Best Checking Accounts
If you got started early, your parents might have helped you open a kids’ checking or savings account at their bank’s branch. Or maybe you went with the credit union down the street from your work after getting your first W2 job.
Whatever the reason, location likely played a big part. Thankfully, you’re no longer confined to a financial institution for a checking account because of its proximity to you — or a brick-and-mortar site altogether, for that matter.
From higher interest rates to better benefits, it pays to expand your search beyond your local bank or credit union these days. Here’s how to choose the right checking account for you.
Best Checking Accounts are:
| Account | APY | ATM Access | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoFi Checking and Savings | 0.50% | 55,000+ Allpoint ATMs | None |
| PNC Virtual Wallet | None | 60,000 surcharge-free ATMs | None |
| Chase Total Checking | None | 15,000 ATMs | Yes, but may be waived |
| CIT Bank eChecking | Up to 0.25% | Up to $30 monthly fee reimbursement | None |
| Axos Cashback Checking | None | Fee reimbursements | None |
| Chime Checking Account | None | 50,000+ fee-free ATMs | No monthly fees |
1. SoFi Checking and Savings Account
- 0.50% APY on checking
- No fees
- Access to 55,000+ Allpoint ATMs
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Fees | None |
| APY | 0.50% APY on checking |
| ATM Access | 55,000+ Allpoint ATMs |
| Promotions | Yes |
| Prime Perk | Earn interest on your checking balance |
SoFi Checking and Savings (member FDIC) has one of the most competitive annual percentage yields (APY) we’ve found for a checking account. You can earn up to a hefty 3.80% APY on savings balances if you set up direct deposit and 0.50% APY on checking balances — that’s 10 times more than the national average.* And for a limited time, earn a 0.70% Boost on Savings APY to up to 4.50% for up to six months.
You can easily deposit checks via your phone’s camera, transfer funds and get customer service via chat or call. There are no account fees, no monthly fees, and no overdraft fees.* And your money is FDIC insured (up to $3M through the SoFi Insured Deposit Program).
Ready to grow your money faster? It’s quick and easy to open an account with SoFi Checking and Savings (member FDIC). Right now, you can even earn up to a $300 welcome bonus with qualifying direct deposits (terms apply).*
2. PNC Virtual Wallet
- No minimum balance
- Access to 60,000 surcharge-free ATMs
- Low fees
• Virtual Wallet: Earn $100 (with $500+ in qualifying direct deposits)
• Virtual Wallet with Performance Spend: Earn $200 (with $2,000+ in qualifying direct deposits)
• Virtual Wallet with Performance Select: Earn $400 (with $5,000+ in qualifying direct deposits)All tiers let you transfer money with Zelle, get extra wiggle room with Low Cash Mode and set savings goals.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Bonus Amount | Up to $400 |
| How to Get It | Qualifying direct deposits within 60 days of account opening |
| When You Get It | 60 to 90 days after meeting bonus conditions |
| Fine Print | Monthly service fees from $7 to $25 if conditions aren’t met |
| Minimum to Open | $0 online, $25 in branch |
| Expiration | November 17, 2025 |
| Fees | Low monthly fees |
| APY | Up to 0.01% for the primary spend account |
| ATM Access | 60,000 surcharge-free ATMs |
| Promotion | Yes |
To waive the Virtual Wallet monthly maintenance fee ($7), earn $500+ in monthly direct deposits to the Spend account or maintain a $500+ monthly balance across the Spend + Reserve accounts. If you’re 62 or older, the fee is automatically waived. Waiving fees on Performance Spend and Performance Select is also possible, if you meet specific criteria.
The PNC Mobile App currently has a 4.9 star rating on the App Store (based on roughly 1.8 million ratings) and 4.5 stars on Google Play (based on over 290,000 ratings). The app does everything you would expect an online bank app to do in terms of personal finance. With the PNC Mobile App for your Virtual Wallet with Performance Spend account, you can:
- • Perform mobile check deposit.
- • Transfer money between PNC checking and savings accounts or even external bank accounts.
- • Use Online Bill Pay to track and schedule bill payments.
Android users can also utilize PNC Pay to pay with their mobile devices. Otherwise, you can use the traditional Visa debit card (PNC Banking Card) or the old-fashioned checkbook for the Virtual Wallet account.
