Automatic Bank Accounts: Which Performs Better than Savings in 2024?

Applying resources in a bank with automatic yield has become the smartest financial strategy for those seeking to surpass the modest gains of savings accounts. While traditional savings accounts offer only 7.41% per year, modern digital accounts deliver much higher returns through remuneration linked to the CDI. Let’s understand why this investment shift makes sense.

Why Abandon Savings in Favor of Automatic Yield?

Savings accounts operate under an outdated logic: their yield follows 70% of the Selic rate plus the Referential Rate (which has been zero for some time), and the remuneration is calculated monthly, only on deposit anniversaries. Result: your money stays idle, earning little.

Bank accounts with automatic yield work completely differently. The money is remunerated daily and linked to the CDI (Interbank Deposit Certificate), an index that tracks the interest rates between banks and better reflects the economic reality. When an institution offers 100% of the CDI, you receive the full rate; when it exceeds that (113%, 110%), you earn even more.

The practical difference is striking: while savings yields 7.41% per year, a bank with automatic yield offering 100% of the CDI delivers 10.40% per year – a nearly 3 percentage point advantage.

Criteria for Choosing Your Automatic Yield Account

Before analyzing each institution, it’s important to understand that the best bank with automatic yield depends on your habits. Some factors define your choice:

• Minimum balance: some require R$ 30, others work with any amount
• Progressive yield: increases the longer you keep the money invested
• Additional benefits: cashback, financial organization tools, loyalty programs
• Calculation frequency: the more times per day the yield is calculated, the better for you

Comparison: The 8 Main Banks with Automatic Yield in 2024

Nubank – Consistent Yield of 100% of the CDI

One of Brazil’s largest digital platforms, Nubank structures its bank with innovative automatic yield. Instead of a traditional checking or savings account, it offers a payment account where deposits are directly invested in Federal Public Securities. The key difference: while savings yields once a month, Nubank remunerates every business day, starting from the 31st day of deposit.

Neon – Yield that Grows Over Time (up to 113% of the CDI)

Neon presents a progressive structure of a bank with automatic yield. It starts at 100% of the CDI, and every six months this percentage increases until reaching 113% of the CDI after two years of maintained investment. The longer you stay, the lower the deducted rate. It’s an approach that rewards investor patience.

PicPay – Flexibility with Piggy Banks (up to 102% of the CDI)

Since 2012 in the market, PicPay combines a bank with automatic yield with the innovative “Piggy Banks” tool – customized categories where you organize your savings by goals. The yield is 102% of the CDI, calculated daily. A practical simulation: R$ 1,000 in 24 months earns R$ 204.12 at PicPay’s CDI versus only R$ 129.29 in savings – a 58% difference.

PagBank – Straightforward Simplicity (100% of the CDI)

PagSeguro’s financial platform offers the Conta Rendeira, a bank with automatic yield that works straightforwardly: 100% of the CDI on the balance maintained for 30 days or more. No complications, no extra requirements.

Mercado Pago – Scalable Yield (up to 105% of the CDI)

Anyone with a physical account at Mercado Pago already has a bank with automatic yield. The base yield is 100% of the CDI, but it rises to 105% if you subscribe to Meli+ (Mercado Livre’s loyalty program) and keep at least R$ 1,000 monthly in the account. It’s a structure that encourages higher resource movement.

99Pay – Maximum Yield for Small Balances (up to 110% of the CDI)

The mobility app 99 offers a bank with automatic yield especially advantageous for those with smaller balances. Up to R$ 5,000, the yield reaches 110% of the CDI, calculated daily, including weekends. Above that amount, it drops to 80% of the CDI on the excess. Bonus: offers cashback on rides and recharges.

Iti – Goal Organization (up to 100% of the CDI)

Itaú’s digital bank structures its bank with automatic yield through the “My Goals” tool. Similar to PicPay’s Piggy Banks, it allows organizing finances by separating money for objectives. Each goal yields 100% of the CDI from the first business day of deposit – no need to wait 30 days like in other institutions.

Banco PAN – Tiered Yield (up to 100% of the CDI)

Banco PAN democratizes access to a bank with automatic yield. With just R$ 30 minimum balance, you start earning. In the first 30 days, it yields 10% of the CDI; after that, it rises to 100% of the CDI indefinitely. No maximum balance cap.

Comparative Yield Table

Understanding the CDI Mechanics

The CDI is a reference rate that functions as the “average interest rate banks charge each other” on short-term loans. Unlike fixed-formula savings, CDI is dynamic: it follows the Selic rate and updates daily.

When a product offers “100% of the CDI,” you receive the full rate. When it offers “110% of the CDI,” you earn a 10% premium over the base rate. That’s why a bank with automatic yield linked to the CDI consistently outperforms savings: because CDI is more reactive and better remunerated than the fixed savings formula.

Which Bank with Automatic Yield to Choose?

The decision depends on your profile:

• Want the maximum yield? Neon offers up to 113% of the CDI if you can keep the money for 2 years.
• Prefer quick yield without waiting 30 days? Iti starts earning from the first business day.
• Have a small balance? Banco PAN accepts R$ 30 minimum; PicPay/99Pay work with any amount.
• Want to organize by goals? PicPay or Iti offer goal segregation tools.
• Use Mercado Livre? Mercado Pago offers differentiated yield with Meli+.

Conclusion: The Era of Banks with Automatic Yield

In 2024, leaving money in traditional savings accounts is a financial waste. Banks with automatic yield demonstrate that viable, accessible, and more profitable alternatives exist.

The disparity is clear: while savings offers 7.41% per year, a bank with automatic yield offering 110% of the CDI (like 99Pay) yields significantly more. Over a year, the accumulated difference is substantial.

Beyond pure numbers, these banks with automatic yield add extra functionalities – goal organization, cashback, loyalty program integration – which amplify the real value of the experience.

The choice is personal, but one thing is certain: in a scenario of moving interest rates, optimizing your gains through a bank with automatic yield is an essential strategy. These products are no longer optional – they are a necessity for those aiming to maximize returns in 2024.