termdeposit.market

Australia · AUDAs at 14 Oct 2026

Latest Term Deposit Rates Australia

Every Australian bank’s published term deposit rates, ranked. Free, independent and rebuilt daily from the banks’ own Consumer Data Right feeds. Nothing sold.

View the leaderboard >_Where the data comes from →Savings accounts →

Today’s market-best rates

3mo best5.25%RACQ Bank
6mo best5.45%Heartland & RACQ Bank
1yr best5.60%CommFCU
2yr best5.55%Unity Bank
Best anywhere5.60%CommFCU · 12 months
Last 30 days▲ 291 rates up · ▼ 17 down55 of 77 banks repriced

Savings accounts, ranked the same wayour sister site

Best savings account max rate today6.00%RACQ Bank · Bonus Saver Account · 2 steps
32 banks’ savings accounts, by max, base or intro rate, with the steps each asksSavings account rates →

A savings account keeps the money at call, but its rate can change at any time and its best rate usually has monthly conditions. A term deposit locks one rate for its term. Every bank page here links to the same bank there.

Whole-market leaderboard77 banks ranked · 116 on the register · 14 Oct 2026

Drives the Interest $ view and the earnings column. Stays in this browser.
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Whole-market leaderboard, 77 banks, market rank, best first; green cells are the best published rate for that term. BEST bar and figure are each bank's distance from the market median of 5.30% (bar scale 4.84% to 5.60%). Best published retail term-deposit rate per bank · Consumer Data Right · read 14 Oct 2026.
Mkt #BankBest vs median3mo4mo6mo7mo8mo9mo10mo11mo1yr13mo17mo2yr4yr
1CommFCU12 Month Term Deposit Special★5.60%1yr+0.304.95no 4mo rate5.10no 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rateno 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.60no 13mo rateno 17mo rateno 2yr rateno 4yr rate
2DnisterTerm Deposit - 12 Months★5.55%1yr+0.255.10▲4.505.30▲4.604.654.704.754.805.55▲no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.00▲no 4yr rate
2HeartlandBroker Term Deposit★5.55%1yr+0.254.95no 4mo rate5.45no 7mo rateno 8mo rate5.40no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.55no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.255.25
2Unity BankTerm Deposit★5.55%2yr+0.255.10▲4.80▲5.35▲5.20▲5.20▲5.35▲5.25▲5.25▲5.50▲5.50▲no 17mo rate5.555.20▲
5Alex.BankTerm Deposit - Intermediary★5.50%1yr+0.204.90▼no 4mo rate5.00▼no 7mo rateno 8mo rate5.30▼no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.50▼no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.305.10
5Bank AustraliaTerm Deposit 12 months★5.50%1yr+0.205.10no 4mo rate5.30no 7mo rateno 8mo rate5.30no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.50no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.40no 4yr rate
5Bank First1 Year Term Deposit★5.50%1yr+0.204.955.105.30no 7mo rateno 8mo rate5.40no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.50no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.00no 4yr rate
5First Option Bank12 MONTH FIXED TERM5.50%13mo+0.20no 3mo rateno 4mo rateno 6mo rateno 7mo rate5.25▲no 9mo rateno 10mo rate5.35▲5.25▲5.50▲no 17mo rate5.00▲no 4yr rate
5Judo BankPersonal Term Deposits★5.50%4yr+0.204.904.904.954.954.955.055.055.255.45no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.455.50
5Qudos BankTerm Deposits★5.50%1yr+0.205.10no 4mo rate5.30no 7mo rateno 8mo rate5.30no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.50no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.40no 4yr rate
5Suncorp BankTerm Deposit5.50%2yr+0.205.054.054.805.203.805.303.804.205.40no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.505.00