All rates and Annual Percentage Yields (APYs) are accurate as of 7/31/2024. Rates and APYs may vary and may change after account opening. Fees could reduce earnings. To determine if these rates have changed, call 1-888-PNC BANK. Rates on variable rate accounts may change after account opening. Interest rates, APYs and other terms may vary in other PNC Bank markets. Refer to the PNC Virtual Wallet Fine Print “What You Need To Know” and/or the Features and Fees document that corresponds to the Virtual Wallet product you are selecting for other important terms and conditions.
To qualify for the Relationship Rate, you must meet one of the following requirements:
- Make a combination of 5 or more PIN and/or signature point-of-sale transactions (excluding cash advances) posted during the previous calendar month to your Spend account using your Virtual Wallet Visa® Debit Card or your PNC consumer Visa Credit Card that you have chosen to link with your Virtual Wallet online view.
- Have $500 in qualifying direct deposits to your Spend account for Virtual Wallet and Virtual Wallet Student during the previous calendar month.
- Have $2,000 in qualifying direct deposits ($1,000 for WorkPlace or Military Banking customers) to your Spend account for Virtual Wallet with Performance Spend during the previous calendar month.
- Have $5,000 in qualifying direct deposits in your Spend account for Virtual Wallet with Performance Select during the previous calendar month.
When you open or transfer into a Virtual Wallet Growth account, and monthly thereafter, whether the account earns the variable Standard or Relationship Rate will be determined on the first of each month and will be based upon the number of qualifying transactions or direct deposit requirements from the previous calendar month.
Important Note about Current Rate: Your Growth account will earn the highest rate available to you (Promotional, Standard or Relationship Rate) for which you qualify based on the applicable balance tier and the criteria above.
PNC reserves the right to refuse or return any deposit amount to you that cause the combined balance of all of your Virtual Wallet Growth accounts with us to exceed $5,000,000 (including any jointly owned, or in the case of an account owned by a living trust, jointly managed accounts). Transaction fees will apply to your account if you exceed six (6) Restricted Transfers in a monthly service charge period.
Restricted Transfers are transfers from a Growth account to other accounts (including transfers to another account for overdraft protection) or to third parties by check, through point-of sale purchase transactions or similar debit card transactions, by pre-authorized or automatic agreements, telephone, online or similar order payable to a third person.
If you make more than a total of six (6) Restricted Transfers in a monthly service charge period, you will be charged a fee for each Restricted Transfer. See your account agreement and fee schedule for more information. Other limits may apply to your account. We reserve the right to suspend enforcement of these transaction limitations, or to modify them, at our discretion.
3. Chase Total Checking Account
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- A hefty sign-on bonus for new customers
- Offers online, mobile and text banking
- Lots of branch locations in the U.S.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Fees | Yes, but may be waived |
| APY | None |
| ATM Access | 15,000 ATMs |
| Promotions | Yes |
| Prime Perk | Branches in 33 states to avoid fees |
This Chase account has other fees. For example, you can use a Chase ATM for free, but you’ll pay a $3 fee for non-Chase ATMs in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and $5 outside of those locations — so, this account isn’t the best for frequent international travelers. Thankfully, the bank has branches and 15,000 fee-free ATMs* in 33 states around the U.S., so you can avoid the fees if you’ve got one nearby (see Terms).
On the Chase Mobile® app, you can manage accounts, pay bills send money to friends with Zelle® and deposit checks from almost anywhere. Plus, help keep your money protected with features like Zero Liability Protection, fraud monitoring and card lock.
Bonus (literally): You can get $300 when you open a new checking account. Getting it is pretty simple, too, compared with similar offers — open a new Chase Total Checking account* with $0, and make direct deposits totaling $500 or more within 90 days of opening. This offer expires 10/15/25. Keep your account open for at least six months, or you’ll lose the bonus at closing.
Chase Total Checking includes FDIC insurance up to the maximum amount allowed by law.
4. CIT Bank eChecking
- Up to .25% APY
- No fees
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Fees | None |
| APY | Up to 0.25% |
| ATM Access | ATM fee reimbursement |
| Promotions | None |
| Prime Perk | Interest on checking |
You’ll just need $100 to open your CIT Bank eChecking account, and you can earn on your checking balance. For accounts with more than $25,000 you’ll see a .25% APY. For accounts under $25,000, you’ll earn .10% APY.
And while CIT Bank has no ATMs, you can get up to $30 per month in ATM fee reimbursements if you use other bank’s ATMs.
For complete list of account details and fees, see CIT Bank’s Personal Account disclosures.
