet, Mobile transactions and ₹15/- will be charged per transaction over and above the free withdrawals
• No TDS on interest earned on SB deposits

Indian Overseas Bank

• International VISA Debit Card
• Instant Credit of Outstation Cheque upto ₹15,000/-
• Internet banking facility
• Multicity Cheque facility
• Nomination facility
• Standing Instruction Facility
• Speedy transfer of funds
• Anywhere Banking
• Insurance Product

IndusInd Bank

• Reward points on every card transaction
• Free monthly e-statement
• Insurance and medical discounts
• Cashback through Indus Money Program

Jammu and Kashmir Bank

• Free cash withdrawals at branch (up to 50 withdrawals per half year)
• Free Instant Debit Card issued with an ATM withdrawal limit of ₹0.40 lakh/day & PoS transaction limit of ₹1 lakh
• Nomination facility available
• Free e-banking facility
• Interest paid at quarterly intervals and calculated on daily products

Jana Small Finance Bank

• Average monthly balance of INR 2,500
• Initial deposits of INR 2,500
• Maintenance fee of INR 10 or INR 20
• Digital account opening in few minutes with the e-KYC feature

Karnataka Bank

• Anywhere Cash deposit at Branch
• Free cash deposit at BNA
• Cash withdrawal at any branch
• SMS alert facility on subscription
• Free monthly e-statement
• Free 25 Cheque leaves per calendar year
• Fastest way of Inter Bank fund transfer through RTGS/NEFT/IMPS
• MoneyPlant Visa/Rupay classic Debit Card/EMV Chip card are available for eligible account holders
• Free Internet/Mobile Banking facility
• Free Mobile Apps -Interbank fund transfer through IMPS
• Demand Drafts from any branch
• Nomination facility
• Fastest collection of cheques
• Account portability facility
• Free Missed Call Banking facility
• 24×7 Customer Care Centre with IVR facility
• Free fund transfer within the bank

Kotak Bank

• Digital Bank Account
• Open account through Kotak 811 Plan
• Instant Account opening with Aadhaar card
• Free online transfers (NEFT, RTGS, IMPS) to help you go cashless

Lakshmi Vilas Bank

• Pass Book facility available
• Standing instructions facility is available on a nominal charge
• No restrictions on the number or amount of deposits
• Nomination facility is available

Oriental Bank of Commerce

• Free ATM cash withdrawal
• Nomination facility available
• Free Internet Banking facility

Punjab National Bank

• Interest calculated on daily product basis payable quarterly
• 20 free presonalized multi city cheque leaf per half year
• Free transfer of fund within PNB accounts
• Free internet banking
• Transferability of accounts to any P.N.B Branch without changing the account number
• Deposits are insured by DICGC ATM Cum Debit card(individuals account)
• Fast remittance of funds through NEFT/RTGS
• Acceptance of standing instructions
• Safe Deposit Lockers available online also
• Online opening of account facility

Punjab & Sind Bank

• Normal banking services available to all
• No minimum balance required
• ATM cum Debit card facility
• Interest Payable on quarterly rest on Daily product

RBL Bank

• Zero charges on non-maintenance of savings account
• Instant account opening without paperwork
• Use the RBL Mobile 2.0 app to open a savings account
• Fund transfer and online payment facility available

South Indian Bank

• Accounts can be opened in joint names of family members
• First cheque book of 10 leaves free
• Unlimited withdrawal facilities
• No Income tax deduction at source on interest
• Standing instruction for remittance of insurance premium, rent and similar payments carried out
• Nomination facility available

State Bank of India (SBI)

• Safe Deposit Lockers as per availability
• Nomination facility is available and recommended
• SMS Alerts and e-Statement facility
• Auto sweep facility
• Special salary accounts
• ATM cum Debit card
• Mobile and Internet Banking facility
• Banking services on missed call
• Personal accident and health insurance cover

Syndicate Bank

• Indian Residents can open the account
• Internet and Mobile banking facility
• Free ATM cum Debit card
• Customized Debit card facility
• SMS alert on transactions

UCO Bank

• No charge will be levied for closure of account within 14 days
• Nomination is accepted in favour of a single individual only
• Free ATM cum Debit Card

