Bankrate surveyed 50 of the nation’s largest credit unions to find the best checking accounts. Thirty-six institutions offer free checking, the same number as in last year’s survey.
This chart provides checking account yield, monthly service fee, penalty for nonsufficient funds, and the minimum to open an account that earns interest for those credit unions in the survey.
To see the details of each institution’s checking account, click on the name of the credit union.
Compare credit union checking accounts |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Union | Yield % | Minimum to open | Monthly service fee | Nonsufficient funds fee |
|
Credit Union: Alaska USA Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $5 | Monthly service fee: $5 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $20 |
|
Credit Union: Alliant Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
|
Credit Union: America First Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.05 | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
|
Credit Union: American Airlines Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.05 | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
|
Credit Union: Bank-Fund Staff Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $30 |
|
Credit Union: BECU |
Yield %: 0.05 | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
|
Credit Union: Bethpage Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $30 |
|
Credit Union: Citizens Equity First Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $25 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $30 |
|
Credit Union: Delta Community Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.03 | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
|
Credit Union: Desert Schools Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $20 | Monthly service fee: $7 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $35 |
|
Credit Union: DFCU Financial Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $20 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $32 |
|
Credit Union: Digital Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $30 |
|
Credit Union: Eastman Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.05 | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $30 |
|
Credit Union: Ent Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
|
Credit Union: ESL Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $1 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $37 |
|
Credit Union: First Tech Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0.01 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $28 |
|
Credit Union: Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.05 | Minimum to open: $5 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $30 |
|
Credit Union: Kinecta Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $2 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $30 |
|
Credit Union: Lake Michigan Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $30 |
|
Credit Union: Logix Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $25 | Monthly service fee: $2.95 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $29 |
|
Credit Union: Mountain America Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $2 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
|
Credit Union: Navy Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.05 | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $29 |
|
Credit Union: Northwest Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $32.50 |
|
Credit Union: OnPoint Community Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $50 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $30 |
|
Credit Union: Patelco Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $10 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $28 |
|
Credit Union: Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.1 | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $30 |
|
Credit Union: Pentagon Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $25 | Monthly service fee: $10 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $30 |
|
Credit Union: Police and Fire Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.1 | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $19 |
|
Credit Union: Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.05 | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $24 |
|
Credit Union: Redstone Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $3 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
|
Credit Union: San Antonio Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $25 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
|
Credit Union: San Diego County Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $25 | Monthly service fee: $2 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $27 |
|
Credit Union: SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $25 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $20 |
|
Credit Union: Security Service Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.05 | Minimum to open: $25 | Monthly service fee: $3 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $27.50 |
|
Credit Union: Space Coast Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $25 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $30 |
|
Credit Union: Star One Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.25 | Minimum to open: $100 | Monthly service fee: $3 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $13 |
|
Credit Union: State Employees’ Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.25 | Minimum to open: $1 | Monthly service fee: $1 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $12 |
|
Credit Union: State Employees Federal Credit Union (SEFCU) |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
|
Credit Union: State Employees Credit Union of Maryland (SECU) |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $5 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $30 |
|
Credit Union: Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $25 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $29 |
|
Credit Union: Teachers Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.15 | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $30 |
|
Credit Union: The Golden 1 Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $27.50 |
|
Credit Union: Tinker Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $25 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $22.50 |
|
Credit Union: Tower Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.05 | Minimum to open: $10 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
|
Credit Union: United Nations Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.05 | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
|
Credit Union: Virginia Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $20 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $20 |
|
Credit Union: Visions Federal Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $8 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
|
Credit Union: VyStar Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.1 | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $32 |
|
Credit Union: Wings Financial Credit Union |
Yield %: 0.05 | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
|
Credit Union: Wright-Patt Credit Union |
Yield %: N/A | Minimum to open: $0 | Monthly service fee: $0 | Nonsufficient funds fee: $25 |
Bankrate conducted a survey of the 50 largest U.S. credit unions based on total deposits, surveying one checking account at each, along with the accompanying debit card and ATM transaction fees. The survey was conducted Jan. 6-12, 2015. For N/A yield: The account is not an interest-yielding checking account.