12Great Southern BankPlatinum Plus Term Deposit 12 months5.45%1yr+0.155.10▲4.404.555.25▲3.954.653.154.655.45▲2.402.404.355.10
12People First and Heritage BankTerm Deposit5.45%7mo+0.154.004.855.005.454.505.104.504.505.20no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.255.25
12Police Credit Union LtdADELAIDE TERM DEPOSIT5.45%11mo+0.154.15no 4mo rate5.00no 7mo rateno 8mo rate5.25no 10mo rate5.455.25no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.004.90
12QBANKTerm Deposit 12 Month★5.45%1yr+0.155.00▲no 4mo rate5.30▲no 7mo rateno 8mo rate5.40▲no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.45▲no 13mo rateno 17mo rate4.90▲4.25▲
12RACQ BankTerm Deposit★5.45%6mo+0.155.253.505.453.503.503.753.503.505.35no 13mo rateno 17mo rate3.303.30
17AMP Bank GOAMP Bank GO 12 Month Term Deposit★5.40%1yr+0.10no 3mo rateno 4mo rate5.15no 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rateno 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.40no 13mo rateno 17mo rateno 2yr rateno 4yr rate
17Australian Mutual Bank LTDTerm Deposit for Edvest Members5.40%1yr+0.105.00▲5.00▲5.15▲5.15▲5.15▲4.80▲4.80▲4.30▲5.40▲5.40▲4.30▲4.30▲no 4yr rate
17Firefighters Mutual BankTerm Deposit for Edvest Members5.40%1yr+0.105.00▲5.00▲5.15▲5.15▲5.15▲4.80▲4.80▲4.30▲5.40▲5.40▲4.30▲4.30▲no 4yr rate
17Health Professionals BankTerm Deposit for Edvest Members5.40%1yr+0.105.00▲5.00▲5.15▲5.15▲5.15▲4.80▲4.80▲4.30▲5.40▲5.40▲4.30▲4.30▲no 4yr rate
17Maitland Mutual LimitedTerm Deposit5.40%4mo+0.104.905.405.203.954.004.004.004.005.30no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.20no 4yr rate
17Teachers Mutual BankTerm Deposit for Edvest Members5.40%1yr+0.105.00▲5.00▲5.15▲5.15▲5.15▲4.80▲4.80▲4.30▲5.40▲5.40▲4.30▲4.30▲no 4yr rate
17UniBankTerm Deposit for Edvest Members5.40%1yr+0.105.00▲5.00▲5.15▲5.15▲5.15▲4.80▲4.80▲4.30▲5.40▲5.40▲4.30▲4.30▲no 4yr rate
24ME Bank - ME GoME Go Term Deposit★5.37%1yr+0.075.005.055.255.20no 8mo rate5.30no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.37no 13mo rateno 17mo rateno 2yr rateno 4yr rate
25Auswide Bank LtdMATURITY TERM DEPOSIT★5.35%11mo+0.054.954.905.005.005.005.105.105.355.253.903.905.153.25
25Defence BankTerm Deposit 10 month5.35%10mo+0.054.355.104.754.754.754.755.354.755.20no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.25no 4yr rate
25ING BANK (Australia) LtdPersonal Term Deposits★5.35%11mo+0.055.055.005.205.00no 8mo rate5.10no 10mo rate5.355.30no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.25no 4yr rate
25Macquarie Bank LimitedMacquarie Term Deposit★5.35%1yr+0.055.055.055.20no 7mo rateno 8mo rate5.25no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.35no 13mo rateno 17mo rate2.002.00
25MyState BankOnline Term Deposit5.35%11mo+0.055.004.905.205.005.005.255.105.355.30no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.15no 4yr rate
25ORANGE CREDIT UNION LTD12MTH FIXED TERM DEPOSIT WEALTH BUILDER5.35%1yr+0.051.00no 4mo rate1.25no 7mo rateno 8mo rate2.05no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.35no 13mo rateno 17mo rate4.55no 4yr rate
25RabobankOnline Term Deposit★5.35%1yr+0.055.003.905.20▲no 7mo rateno 8mo rate5.25▲no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.35▲no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.155.25
32ANZANZ Advance Notice Term Deposit★5.30%1yrmedian3.353.403.505.003.603.753.803.855.30no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.004.00
32Bank of Queensland LimitedmyBOQ Term Deposit5.30%1yrmedian4.955.005.205.154.105.151.751.755.30no 13mo rateno 17mo rate2.002.00
