If your checking account isn’t serving your needs anymore, you have plenty of other places to turn.
Big banks, small banks, online banks, app-based banks, credit unions of all kinds — each category features standouts that go above and beyond to keep deposit account holders happy.
Stop settling. Peruse this up-to-the-minute list of the best checking accounts in the United States, including some of the top high-interest accounts on the market — and get ready for a better way to bank.
Best Bank and Credit Union Checking Accounts for U.S. Customers
These are among the best checking account offers for U.S.-based customers at popular banks and credit unions.
Many qualify for inclusion on our list of the best free checking accounts, while others appear on our best bank account promotions page. Some offer additional deposit account types, including online savings and money market accounts with attractive yields.
Each listing includes key details about the account, such as deposit and balance minimums, yield, credit card availability, and possible fees. All financial institutions on this list are members FDIC and NCUA unless noted otherwise.
1. Chase Total Checking®
Chase Total Checking® is a convenient checking account backed by Chase’s nationwide branch and ATM network.
It also has one of the best bank account bonuses around, worth $300 with qualifying activities. To earn it, simply open your new checking account using the links above or below, or enter your email here and take the coupon to a local Chase branch.
Then, set up direct deposit within 90 days of coupon enrollment. You’ll receive a $300 bonus within 15 business days. But you must apply by April 17, 2024 *APY on all balances above $0.01.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: None, but a $12 monthly maintenance fee applies in statement cycles when you don’t meet direct deposit or balance requirements (see possible fees below).
- Account Opening Bonus: Open your new Chase Total Checking account by April 17, 2024, and set up direct deposit within 90 days of coupon enrollment. If you complete these qualifying activities, you’ll receive a $300 bonus within 15 business days.
- Rewards and Incentives: Enjoy the convenience of more than 15,000 ATMs and 4,700 branch locations.
- Possible Fees: Avoid the $12 monthly maintenance fee by doing one of the following in a statement period: have direct deposits made into this account totaling $500 or more; OR keep a balance at the beginning of each day of $1,500 or more in your checking account; OR keep an average beginning day balance of $5,000 or more in any combination of this account and linked qualifying Chase checking, savings, and other eligible balances; OR pay at least $25 or more in qualifying checking-related services or fees.
2. TD Bank Beyond Checking
Enjoy a Generous Account Opening Bonus Worth $300
TD Bank Beyond Checking offers a $300 bonus, fee waivers, overdraft grace period, ATM perks, and comprehensive online banking for qualifying new customers with direct deposits of $2,500 or more.
New customers who apply online for a TD Beyond Checking account can earn a $300 cash bonus after receiving direct deposits of $2,500 or more within 60 days. To qualify for this offer, you must be a U.S. resident and apply for the offer online. Offer is available in these states: CT, DC, DE, FL, MD, ME, MA, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, VT, VAThree ways to go monthly maintenance fee-free: Monthly Maintenance fee waived when you set up direct deposits of $5,000 or more within a statement cycle, maintain a $2,500 minimum daily balance, or have a $25,000 combined balance across eligible TD accounts.
ATM perks: TD fees waived at any ATM and non-TD fees reimbursed when you keep at least a $2,500 daily balance
A little extra time. A lot of extra relief: Avoid fees with Grace Period, which gives you until 11 PM ET the next business day to fix an overdraft. Make sure your available balance is at least $0 by depositing enough to cover the overdrawn balance plus any additional transactions and TD will refund the overdraft fee to your checking account.
Fast and secure payments: TD Bank debit cards are backed by the Zero Liability guarantee and 24/7 fraud monitoring
Convenient locations with the longest hours around: We have over 1,100 locations from Maine to Florida that’s open early, late, and weekends.
Get reimbursed for fees including two overdraft fees per year, all Rush Bill Payments, and one outgoing wire per statement cycle (domestic or international).