Union Bank of India

• Simplest deposit option available to the depositor
• Free ATM cum Debit card
• 20 leaves of cheque book free per year
• Free Accidental Insurance cover by Debit Card usage
• Tabulous Banking facility to open accounts from your home/office
• Earn Rewardz points on your Debit card spend
• Free Internet Banking facility

United Bank of India

• Nomination facility for quick disposal of balance in case of death of a/c holder(s)
• Facility for standing instruction involving credit to another a/c
• Cheque book / pass book facility
• Opening joint a/c with relatives / partners / etc
• Opening of a/c in the name of minor, illeterate, blind, etc
• Instant credit upto ₹15000 against collection of outstation cheques
• Coverage of insurance benefit upto ₹1.25 lac by paying nominal premium of ₹17 per year under United Suraksha Scheme
• ATM-cum –Debit card
• Safe custody of article facility, safety lockers facility

Utkarsh Small Finance Bank

• Unlimited ATM withdrawals
• Minimum balance requirement in quarterly or half-yearly, instead of monthly basis
• Minimum quarterly average balance requirement is INR 10,000 for people living in metro/urban areas
• Minimum half-yearly average balance requirement is INR 5,000 for people living in semi-urban or rural areas
• Maintenance charge on savings account is INR 25 on not meeting the quarterly balance requirements
• Withdrawal limit up to INR 40,000
• Interest rate ranging from 4.00%-7.75%

Vijaya Bank

• An individual can open the account
• Non-maintenance of minimum balance attracts charges
• Free ATM cum Debit card
• ATM withdrawal facility

YES Bank

• Customized savings account facility
• Higher rate of interest
• Internet and Banking facility available
• Mobile and SMS banking
• Unlimited access to ATMs
• Free Utility Bill payments
• Savings Rewards facility

Standalone Net Profit of Top 20 Banks in India for FY 2019-20 Across Different Quarters (- sign shown in the table denotes net loss)*

List of Banks	Q1 (In INR)	Q2 (In INR)	Q3 (In INR)
SBI	4,189.34 Cr	4,574.16 Cr	5,196.22 Cr
HDFC Bank	6,658.62 Cr	7,513.11 Cr	8,758.29 Cr
ICICI Bank	2,599.15 Cr	4,251.33 Cr	4,939.59 Cr
Punjab National Bank (OBC & United Bank of India)	308.45 Cr	620.81 Cr	506.03 Cr
Bank of Baroda (Dena Bank & Vijaya Bank)	-864.26 Cr	1,678.60 Cr	1,061.11 Cr
Axis Bank	1,112.17 Cr	1,682.67 Cr	1,116.60 Cr
Kotak Mahindra Bank	1,244.45 Cr	2,184.48 Cr	1,853.54 Cr
Bank of India	843.60 Cr	525.78 Cr	540.72 Cr
Canara Bank	406.24 Cr	444.41 Cr	696.06 Cr
IndusInd Bank	460.64 Cr	647.04 Cr	852.76 Cr
YES Bank	45.44 Cr	129.37 Cr	150.71 Cr
Karnataka Bank	196.38 Cr	119.44 Cr	135.38 Cr
Indian Overseas Bank	120.69 Cr	148.14 Cr	212.87 Cr
RBL Bank	141.22 Cr	144.16 Cr	147.06 Cr
UCO Bank	21.46 Cr	30.12 Cr	35.44 Cr
Union Bank of India (Andhra Bank & Corporation Bank)	332.74 Cr	516.62 Cr	726.84 Cr

*Source: Data sourced from bank websites and news journals such as Economic Times, Business Standard, Money Control, etc.

List of Top Payments Bank Interest Rates and Minimum Balance

Below is the list of payments banks available in India:

Features of Payments Banks in India

Paytm

• No account fees and charges
• Free Virtual Debit Card
• Risk-free deposits
• Updated Passbook
• Account security with special Paytm Passcode
• Withdraw cash from any ATM
• Discounts and Cashback across various merchants
• Free insurance cover of upto ₹2 lakh

Airtel Payments Bank Ltd.

• Airtel Mobile Number is also the account number
• Open a savings account with a scan of your finger
• Use all banking services with My Airtel app
• Personal Accident Insurance Cover of ₹1 lakh
• Withdraw cash at any Banking Point
• Enjoy benefits like recharges, ticketing, shopping, UPI, money transfer, bill payments and much more on Savings Account and Wallets.
• Increased rate of 6% p.a on savings account deposits above ₹1 Lakh.
• Deposit limit increased to ₹2 Lakh.