32BankwestBankwest Term Deposit5.30%1yrmedian5.00▲4.404.404.404.404.404.404.405.30▲no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.005.00
32BCU Bank12 Month Term Deposit5.30%1yrmedian4.004.555.203.853.853.853.554.005.30▲no 13mo rateno 17mo rate3.45no 4yr rate
32Beyond Bank AustraliaINV - 9 Mth Capitalise★5.30%9momedian4.30no 4mo rate5.00no 7mo rateno 8mo rate5.30no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.20no 13mo rateno 17mo rate4.603.65
32BOQ SpecialistTerm Deposit5.30%1yrmedian5.005.055.15no 7mo rateno 8mo rate5.15no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.30no 13mo rateno 17mo rate3.503.50
32CommBankStandard Term Deposit★5.30%1yrtmedian3.35t3.40t5.00t3.65t3.70t3.75t3.80t3.85t5.30t4.50tno 17mo rate5.20t4.00t
32Credit Union SATerm Deposit5.30%6momedian3.005.105.30▲3.00▼3.003.005.30▲3.005.30▲no 13mo rateno 17mo rate2.902.90
32Geelong BankTwelve Month Term Deposit5.30%1yrmedian3.60no 4mo rate5.20no 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rateno 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.30▲no 13mo rateno 17mo rateno 2yr rateno 4yr rate
32Greater BankTerm Investment - Interest @ Maturity★5.30%1yrmedian4.503.755.103.603.603.603.603.605.303.00no 17mo rateno 2yr rateno 4yr rate
32NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANKNAB Term Deposit★5.30%1yrmedian3.353.353.503.603.703.803.853.855.305.005.005.003.80
32P&N Bank12 Month Term Deposit5.30%1yrmedian3.854.305.204.403.703.803.603.705.30▲no 13mo rateno 17mo rateno 2yr rateno 4yr rate
32Queensland Country BankFTD - Interest at Maturity5.30%1yrmedian3.60no 4mo rate3.80no 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rate5.00no 11mo rate5.30▲no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.00no 4yr rate
32Southern Cross Credit UnionTERM DEPOSIT5.30%9momedian5.004.505.205.003.805.303.805.105.30no 13mo rateno 17mo rate4.70no 4yr rate
32Woolworths Team Bank7 MONTHS5.30%7momedianno 3mo rateno 4mo rate4.005.30no 8mo rate3.95no 10mo rateno 11mo rate4.00no 13mo rateno 17mo rate1.95no 4yr rate
47Bank of usFIXED TERM INVESTMENT5.25%7mo−0.054.754.755.005.255.255.105.104.005.20no 13mo rate4.904.60no 4yr rate
47BNK Bank (Goldfields Money/BCHL)Stow It Term Deposit Account5.25%7mo−0.054.955.055.205.255.255.255.255.255.25no 13mo rateno 17mo rateno 2yr rateno 4yr rate
47Border BankTerm Deposit5.25%4mo−0.054.305.254.854.65no 8mo rate5.25no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.00no 13mo rateno 17mo rate4.604.20
47Coastline BankI51 Gold Mbr Ftd 12 Mths★5.25%1yr−0.054.50no 4mo rate5.10no 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rateno 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.25no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.00no 4yr rate
47gmcuFixed Term Deposit - 6 to 8 months5.25%8mo−0.05no 3mo rateno 4mo rate5.15no 7mo rate5.25▲no 9mo rate3.70no 11mo rate5.15no 13mo rateno 17mo rate4.90no 4yr rate
47Police BankTerm Deposit5.25%4mo−0.054.305.254.854.65no 8mo rate5.25no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.00no 13mo rateno 17mo rate4.604.20
47Summerland BankFixed Term Deposit5.25%1yr−0.053.504.654.905.005.005.105.105.105.255.00no 17mo rate4.703.60
54Bank of MelbourneTerm Deposit★5.20%1yr−0.103.253.403.403.553.60▼3.653.703.755.204.70no 17mo rate4.504.00
54BankSATerm Deposit★5.20%1yr−0.103.253.403.403.553.60▼3.653.703.755.204.70no 17mo rate4.504.00
54bankWAWLimited Offer 12 months5.20%1yr−0.104.50no 4mo rate5.00no 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rateno 10mo rate3.105.20no 13mo rate3.503.60no 4yr rate
54Newcastle PermanentTerm Deposit★5.20%1yr−0.10no 3mo rateno 4mo rateno 6mo rateno 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rateno 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.20no 13mo rateno 17mo rate4.253.55
