In this list you can compare the best checking accounts offered by banks in the United States. All the information on how to contract them, what commissions they charge you, what their requirements are or the remuneration they offer for the balance. Check our updated analyzes and in Spanish to choose the one that best suits you.

Compare checking accounts


Rewards Checking Account

Rewards Checking Account

Fee free online account with interest payments of up to 3.30% APY and a $300 gift for new customers who sign up for the Rewards Checking Account.
eChecking account

eChecking account

Online interest-bearing checking account with a minimum of 0.10% APY and no fees, with free debit card, free online transfers and use of ATMs without charges.
360 checking account

360 checking account

Online checking account, with checkbook and free debit card that does not charge fees of any kind, not even for overdrafts.
Interest Checking Account

Interest Checking Account

Interest-bearing online current account that does not charge maintenance fees, nor fees for issuing checks or transfers. It also does not require a minimum balance.
Advantage SafeBalance Banking Account

Advantage SafeBalance Banking Account

Banking account without checkbook, with debit card and digital wallet. For you to manage your money easily and without overdraft fees.
Chase Total Checking Account

Chase Total Checking Account

Checking account with free debit card and the ability to avoid the monthly fee in several ways.
Everyday Checking Account

Everyday Checking Account

Wells Fargo Everyday Checking account is designed for you to operate in your day to day, making purchases, withdrawing money at ATMs and direct debiting income and expenses
Citibank Access Checking Account

Citibank Access Checking Account

Citibank Access account is a basic product with no checkbook that allows you to use a debit card and offers full functionality for everyday life
Truist Bank One Checking Account

Truist Bank One Checking Account

Checking account that you can open with an initial deposit of $50 and that offers you a free debit card and a facility to avoid the monthly handling fee.
TD Beyond Checking account

TD Beyond Checking account

Checking account that allows you to write checks free of charge, remunerates the balance from the first dollar and gives you free access to online operating.
Cashback Checking account

Cashback Checking account

Online checking account without fees, which offers you a debit card at no cost and the reimbursement of up to 1% of the amount of the purchases in which you sign the receipt.
Virtual Wallet account

Virtual Wallet account

Three accounts in one: Spend, Reserve and Growth, a regular checking account, a reserve account and a savings account, the last two of which are interest-bearing. Easily avoidable monthly fee.
Momentum Checking account

Momentum Checking account

Checking account with no maintenance fee, no annual fee, free debit card and no minimum balance requirement.
One Deposit Checking

One Deposit Checking

Checking account with checkbook that you can open with only one dollar and has no maintenance fee if you make a monthly deposit of any amount.
Bank Smartly Checking account

Bank Smartly Checking account

With US Bank's Bank Smartly Checking account you will enjoy a free debit card and free online banking for any type of transaction.
Advantage Plus Banking Account

Advantage Plus Banking Account

Checking account that has several forms of payment: Zelle, digital wallet, debit card and paper checks if you purchase them.
Chase Premier Plus Checking Account

Chase Premier Plus Checking Account

Checking account with full functionality that remunerates the balance and allows unlimited free checks to be issued.
Essential Checking Account

Essential Checking Account

Commission-free online checking account, with free debit card and fee reimbursement at ATMs you use in the United States
Citigold Checking Account

Citigold Checking Account

Citibank's Citigold checking account has no monthly fee and offers you a wide variety of services and exclusive advantages in your relationship with the entity
Truist Confidence Account

Truist Confidence Account

Basic banking account with no checkbook and free debit card. Monthly maintenance fee is easy to avoid.

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Changing your checking account or choosing a bank is not always an easy decision. Often, contracting one of these financial instruments means establishing a relationship that will last for many years, so it is important to compare checking accounts to obtain the best terms available.

However, if you don't get in the habit of shopping around or doing the required research, you set yourself up to regret it in the future. In this process it is important to be clear about what you want and the aspects that could most favor your personal finances.

To make this task easier for you, we have compiled several essential points to compare several bank accounts.

How to compare checking accounts

There are multiple factors to check when comparing this kind of product, and each customer could priorice one or another. We selected several points among the most usual people use to look at:

Minimum balance requirements

Best checking accountsIn general, these instruments may require a minimum of $1,500 USD to avoid charging you a commission at the end of the month. While this is true for most interest-bearing accounts, non-dividend accounts typically don't have this complication, nor do you need to have a certain balance.

When comparing, the ideal is to find alternatives that do not require a minimum balance or whose required amount is not very high. Remember that 42% of interest-free accounts have no fees and do not require a minimum balance. With some effort, it will not be difficult to find one adjusted to your preferences.

Monthly fees

When it comes to checking accounts, paying more doesn't mean you're going to get extra benefits. Instead, those extra service and maintenance fees just take money away from you.