Additional TD Bank checking account perks worth talking about: Get 24/7 access to all your TD accounts with Online & Mobile Banking, plus Bill Pay, Send Money with Zelle®, Mobile Deposit and Online Statements.
3. Discover® Cashback Debit Account
1% Cash Back on Up to $3,000 in Debit Card Purchases Each Month
The Discover® Cashback Debit account is one of the few online checking accounts that deliver cash back on eligible purchases — specifically, 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in eligible purchases each month.
Discover® Cashback Debit is also very light on fees, with no monthly maintenance fee (no strings attached) and no fees for insufficient funds, bank checks, or debit card replacement.
And Discover Bank boasts a network of around 60,000 fee-free ATMs.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: There’s no ongoing balance or transaction requirement.
- Account Opening Bonus: None.
- Yield: There’s no yield, but eligible purchases earn 1% cash back (up to $3,000 in purchases each month).
- Rewards and Incentives: Enjoy fee-free access to more than 60,000 ATMs, easy debit card freeze if your card is lost or stolen, and no fees for insufficient funds.
- Possible Fees: See terms for a complete list of possible fees.
4. Huntington Bank Huntington Perks CheckingSM
Huntington Bank Huntington Perks CheckingSM is an interest-bearing account with no minimum deposit to open.
Huntington Perks Checking account holders with connected consumer accounts enjoy relationship benefits based on balances in all shared accounts, whether owned individually or jointly with someone else.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: There’s no minimum deposit to open this account. To avoid the $5 monthly maintenance fee, maintain at least $5,000 in total relationship balances‡.
- Account Opening Bonus: Open a Huntington Perks CheckingSM account during the offer period and earn $400 when you make qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of account opening and keep your account open for a minimum of 90 days. You should receive the bonus in your new account within 14 days of completing these qualifying activities.
- Yield: See disclosures for current yield information.
- Rewards and Incentives: Each statement period, Huntington Bank waives up to 5 non-Huntington ATM withdrawal fees and reimburses associated fees charged by another ATM owner.+ Plus, get 1.05% cash back on purchases made with your linked Voice Credit Card with Rewards.
5. Chime® Deposit Account
Get Paid Up to Two Days Early
Chime also offers early direct deposit for qualifying customers subject to the policies of payers and payers’ banks — up to two days early, bumping the standard Friday payday up to Wednesday.
Elsewhere, Chime charges virtually no banking fees other than a $2.50 over-the-counter cash withdrawal charge that’s easy to avoid when you use one of the bank’s 60,000 fee-free ATMs.
Don’t miss Chime’s automatic savings option, which rounds up the change on each debit card transaction and deposits it into a savings account that earns 2.00% *APY on all balances above $0.01.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: There’s no minimum opening deposit and no minimum daily balance.**
- Account Opening Bonus: None.
- Yield: None, but Chime’s high-yield savings account may earn a yield on all balances above $0.01 with no minimum deposit or balance requirements.
- Rewards and Incentives: Chime charges virtually no fees. Under normal circumstances, you won’t pay a dime to use your account.
- Possible Fees: Over-the-counter cash withdrawal.
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by, and debit card issued by, The Bancorp Bank or Stride Bank, N.A.; Members FDIC.
*The Annual Percentage Yield (“APY”) is variable and may change at any time. The disclosed APY is accurate as of May 22, 2023. No minimum balance required. Must have $0.01 in savings to earn interest.
**Money added to Credit Builder will be held in a secured account as collateral for your Credit Builder Visa card, which means you can spend up to this amount on your card. This is money you can use to pay off your charges at the end of every month.
6. GO2bank
Earn Up to 7% Cash Back When You Buy eGift Cards in the App1; 4.50% APY2 paid quarterly on Savings Up to $5,000
GO2bank offers a user-friendly online bank account with a strong yield on savings: 4.50% APY2 on savings up to $5,000. The account also earns up to 7% cash back on eligible electronic gift card purchases in the app.