54St.George BankTerm Deposit★5.20%1yr−0.103.253.403.403.553.60▼3.653.703.755.204.70no 17mo rate4.504.00
54The CapricornianTerm Deposit5.20%1yr−0.104.30▲no 4mo rate4.95▲no 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rateno 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.20▲no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.10no 4yr rate
54WestpacTerm Deposit★5.20%1yr−0.103.253.403.403.553.603.653.703.755.20no 13mo rateno 17mo rateno 2yr rateno 4yr rate
61Arab Bank Australia LimitedFixed Term Deposit - Personal5.15%6mo−0.155.003.805.15no 7mo rateno 8mo rate4.50no 10mo rateno 11mo rate4.50no 13mo rateno 17mo rate3.403.30
61BankVicTerm Deposit 9 Months5.15%9mo−0.154.504.505.104.704.705.154.754.755.00no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.004.70
61IMB BankTerm Deposit5.15%1yr−0.154.90no 4mo rate5.00no 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rateno 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.15no 13mo rateno 17mo rate4.504.00
64Horizon BankTerm Deposit5.10%1yr−0.204.60▲4.80▲4.90▲no 7mo rateno 8mo rate5.00▲no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.10▲no 13mo rateno 17mo rate4.90no 4yr rate
65Broken Hill BankFTD - 12 Months5.00%1yr−0.303.253.253.30no 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rateno 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.00no 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.00no 4yr rate
65Cairns bankTerm deposits 1mth under $500,000★5.00%2yr−0.30no 3mo rateno 4mo rateno 6mo rateno 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rateno 10mo rateno 11mo rateno 1yr rateno 13mo rateno 17mo rate5.00no 4yr rate
65Central West CUL$5000+ (12m - 24m) I45.00%17mo−0.30no 3mo rateno 4mo rate3.25no 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rateno 10mo rate3.403.40no 13mo rate5.00▲5.00▲no 4yr rate
65SWSbank12 Month Term Deposit5.00%1yr−0.303.35no 4mo rate3.50no 7mo rateno 8mo rate3.65no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.00no 13mo rateno 17mo rate4.80no 4yr rate
65The MacMINI MAC TERM DEPOSIT5.00%1yr−0.303.50no 4mo rate4.80no 7mo rateno 8mo rate4.80no 10mo rateno 11mo rate5.00no 13mo rateno 17mo rate3.70no 4yr rate
70Bendigo BankStandard Term Deposit4.90%1yr−0.402.753.603.003.154.403.203.253.304.90no 13mo rateno 17mo rate4.503.00
70Laboratories Credit UnionMonthly Interest 12 Month Term Deposit4.90%1yr−0.40no 3mo rateno 4mo rateno 6mo rateno 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rateno 10mo rate4.004.90no 13mo rateno 17mo rateno 2yr rateno 4yr rate
70Northern Inland Credit Union Limited12 MONTHS Term Deposit with interest paid at maturity/annually4.90%1yr−0.403.25no 4mo rate4.00no 7mo rateno 8mo rate4.25no 10mo rateno 11mo rate4.90no 13mo rateno 17mo rate4.10no 4yr rate
73RSL MoneyRSL Member Income Plus4.70%7mo−0.604.304.304.004.704.304.304.004.003.603.553.553.55no 4yr rate
74Central Murray BankTERM DEPOSIT 12 MONTHS4.50%1yr−0.803.50▲3.50▲4.25▲1.00no 8mo rate3.75▲3.75▲3.75▲4.50▲no 13mo rateno 17mo rate3.75▲no 4yr rate
75Australian Military BankTeen Plus4.40%7mo−0.904.304.304.004.404.304.304.004.003.603.553.553.55no 4yr rate
76Fire Service Credit UnionI3 FTD 3 Months4.35%3mo−0.954.35no 4mo rate4.25no 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rateno 10mo rateno 11mo rate4.05no 13mo rateno 17mo rateno 2yr rateno 4yr rate
77TMCU3M TO LESS THAN 6M3.60%6mo−1.70no 3mo rateno 4mo rate3.60▲no 7mo rateno 8mo rateno 9mo rateno 10mo rate3.55no 1yr rateno 13mo rateno 17mo rate3.55▲no 4yr rate

