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Updated as of Dec. 22, 2025.
Checking account fees can add up to be a big expense, which is why it pays to find a free checking account for everyday banking needs. The best free checking accounts don’t charge monthly or overdraft fees and give you access to lots of fee-free ATMs. They may also come with other perks, such as interest, cash back, out-of-network ATM reimbursement and free checks.
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Note: Annual percentage yields (APYs) shown are as of Dec 12. Bankrate's editorial team validates this information regularly. APYs may have changed since they were last updated and may vary by region for some products. Bankrate includes only FDIC banks or NCUA credit unions in its listings.
Ally Bank’s Spending Account doesn’t have a monthly maintenance fee and doesn’t charge a fee for overdraft items. Other perks include free standard checks, reimbursement of up to $10 per statement cycle for out-of-network ATM fees and a little bit of interest — 0.10% APY on balances less than $15,000 and 0.25% APY with a minimum daily balance of $15,000. And you can reach a customer service rep 24/7.
The Axos Essential Checking account doesn’t have overdraft fees, non-sufficient fees or a monthly service fee. You also receive unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements.
The Capital One 360 Checking account earns a little bit of interest on all balances and doesn’t charge any monthly fees or overdraft fees. And your first order of checks is free.
One other perk: the potential to bank in person. You can access a bank branch in eight states and Washington D.C. or go to a Capital One “cafe” in more than 15 states and Washington D.C., where you can get food and coffee, work on your laptop and access banking services.
The Cashback Debit account from Discover Bank not only doesn’t charge a monthly maintenance fee or an overdraft fee, but also gives you the ability to earn 1% cash back on eligible debit card purchases of up to $3,000 each month.
NBKC Bank’s Everything Account pays a high 1.75% APY on all balances, with no requirements to meet to earn the rate. It also doesn’t charge monthly or overdraft fees.
You can get up to $12 a month in reimbursements for out-of-network ATM fees and you have the option to allocate some of your funds into “savings goals,” which will also earn the same APY of 1.75% (though you can find better yields for your savings at high-yield savings accounts.)
Sofi Checking automatically comes with a SoFi savings account. Both earn a strong APY, though neither is the absolute highest around. Still, this account makes it convenient to keep your checking and savings separate yet together for easy transfers.
You won’t pay monthly service fees here and you can get fee-free overdrafts, but only if you receive at least $1,000 in direct deposits a month.
The Schwab Investor Checking account is a compelling choice for frequent travelers and investors. Customers receive fee-free access to ATMs all over the globe and no foreign transaction fees. For investors, the built-in link to a Schwab One brokerage account streamlines money management keeping your banking and investing under one roof. Checks are free with the account and you won’t pay for monthly fees or overdrafts.
You have to already have American Express National Bank’s high-yield savings account, certificate of deposit or a credit card with the bank to open this account, but once you open it, you’ll earn 1% APY on your balance and American Express Membership Rewards points on certain debit card purchases. And you won’t pay monthly fees.
Bask Bank’s Interest Checking account doesn’t charge any monthly maintenance fees, overdraft fees, international transaction fees or incoming wire fees. And you’ll earn an APY of 1% on all balances.
TAB Bank’s Rewards Checking account consistently offers one of the highest APYs for a checking account. It also offers 1% cash back on debit card purchases and comes with no monthly fees.
With the checking account from E*TRADE by Morgan Stanley Private Bank, you’ll earn a tiny bit of interest but more importantly, you won’t pay many fees. There’s no monthly fee, you get unlimited ATM refunds within the US, no-fee check orders, free outgoing wires and free overdraft transfers from linked bank accounts.
A free checking account allows you to do your banking without charging you a monthly maintenance fee to use the account. Many free checking accounts also offer fee-free ATM use and reimbursements, free checks and free overdrafts. Some fees — even on free accounts — are unavoidable, so be sure to read the fine print when you open an account.
Before opening a free checking account, weigh the pros and cons to see if it’s the right product for you.
No monthly service fees
Direct deposit (which can help you avoid late fees on bills)
Fee-free ATMs
Potential perks such as earning interest, cash back on debit card purchases or free checks
Might not have branch access
At an online bank, you’re almost always able to open an account online, or you may be able to apply for an account over the phone. Many brick-and-mortar banks also let you open up accounts online or you can visit a branch.
The account opening process may take longer if you have a credit freeze on your credit file, and the bank’s policy is to contact at least one credit bureau during the account-opening process. If there is a freeze on your credit in place, check with the bank before applying to see whether you need to lift the credit freeze at only one credit bureau or whether you need to do this at multiple bureaus.
When choosing a checking account, consider any fees you may incur and any features you’d like in an account (such as a high-rated mobile app). Also, confirm the bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) or, if it's a credit union, that it's insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA).
Many accounts charge you checking account fees if you don’t meet the bank’s requirements. Make sure you know what these rules are before opening an account.
Some fees to watch for:
There are free checking accounts that offer a competitive APY, like TAB Bank and NBKC. These particular banks don’t have requirements you need to meet to earn the rate, but other high-yield checking accounts might. The requirement could be simple, like setting up a direct deposit, or it could mean more work, like making a certain number of debit card purchases a month (and tracking them to make sure you meet the minimum).
Before you get seduced by a high checking account APY, make sure the requirements needed to earn it make sense with how you bank. If you don’t use a debit card often, a 3% APY for making 15 debit card purchases a month doesn’t mean much. Plus, unlike most savings accounts, a high APY at a checking account might be capped at a certain balance amount. When this is the case (or even before), make sure that any money not earning a high APY is instead working for you in a top-yielding online savings account or one of the best money market accounts.
Bankrate researches over 100 banks, including some of the largest financial institutions, online-only banks, regional banks and credit unions with both open and restrictive membership policies.
To find the best free checking accounts, we rated these institutions on their checking account fees, minimum deposit requirements, ATM network, overdraft policies, APY offerings and more.
The checking accounts on this page are selected based on their monthly maintenance fees, fee-free ATM access, overdraft fees and Bankrate score. Only banks and credit unions with broadly available checking accounts made the list. Learn more about how we choose the best banking products and our methodology for reviewing banks.
