What's a good long-term CD account interest rate in 2026?
At the start of the decade, when interest rates hovered near record lows, many savers didn't even bother checking their certificate of deposit (CD) account options. With a return of around 1% or less, it wasn't exactly a viable way to grow their money. As the economy evolved, however, and inflation and interest rates surged, the value of this unique savings vehicle changed, too. At one point in recent years, savers were even able to lock in rates as high as 6% or more on their money, making it a great way to protect their funds in an uncertain economic environment.
And that protection can be extended with long-term CD accounts, which come with terms ranging from 18 months to multiple years. This not only guarantees an extended interest-earning timeline, but it also gives savers additional protection from the cooling interest rate climate many find themselves in. At the same time, rates here haven't declined so substantially as to negate the benefits of these accounts. Savers just need to know what a "good" rate is considered to be before getting started (these accounts come with early withdrawal penalties, so this information is critical to have early on).
So, what's considered to be a good long-term CD account interest rate now, at the start of 2026? That's what we'll break down below.
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What's a good long-term CD account interest rate in 2026?
CD interest rates vary by term and lender, making it difficult to conclusively define what a "good" long-term CD account interest rate is. But there won't be much of a disparity between lenders, either. As of January 2026, here are the available top rates for five different long-term CD accounts:
- 18-month CD accounts: 4.00%
- 2-year CD accounts: 3.95%
- 3-year CD accounts: 3.95%
- 5-year CD accounts: 4.00%
- 10-year CD accounts: 3.90%
As noted, rates here will change according to the lender, with some offering higher rates for these terms and with some offering slightly lower options. It makes sense, then, to shop around to see how high a rate you can actually find now. Be sure, too, to check any fees or maintenance requirements that may apply, as these can easily eat into your potential earnings.
Shop for CD rates and lenders online now.
Should you wait for CD interest rates to rise before acting?
After all of the volatility of recent years, some savers may be wondering about the benefit of waiting to open a CD in the hopes that rates here rise further. But that would be a mistake for multiple reasons.
For starters, the chances of rates increasing, at least currently, look dim. In fact, many experts anticipate further rate drops this year – not increases. And, in the interim, you'll lose out on any interest-earnings you otherwise would have made by opening an account now.
Finally, if any sizable portion of your funds currently sits in a traditional savings account, you're already losing money. With rates on those accounts comfortably under 1% and with all of the above options exponentially higher, the benefit of making a switch now becomes even more obvious.
The bottom line
A good long-term CD account interest rate in 2026 is somewhere between 3.90% and 4.00%, depending on the lender and term length. And while these aren't what they were at points in 2024 or 2025, they're still much higher than where they were in 2020 and 2021, too. So take the time to shop around and crunch your potential interest earnings. You may be surprised to see how advantageous a long-term CD account remains at this early point in the year.