An account with interest can charge you an average of $11 dollars, while one without dividends is at $5.6 per month.

Among the many options available, we recommend you consider online banks or neo banks to find a commission-free checking account. But if you prefer more traditional institutions, you should review their collection schemes to see if they apply excessive charges or not.

Offers for new customers, the famous sing-up bonus

While savings institutions and credit unions offer you more interest, conventional banks bet on the bonus to open a checking account. Depending on the institution, you can get from $200 to $500 USD, although it is not as simple as they make it out to be.

In fact, the offers for new clients are promotions that you have to see with a magnifying glass to understand if it is worth doing the process. This is because this "premium" is taxable and these banks are the ones that charge the most monthly fees. That is why you should check the small print to know if it favors you or not.

Online banking offers

At this point in the evolution of traditional and digital banking, entities offer more and more services to users. P2P payment systems, mobile payment review, notifications and more are already common. However, there will be potential customers who feel they need more.

If this is your case, neobanks or online entities have functions such as: early direct deposit, virtual assistants and alerts on how you are spending your money.

While this help can improve your personal finances, you'll need to do some research on apps and bank reviews to find out which ones are top rated.

Checking accounts with “high” interest (high yield)

For those looking to get "something" out of financial institutions, there are high-performance checking accounts.

We already know that most of these products pay little or no interest, with an average APY of 0.04-0.06% being common. At the other extreme, you can get 3-4%, but not without difficulties.

In banking terms, this implies having to meet several requirements, such as enabling direct deposit or online bill pay, a certain number of debit card operations, receiving online account statements, among others.

Even so, the institution could establish a limit balance to give you interests, being important to review different options.

Take time to compare

We do not want to leave this topic without emphasizing that comparison requires time, effort and determination to find what you are looking for. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can opt for an online, commercial or community bank checking account.

We recommend asking and finding out as much as possible about the alternatives and how they will benefit you in the long run. If you don't know where to start reviewing checking accounts, you can count on the help of the Busconómico comparator.

We are not only focused on reviewing the most attractive banking products on the market, we also advise you what you should consider. Don't be afraid to contact us when you have a question or want to improve your personal finances.

Types of checking accounts

Managing our money is an important part of our daily lives and it is necessary to have the ideal instruments for it. Being in the United States, you will have access to different types of checking accounts to dispose of your income for recurring expenses.

Checking accountsThese products are designed to give you greater comfort when paying, writing checks, transferring and doing other operations.

In view of the great offer of these instruments, you have to know how to compare them and choose the one that best meets your needs. According to experts, the best checking accounts do not charge maintenance, offer several ways to avoid fees and give you free checks.

In the market you can find different types:

Student Checking Account

Young and not so young people who are studying a degree, master's degree, doctorate or course of any kind, can take advantage of the entities' offer to better manage their finances.

This option has several benefits, such as overdraft forgiveness, ATM fee reimbursement, free debit card and more. If you qualify, you can waive the monthly maintenance fee.

Conventional checking account

They are the most common because they give you a debit or ATM card, checks and options to pay for services online. They are also known to offer you ways to avoid mainteinance fee.

The amount of the balance greatly influences the payment of commissions and they give you overdraft services so that they approve payments without funds for a small commission.

Senior checking account

This alternative for older adults focuses on those over 55 years of age. Very similar to the one for students, it complies with giving you some advantages to make your life easier.

Not because you are this age you should contract it, you should compare before to see if there are more favorable options for your lifestyle.

Second-chance account

In those cases where a bank closed your account for non-payment, you have this option. However, this second opportunity comes with various limitations, such as not allowing overdraft.

In addition, you have to pay the mandatory maintenance fee in the amount of $20 or more. Available nationwide, if you maintain exemplary conduct for 1 year, you could be upgraded to a regular account.

Checking account without management

It is called free because they do not apply the usual monthly maintenance fee for these products. Although they only represent 28% of the options because they are becoming less frequent, it is worth looking for this type of account.

You may be charged other kinds of expenses for overdrafts, transfers or paper account statements, among others.

Interest checking account

This product generates monthly dividends on the capital you have. They usually include several requirements to get the promised APY, such as a minimum number of debit card operations or direct deposits.

The rate also depends on the balance you carry, so it can be higher than for a savings or money market account. It is more common to receive a fraction of interest (0.4-0.6) compared to other instruments.

Private banking account

To get this account, you need to have a certain amount of money in the bank, including investments or loans. It stands out for giving you more benefits: higher limits for Zelle and debit cards, free transfers or more cash available from the ATM.

Premium checking account

As its name indicates, it is the one that offers you the most advantages to manage your personal finances. This translates into free checks, free money orders, free safe deposit box or elimination of various commissions when you use ATMs from other banks.

The basic requirement: you are going to have to maintain a higher balance than with other accounts.

