Westpac further reduces savings account interest rates

Not even a month after ANZ and NAB swung the axe on their popular savings account interest rates, Westpac has joined the rate cutting party. 

The major bank has cut interest rates on its Westpac Life Account and Westpac eSaver Account. 

The bonus rate on the Westpac Life Account has been dropped from 1.20% p.a. to 1.10% p.a. This brings the maximum ongoing interest rate down from 1.65% p.a. to 1.55% p.a.

To get the bonus rate, customers are still required to make at least one deposit per month, ensure the account balance is higher at the end than it was at the beginning of the month, and keep the account balance above $0 at all times. 

The eSaver Account saw its introductory bonus rate cut from 1.56% p.a. to 1.45% p.a. This means customers can now only earn a maximum of 1.55% p.a. on their savings for the first five months before the rate reverts back to the base rate of 0.10% p.a.

The move from Westpac is just the latest in a slew of lenders cutting their savings account interest rates.

Last month, both NAB and ANZ cut already dismal interest rates across their popular savings accounts to new lows.

But there are still competitive savings account interest rates, if consumers know where to look.

Neobanks like Xinja currently offer some of the highest non-introductory savings account interest rates on the market, with Xinja offering 2.25% p.a. on its newly launched 'Stash' product. 

The table below displays a snapshot of savings accounts with some of the highest non-introductory interest rates on the market.