Your selected term deposits
As we close in on the halfway mark of this year, term deposit interest rates are continuing to decrease on longer terms, while shorter terms hold their ground.
That being said, the average term deposit rate is still far higher than it was four years ago.
Back in May 2020, when the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) had an official interest rate of 0.25%, the average 1-year term deposit in the Mozo database was just 1.39% p.a.
As the cash rate lowered to 0.10%, the average 1-year term deposit rate fell to 0.52% p.a. in May 2021, before it began to pick up again in May 2022.
| Date | Cash rate | Average 1-year term deposit interest rate |
| 1 May 2020 | 0.25% | 1.39% p.a. |
| 1 May 2021 | 0.10% | 0.52% p.a. |
| 1 May 2022 | 0.35% | 0.70% p.a. |
| 1 May 2023 | 3.85% | 4.12% p.a. |
| 1 May 2024 | 4.35% | 4.60% p.a. |
Without the RBA making changes to the cash rate, which is currently at 4.35%, since November of last year, banks have been able to modify term deposit interest rates to their liking.
The pattern that emerged over the last month is an increase in cuts to term deposit rates between 9 months and 5 years, and an increase in rate rises on the shorter terms, according to the Mozo database.
In March, the average term deposit interest rate across most term lengths declined and this continued in April, although the best (highest) rates either stayed the same or increased.
Interestingly, the specialist bank, AlexBank now tops the leaderboard on 2, 3, 4 and 5-year terms, despite having an invite-only term deposit product that is not, at this time, publicly available.
Alex.Bank isn’t far behind the 12-month term competition, either. Its 1-year term deposit interest rate is 5.00% p.a., only 0.30% behind Family First Bank which has the highest publicly available rate at (5.30% p.a.
However, what we see with a lot of the highest term deposit interest rates in the database are some prohibitive minimum deposit amounts of between $5,000 to $25,000, just to open an account (as at 29 April 2024).
As we learnt from the 2024 Mozo Savings Report, a lot of Aussies don’t have that sort of money to lock away, with the median savings amount being around $2,000.
So, it pays to compare term deposits with low minimum balance requirements, if you want to make the most out of your savings.
The highest term deposit interest rates in the Mozo database on 1 May 2024, where the required minimum deposit is $1,000. Other requirements may apply.
Correct as at 29 April 2024, for personal TDs at $25,000 balances.
| Term deposit | Average | Median | Best |
| 3 month | 3.79% p.a. | 3.75% p.a. | 4.95% p.a. |
| 6 month | 4.27% p.a. | 4.48% p.a. | 5.20% p.a. |
| 9 month | 4.26% p.a. | 4.45% p.a. | 5.15% p.a. |
| 1 year | 4.60% p.a. | 4.75% p.a. | 5.30% p.a. |
| 2 years | 4.09% p.a. | 4.05% p.a. | 5.00% p.a. |
| 3 years | 3.91% p.a. | 4.00% p.a. | 4.85% p.a. |
| 4 years | 3.81% p.a. | 4.00% p.a. | 4.95% p.a. |
| 5 years | 3.83% p.a. | 4.00% p.a. | 4.95% p.a. |
We’ll be keeping a keen eye on what the banks do with term deposit rates throughout the month. You can follow our updates on the term deposit comparison page.
To see how interest rates are looking for other financial products, check out our December interest rate snapshots for home loan interest rates, personal loan interest rates, car loan interest rates and savings account interest rates.
5.10% p.a.
6 months
$1,000
Yes up to $250,000
Great rates and incentives incl. 0.10% added loyalty bonus at renewal. Option to have interest paid to another bank. Winner of the Mozo Experts Choice Awards 2024^ for Term Deposits.
Great rates and incentives incl. 0.10% added loyalty bonus at renewal. Option to have interest paid to another bank. Winner of the Mozo Experts Choice Awards 2024^ for Term Deposits.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Judo Bank Term Deposit
Your selected term deposits
5.00% p.a.
7 months
$5,000
Yes up to $250,000
No set-up or account keeping fees. Deposits up to $250,000 per customer are guaranteed by the Australian Government. Mozo Experts Choice winner for Term Deposit 2022.
