Rates on certificates of deposit at Internet-based banks may be above the national average rate but they come in second at some traditional financial institutions.

According to data culled by research firm Market Rates Insight, the national average rate for a one-year CD is 0.80%, while the same CD can yield 1.51% at Internet banks. Cyber rates are below the national top rates offered by traditional institutions by a range of 0.19 to 0.79%. MRI also found that the top rate for a four-year CD currently offered by Internet institutions is 2.28%, while the same deposit product can yield 3.07% through some traditional institutions. Credit union CD rates were not tracked.

"Currently, the most advantageous cyber product is money market" said Dan Geller, executive vice president at MRI. "It's the only deposit product currently yielding the same rate by Internet and traditional institutions, both are at about 1.25%."