CD Calculator 2026
Work out exactly how much your Certificate of Deposit will be worth at maturity. Enter your deposit, APY, term and compounding frequency to see total interest earned and a full year-by-year growth breakdown.
Certificate of Deposit Calculator
Enter your deposit amount, the APY offered by your bank, the CD’s term, and how often interest compounds. The calculator projects your balance at maturity and how much of that is interest.
CD Details
Enter your deposit and CD terms to see your projected maturity value
The lump sum you’re depositing into the CD when it’s opened.
Common CD terms run from 3 months up to 5 years — use whichever unit matches your bank’s offer.
Enter a penalty in months of interest to see the estimated balance if you cash out early.
CD Result
Maturity value, interest earned, and yearly growth
Fill in your deposit and CD terms, then click Calculate Maturity Value to see your results.
CD Basics
A few reference points that affect how a certificate of deposit grows and how it’s protected.
| Item | Typical Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Common CD terms | 3 mo – 5 yrs | Shorter terms usually pay less than longer ones |
| FDIC / NCUA insurance | $250,000 | Per depositor, per bank, per ownership category |
| Typical early withdrawal penalty | 1–12 months’ interest | Varies by bank and term length |
| Daily compounding vs annual | +0.05–0.15% effective | Small but real boost at the same nominal rate |
| CD vs high-yield savings | Fixed vs variable rate | CD rate is locked in; savings rates can change anytime |
CD Calculator FAQ
Everything worth knowing before you open a certificate of deposit.
The interest rate is the stated annual rate before compounding, while APY (Annual Percentage Yield) reflects the actual return over a year once compounding is included. Because interest compounds, the APY is always slightly higher than the nominal interest rate for the same CD.
More frequent compounding means interest is calculated and added to your balance more often, so you start earning interest on that interest sooner. Daily compounding produces a slightly higher final balance than monthly, quarterly or annual compounding at the same stated rate.
Most CDs charge an early withdrawal penalty, commonly a set number of months’ worth of interest, deducted from your balance. Some CDs can also reduce your principal if the penalty exceeds the interest earned so far, so it’s worth checking your bank’s specific penalty terms.
CDs issued by FDIC-member banks are insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, per ownership category, the same protection that applies to regular savings and checking accounts. Credit union CDs carry equivalent NCUA insurance.
A CD locks your money away for a fixed term in exchange for a typically higher, fixed interest rate, whereas a savings account lets you deposit or withdraw at any time but usually pays a lower, variable rate. Breaking a CD early generally triggers a penalty, while savings accounts have no such restriction.