Hover a rate for the interest it would earn on your deposit amount, or switch to Interest $ to read the whole grid in dollars. A dot means the bank publishes no rate for that term. On a narrow screen the grid scrolls sideways and the rank, bank and header stay put. Pick a single term above for minimum deposits, rate changes and an earnings column.

77 of 116 registered banks rankable · snapshot 14 Oct 2026 · 50 daily snapshots since 26 Aug 2026

Coverage gaps: 2 unreachable · 2 incomplete (excluded rather than guessed) · 8 publish no comparable retail TD · 27 publish no term deposits

The other 39 registered brands — why they are not ranked

no comparable retail term deposit 8

AMP - My AMP · Bank of China · Gateway Bank · HSBC Bank Australia Limited – Wholesale Banking · Hume Bank · Regional Australia Bank · Traditional Credit Union · Tyro Payments

publishes no term deposits 27

AFG Home Loans Alpha · ANZ Plus · Aussie Elevate · CBA - CommBiz · Coles Credit Cards · Connective Select · Easy Street · Great Southern Bank Business+ · HSBC · Kogan Money Credit Cards · Liberty Financial · MoveBank · MyCard · NRMA Home Loans · PayPal Australia · Qantas Money Basic/Offset Home Loans · Qantas Money Credit Cards · Revolut · Solo by MYOB · Thriday · Tiimely Home · Tyro Banking · UBank · Unloan · Up · Virgin Money · Wise

feed incomplete today 2

Bank of Sydney · Darling Downs Bank

feed unreachable today 2

Aussie Home Loans · DDH Graham

Brands appear here when the Consumer Data Right feed they publish had no retail fixed-rate term deposit we could rank today, or could not be read. A brand that is unreachable one day and back the next moves between the lists automatically.

