Useful numbers. Visible limits.

How interest is calculated

APY reflects annual compounding. We convert an entered APY into an effective monthly growth rate: (1 + APY / 100)^(1 / 12) − 1. A constant-rate projection uses balance × ((1 + APY / 100)^(months / 12) − 1). Contributions and fees are modeled at month end; a fee also reduces later growth. Calculations are estimates before tax, assume a constant effective rate within each scenario phase and can differ from a bank’s daily balance calculation or statement rounding.

The comparison leaves your access buffer out of the proposed transfer. User-entered switching cost is subtracted once. During your entered transfer delay we model the transferable money and contributions at your existing APY, then use the alternative rate for the remaining horizon. Your existing account’s monthly fee is assumed to be zero. Rehearsal models the full balance, contributions and a midpoint withdrawal, assumes no account fees, and floors the later APY at zero.

Published observations are not eligibility

We read the existing savings observation pipeline, select enabled sources by configured priority and observation time, and apply source freshness and validity limits. Observations older than 30 days are excluded even if a source has unlimited freshness. We display the recorded source and UTC time. The challenger normalizes raw database timestamps explicitly as UTC. Provider links help you investigate; they do not prove the observation has linked official quote evidence.

Current exact account identity, fee schedules, balance tiers, eligibility, reviewed evidence and conflict clearance are incomplete. Unknown fees remain unknown; an estimate shown before unknown fees is not a zero-fee claim. A recorded minimum is not a complete account requirement. Institution-level facts cannot prove the rate for your particular account. There is no unconditional eligible-account recommendation without all relevant gates. Entering terms you checked creates a user-confirmed scenario, not SwitchWize verification.

Published records are ordered by APY then provider name without paid placement in this challenger. Provider terms can change before our next observation. No historical stability score is shown: our required history gate is at least 180 days with 80% observation continuity, and current data does not satisfy it.

A meaningful rate watch

A saved watch compares a newer, current published record with the record you captured when selecting the provider. A rate-drop event needs both your basis-point threshold and estimated annual dollar threshold. The dollar calculation holds your saved balance constant, ignores future contributions and assumes both rates persist for a year. If your balance confirmation is over 30 days old, we ask you to refresh it instead of asserting a dollar impact. Your actual account rate may be different.

Device checks run while the page is open, at 15-minute intervals. Refresh requests use a five-minute source cache. Review dates, goal deadlines and promotional expiry dates come from your entries. Calendar reminders require you to import the downloaded calendar event. Background email requires sign-in, a verified email, explicit consent, cloud provisioning and an activated service. It is not enabled by saving on your device.

Receipts and milestones

Interest receipts record what you enter from your statement. They are not bank-verified transactions. One receipt per statement month is kept; another entry replaces that month. Receipt totals subtract entered fees. Goal balances are independent manual progress entries and are not added to your plan balance. Milestones describe your own progress and do not compare you with other savers.

Insurance requires the legal bank

We do not infer insurance coverage from a brand name or a registry boolean. Confirm the insured bank or credit union and aggregate your deposits correctly. For FDIC-insured banks, standard coverage is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category. Multiple accounts at the same bank in the same category are combined. Credit unions use a separate NCUA insurance system.

Privacy and control

Example inputs are labeled. Saving a device plan stores your inputs, goals, watch and receipts in this browser’s local storage. Anyone with access to that browser profile may be able to read it. Export creates a file containing those inputs. Delete removes the saved device plan. No savings balance is placed in a public URL.

Cloud storage is optional and requires explicit save. Each cloud plan belongs to the signed-in account. Revision checks prevent one device silently overwriting another. A cloud delete removes its stored email consent and delivery records; device data is cleared separately. Turning off email requires saving that change to the cloud. No bank credentials or account numbers are requested.

When should I move my savings?

Investigate a move when the net extra interest over your own horizon exceeds your threshold after costs and access needs. Before funding, confirm the exact account terms, applicable effective APY, legal-bank coverage and transfer access. A higher headline APY alone is insufficient. If the gain is small, staying can be a reasonable scenario outcome.