Checking account fees: What they are and how to avoid them

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Matthew Goldberg,

Edited by

Rhys Subitch,

Reviewed by

Thomas Brock, CFA, CPA,

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Published on August 31, 2026 | 5 min read

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Young woman withdrawing money using phone at the ATM machine on the street in Budapest in Hungary.

Key takeaways

The average overdraft fee runs around $25 to $30, and roughly 9 in 10 checking accounts still charge one, per Bankrate’s Checking and ATM fee study.
Out-of-network ATM fees have climbed toward $5 per transaction on average, hitting new highs in recent years.
About half of noninterest checking accounts charge no monthly maintenance fee at all, and nearly all of the rest can waive it by meeting a requirement like direct deposit.
Most checking fees are avoidable: set up balance alerts, meet direct deposit or minimum balance requirements or choose an online bank or credit union, which typically charge fewer fees than traditional banks.

Checking account fees may be charged by banks when customers make certain transactions or fail to maintain a set minimum balance. These fees can add up quickly, but fortunately many of them are avoidable.

Common checking account fees to watch out for include overdraft fees, ATM fees and monthly service fees. Brush up on the average amount banks charge for each and the best ways to avoid paying them before opening your next account.

A rule that would have capped many overdraft fees at $5 never took effect. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized the rule, applying to banks and credit unions with more than $10 billion in assets and set to start Oct. 1, 2025. But in May 2025, Congress repealed it and President Trump signed that repeal into law — so banks remain free to set their own overdraft fees.

Common checking account fees

Beyond overdraft, NSF, ATM and monthly maintenance fees, checking accounts can carry a handful of other charges depending on your bank and how you use your account. Here’s a look at some of the most common ones.

Fee	What triggers it	Typical cost
Overdraft fee	The bank covers a transaction that would otherwise have overdrawn your account	$25 to $30
NSF fee	Your bank declines a transaction — such as a check — when you don’t have enough funds, and you’re still charged a fee	$15 to $20
Out-of-network ATM fee	You use an ATM that’s not in your bank’s network	$5 (surcharge levied by ATM-operating banks, plus the fee sometimes charged by one’s own bank)
Monthly maintenance fee	Charged (by some banks) for providing customers with an account	$5 to $20
Stop payment fee	Asking your bank to cancel a check or preauthorized payment before it processes	$20 to $35
Paper statement fee	Receiving printed statements instead of e-statements	$1 to $5 per month
Outgoing wire transfer fee	Sending a domestic wire transfer	$25 to $30
Outgoing international wire transfer fee	Sending a wire transfer to a bank outside the U.S.	$40 to $50 or more
Dormancy/inactivity fee	No deposits or withdrawals for several months to a year, depending on the bank	$5 to $25
Early account closure fee	Closing an account within 90 to 180 days of opening it	$5 to $50
Foreign transaction fee	Using a debit card for a purchase or withdrawal in a foreign currency	About 3% of the transaction

Most of these fees can be avoided or waived — by banking online instead of in a branch, opting for e-statements, using ACH transfers or apps like Zelle instead of wires and keeping accounts active.

What are overdraft and NSF fees and how can you avoid them?

Overdraft and nonsufficient funds (NSF) fees are among the most expensive bank charges you’ll encounter. Banks charge an overdraft fee when they cover a transaction that would otherwise overdraw your account; they charge an NSF fee instead when they deny the transaction, leaving the payment unpaid.

Overdraft fees typically run around $25 to $30, while NSF fees generally fall in the $15 to $20 range and have been trending down in recent years, according to Bankrate’s Checking and ATM fee studies. Despite pressure from consumer advocates, roughly 9 in 10 bank accounts still charge overdraft fees.

Ways to avoid these fees:

Set up low-balance alerts. A notification when your balance drops below a set amount can help you avoid an accidental overdraft.
Check your balance before you spend. Your bank app helps, but also be aware of transactions that haven’t posted yet, like an upcoming subscription charge.
Choose a bank that doesn’t charge overdraft fees. Examples include Capital One, Ally Bank and Alliant Credit Union.
Consider overdraft protection. Linking a savings account or line of credit to cover shortfalls sometimes carries its own fee, but it’s usually less than an overdraft fee.

