Skip to Main Content

Checking

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.
woman standing next to bike and looking at phone
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.

Arrow Right Icon
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.

Image for Bank account alerts to protect your money
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.

 

Arrow Right Icon

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

Sarah Foster Arrow Right Icon

Principal U.S. Economy Reporter

Mark Hamrick

Mark Hamrick Arrow Right Icon

Senior Economic Analyst

Latest articles

Women using tablet
Online checking accounts stand out for different features. Here’s our top picks.
Woman accessing her checking account at home on a laptop
Not paying fees and an easy way to bank should all be priorities. Here are some of our favorites.
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.
Capital One Bank signage in New York City
Banks are cutting overdraft fees in response to consumers and regulators’ demands.
Two female fashion designers working together at their studio
Opening a business checking account isn’t as simple as opening a personal checking account. Here’s what to know.
Young couple paying bills online
Online bill pay can add convenience and security to managing your routine bills.
Cash in gloved hand
Depositing cash into someone’s account isn’t always possible, but there are options.
Man in coffee shop using laptop with a card in his hand.
The rule provides a framework for settling unauthorized debit-card transactions.
Pair of friends shoe shopping
Impulse buying can drain your savings. Here are five tips for avoiding it to protect your money.
Man watering plants
Interest is the price you pay to borrow money or the cost you charge to lend money.
A student withdraws cash at an ATM.
There are ways to access your money and ultimately spend it. Here’s how.
young woman smiling on city sidewalk
Creating a timeline is a useful way to plan and meet all your financial goals.
Someone holding a jar full of coins. The jar says savings on it.
ADHD can affect your ability to manage money — here are tips that work for me.
woman looking tired at computer
Here’s how to financially prepare for the possibility of sudden unemployment.
coins in jar at the beach during sunset
We list three accounts to park your savings this summer as you wait to buy a house.
Man calculating finances
Here’s how to determine the amount to put in savings — and what to do with the rest.
Mom preparing financial paperwork at home while her child draws next to her
Single people and young families tend to have significantly less saved.
Close up of woman's hand typing on computer keyboard in the dark against colourful bokeh in background, working late on laptop at home
A new CFPB rule will make it easier for people to transfer their data between banks.
Person on laptop computer
The APY percentage shows how much an account earns per year. Here’s what you need to know.
Ghost of Halloween uses a laptop to surf the Internet
Don’t let the fear of saving leave you in the dark. Avoid these 10 savings mistakes.
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.
Woman watering plants.
Check out the latest CD rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of banks and thrifts.
Kids playing with blocks at a school.
A new Bankrate study reveals where infant care is the most and least affordable in the U.S.
Kids playing with blocks at a school.
A new Bankrate study reveals where infant care is the most and least affordable in the U.S.
The trusted provider of accurate rates and financial information
Wall Street Journal
Usa Today
New York Times
Cnn
Bloomberg
Abc