To avoid the $5 monthly fee, set up eligible direct deposit. Plus, enjoy the opportunity to:
- Get paid up to two days early with ASAP Direct DepositTM 3
- Deposit cash at participating retail stores, subject to fees and deposit limits that may apply
- Enjoy up to $200 in overdraft protection with opt in and eligible direct deposit
Overdrafts are paid at GO2bank’s discretion. Terms and conditions apply.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: GO2bank has no minimum opening deposit or ongoing balance requirements.
- Yield: Earn 4.50% APY2 on savings up to $5,000.
- Rewards and Incentives: Get paid up to two days early with ASAP Direct DepositTM 3 and earn up to 7% cash back on eGift Card purchases made in the app (3% cash back on Amazon gift card purchases).
- Possible Fees: Set up eligible direct deposit to avoid the $5 monthly fee. A $15 fee may apply to each overdraft transaction not repaid within 24 hours of authorization of the first transaction that overdrafts the account. See other simple fees at GO2bank.com.
1Active GO2bank account required to receive an eGift Card. eGift Card merchants subject to change
2GO2bank, Member FDIC. Interest paid quarterly on the average daily balance of savings during the quarter up to a $5,000 balance and if the account is in good standing. 4.50% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) as of January 2021. APY may change before or after you open an account. The average national savings account interest rate of 0.05% is determined by the FDIC as of 12/14/20. Visit https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/resources/rates/ to learn more. Fees on your primary deposit account may reduce earnings on your savings account.
3Direct deposit early availability depends on timing of payor’s payment instructions and fraud prevention restrictions may apply. As such, the availability or timing of early direct deposit may vary from pay period to pay period. The name and Social Security number on file with your employer or benefits provider must match your GO2bank account exactly or we will decline your deposit.
7. Varo Bank Account
No Monthly Account Fees or Minimums
The Varo Bank Account is an easy-to-use online checking account with no monthly banking fees and no minimum deposit or balance requirements. Its core benefits include:
- Qualify for early direct deposit if your payer files to the Federal Reserve to begin the payment process^
- Fee-free withdrawals at more than 55,000 Allpoint ATMs
- Qualify for paycheck cash advance up to $100* with one simple fee and no APR
- Get up to 15% cashback with Perks**
- Take the opportunity to apply for a secured credit card (Varo Believe) to help build credit
^ Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing of the payer’s submission of deposits. Varo generally posts such deposits on the day they’re received, which may be up to two days earlier than the payer’s scheduled payment date.
*Upon qualification, you will have access to a $20 Advance. Once you successfully repay, you may qualify for more.
**Individual offers may vary. 15% cashback available on specific items or services purchased in app. The maximum Cashback that can be earned is fifty dollars ($50 USD) per calendar month. Check the Varo Perks tab for more info and current deals.
Bank Account Services provided by Varo Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Visa® Debit Card is issued by Varo Bank, N.A. pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc and may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.
8. HSBC Premier
An HSBC Premier account comes with the following features:
- Free International account opening and portable credit history
- No fees* for Global Transfers between eligible HSBC accounts worldwide
- Convert, hold and send money abroad with no transfer fees* with our Global Money account
- No foreign transaction fees* using your Premier debit or credit card
- No U.S. HSBC ATM fees* worldwide
An HSBC Premier checking account has a $50 monthly maintenance fee* that can be waived if you fulfill any of the following:
- Maintain balances of $75,000 in combined U.S. consumer and qualifying commercial U.S. Dollar deposit and investment accounts
- Have monthly recurring direct deposits totaling at least $5,000 from a third party to an HSBC Premier checking account(s)
- Have an HSBC U.S. residential mortgage loan with an original loan amount of at least $500,000, not an aggregate of multiple mortgages. Home Equity products are not included.
