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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.
close up of hands signing a check
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.

Checking

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

Mark Hamrick

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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.
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.
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.
Person looking at smartphone
The best account to save your money will vary by your goal.
A woman and daughter work together
A savings account can be a great tool to teach your child about money. Here are a few of our favorites.
Mature woman helps her daughter study for exam
High-yield savings rates fluctuate over time. Let’s explore what causes that.
woman, using laptop while working from home
The top high-yield savings accounts are currently earning APYs of 5 percent and greater.
A woman holds a phone at an office
Savers can stash their cash in a brokerage these days to rack up returns.
Man watering plants
Interest is the price you pay to borrow money or the cost you charge to lend money.
Daughter and father using mobile phone
Several banks continue to offer savings accounts well above 4 percent APY.
Design element with Jerome Powell
Bankrate’s experts are reacting live to the Fed’s latest interest rate decision.
Jerome Powell, chair of the US Federal Reserve, during a news conference following a Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting.
The Fed has now gone six months without cutting interest rates.
Fed Chair Powell Holds News Conference Following FOMC Rate Decision
This Fed communication tool is important, but be cautious when interpreting it.
Business colleagues having a conversation
These options are great places to stash money from a bonus, inheritance and more.
Person depositing a check online with a phone
Your money doesn’t just sit in the bank. Here’s what it’s been up to.
An image depicting parents and a small child sitting at a table with an open laptop, papers, and a calculator sitting on top of it. There is a large compass behind the parents and an arrow pointed to the upper right of the image.
High tariffs will make it harder for parents to afford the necessities — but don’t panic.
Older man with glasses sits on a couch next to a younger woman with curly hair. They are looking at official paperwork on a coffee table that also contains a calculator. There is an image of a large compass behind their heads and an blue arrow pointing from lower left to upper right.
Economic uncertainty is making it harder for low-income Americans save.
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