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Maximize your checking: Compare high-yield checking accounts, no-fee checking accounts and more.

Explore checking basics

A woman uses mobile banking while eating.
From no fees to online bill pay, here are the must-have checking account features.
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If you overdraw your account frequently, then overdraft protection could be a good way to avoid hefty overdraft fees.
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Checks aren’t as ubiquitous as they once were, but you may still have to write one.

Get started with a checking account

Checking

Types of checking accounts

Whether you’re making payments online, using a debit card, or writing a physical check, a checking account is a necessity for most people. Here are some of the most-widely available types of checking accounts offered at banks and credit unions.

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Checking

Available balance vs. current balance

Learn about the two separate balances you may see when looking at your bank account.

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Checking account fees

Learn about the different kinds of checking account fees and what you can do to avoid them.

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Checking

Bank account alerts to protect your money

Explore the types of bank account alerts you can set up to help you stay informed about your finances whenever and wherever you are.

 

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Experts in all things banking

Our expert reporters and editors bring the news and analysis you need—backed by data and firsthand experience.

About Bankrate
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Stephen Kates, CFP Arrow Right Icon

Bankrate Financial Analyst

Sarah Foster

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Principal U.S. Economy Reporter

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Senior Economic Analyst

Latest articles

Young woman withdrawing money using phone at the ATM machine on the street in Budapest in Hungary.
Here are simple steps to take to avoid paying checking account fees.
close up of hands writing a check
Consumers without a bank account face hurdles when trying to cash a check.
This old-school way of paying is still in demand. Here’s everything you need to know.
A young man uses an ATM.
Over time, ATM fees have climbed. Here’s what you need to know.
Young Woman Checking Her Finances At Home
Finding the account number on a check is easy — if you know where to look.
close up of hands signing a check
Checks aren’t as ubiquitous as they once were, but you may still have to write one.
Young woman using the ATM
Knowing your ATM withdrawal limits can make a sudden need for cash easier to handle.
Illustration of an old-fashioned alarm bell ringing , hovering over a cell phone.
Mobile apps make managing your money a snap and mobile alerts can help protect it.
female soldier and her husband use a banking app to check the state of their finances
Savings APYs remain high as the Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady.
A pink piggy bank being held by a robotic/animatronic hand.
Banks have been loudly touting their multi-billion-dollar investments in artificial intelligence as a breakthrough for consumers. CEOs speak at conferences about AI-powered personalization. Marketing departments [...]
Rainy day and emergency funds differ but together provide a sound financial plan.
Daughter and father using mobile phone
Several banks continue to offer savings accounts well above 4 percent APY.
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These options are great places to stash money from a bonus, inheritance and more.
Man using tablet in coffee shop
Inflation can eat away at your purchasing power, if you’re not keeping up with it.
A man works on his laptop.
Several banks are offering high-yield savings accounts well above 4 percent APY.
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More than half of Americans also say the U.S. economy is on the wrong track.
Illustrated by Bankrate
Big banks pay just 0.01% APY while online banks offer 4% or more. Your $10,000 could earn over $800 more over two years.
Woman watering plants.
Check out the latest CD rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of banks and thrifts.
Whimsical illustration of a hand putting a quarter into a miniature but realistic high end safe. As if it were a piggy bank
Comparing savings rates can ensure you get the best return on your savings.
Young woman withdrawing money using phone at the ATM machine on the street in Budapest in Hungary.
Here are simple steps to take to avoid paying checking account fees.
Someone cutting a stack of cash with scissors
In this era of no-fee banking, pesky fees still exist. Here’s how to avoid them.
Young woman walking on the street
Here’s what other banks have to offer that you might be missing out on at yours.
close up of hands writing a check
Consumers without a bank account face hurdles when trying to cash a check.
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