Free checking accounts in top U.S. markets
By Bankrate.com

Bankrate.com's Spring 2003 Checking Study evaluated 1,232 checking accounts offered by 350 financial institutions in the nation's 35 biggest metropolitan areas.

Of those accounts, 134 (11 percent) are free. That's up from 127 accounts in the fall 2003 study and up from just 110 accounts a year before that.

Bankrate.com's definition of a free checking account is no monthly service charges or per-item fees regardless of balance or activity. An example of a per-item fee would be a charge for writing a check. Most institutions that impose such charges allow a customer to write a certain number of free checks each month before the fee kicks in.

The following chart lists the 133 checking accounts that qualified as free by our definition:

Atlanta | Baltimore | Boston | Buffalo | Charlotte | Chicago | Cincinnati | Cleveland | Columbus | Dallas | Denver | District of Columbia | Detroit | Houston | Indianapolis | Kansas City | Los Angeles | Miami | Milwaukee | Minneapolis | New Orleans | New York | Orlando | Philadelphia | Pittsburgh | Portland, Ore. | Sacramento | San Antonio | San Diego | San Francisco | Seattle | St. Louis | Tampa

Atlanta	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Atlantic States Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$30.00	NO
Fidelity Natl Bank	No Fee Checking w/Direct Deposit	None	$100	$28.00	YES
Wachovia Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$30.00	YES
Baltimore	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Allfirst Bank	Direct Deposit Checking	None	$25	$31.00	YES
Eastern Savings Bank	Zero-Balance Checking	None	$50	$25.00	YES
Leeds Federal Savings Bank	Free Checking	0.50%	$50	$20.00	YES
Mercantile Safe Deposit	Direct Deposit Checking	None	$100	$30.00	YES
Provident Bank of MD	Totally Free Checking	None	$25	$30.00	YES
Boston	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
CambridgePort Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$25.00	NO
Century Bank	Free Checking	None	$1	$25.00	YES
Eastern Bank	Free Checking	None	$10	$25.00	YES
Sovereign Bank	Totally FREE Checking	None	$10	$25.00	YES
Buffalo	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Charter One Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	$29.50	YES
Charter One Bank	VIP Checking	0.50%	$50	$29.50	YES
Charlotte	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Central Carolina Bank	Self Service Checking	None	$100	$30.00	YES
Citizens South Bank	Spirit Checking	None	$50	$24.00	YES
First Charter	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	$30.00	YES
First Charter	Direct Free Int Checking	0.15%	$50	$30.00	YES
First-Citizens Bank	Free Checking Account	None	$50	$30.00	NO
Chicago	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
BankFinancial	Totally Free Checking	None	$1,000	$25.00	YES
Fifth Third Bank	e53 Checking	0.50%	$1,500	$29.00	YES
Fifth Third Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	$29.00	YES
Mid America Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	$28.00	YES
Mid America Bank	Automatic Interest Checking	0.50%	$50	$28.00	YES
Cincinnati	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Fifth Third Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	$29.00	YES
Fifth Third Bank, N. Ky	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	$29.00	YES
Guardian Savings Bank	Free Checking	None	$25	$27.50	YES
People's Community Bank	Now Checking	1.00%	$100	$20.00	NO
The Huntington Natl Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$29.50	YES
The Provident Bank	Direct Access Checking	None	$50	$27.50	YES
The Provident Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$27.50	YES
Union Savings Bank	Free Checking	None	$100	$27.50	YES
Cleveland	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Charter One Bank	VIP Checking	0.50%	$50	$29.50	YES
Dollar  Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$30.00	YES
Fifth Third Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	$29.00	YES
Fifth Third Bank	e53 Checking	0.50%	$1,500	$29.00	YES
National City Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$26.00	YES
Ohio Savings Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	$27.00	YES
The Huntington Natl Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$29.50	YES
Columbus	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Fairfield FS&LA	Free Checking	None	$100	$20.00	YES
Fifth Third Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	$29.00	YES
Union Savings Bank	Free Checking	None	$100	$27.50	YES
Fifth Third Bank	e53 Checking	None	$1,500	$29.00	YES
National City Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$26.00	NO
Ohio Savings Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	27.00	YES
The Huntington Natl Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$29.50	YES
Dallas	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Guaranty Bank	Guaranty Free Checking	None	$100	$25.00	YES
Washington Mutual Bank	Free Checking	None	$1	$25.00	YES
DC Metro	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Equitable Bank	Free Checking	None	$1	$29.00	YES
Denver	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
FirstBank of CO	Check-Us-Out Checking	None	$1	$19.00	YES
Guaranty B&TC	Personal Free Checking	None	$1	$20.00	YES
Liberty Savings Bank	Free Checking	None	$100	$26.00	YES
Vectra Bank, CO	Free Checking	None	$100	$20.00	YES
Detroit	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Community Plus Savings Bank	Draft Account	None	$1	$20.00	YES
Dearborn FSB	Community Checking	None	$200	$15.00	NO
National City Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$26.00	NO
Houston	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Coastal Banc	Free Checking	None	$100	$27.50	YES
Guaranty Bank	Guaranty Free Checking	None	$100	$25.00	YES
