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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.
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

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Senior Economic Analyst

Latest articles

Spend money, pay bills, write checks or make fund transfers with a checking account.
Family looking at their finances.
Early access to direct deposited funds can make managing your budget a bit easier.
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.
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 using the ATM
Knowing your ATM withdrawal limits can make a sudden need for cash easier to handle.
An image of a pink piggy bank standing on top of a green and white striped rocket with smoke coming out of the end of the rocket.
Here’s everything you need to know about high-yield savings accounts.
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.
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.
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.
Man watering plants
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.
Image by GettyImages, Illustrated by Bankrate
The APY percentage shows how much an account earns per year. Here’s what you need to know.
Coworkers discussing a project
Here’s how to find the credit union that will best fit with your financial needs.
Person writing on a piece of paper
Here’s how to determine the amount to put in savings — and what to do with the rest.
You can’t take it with you, so what happens to your bank account after you pass on?
A majority (81%) of Americans did not increase their emergency savings this year
Here’s how to boost your savings.
Person frowning at a laptop screen with illustration of money in background
Sometimes paying an early withdrawal penalty on a CD isn’t a bad idea.
Closeup of someone counting money
The National Credit Union Administration is similar to the FDIC, which covers banks.
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