No set-up or account keeping fees. Deposits up to $250,000 per customer are guaranteed by the Australian Government. Mozo Experts Choice winner for Term Deposit 2022.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the MyState Bank Online Term Deposit
Your selected term deposits
5.00% p.a.
1 year
$1,000
Yes up to $250,000
Enjoy a competitive fixed interest with the choice of 1 month to 5 year terms. Start with as little as $1,000. Interest paid monthly, quarterly, half yearly or yearly. Receive a 0.10% loyalty bonus when you automatically reinvest your Term Deposit before maturity. (Terms and Conditions apply)
Enjoy a competitive fixed interest with the choice of 1 month to 5 year terms. Start with as little as $1,000. Interest paid monthly, quarterly, half yearly or yearly. Receive a 0.10% loyalty bonus when you automatically reinvest your Term Deposit before maturity. (Terms and Conditions apply)
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Rabobank Term Deposit
Your selected term deposits
5.10% p.a.
6 months
$1,000
Yes up to $250,000
Apply digitally in minutes and manage your SMSF Term Deposit. Flexible cash flow management with three interest payment frequencies that suit you: monthly, yearly, or at maturity. Choose from terms of 3 months up to 5 years. No application or monthly account fees but eligibility criteria and terms and conditions apply. Only accessible to SMSFs with two or up to four individual trustees or one corporate trustee.
Apply digitally in minutes and manage your SMSF Term Deposit. Flexible cash flow management with three interest payment frequencies that suit you: monthly, yearly, or at maturity. Choose from terms of 3 months up to 5 years. No application or monthly account fees but eligibility criteria and terms and conditions apply. Only accessible to SMSFs with two or up to four individual trustees or one corporate trustee.
Your selected term deposits
4.80% p.a.
9 months
$1,000
Yes up to $250,000
Enjoy the certainty of a fixed interest rate combined with the convenience of online banking to set up and manage your term deposit at maturity. You can start investing from as little as $1,000 or up to $5,000,000.
Enjoy the certainty of a fixed interest rate combined with the convenience of online banking to set up and manage your term deposit at maturity. You can start investing from as little as $1,000 or up to $5,000,000.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Bankwest Term Deposit
Your selected term deposits
5.00% p.a.
6 months
$1,000
Yes up to $250,000
Enjoy a competitive fixed interest with the choice of 1 month to 5 year terms. Start with as little as $1,000. Interest paid monthly, quarterly, half yearly or yearly. Receive a 0.10% loyalty bonus when you automatically reinvest your Term Deposit before maturity. (Terms and Conditions apply)
Enjoy a competitive fixed interest with the choice of 1 month to 5 year terms. Start with as little as $1,000. Interest paid monthly, quarterly, half yearly or yearly. Receive a 0.10% loyalty bonus when you automatically reinvest your Term Deposit before maturity. (Terms and Conditions apply)
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Rabobank Term Deposit
Your selected term deposits
5.10% p.a.
1 year
$1,000
Yes up to $250,000
Great rates and incentives incl. 0.10% added loyalty bonus at renewal. Option to have interest paid to another bank. Winner of the Mozo Experts Choice Awards 2024^ for Term Deposits.
Great rates and incentives incl. 0.10% added loyalty bonus at renewal. Option to have interest paid to another bank. Winner of the Mozo Experts Choice Awards 2024^ for Term Deposits.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Judo Bank Term Deposit
Your selected term deposits
4.95% p.a.
6 months
$5,000
Yes up to $250,000
Secure a guaranteed rate of return with a Great Southern Bank Term Deposit. Pay $0 monthly account fees. Choose your own terms from one month to five years. Manage your term deposit conveniently online. protected by the Australian Government's guarantee on deposits.
Secure a guaranteed rate of return with a Great Southern Bank Term Deposit. Pay $0 monthly account fees. Choose your own terms from one month to five years. Manage your term deposit conveniently online. protected by the Australian Government's guarantee on deposits.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Great Southern Bank Term Deposit
Your selected term deposits
^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Term deposits Awards
Mozo provides general product information. We don't consider your personal objectives, financial situation or needs and we aren't recommending any specific product to you. You should make your own decision after reading the PDS or offer documentation, or seeking independent advice.