The Annual Percentage Yields (APY) and interest rates are effective as of June 12, 2025. Fees may reduce earnings. Checking APYs and interest rates are variable and may change at any time without prior notice, including after account opening. The minimum opening deposit for eChecking is $100. See Fee Schedule and Agreement for Personal Accounts for details.
To obtain the interest rate and APY disclosed, the minimum balance for the applicable balance tier must be maintained.
5. Axos Cashback Checking
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- 1.00% cash back
- ATM fee reimbursement
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Fees | None |
| APY | None |
| ATM Access | Unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements |
| Promotions | None |
| Prime Perk | 1.00% cash back |
This account can help you get more from your purchases with 1.00% cash back and allow you to avoid ATM fees. Other features include: the ability to check your credit score, real-time alerts and account security with face, touch or voice ID.
6. Chime Checking Account
- No monthly maintenance fees
- Free access to in-network ATMs
- A “Pay Anyone” feature to give money to friends
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Fees | No monthly fees |
| APY | None |
| ATM Access | 50,000+ fee-free ATMs* |
| Promotions | None |
| Prime Perk | “Pay Anyone” feature* |
Chime doesn’t charge overdraft fees or for overdraft protection, a monthly maintenance fee, foreign transaction fees or minimum balance fees. You can also open an easy-to-access connected savings account — it allows you to automate your savings with features like the round-up tool, which will round up your transactions to the nearest dollar and dump the change into savings. Bonus: Chime has a “Pay Anyone” feature, so you don’t have to mess with cash, math or other apps to split the bill.
FAQs
1. What is the best checking account right now?
The best checking account depends on your needs. If you’re looking for high interest, SoFi Checking and Savings offers up to 0.50% APY on checking. If you want cash back, Axos Cashback Checking is a strong option. For big sign-up bonuses, PNC Virtual Wallet and Chase Total Checking stand out.
2. Which checking account offers the highest APY?
Among the accounts listed, SoFi Checking and Savings offers 0.50% APY on checking and up to 4.50% APY on savings with direct deposit promotions. CIT Bank eChecking also provides up to 0.25% APY depending on your balance.
3. Which checking accounts have no fees?
SoFi, CIT Bank, Axos, and Chime have no monthly fees. Chase and PNC may charge service fees but these can be waived by meeting deposit or balance requirements.
4. Can I earn cash back with a checking account?
Yes. Axos Cashback Checking offers up to 1.00% cash back on debit card purchases, making it a good choice for customers who want rewards on everyday spending.
5. Which checking accounts have the best ATM access?
SoFi and Chime both provide access to over 50,000 fee-free ATMs. PNC offers 60,000 surcharge-free ATMs, while Axos provides unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements.
6. Do checking accounts offer sign-up bonuses?
Yes. PNC Virtual Wallet offers up to a $400 bonus, and Chase Total Checking offers a $300 bonus when you meet the qualifying direct deposit requirements.
7. What’s the easiest checking account to open online?
SoFi, Chime, CIT Bank, and Axos are all online-first banks, making them very easy to open with minimal deposit requirements. For PNC and Chase, you can open online but may need to visit a branch depending on the account type.
8. Are these checking accounts safe?
Yes, all accounts mentioned are FDIC-insured, meaning your money is protected up to at least $250,000 per depositor, per bank, in case of bank failure.
9. Which checking account is best for travelers?
Axos Cashback Checking is great for travelers because it reimburses unlimited domestic ATM fees. Chime and SoFi also provide wide ATM networks, but international travelers may want to check foreign transaction fee policies.
10. Can I use mobile apps with these accounts?
Yes. All listed banks offer robust mobile apps. Chime, SoFi, and PNC have highly-rated apps with features like mobile check deposit, transfers, bill pay, and real-time transaction alerts.
Conclusion
Choosing the right checking account can make a significant difference in how you manage your money. While some accounts prioritize high interest rates like SoFi Checking and Savings, others focus on cash back rewards like Axos Cashback Checking or sign-up bonuses like PNC Virtual Wallet and Chase Total Checking.
Factors such as monthly fees, ATM access, digital banking features, and promotions should guide your decision. If convenience is key, online-first banks like Chime, SoFi, and Axos offer seamless mobile banking. For those who value branch access, Chase and PNC provide extensive physical locations.
Ultimately, the best checking account is the one that aligns with your financial goals, lifestyle, and spending habits. Take the time to compare APYs, fees, perks, and bonus offers to find an account that helps you maximize your money while minimizing costs.
