Been doing some research on what are the best online banks lately and honestly, the options have gotten pretty solid. So here's what I found: if you're just looking for best online banks overall with solid rates and features, places like Ally and Discover keep popping up for a reason. Ally's got those automated savings tools that are actually pretty handy, and Discover ranks high for customer service.

What surprised me though is how competitive the rates have gotten. You've got banks offering anywhere from 2.50% to 3.50% APY on savings accounts, which is wild compared to what traditional banks offer. Vio's money market account was hitting 3.52% when I checked, and SoFi's checking/savings combo gives you 2.50% on checking and 3% on savings if you set up direct deposit. CIT Bank's got multiple accounts all paying solid rates without crazy requirements.

The best online banks for different situations are pretty different though. If you want the best online banks for checking, American Express and Axos are worth looking at. For pure savings, Bread Financial was sitting at 3.00% APY. Marcus by Goldman Sachs seems like the move if you hate fees - literally zero fees on their savings account.

Honestly, the best online banks for you probably depend on what you actually need. Some have ATM access, some don't. Some require direct deposit for top rates, others don't. Worth spending 20 minutes comparing based on what matters to you - whether that's high yields, low fees, or good customer service. The rates vary enough that it could actually add up over time.