While we pride ourselves on covering a wide range of products, we don't cover every product in the market. If you decide to apply for a product through our website, you will be dealing directly with the provider of that product and not with Mozo.
Put simply, a term deposit is a low risk way to make the most out of your savings. If you aren’t a financial risk taker and you’ve got a stash of money lying around that you don’t use, it could be lying in a term deposit and earning high interest.
By putting your money away for a set term and at a set interest rate, a term deposit allows you to maximise your savings with little effort. The only catch is that unlike in a savings account, while your money is in a term deposit, it's off limits!
The interest rate on a term deposit will usually be determined by how long you’re willing to lock your savings away. Below is a basic overview of the different types of term deposits and what interest rates you can expect with each, or, you can visit our term deposit generator for a rundown of all the options available to you.
Short term deposits usually come in periods of one, three or six months. They’re perfect if you’re looking to maximise your savings before you spend them on something like a new car or overseas holiday. Generally, banks will offer lower interest rates for shorter terms.
If you’re in it for the long haul, you can usually choose a period of one, two or five years. Interest rates are usually higher on long term deposits, so if you’ve got a large amount of money that you can afford to put away for a while, this is a great investment.
When your original term is up, you may choose to leave your savings where they are and let your deposit rollover into another term. This is a great way to maximise savings if you’ve found you don’t miss having access to the money, but it's important to check that the interest rate of your rollover term is the most competitive available to you. If not, it may be better to withdraw it and start afresh.
So you know what a term deposit is and how it works. Now let's get down to the details. Here are some frequently asked questions about term deposit interest rates to help you when choosing somewhere to stash your hard earned savings.
Because your term deposit works on a fixed interest rate, it will remain the same, no matter what the market is doing at the time. This means that while your investment is safe from any drops in interest rates, it also won’t benefit from any rises. That’s why it’s so important to shop around for a good interest rate on your term deposit and choose a term that is best going to help you reach your savings goals!
They each have their advantages and disadvantages, so it really depends on what you need. You can check out our comparison of term deposits vs saving accounts, but here are the main differences as far as interest rates go:
Because term deposits are at a fixed interest rate, they aren’t affected by drops or rises in the market. So if interest rates fall, you will keep collecting interest as if it never happened, but if interest rates rise, term deposits won’t see the benefits like a savings account would. And with long terms, you may come to regret locking in at a certain interest rate in two or three years time.
Usually, term deposits will pay interest either annually for longer investments, or, for shorter time frames, at the end of the term. The interest rate won’t change depending on which you choose, so it doesn’t make a difference to how much interest you earn, but it does give you a choice of when you will see the payments roll into your account.
Usually, your interest will be paid via direct credit into your nominated account, similar to a savings account.
One thing to remember is that if your bank’s interest rate for term deposits isn’t great, you might want to look further afield for a better deal. In this case, make sure that the bank you're opening a term deposit with will pay the interest into your chosen account (some banks won’t!).
When your term deposit matures, you’ll have the option to either withdraw your savings so you can start using them again, or renew your term deposit to keep saving. If you’re renewing, make sure you check that the new interest rate you’ve been offered is the most competitive on the market.
One of the reasons a term deposit is such a great motivation not to dip into your savings is that if you make a withdrawal before the term is up, you will be charged a fee. It also means that banks may reduce the interest paid on your deposit, called an interest rate adjustment.
Usually, this is calculated depending on how long you left your savings in the term deposit and will vary from bank to bank. The earlier you make the withdrawal, the lower the interest rate. For example, if you withdraw your savings halfway through a 12 month term, you may only earn 40% of the interest you otherwise would have in those six months.
One of the most important things when applying for a term deposit is shopping around to find the best interest rate. It’s well worth taking the time and effort to research the best option for your preferred term, because the interest you’ll earn is what a term deposit is all about. To make it a little easier for you Mozo has developed these great tools:
And for more information on what interest rates are and how they work, check out our interest rates guides.
Your selected term deposits