Flexible on the term: how do I tell which term gives the most?

Comparing different terms is harder than it looks. If you compare the total return of a three-year certificate with that of a one-year certificate, the longer one will naturally look bigger, because your money stays locked longer. A hypothetical example per 100 EGP at the same 20% annual rate with simple return: one year pays 20 EGP and three years pay 60, and that gap does not mean three years is 'higher' in the sense that matters to you. Even comparing annual rates across terms is incomplete, because each term carries its own lock-in and break terms, and long certificates are sometimes stepped, with the rate falling each year. The practical approach is to decide how long you can do without the money, then compare products within that term at the same amount and payout. If you are weighing several terms, look at each term's results separately and choose on your need for the money rather than on the total figure. Check each product's key-facts statement for the rate table by term, the break terms and the rate type.