$20,000 CD vs. $20,000 high-yield savings account vs. $20,000 money market account: Which will earn more in 2026?

MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money $20,000 CD vs. $20,000 high-yield savings account vs. $20,000 money market account: Which will earn more in 2026? We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-moneywatch.jpg'); } By Matt Richardson Matt Richardson Sr. Managing Editor, Managing Your Money Matt Richardson is the senior managing editor for the Managing Your Money section for CBSNews.com. He writes and edits content about personal finance ranging from savings to investing to insurance. Read Full Bio Matt Richardson April 23, 2026 / 11:53 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The interest-earning capabilities of CDs, high-yield savings and money market accounts will be similar but they won't be identical. Getty Images/iStockphoto Historically, investing in the stock market has shown to result in returns of around 10% or higher. And, in today's interest rate climate, top rates on select savings accounts often top out around 4%, approximately. So, it makes sense then to invest a five-figure amount of money into the market versus storing it in a high-yield account, right? Not necessarily.The economic terrain many savers find themselves in right now is an unusual one. Unemployment just dropped, but inflation is surging again. High interest rates, meanwhile, aren't expected to decline anytime soon as the Federal Reserve takes a "wait and see" approach. Geopolitical tensions and overseas conflicts have also resulted in major market losses and gains, all in the past few weeks. Against this backdrop, savers looking for a home for a large, five-figure amount like $20,000 may understandably want to take an unconventional approach. And that may mean the use of a certificate of deposit (CD), high-yield savings or money market account – or perhaps even all three.To better determine the value each offers right now, i...