India Post Payments Bank

• Maximum account balance up to ₹1 lakh
• Free Debit Card
• Free 4 monthly ATM withdrawals
• Nomination facility available

FINO Payments Bank Ltd.

• Instant and paperless account opening
• RuPay Classic Debit card with insurance of ₹1 Lakh in case of death / permanent disability due to accident
• Free 5 ATM withdrawals
• Instant fund transfer with minimal through IMPS at nominal charges across any bank in India
• Free monthly e-statements

Which Bank is Safe for Savings Account Holders?

This is the question that everybody is asking after the hardships that the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank customers faced in the aftermath of the scandal that took place in September 2019. PMC Bank customers had to go through restrictions on cash withdrawals.

The bank had disbursed around 73% of its advances to Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd. (HDIL) which turned bad. Investigations showed that the bank had opened around 21,000 bogus accounts to conceal 44 loan accounts, taking the fraud to around ₹4,300 crore (approx.).

As soon as the news came into light, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) got into the act by placing restrictions on customers withdrawing cash from their bank accounts at PMC. It started with ₹1,000 to ₹25,000 a day. The bank, which has 137 branches across six states, has total deposits worth around ₹11,600 crore. Later on, the government announced that customers can get only ₹1 lakh of their deposits at PMC Bank.

After all the flak the government received from customers on account of this mess, it enhanced the deposit insurance coverage to ₹5 lakh from ₹1 Lakh while announcing the Union Budget 2020.

Growing YES Bank NPAs Further Add to the Concern Over Safety of Bank Deposits

If the PMC Bank story was not enough, the latest YES Bank NPA crisis has come to haunt customers again. The Enforcement Directorate is currently probing over ₹20,000 crore of non-performing assets (NPAs) of the Rana Kapoor-founded private lender. As per the reports, the bank has a greater debt exposure to crisis-ridden housing finance company DHFL. Since it’s one of the largest lenders in the financial sphere with over thousands of employees and many corporate salary accounts, the crisis has been a telling blow to its customers.

The RBI has disallowed customers to withdraw more than ₹50,000 from their bank accounts till April 3, 2020. Many of its online banking services such as NEFT and IMPS were badly affected. But now these services are partially restored, allowing customers to make their credit card dues and loan payments from other bank accounts.

Both PMC Bank and YES Bank stories have one common thing i.e. the mounting NPAs on account of loans given by these banking entities to stressed companies. The higher NPAs eat into the profits of banks, and if not controlled, can put these entities on the verge of bankruptcy, mounting concerns over the safety of deposits for savings account customers.

So you must keep an eye on the profit figures that banks report on a quarterly basis in a filing to the stock exchanges. You can look at the table below showing the profits of the top 20 banks. This will give you a clue as to where you should open the savings account and ensure the safety of your deposits in the same.

How to Open a new Savings Account Online?

The procedure for online bank account opening with zero balance is very simple through Wishfin. The portal allows paperless process and is no upfront verification. There is instant approval facility available at this online portal which makes account opening process the easiest thing ever. The details required to apply for savings account online are as follows:

• Full name
• Mobile number
• Email ID
• City

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Once the above details are provided, the applicants can compare different banks offering a savings account with zero balance and then apply for the bank as per the choice. The whole process just takes a few minutes.

List of Banks with Zero Balance Savings Account with Interest Rates

Below are the interest rate on some of the top banks with zero balance account facility for a savings account.

Difference between Savings Account and Current Account

Savings account and current account have some similarities as well as some differences. A current account, on one hand, is one of the important things to have for businessmen as it allows a higher number of transactions on a regular basis as compared to the savings account. There is no interest provided by a current account by most of the banks but the overdraft facility can be availed easily. The minimum account balance (MAB) required on a current account is also very high as compared to the savings account. For better understanding, have a look at some of the basic difference between savings and current account.

Thus, it can be said that savings account is suitable for people who want to earn interest on their deposits. Current account, on the other hand, is suitable for individuals and firms who require monetary transactions on a day-to-day basis.