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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.

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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 writers and editors bring you timely news and reliable information - backed by data and first-hand experience.

About Bankrate's team
Greg McBride

Greg McBride, CFA Arrow Right Icon

Chief Financial Analyst

Sarah Foster

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Principal U.S. Economy Reporter

Mark Hamrick

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Senior Economic Analyst

Latest articles

Spend money, pay bills, write checks or make fund transfers with a checking account.
close up of hands writing a check
Consumers without a bank account face hurdles when trying to cash a check.
Outside view of a bank with American flag
Learn the key characteristics of certified checks and how they differ from other types of payments.
woman sitting on her couch and looking at her phone and credit card
Knowing your limit before making a purchase can help you make smarter decisions.
Young Woman Checking Her Finances At Home
Finding the account number on a check is easy — if you know where to look.
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.
Writing on check
Compare prices on paper checks before you place your next order.
Daughter and father using mobile phone
Several banks continue to offer savings accounts well above 4 percent APY.
Business colleagues having a conversation
These options are great places to stash money from a bonus, inheritance and more.
Illustration of cash under a beach umbrella
Here’s how much $10,000 in a high-yield savings account can earn you.
female soldier and her husband use a banking app to check the state of their finances
Bank account budgeting tools make it easy to track your personal finances.
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.
Image of a large money bag in a shopping cart in front of a red downward pointing arrow.
More than half of Americans also say the U.S. economy is on the wrong track.
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.
A check-cashing store.
If you don’t have a bank account, check-cashing services offer access to your money, at a cost.
Illustrated by Bankrate
Big banks pay just 0.01% APY while online banks offer 4.4%. Your $10,000 could earn $897 more over two years. Learn how to switch without changing banks.
couple sitting together on the couch and working on laptop and phone
Digital banking makes it easy to access your personal finances from anywhere.
Young woman using a smart phone at home
Here’s how you can open a checking account online, in three steps.
Young business woman working at the office on a laptop
Here’s a guide to saving $10,000 in one year to make yourself more financially secure.
A portly white male wearing sunglasses is relaxing on his hammock outside, smiling in the sun holding a debit card in one hand and a smart phone in the other.
Customer satisfaction is up at banks and credit unions, but fees are still an issue.
Wells Fargo branch
Looking for a nearby Wells Fargo location or ATM? Here’s how to find the closest ones.
A Truist Financial bank branch in Miami, Florida, US
Looking for a nearby Truist Bank location or ATM? Here’s how to find the closest ones.
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