Federal rules let you opt out of overdraft coverage on debit card transactions — some people prefer a declined card to a string of overdraft fees.

Looking for checking accounts without overdraft fees? Check out Bankrate’s guide to the best checking accounts to find banks that won’t charge you for accidental overdrafts.

How much do ATM fees cost?

Using an ATM outside of your bank’s network could cost you both a surcharge from the ATM owner and a fee from your own financial institution. The average total cost for using an out-of-network ATM has climbed toward $5 per transaction in recent years, according to Bankrate’s Checking and ATM fee study — a record high for the study’s history.

Locate and use an in-network ATM. Many mobile banking apps have ATM locators that can help you find a nearby fee-free ATM.
Get cash back at the register. As an alternative to an ATM, get cash back when you make a purchase at a drugstore, grocery store or other retailer.
Consider banks with ATM fee reimbursement. Many online banks and some traditional banks will reimburse you for a certain number of out-of-network ATM fees each month. Check Bankrate’s list of banks that reimburse ATM fees to find the best options.

What are monthly service fees and how can you get them waived?

Service or maintenance fees are usually billed monthly, and many banks waive them if you meet certain conditions, such as keeping a minimum balance. Among noninterest checking accounts that charge this fee, the average cost typically falls in the $5 to $15 range.

Chase Total Checking, for example, charges $15 a month — but that’s waived if you have $500 or more in qualifying electronic deposits each statement period, keep a $1,500 minimum daily balance, maintain a $5,000 average balance across linked accounts or link the checking account to another qualifying Chase account.

Nearly half of noninterest checking accounts don’t have a monthly maintenance fee, according to Bankrate’s survey. Consider exploring Bankrate’s best free checking accounts that have no monthly fees regardless of balance or activity.

Here are some ways to avoid monthly service fees:

Find a bank that doesn’t charge them. Online banks are a good place to start.
Meet direct deposit requirements. Some banks waive the fee if you receive a qualifying direct deposit each statement cycle.
Use your debit card regularly. Some banks waive the fee if you make a minimum number of debit card purchases each cycle.

What are other checking fees to watch out for?

Beyond overdraft, ATM and monthly maintenance charges, checking accounts can carry several other fees depending on how you use the account. Here’s what triggers each and how to sidestep it:

Stop payment fees. Charged when you ask your bank to cancel a check or preauthorized payment before it processes, typically $20 to $35 . Confirm the payment hasn’t already cleared before requesting a stop, so you don’t pay for one you didn’t need.
Paper statement fees. Some banks charge $1 to $5 per month a month for mailed statements. Switching to e-statements eliminates this fee entirely.
Wire transfer fees. Outgoing domestic wires generally run $25 to $30, and international wires can cost $40 to $50 or more. ACH transfers or apps like Zelle are free alternatives for smaller amounts.
Dormancy or inactivity fees. Some banks charge $5 to $25 if an account sits untouched for several months to a year. A small periodic transfer or automatic bill payment keeps the account active.
Early account closure fees. Closing an account within 90 to 180 days of opening it can trigger a $5 to $50 fee. Check the account terms before opening if there’s a chance you’ll close it soon.
Foreign transaction fees. Using a debit card abroad typically adds about 3% to each purchase or withdrawal. Some travel-focused accounts and cards waive this fee.

Why are some checking account fees increasing?

Fees tend to rise just like the cost of other goods and services. Like any business, a bank may try to generate revenue through fee increases — particularly when profits from lending are tighter.

According to the FDIC’s Quarterly Banking Profile, banks collected more than $9.3 billion in service charges on deposit accounts in the second quarter of 2026, up from about $8.7 billion a year earlier. Higher monthly maintenance fees, higher balances required to avoid them, and rising ATM fees are ways bank customers may feel this shift.

The best checking accounts don’t charge maintenance fees or require a minimum balance. In all, 95% of noninterest checking accounts either don’t charge a fee or have one that’s easy to avoid, such as by meeting a direct deposit requirement.