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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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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

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Knowing your limit before making a purchase can help you make smarter decisions.
person using mobile phone leaning on railing
A second-chance checking account is designed for those whose banking history may prevent them from opening a standard account. Applicants sometimes have past problems such as an unpaid negative balance [...]
Spend money, pay bills, write checks or make fund transfers with a checking account.
person on phone by computer looking at piece of paper
Here’s how these two bank fees compare and how to best avoid them.
This old-school way of paying is still in demand. Here’s everything you need to know.
close up of hands signing a check
Checks aren’t as ubiquitous as they once were, but you may still have to write one.
A young man uses an ATM.
Over time, ATM fees have climbed. Here’s what you need to know.
close up of hands writing a check
Consumers without a bank account face hurdles when trying to cash a check.
Illustration of cash under a beach umbrella
Here’s how much $10,000 in a high-yield savings account can earn you.
Fantasy image of a robot hand holding a phone with real cash falling out of the screen
For many of us, saving money feels like an uphill battle.
Woman studying a document and working on a laptop
Here’s how multiple savings accounts can help you reach your financial goals.
Woman online banking with a tablet
How Reg. D impacts your savings account and why it pays to check with your bank.
Person looking at smartphone
The best account to save your money will vary by your goal.
Image by GettyImages, Illustrated by Bankrate
The APY percentage shows how much an account earns per year. Here’s what you need to know.
Someone watering a plant that grows cash
Here’s how much $100,000 in a high-yield savings account can earn you.
A majority (81%) of Americans did not increase their emergency savings this year
President Biden speaks at event marking Equal Pay Day
There’s no telling when inflation will slow down.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks with journalists at a post-meeting press conference
The move marks an end to the Fed’s most aggressive economic rescue effort in history.
Federal Reserve Eccles Building in Washington, D.C.
The Fed’s unconventional tool for fending off recession is being wound down.
President Joe Biden stands behind Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell at the announcement of his renomination
Consumers are bracing for a longer stretch of high inflation. But when can it be expected to slow down?
senior woman looking at paperwork in front of a computer
Age and region are also factors in how much consumers pay in checking fees.
Couple talking while standing on cliff by sea during sunny day
Even the small victories add up over time when you’re living on a fixed income.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks with lawmakers at a congressional testimony
Officials are sounding the alarm that they’re running the economy too hot.
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H&R Block launched a challenger bank aimed at those not served by traditional banks.
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