Recent movesLast 30 days · 77 banks

Every published retail term deposit rate change we recorded in the 30 days to 14 Oct 2026, newest first.
DateBankTermFrom → toΔ
14 OctCredit Union SA6mo3.00 → 5.30▲ +2.30
14 OctCredit Union SA7mo5.05 → 3.00▼ −2.05
14 OctCredit Union SA1yr5.00 → 5.30▲ +0.30
14 OctCredit Union SA10mo5.05 → 5.30▲ +0.25
14 OctFirst Option Bank5mo4.85 → 5.10▲ +0.25
14 OctFirst Option Bank2yr4.75 → 5.00▲ +0.25
14 OctFirst Option Bank13mo5.30 → 5.50▲ +0.20
14 OctFirst Option Bank8mo5.10 → 5.25▲ +0.15
14 OctFirst Option Bank11mo5.20 → 5.35▲ +0.15
14 OctFirst Option Bank1yr5.15 → 5.25▲ +0.10
14 OctRabobank6mo5.10 → 5.20▲ +0.10
14 OctRabobank9mo5.15 → 5.25▲ +0.10
14 OctRabobank1yr5.25 → 5.35▲ +0.10
13 OctAlex.Bank6mo5.10 → 5.00▼ −0.10
12 OctTMCU6mo3.35 → 3.60▲ +0.25
12 OctTMCU23mo3.30 → 3.55▲ +0.25
12 OctTMCU2yr3.30 → 3.55▲ +0.25
10 OctSt.George Bank8mo5.20 → 3.60▼ −1.60
10 OctCentral Murray Bank3mo3.25 → 3.50▲ +0.25
10 OctCentral Murray Bank4mo3.25 → 3.50▲ +0.25
10 OctCentral Murray Bank6mo4.00 → 4.25▲ +0.25
10 OctCentral Murray Bank9mo3.50 → 3.75▲ +0.25
10 OctCentral Murray Bank10mo3.50 → 3.75▲ +0.25
10 OctCentral Murray Bank11mo3.50 → 3.75▲ +0.25
10 OctCentral Murray Bank1yr4.25 → 4.50▲ +0.25
10 OctCentral Murray Bank15mo4.00 → 4.25▲ +0.25
10 OctCentral Murray Bank2yr3.50 → 3.75▲ +0.25
10 OctBankwest3mo4.80 → 5.00▲ +0.20
10 OctBankwest5mo5.00 → 5.15▲ +0.15
10 OctBankwest1yr5.20 → 5.30▲ +0.10
9 OctBank of Melbourne8mo5.20 → 3.60▼ −1.60
9 OctBankSA8mo5.20 → 3.60▼ −1.60
9 OctAlex.Bank3mo5.00 → 4.90▼ −0.10
9 OctAlex.Bank5yr5.40 → 5.30▼ −0.10
9 OctAlex.Bank9mo5.35 → 5.30▼ −0.05
9 OctAlex.Bank1yr5.55 → 5.50▼ −0.05
8 OctUnity Bank13mo3.85 → 5.50▲ +1.65
8 OctUnity Bank18mo3.85 → 5.50▲ +1.65
8 OctUnity Bank7mo4.05 → 5.20▲ +1.15
8 OctUnity Bank8mo4.05 → 5.20▲ +1.15

Every change since we began, week by week and against the Reserve Bank’s decisions, is on the rate changes page; the Big 4 and customer-owned banks have pages of their own.

About the dataConsumer Data Right · read every day

Under the Consumer Data Right, every bank, credit union and building society licensed in Australia has to publish its retail products — and the rates on them — as an open, machine-readable feed that anyone may read. There is no login, no scraping and no data supplier in between: the numbers below come from each bank’s own endpoint.

Once a day we read the whole cdr.gov.au register, brand by brand, and record every retail term deposit tier we find. Today’s read covers 116 registered brands, and we have kept a daily record since 26 Aug 2026. Rate changes on this page are the difference between two of those daily reads.

  • Business, SMSF and trust term deposits — this page is retail only.
  • Staff-only products, rates quoted only “on application”, and products a bank publishes as tailored unless it also states they are open to individuals — those are ranked and marked “tailored”.
  • Brands that publish no term deposit at all, or none for retail customers.
  • Brands whose feed failed on the day. A bank we could not read is left out, never estimated or carried over.

77 of 116 registered brands publish comparable retail term deposits. How every figure is computed is in the methodology; the basics explain term deposits themselves; about this site says who makes it and why.

Frequently asked questions

What is a term deposit?

