How does CD Valet verify CD rates?

CD Valet verifies CD rates by manually reviewing publicly posted rates on the websites of federally insured banks and credit unions. Rates are checked as often as daily by trained RateWatchers to confirm accuracy, availability, and legitimacy.

Where does CD Valet get its CD rate data?

CD Valet sources CD rates directly from publicly available rate sheets, product pages, and disclosures published by FDIC- and NCUA-insured financial institutions.

How often are CD rates updated on CD Valet?

CD rates are reviewed daily, and the full rate database is audited approximately every week to ensure accuracy across tens of thousands of listings.

Does CD Valet accept paid placements or sponsored rankings?

No. CD Valet does not allow financial institutions to pay for preferential placement or ranking. Rates are sorted by APY and are not influenced by compensation.

Are all CDs listed on CD Valet federally insured?

Yes. All CDs listed on CD Valet are offered by institutions insured by the FDIC or NCUA. CD Valet does not include institutions with private or state-sponsored deposit insurance.

Verified CD Rate Methodology | How CD Valet Verifies Rates

How We Verify Every Rate

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CD Valet’s Verified Rate Methodology

Verified Rate Methodology

Daily Verification

5,000+ Institutions

FDIC/NCUA Insured Only

Verified Rate Methodology

Every CD rate listed on CD Valet is verified with publicly available data from federally insured banks and institutions. Rates are directly sourced and verified through a combination of daily manual reviews and structured data checks to ensure accuracy, availability and transparency

Below is our methodology, explaining where our data comes from, how it is verified, and why our approach provides a comprehensive and trustworthy view of the CD market.

How We Verify Every Rate

CD Valet follows a multi-step verification process to ensure every rate is accurate and current.

Accuracy

CD rates are sourced from FDIC- and NCUA-insured financial institutions.

Availability

Our team manually validates every rate daily for accuracy.

Legitimacy

40,000+ verified rates ready for you to compare and choose.

Our Data Sources

All CD rates are sourced directly from publicly available information published by financial institutions.
CD Valet sources rates from institutions' own rate sheets, product pages, and website disclosures.
CD Valet only lists CD rates from FDIC- and NCUA-insured financial institutions.
CD Valet does not include institutions with state-sponsored or private deposit insurance.
FDIC and NCUA insurance generally covers up to $250,000 per depositor, with higher coverage possible depending on account ownership structure.
Consumers should verify the insured status of the financial institution they choose.

Verification Process

CD Valet's verification process is cantered on accuracy, transparency, and trust. CD rates are actively verified and updated in a rigorous multi-step review process. Rate verifications are conducted by our team of RateWatchers—specialists trained to verify publicly posted rates across thousands of financial institutions.

Daily Manual Rate Checks

Our RateWatchers manually review our published rates as often as daily to confirm:

Accuracy: The Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is current and matches the financial institution's most recently published APY.

Availability: The rate is currently available to open and is not expired or limited to a closed promotional period.

Legitimacy: Rates are valid, clearly listed, and offered by a federally insured financial institution.

The CD Valet MIT (Market Intelligence Tool)

To support Daily Manual Checks, RateWatchers use the CD Valet MIT—our Market Intelligence Tool.

The MIT is designed to track, organize, and review the tens of thousands of publicly published rates across the national CD market. The platform centralizes rate histories, verification timestamps, and institutional details, allowing our team to maintain an up-to-date and comprehensive marketplace. The MIT serves as the repository for all standard CD rates.

Handling Special and Non-Standard Rates

Relationship-based rates, unpublished promotional oﬀers, or rates requiring additional account products are generally excluded unless they fall within limited partner exceptions.
Non-standard rates above 3.00% APY are captured and reviewed for inclusion based on availability, clarity, and the same verification standards as standard rates.

Audit Frequency & Accuracy Standards

CD Valet maintains strong accuracy standards built around frequent review cycles and structured workflows.

Daily Checks: Our RateWatchers manually review published rates daily to confirm accuracy, availability, and legitimacy.

Weekly Full-Database Audit: Rates are checked daily, and it currently takes approximately one week to review the entire rate database across all institutions. This ensures every listing stays current across thousands of financial institutions and more than 40,000 rate entries.

Accuracy Philosophy: We strive to maintain accurate published rates as of the timestamps noted on our site. Because financial institutions can change rates at any time, users should independently verify terms, conditions, and limitations directly with the financial institution before opening a CD.

Transparent Rate Timestamps:Timestamps are displayed on every rate listing to support transparency and verification.

Who This Methodology Supports

This approach positions CD Valet as a transparent, reliable source for verified CD rates and provides a market-wide view that supports smart savers, financial media, and AI models seeking reliable rate data.

Why Verification Matters

Not all rate comparison sites operate the same way. Many rely solely on affiliate data feeds or paid placements, which can influence which institutions appear, how rates are ordered, or which products are highlighted.

Unlike other CD rate websites that show a limited number of offerings, our comprehensive marketplace features over 4,000 federally insured institutions organized from highest to lowest APY in our Featured CDs and All CDs tabs. This ensures rankings are based on actual APY, not advertising relationships

Last Update: May, 2026

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* Annual Percentage Yield (APY) for certificates of deposits are from the latest rate surveys which are updated as often as daily. Rates are based on publicly available data for CD products. Additional restrictions and requirements may apply. The APY assumes interest remains on deposit until maturity. Early withdrawal penalty may be imposed if funds are withdrawn prior to maturity. Fees and penalties may reduce earnings. The APY for variable CD Rates may change after the account is opened.

** Annual Percentage Yield (APY) for High Yield Savings Accounts (HYSA) are effective as of the date shown above. HYSA are variable rate accounts. Rates may change after the account is opened. Fees may reduce earnings. Additional restrictions and requirements may apply. Please review the account deposit agreement and fee schedule for the financial institution for further information regarding fees, terms, and conditions.

Tiered rates may be included in the account listings. Please refer to the financial institution's website for the full listing of any tiered rates. Visitors should independently verify all terms, conditions, and limitations including, but not limited to deposit insurance coverage, credit union eligibility and membership requirements. CD Valet is not a federally insured deposit institution; deposit insurance is offered through the bank or credit union. CD Valet is compensated by a limited number of financial institutions that have either contracted marketing services with CD Valet or have an Open Now or affiliate link on CD Valet. Visit our Privacy and Disclosure Center to read related disclosures and policies of CD Valet and its partners.

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