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Real Simple’s 2025 Smart Money Awards named 22 winners across banking, budgeting, credit cards, investing and retirement, and other financial services. The awards are a dated consumer guide, not a current product comparison: the feature, authored by Melissa Matthews and updated August 27, 2025, says its product details were correct as of press time. Check providers’ current disclosures before relying on fees, rates, rewards, eligibility, or benefits.
How Real Simple selected the 2025 winners
Real Simple says it considered what it knows about its readers and their life stages, compiled five financial categories, and asked a diverse panel of financial professionals for nominations. It then vetted nominees based on fees, offerings, returns, customer service, user interface, and other factors, selecting 22 winners it considered relevant to its readers. The feature does not describe a formal scoring system, set criteria weights, or claim that the selections came from hands-on product testing.
Banking winners
Best High-Yield Savings Account: Bread Financial
The feature reports no account fee and says $100 is enough to get started. CFP Marguerita Cheng praised its competitive rates and easy-to-navigate website. The account’s rate can change, so compare current APYs and account requirements before opening one.
Best No-Fee Checking: SoFi
Real Simple reports no fee and no account minimum, ATM access, and an associated savings account. It quotes Aja Evans; the feature’s 3.8% savings rate was explicitly described as “last we checked,” making it a historical figure rather than a current offer.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
Best Online Bank: Ally
The feature highlights Ally’s app and website, and interest without a minimum-balance requirement. CFP Ashley Feinstein Gerstley said, “The app and website get rave reviews, there are no monthly fees, and Ally has competitive interest rates.” Ally’s corporate media page also acknowledges the award.
Best CD: American Express
Vivian Tu described American Express CDs as having terms from 3 to 60 months and an APY of up to 4% in the August 2025 feature. Those term and rate details reflect the article’s publication-era information, not a current rate quote.
Best Health Savings Account: Fidelity
The award is aimed at people with a high-deductible health plan. Real Simple describes Fidelity’s HSA as having no starting minimum and low-cost investment options; check current account fees, investment choices, and eligibility details against Fidelity’s disclosures.
Budgeting winners
Best Free Budgeting App: Goodbudget
Goodbudget uses digital envelopes to organize a budget and relies on manual tracking. The feature says its free version allows up to 20 envelopes.
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Best Paid Budgeting App: YNAB
Real Simple describes YNAB’s approach as assigning each incoming dollar a job, with the option to link bank and credit-card accounts. The August 2025 feature lists a $15 monthly fee and a 34-day free trial; check YNAB’s current pricing and trial terms.
Best Way to Save When Online Shopping: Rakuten
Rakuten is a free cash-back service accessible through its website, app, or browser extension, with offers for participating retailers. The feature reported coverage of 3,500 retailers and offers of “up to 20% back”; both figures are source-era claims, and an advertised maximum is not a guarantee of what a shopper will earn.
Credit-card winners
Best Customizable Credit Card: Citi Strata
The feature describes points on travel and dining plus a selectable category for earning additional points. Review the issuer’s current rewards rules, annual fee, and other terms before applying.
Best Credit Card for Restaurants & Groceries: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards
Real Simple reports 3% cash back on dining, groceries, streaming, and certain events, 1% on other purchases, and no foreign transaction fee. Those terms should be confirmed with Capital One because rewards and fees can change.
Best Credit Card for Frequent Travelers: Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve
The award feature covers both cards. As reported at publication, the Preferred carried a $95 annual fee and the Reserve a $795 annual fee, with different credits, earning rates, and lounge access. Compare the issuers’ current costs and benefit rules, including any conditions needed to use credits or access lounges.
Best Credit Card for Household Expenses: Amazon Prime Visa
The feature describes the card as having no card fee and outlines rewards across spending categories. It also says an Amazon Prime membership is required and lists that membership at $139 per year. Confirm current membership costs, card eligibility, and rewards terms with the providers.
Investing and retirement winners
Best App for New Investors: Betterment
Real Simple describes Betterment’s robo-advisers as making recommendations based on a user’s risk profile and goals, and lists a $10 starting amount. It also describes a fee and access to human CFPs at a stated balance threshold; check Betterment’s current pricing and service terms before deciding whether the account suits you.
Best App for More Seasoned Investors: Wealthfront
The feature describes access to diversified funds, individual ETFs and stocks, and a cash account it calls no-fee. It also gives a source-era fee range for certain accounts. Investment choices involve risk, and neither past returns nor an award promise a particular outcome; verify current fees, availability, and account terms.
Rank #4
Best Online Brokerage: J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
The feature describes commission-free stock and ETF trades, fees for options, and a $5 starting amount for buying stocks or ETFs. Confirm current costs and minimums before placing trades.
Best In-Person Wealth Management Services: Raymond James
Real Simple points to retirement, estate, and education planning and says Raymond James has advisers in the U.S. and Canada. Its figure of about 8,800 advisers is a publication-era number, not a current headcount.
Best ETF Provider: iShares
The award feature reports more than 1,500 ETFs and $4.3 trillion in assets under management, attributing both to iShares’ “most recent numbers” at the time. These are 2025-reported figures, not current statistics. ETF choices differ in risks, fees, and investment objectives.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Other financial-service winners
Best Payment App: Venmo
The feature says transfers to a linked bank account are free and that domestic money transfers are limited to the United States. It advises moving funds to a linked account for FDIC insurance. Deposit insurance depends on how funds are held and applicable pass-through arrangements; check Venmo’s current account disclosures rather than assuming an app balance is insured.
Best Value
- It can be a gift option
- Comes with secure packaging
- Helpful in various ways
Best Term Life Insurance: Ladder
Real Simple quotes Jill Sirianni describing plans up to $3 million available without a medical exam and terms from 10 to 30 years depending on age. Eligibility and underwriting vary by applicant and policy, so an individual quote may differ from the feature’s description.
Best Tax Preparation: H&R Block
The feature says H&R Block’s online or drop-off service began at $99 and quotes Vivian Tu on situations where access to a person may be valuable. That starting price is dated to the article; service availability and the final cost depend on current offers and a taxpayer’s needs.
Best Site for Learning How to Protect Yourself: Investor.gov
Real Simple identifies Investor.gov as a free Securities and Exchange Commission resource for learning investing concepts and recognizing fraud.
Best Financial Literacy Resource: Investopedia
The feature recommends Investopedia for plain-language explanations of financial terminology. It also discloses that Real Simple and Investopedia share a parent company.
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An award identifies a service Real Simple selected for a particular category; it does not establish that the service is the best fit for every person or household. Compare options against your needs and the award feature’s stated criteria: fees, offerings, returns where relevant, customer service, and user interface. For accounts and cards, also check eligibility, minimums, restrictions, and the full cost of using the service. For insurance and tax preparation, your circumstances can affect suitability and price. For investments, consider risk and your goals rather than treating past performance as a forecast. Real Simple’s own warning is: “Past performance does not guarantee future results.”
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
