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Simplii Financial High Interest Savings Account Review 2024: Complete Digital Experience

Victoria Daniel

Simplii Financial is the online-only division of CIBC and was founded in 2017. Simplii Financial was established with the goal of offering personal finance products to individuals looking to conduct their banking online and save on bank fees.

Overall rating

4.0

Summary: Simplii’s high interest savings account provides a complete digital experience if you’re looking for online banking.

Simplii HISA

simplii financial logo

$0

Min. To Earn APY

3.85%

Est. APY


Reviews

5

Account Opening

4.5

Fees

2.5

Features

2.5

Deposits & Withdrawals

4.5

Customer Service

5

Safe & Secure

Pros

  • No monthly fee
  • No minimum balance
  • Referral bonus

Cons

  • Limited withdrawal and deposit abilities
  • Inactivity fee

Best For

  • Online banking
  • Ease of use

Features

HQToronto, ON, Toronto
Deposit InsuranceYes, Up to $100,000
Monthly Fee$0
Min. To Open$0
Min. Deposit For No Fee$0
Min. Balance For APY$0
Interest CompoundedMonthly
TransactionsNo eTransfers, Debit, Wire
Province RestrictionsNot available in QE

In depth review on Simplii Financial High-Interest Savings Account

Simplii Financial’s High-Interest Savings is an online-only and no-fee savings account that pays users interest on their account balance. This interest is calculated daily on your closing balance and is paid out monthly, and the account does not have a monthly fee or a minimum balance requirement to earn interest. You can move your money between your savings and chequing account completely for free. However, this savings account does not allow you to make Interac eTransfers or debit transactions.

Simplii Financial is a trademark of CIBC, which means you can enjoy the extra features and low fees that online banks can offer, but you can be at peace knowing that your funds are stored with a major Canadian bank.

Simplii Financial High-Interest Savings Account is best for

  • Online banking: Simplii Financial provides online access to all of its services. It means you can do your banking from anywhere and at any time. Your banking activities will not be hindered by holidays and weekends.
  • Ease of use: Simplii Financial provides an extremely user-friendly platform for clients to conduct their banking. Simplii’s mobile app allows quick and easy access to its services and has favourable reviews from users.

Simplii Financial High-Interest Savings Account benefits

  • No monthly fee: You will not have to pay a monthly fee for this account.
  • No minimum balance: You don’t need to keep a certain amount of money to earn the maximum interest rate. Also, you won’t have to pay any fees if your balance is $0. However, there is an inactivity fee.
  • Referral bonus: If you refer a friend and they end up opening an account with Simplii, you will both receive a $50 referral bonus. There is also no limit to how many people you can refer.

Simplii Financial High-Interest Savings Account drawbacks

  • Limited withdrawal and deposit abilities: Simplii does not offer many ways to access the funds. You cannot make Interac eTransfers or debit transactions from this account. You can only transfer funds in and out of this account from your Simplii chequing account. This definitely helps you keep your funds in your savings but limited access to the funds can be a drawback.
  • Inactivity fee: If you open a savings account with Simplii and do not use it for a year, you will start incurring a $20 inactivity fee per year. This is not a major drawback if you transfer funds in and out of your account frequently, but if you forget to use this account for a long time, this inactivity fee can be an unpleasant surprise.

Account opening

5

Simplii allows its users to open a new savings account completely online within a few minutes. You can open a new account on Simplii’s official website. You will be asked to provide the type of account you are looking to open. This is where you can make your selection and choose Simplii’s High-Interest Savings Account.

To open this account you must be a resident of Canada (excluding Quebec) and be a legal adult in the province you are residing in. Additionally, you will be required to provide some basic information such as your Social Insurance Number (SIN), name, date of birth, email, and phone number.

Simplii Financial is an online bank, which means it can offer you low-fee banking services like other online banks. However, they are a subsidiary of CIBC, which is one of the major banks in Canada. This means you can be at peace knowing that your funds are stored at a legit and reputable institution.

Fees

4.5

Simplii Financial does not charge a monthly maintenance fee for their savings account. You are not required to maintain a minimum balance to avoid maintenance fees or earn interest. This account has an extremely transparent fee structure and does not charge users any hidden fees. The only fee you need to keep in mind is the $20 inactivity fee that kicks in after a year of inactivity.

Features

2.5

Simplii Financial’s High-Interest Savings Account offers a great solution for users to store their funds while keeping their banking fees low. Some of the features offered by this account are

  • 0.1% interest on account balance
  • No monthly fees
  • Free transfers to and from Simplii Chequing Account

Deposits and withdrawals

2.5

Simplii Financial’s High-Interest Savings Account does not offer many ways to withdraw and deposit funds. You cannot make wire transfers, debit transactions, or Interac eTransfers from your account. The only way to transfer funds in and out of this account is by transferring them to or from your Simplii chequing account. This limits your ability to access the funds in your savings account but can be helpful if you are trying to meet your savings goals.

Customer service

4.5

Simplii Financial clients only have access to their services online, which means you cannot get in-person assistance like other banks. If you are used to receiving in-person help with your queries, it can be a major drawback for you. However, Simplii makes it easy for their clients to reach their customer representatives to receive assistance. You can get in touch with Simplii’s customer support team by giving them a call at 1-888-723-8881. They have 24-hour availability, which can be of huge help if you need urgent assistance. You can also email Simplii regarding any issue you are facing at talktous@simplii.com or use their live chat to get help.

Safe and secure

5

Simplii Financial takes various security measures to provide clients with a safe and secure online banking platform. They use industry-standard encryption, anti-virus, and malware protection to keep your data safe. Simplii also offers a 100% reimbursement to their customers if they meet all their responsibilities to protect their information and yet have been a victim of fraud. You can find a list of these responsibilities here on Simplii Financial’s official website.

Simplii Financial is owned by CIBC, a CDIC member, which means your funds are secured up to $100,000 in case of bank failure.

Is Simplii Financial High-Interest Savings Account right for you?

Simplii Financial’s High-Interest Savings Account can be a solid choice for anyone looking for a savings account to store their funds while earning some interest and who prefer the digital experience. The account does not charge the users any maintenance or deposit fees, which can help them minimize their banking costs. However, the interest rate offered by this account is comparatively lower than many competitors in the market. This account keeps it simple and does not offer many features that other accounts may offer. Additionally, the lack of channels to move funds in and out of the account can be a deal-breaker for some. If you are looking for a savings account, it would be wise to consider your options and compare them to find the best account for you.