Business account

Unlike personal accounts, this alternative is used to better manage a company or enterprise. You can manage one or several depending on your needs: payroll, operating expenses, incentives, etc.

Although they are designed for a higher volume of transactions, some banks charge an extra if you exceed a certain limit. They also give you access to other products, such as loans and lines of credit.

Rewards Checking Account

Like a credit card, this product rewards you for the consumption or transactions you make. In general, they give you redeemable points or cash back depending on the entity. Always read the small print to know the conditions well.

Frequently asked questions when contracting a checking account

For some people, having access to different financial instruments can make a difference in better managing their personal finances. Although checking accounts are one of the most popular banking products, people might have doubts about its basics.

Next, we will try to solve some of them with this checking accounts FAQ.

Why should you have a checking account?

Because it is a simple and safe way to manage your income. It is not only used for daily expenses, you can also direct your payroll, pay bills automatically and keep detailed control of your movements through a registry or through the online service.

What should I look for when contracting a checking account

When choosing the most convenient bank account, we recommend comparing different financial products and asking yourself:

  • Does it include free mobile banking or Bill Pay?
  • Does the account come with free ATM use?
  • Does this banking instrument generate interest?
  • Do I need overdraft protection?
  • Can I get extra rewards or benefits?
  • Is there a minimum balance required and what do I have to do to maintain it?
  • What accounts charge for services or have maintenance fees, and how can I avoid them?

Answering these questions will help you make a more informed decision. You also have the Busconómico portal to evaluate the best products available.

How does the debit card work with my checking account?

When you create this type of account, you get a debit card to buy, pay, and do other things. While a credit card works more like a recurring loan, the use of a debit card does not usually include interest or fees.

When you use it in online/offline stores and in the different ATM networks, money is deducted directly from your checking account.

How do I order checks?

If you like to handle these valuable titles, it is important to know the ways in which you can get them. Depending on the institution, you will find more or less alternatives to request them.

Usually, banks let you request a checkbook with 4 main methods: visiting the branch, calling the number designated by the entity, through an app or using online banking.

When will my funds be available when depositing money

That will depend on the method you use to pay the money to the account. There are 2 standard terms to dispose of the capital:

  • Same day. Payroll and social security benefits are direct deposits that fall into this category. This also applies to electronic transfers before 6:00 pm on business days and cash deposits at a bank branch or ATM.
  • Next business day. Transfers after 6:00 pm, Treasury checks, night teller envelope cash deposits, and personal checks will not be available on the same day.

Exceptions

There are some circumstances in which a bank might hold or delay the availability of funds. Among the most frequent reasons, the following stand out:

  • You have redeposited a check that was bounced.
  • You are a new customer who opened your checking account less than 30 days ago.
  • You have incurred multiple overdrafts on your account in the last 6 months.
  • In a single day, you paid more than $5,000 using checks.
  • Based on your history, the entity may suspect that a check will not be cashed.
  • Major cause issues, such as a system failure, communications drop, or other circumstances.

Why can't I open a checking account?

Curious as it may seem, there are people who cannot contract a current account if they had problems doing this procedure in the past.

When you leave a debt or negative balance with a bank, they report you to ChexSystems. This means that you must solve the problem so that you can access this financial product.

What are the minimum requirements

In general, each bank has its own requirements, but the most common are:

  • Be of legal age (18 or 21).
  • Have a social security number.
  • Have the minimum amount for the deposit, which varies according to the account you want.
  • Possess a valid and updated official identification: license, passport or government ID.

How much does it cost me to transfer money from one bank to another

Current accounts can include all kinds of commissions depending on the services offered by the bank. Whether the product is premium or not, the fee for these operations is usually between $3 and $20.

However, many banks allow online transfers at no cost, using their online banking systems, through their website or mobile application.

How many transactions can you make per month

This will depend on what the bank has. A checking account is usually designed to do multiple daily and monthly transactions.

It's good to know what to expect from a checking account. If you have more questions or want to check which products offer you the best conditions, you can use the Busconómico search engine/comparator.

About this page

Here you can find information about checking accounts in the United States, how to contract them, what fees may apply, what types of accounts exist, etc.

In addition, we have selected the best checking accounts for you to choose the one that best suits you to use in your day-to-day, direct billing, payments, pay for purchases with a debit card or checks, make transfers or contract other banking products.

  • Procedure and sources of information: to create the content of this page we have used the information offered by banks and financial entities about their products, through their web pages and their communication departments. In addition, we have used sources of authority such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, belonging to the US government.
  • Observation: the information offered on this page and all the others on Busconómico website can be consulted completely free of charge.
  • About us: Busconomico is an online financial comparator with a presence in several countries that offers information, analysis and comparisons between banking products so that users can easily choose the ones that interest them the most.

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