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

Explore checking basics

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Here are some key factors to consider when searching for the best checking account.
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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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About Bankrate
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Bankrate Financial Analyst

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Principal U.S. Economy Reporter

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Senior Economic Analyst

Latest articles

Spend money, pay bills, write checks or make fund transfers with a checking account.
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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 withdrawing money using phone at the ATM machine on the street in Budapest in Hungary.
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close up of hands writing a check
Consumers without a bank account face hurdles when trying to cash a check.
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Knowing your ATM withdrawal limits can make a sudden need for cash easier to handle.
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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.
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The best account to save your money will vary by your goal.
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High-yield savings rates fluctuate over time. Let’s explore what causes that.
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Interest is the price you pay to borrow money or the cost you charge to lend money.
Woman online banking with a tablet
How Reg. D impacts your savings account and why it pays to check with your bank.
woman depositing a check on her phone
There are several ways to deposit a check — some are simpler than others.
Person reading credit card statement
Here are easy actions you can take to avoid the fee of get it waived.
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How many bank accounts are too many? Use the rule of two hours to find out.
A young woman is in the living room, she is using a laptop and credit card
Stop wasting time writing checks. Learn the faster, safer way to pay.
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Events over the past half-century have helped to bolster women’s financial rights.
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If you’re one of the 80 million Chase Bank customers, chances are you already know of many benefits to banking with the largest banks in the U.S.: cardless ATM access, a robust mobile app and overdraft [...]
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You can invest in a CD. You don’t technically invest in an IRA. Here’s what else to know.
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