9. TD Complete Checking
Enjoy a Generous Account Opening Bonus Worth $200
If you’re not able to swing $5,000 in monthly direct deposits or consistently meet a $2,500 minimum balance requirement for the TD Beyond Checking offer, opt for TD Complete Checking instead.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: You need to maintain a $100 minimum daily balance to avoid the $15 monthly maintenance fee. The monthly maintenance fee for students and young adults ages 17 to 23 is always waived, regardless of account balance.
- Account Opening Bonus: Earn $200 when you receive direct deposits totaling $500 or more within 60 days.
- Yield: None.
- Rewards and Incentives: TD Complete Checking customers enjoy the same rate discount opportunities as TD Beyond Checking customers. TD ATM access is free.
- Possible Fees: Check TD Bank’s account guide for a full, up-to-date list of potential account fees.
Like Beyond Checking, this account is available to residents of the following states only:
- Connecticut, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia
To qualify for this offer, you must be a U.S. resident and apply for the offer online.
10. PNC Virtual Wallet®
Earn an Account Opening Bonus Worth Up to $400 With Qualifying Activities
PNC Virtual Wallet® is a 3-in-1 solution that combines a checking account (Spend) for day-to-day spending, a short-term checking bucket (Reserve), and a longer-term savings account (Growth). For a limited time, new account holders can take advantage of an account opening bonus worth up to $400 after completing qualifying activities.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: The minimum deposit for an account opened is $0.
- Account Opening Bonus: Open a new Virtual Wallet and establish direct deposit(s) totaling $500 or more to the Spend account to earn a $100 bonus. Open a new Virtual Wallet with Performance Spend and establish direct deposit(s) totaling $2,000 or more to the Spend account to earn a $200 bonus. Or, open a new Virtual Wallet with Performance Select and establish direct deposit(s) totaling $5,000 or more to earn a $400 bonus. Your account must be open by Apr. 30, 2024, to qualify. Other terms and restrictions apply.
- Yield: See terms for the latest yields on Reserve and Growth balances.
- Rewards and Incentives: Get up to 2 PNC fee reimbursements each statement cycle on domestic or international non-PNC ATM transactions, plus up to $10 in monthly reimbursements of other institutions’ ATM fees.
11. SoFi Checking and Savings
Virtually No Fees; Get Paid Up to 2 Days Early With Direct deposit
SoFi Checking and Savings is a virtually fee-free deposit account. Its account opening bonus earns its keep as one of the best new bank promotions around.
And, if you have good credit and you’re shopping around for an affordable loan, don’t miss SoFi’s extensive credit product lineup: student loan refinancing, personal loans, home loans, and more.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: None.
- Account Opening Bonus: Earn a bonus worth up to $250 when you open an account and complete qualifying activities.
- Yield: Earn up to 4.60% APY*.
- Rewards and Incentives: SoFi members enjoy rate discounts on SoFi loans, free P2P transfers, customized financial planning, and exclusive offers from SoFi partners. SoFi also has a referral program that pays up to $310 per successful referral. Plus, enjoy no-fee overdraft coverage.
- Possible Fees: Virtually none. See SoFi’s account disclosures for more details.
*SoFi members with direct deposit or who deposit $5,000 or more every 30 days can earn up to 4.60% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum direct deposit amount required to qualify for the 4.60% APY for savings. Members without direct deposit will earn up to 1.20% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 8/2/2023. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
12. Wealthfront Cash Account
Earn Up to 5.00% APY, Depending on Balance Tier
Wealthfront bolsters its highly regarded investment management services with a best-in-class checking account known as the Cash Account.
With a very low minimum opening deposit, a high yield on all balances, no account fees, and lots of value-added features — including Self-Driving Money™, one of the most powerful money management automation tools available to U.S. consumers — it’s an ideal choice for your everyday money management needs.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: The minimum opening deposit is $1. There’s no ongoing maintenance fee.
- Yield: Currently 5.00% APY on all balances.
- Account Opening Bonus: For a limited time, get $30 bonus cash when you open a Wealthfront Cash Account and fund your new account with at least $500 in new money. Terms apply. Open your account here.