A term deposit is a savings product where you lock a set amount of money away with a bank for a fixed term — a month, a year, five years — at an interest rate agreed up front. The rate does not move for the length of the term, whatever the Reserve Bank does in the meantime.

At the end of the term (maturity) the bank returns your money with the interest owed. Interest is usually paid at maturity for shorter terms, and monthly, quarterly or annually on longer ones; a product that pays you along the way often carries a slightly lower headline rate than the same term paid at maturity.

If your bank is an Australian ADI, the Australian Government’s Financial Claims Scheme guarantees deposits up to $250,000 per person per authorised deposit-taking institution (ADI).

Read more: what a term deposit is and how the deposit guarantee works.

How does a term deposit differ from a savings account?

A savings account pays a variable rate the bank can change at any time, and you can take your money out whenever you like. Many savings accounts also attach conditions to their best rate — a minimum monthly deposit, no withdrawals, an introductory period.

A term deposit trades that flexibility for certainty. The rate is fixed and unconditional for the term, but the money is committed: getting it out early normally requires giving notice (commonly up to 31 days) and accepting a reduction in the interest you have earned.

Both sit with the same institution and, at an ADI, both are covered by the same $250,000 deposit guarantee.

Read more: term deposits vs savings accounts.

What factors should I consider when comparing term deposits?

The rate for the exact term you want, first — the market best at nine months is often not the same bank as the market best at twelve. Then the minimum deposit, since some of the sharpest rates start at $5,000 or more.

After that: when interest is paid (at maturity, or monthly/quarterly/annually), what happens at maturity — most banks roll the money into a new term automatically, sometimes at a much lower rate, unless you tell them otherwise — the notice period and interest reduction for early access, and whether the institution is an Australian ADI covered by the deposit guarantee.

Check the rate you are being offered as well. The figures here are the rates each bank publishes in its Consumer Data Right feed; a bank may pay something different on an online-only product, a particular balance tier, or a negotiated amount.

Read more: choosing a term, maturity and rollover, and the calculator for the interest on your own amount.

What are some potential benefits of term deposits?

Certainty. You know the exact return on the exact day the term ends, so a term deposit is straightforward to plan around — a tax bill, a deposit on a house, a year of school fees.

The rate is locked, so a fall in market rates during your term does not touch you. There is no market risk to the capital, and at an ADI the money is protected because the Australian Government’s Financial Claims Scheme guarantees deposits up to $250,000 per person per authorised deposit-taking institution (ADI).

They are also simple: no fees in the ordinary course, no conditions to satisfy each month, and the money is deliberately out of easy reach.

Read more: are term deposits worth it?

What should I be aware of when considering a term deposit?

Your money is committed. Early withdrawal usually needs advance notice — commonly up to 31 days — and the bank will reduce the interest paid, so a term deposit is a poor home for an emergency fund.

The rate is locked both ways: if rates rise, you are stuck with yesterday’s. Watch the maturity date too, because an automatic rollover can quietly move you onto a much lower rate. Interest is assessable income, and after tax and inflation the real return can be smaller than the headline suggests.

The $250,000 guarantee is per person per ADI, not per account or per brand — several bank brands can share one ADI licence, in which case the cap covers them together. Rates on this page are each bank’s published Consumer Data Right rates for retail customers and may differ for particular balance tiers, online-only products or interest-payment frequencies, so confirm the rate and read the product disclosure statement with the bank before you commit.

Read more: breaking a term deposit early and tax on the interest.

Please note: the savings figures on this page are estimates only and may not reflect the return you actually receive. Actual returns vary with tax, fees, the interest payment frequency and any change the bank makes to a rate before you open the account. Rates are the bank’s own published Consumer Data Right figures and may differ for particular balance tiers or online-only products. Always read the product disclosure statement, confirm the rate with the bank, and consider your own circumstances. Nothing here is financial advice or a recommendation. This site is published by Nutshell Media Pty Ltd, which is not affiliated with any bank, credit union or building society.