Southwest Bank of TX	Totally FREE Checking	None	$50	$27.50	YES
Southwest Bank of TX	VIP Free Int. Checking	0.20%	$50	$27.50	YES
Washington Mutual Bank	Free Checking	None	$1	$25.00	YES
Indianapolis	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Fifth Third Bank	e53 Checking	0.25%	$1,500	$29.00	YES
Fifth Third Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	$29.00	YES
First Indiana Bank	Free Checking	None	$25	$29.00	YES
Lincoln FSB	Free Checking	None	$50	$25.00	NO
National City Bank of IN	Free Checking	None	$50	$26.00	NO
The Huntington Natl Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$29.50	YES
Union Fed Savings	Completely Free Checking	None	$50	$29.00	YES
Union Fed Savings	VIP Free Interest Checking	1.00%	$50	$29.00	YES
Union Planters Bank	UP Really Free Checking	None	$100	$29.00	YES
Kansas City	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Capitol Fed Savings	Freedom Blue	None	$100	$25.00	YES
Commerce Bank	Connections Checking	None	$100	$15.00	NO
First Federal Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$10	$20.00	YES
First Federal Bank	First Interest VIP Checking	0.50%	$50	$20.00	YES
First Natl Bank of Kansas	Absolutely Free Checking	0.25%	$1000	$25.00	YES
Los Angeles	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Downey S&LA	Freedom Checking	None	$50	$20.00	YES
IndyMac Bank, FSB	Value Checking	None	$100	$19.00	YES
Union Bank	Direct Banking	None	$100	$15.00	YES
Washington Mutual Bank	Free Checking	None	$1	$21.00	YES
Miami	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
AmTrust Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	$30.00	YES
BankUnited	Signature Free Checking	None	$50	$29.00	YES
Union Planters Bank	Really Free Checking	None	$100	$29.00	YES
Washington Mutual Bank	Free Checking	None	$1	$29.00	YES
Milwaukee	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Guaranty Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	$27.00	YES
North Shore Bank	Free Checking	None	$100	$28.00	NO
St Francis Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$25	$30.00	YES
Minneapolis	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
American Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$25.00	YES
Inter Savings Bank	Free Value	None	$100	$25.00	YES
TCF Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$100	$30.00	YES
TCF Bank	VIP Checking	0.10%	$100	$30.00	YES
New Orleans	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
AmSouth Bank	Absolutely Free Checking	None	$50	$27.00	YES
Hibernia Natl Bank	VIP Free Checking	0.25%	$50	$28.00	YES
Hibernia Natl Bank	Completely Free Checking	None	$50	$28.00	YES
New York	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
GreenPoint Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$30.00	YES
GreenPoint Bank	Direct Checking w/ Interest	0.75%	$50	$30.00	YES
NY Community Bank	Positively Free  Checking	None	$50	$30.00	YES
Washington Mutual Bank	Free CheChecking	None	$1	$30.00	YES
Orlando	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
AmSouth Bank	Absolutely Free Checking	None	$50	$30.00	YES
Federal Trust Bank	Advantage Checking	None	$100	$25.00	YES
Washington Mutual Bank	Free Checking	None	$1	$29.00	YES
Philadelphia	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Farmers & Mechanics	Free Personal Checking	None	$5	$22.00	YES
Firstrust	First Check Direct	None	$100	$32.00	YES
Sovereign Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$10	$25.00	YES
Pittsburgh	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Dollar  Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$30.00	YES
First Commonwealth Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	$20.00	YES
First Commonwealth Bank	Convience Free Plus Int. Checking	0.25%	$50	$20.00	YES
First Nat'l Bank of PA	Premier Checking	0.25%	$100	$33.00	YES
First Nat'l Bank of PA	Free Checking	None	$100	$33.00	YES
National City Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$29.00	NO
Parkvale Svg Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$32.00	YES
Sky Bank	Free Checking	None	$50	$30.00	NO
Portland, Ore.	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Washington Mutual Bank	Free Checking	None	$1	$22.00	YES
Sacramento	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Washington Mutual Bank	Free Checking	None	$1	$21.00	YES
San Antonio	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
USAA FSB	Four Star Checking	0.25%	$1000	$25.00	YES
Washington Mutual Bank	Free Checking	None	$1	$25.00	YES
San Diego	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Downey S&LA	Freedom Checking	None	$50	$20.00	YES
La Jolla Bank	Premier Checking	2.00%	$1000	$15.00	YES
Union Bank	Direct Banking	None	$100	$15.00	YES
Washington Mutual Bank	Free Checking	None	$1	$21.00	YES
San Francisco	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Union Bank	Direct Banking	None	$100	$15.00	YES
Washington Mutual Bank	Free Checking	None	$1	$20.00	YES
Seattle	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
First Mutual Bank	Free Checking	None	$100	$22.00	YES
HomeStreet Bank	VIP Free Interest Checking	1.00%	$50	$20.00	YES
HomeStreet Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	$20.00	YES
Washington Mutual Bank	Free Checking	None	$1	$22.00	YES
St. Louis	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
Allegiant Bank	Free Checking	None	$100	$15.00	YES
Commerce Bank	Connections Checking	None	$100	$15.00	NO
First Bank	Free Checking	None	$100	$20.00	YES
Heartland  Bank	Heartland Direct Checking	None	$100	$20.00	YES
Pulaski Bank	VIP Free Int Checking	0.25%	$50	16.00	YES
Pulaski Bank	Totally Free Checking	None	$50	16.00	YES
Union Planters Bank	UP Really Free Checking	None	$100	$29.00	YES
Tampa	Account name	Yield	Min to open	NSF	Overdraft protection offered?
AmSouth Bank	Absolutely Free Checking	None	$50	$30.00	YES

-- Posted: April 10, 2003