- Rewards and Incentives: Get paid up to two days early with direct deposit and use the handy mobile check deposit feature for paper checks. Plus, put deposits to work in the market within minutes when you use your Cash Account to invest in a Wealthfront Investment Account. Enjoy FDIC insurance on balances up to $8 million (compared with standard coverage that tops out at $250,000) and free in-network ATM access. You can pay friends with apps like Cash App, Venmo, PayPal, and others too.
- Possible Fees: Wealthfront is known for low fees. Notably, it doesn’t charge any account fees or overdraft fees. See disclosures for a complete accounting of possible fees.
13. Betterment Checking Account
Earn 4.35% APY (Variable) With Betterment Cash Reserve
Backed by Betterment, a pioneering robo-advisor and leading innovator in the digital investing space, Betterment Checking is a mobile-first banking experience with no account minimums and virtually no fees.
As an account holder, you enjoy access to a potentially generous rewards program (Betterment Cash Back Rewards) and unlimited automatic ATM fee reimbursements at all Visa-accepting machines worldwide.
Boost your return on excess cash by linking your Betterment Checking account to an interest-bearing Betterment Cash Reserve cash management account and utilizing Betterment’s Two Way Sweep feature to execute transfers without even thinking about them.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: There’s no minimum opening deposit and no minimum daily balance.
- Account Opening Bonus: None.
- Yield: None, but the Betterment Cash Reserve cash management account earns 4.35% APY (variable) on all balances (subject to the $10 minimum deposit requirement).
- Rewards and Incentives: Enjoy potentially generous rewards with select partner merchants through Betterment Cash Back Rewards. Plus, get automatic ATM transaction fee reimbursements at nearly 3 million Visa-accepting machines worldwide, plus unlimited reimbursement of Visa’s 1% foreign transaction fee on all international transactions and purchases.
- Possible Fees: See Betterment’s website for a complete list of possible fees.
14. Umpqua Bank Embark Checking
Get Up to $10 in ATM Fee Reimbursements Each Cycle
The Embark Checking account from Umpqua Bank offers a potentially valuable two-for-one deal.
Make at least one transfer from your Embark Checking account into your Grow Savings account in a statement cycle to waive the savings account’s maintenance fee while growing your money much faster than a traditional checking account can.
In the meantime, enjoy no monthly maintenance fees and very low initial deposit requirements. Keep at least $2,500 in your account to qualify for $10 in monthly ATM rebates.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: You need $25 to open an Embark Checking account. There’s no minimum daily balance requirement thereafter, but you must maintain an average daily balance of at least $2,500 to qualify for $10 in ATM reimbursements each month.
- Account Opening Bonus: None.
- Yield: None.
- Rewards and Incentives: Umpqua Bank reimburses the first $10 in ATM fees each month when you maintain an average minimum daily balance of $2,500 during the period. The Go-To app provides on-the-go financial advice from your mobile device and offers unlimited reimbursements for all U.S. ATM fees. And you enjoy a complimentary Grow Savings account (with no monthly maintenance charge) when you complete at least one qualifying monthly transfer from your Embark Checking account.
- Possible Fees: Stop payment, paper statements, dormant account.
15. LendingClub Bank Rewards Checking
Earn Unlimited 1% Cash Back
The Rewards Checking account from LendingClub Bank offers an unlimited 1% cash-back reward on online and signature-based debit card transactions and moderate yields for high-balance accounts.
The catch: LendingClub Bank requires a minimum account balance of $2,500 or at least $2,500 in qualifying direct deposits each month to be eligible for cash back.
But Rewards Checking has no hidden fees and offers the opportunity to receive direct deposits up to two days early (depending on the policies of your payer and their bank).
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: After the $100 minimum opening deposit, there’s no minimum daily balance requirement.
- Account Opening Bonus: None.
- Yield: Earn a decent APY on eligible balances APY increases for higher balances.
- Rewards and Incentives: Earn unlimited 1% cash back on online and signature-based debit card transactions (when you select “credit” at the point of sale). To qualify for rewards, you must do one of the following: receive direct deposit into your account from a qualifying source of income (usually an employer or government benefits provider) totaling $2,500 or more or maintain an average balance of $2,500 or more in your Rewards Checking account. Separately, you can receive direct deposits up to two days early.
- Possible Fees: See LendingClub Bank’s terms and conditions for details about possible account fees.
16. Ally Bank Interest Checking
Earn Up to Yield: Earn 0.25% APY on Qualifying Balances
The Ally Bank Interest Checking account is a fee-free online checking account with no minimums, no maintenance fee, and solid yields on all balances.
An unusually customer-friendly mix of account features, including the option to open accounts in the name of a trust, no overdraft fees (ever), and an automatic round-up feature that can increase your savings rate with no action required, makes this one of the better checking accounts around.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: Ally Bank does not require a minimum opening deposit or ongoing balance.
- Account Opening Bonus: None.
- Yield: Earn 0.10% APY on balances up to $15,000 and 0.25% APY on balances above $15,000. Ally Bank uses the minimum daily balance method to calculate account balances.
- Rewards and Incentives: Ally Interest Checking boasts fee-free mobile check deposits, fee-free access to more than 40,000 Allpoint ATMs, and a free feature that automatically rounds checking transactions to the next dollar and deposits the difference in your savings account. Ally Bank also issues a credit card that may be of interest to customers looking for better rewards than a debit card can provide (assuming their credit scores qualify).
- Possible Fees: Ally Bank charges few fees and never levies a monthly maintenance fee or fee for ACH transfers (wire transfers may incur fees). See terms and conditions for a full accounting of possible fees.
17. Alliant Credit Union High-Rate Checking
Solid Returns on Qualifying Balances
The Alliant Credit Union High-Rate Checking account is another maintenance-fee-free online checking account with an above-average yield and a slew of customer-friendly benefits, including up to $20 in monthly ATM rebates, 80,000 fee-free ATMs, mobile check deposit, and free optional overdraft protection.
Alliant accounts are compatible with major mobile payment apps (including Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo) and come with a contactless Visa debit card too.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: Alliant doesn’t require a minimum opening deposit or ongoing balance.
- Account Opening Bonus: None, though the Alliant Ultimate Opportunity Savings account may offer bonus opportunities to new customers.
- Yield: Earn an above-average APY (subject to change) on eligible balances when you opt in to eStatements and make at least one deposit per month.
- Rewards and Incentives: Enjoy fee-free mobile check deposits, fee-free access to more than 80,000 ATMs, and fee-free overdraft protection when you opt in.
- Possible Fees: There’s a $25 fee for each NSF transaction or a $28 fee per occurrence if Alliant chooses to honor the charge (Courtesy Pay).
18. Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking (Charles Schwab)
Earn Interest on All Balances
With only a nominal yield, it’s a bit of a stretch to call the Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking product a true high-yield checking account.
Then again, something is better than nothing, and Schwab does pay interest on all High Yield Investor Checking balances with no minimum balance or transaction requirements.
This account has some additional perks for travelers that deserve mention. Account holders enjoy unlimited ATM fee reimbursements worldwide and never pay foreign transaction fees, for example, though currency exchange costs still apply.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements: There’s no ongoing balance or transaction requirement.
- Account Opening Bonus: None.
- Yield: This account offers a nominal yield on all balances.
- Rewards and Incentives: Enjoy unlimited ATM fee reimbursements worldwide and no foreign transaction fees.
- Possible Fees: See terms for a complete list of possible fees.
Final Word
There’s no law against having two checking accounts (or more) at more than one bank or credit union. If you simply can’t choose between the options on this list, why not spread your liquid funds among those that seem best suited to your needs?
Editorial Disclosure: This content is not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the bank advertiser, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. This site may be compensated through the bank advertiser Affiliate Program.
