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Best Online Checking Accounts of 2025

If they don’t meet the direct deposit requirement, customers will not earn any cash back. Qualified purchases include drug stores, restaurants, gas stations and other everyday places. You’ll also have to do a lot of debit card spending ($25,000 in eligible category purchases) to optimize your rewards. You may want to analyze the kinds of rewards that you could earn with a credit card versus this debit card to ensure you’re earning the most cash back possible. A checking account is a deposit account offered by a bank, credit union, or other financial institution that allows customers to deposit and withdraw money regularly.

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Choosing the best checking account depends largely on your personal needs and financial habits. Whether you’re looking for low fees, high interest, mobile banking features, or travel-friendly options, checking accounts there’s a checking account out there designed for you. Here are some of the best options for various financial needs, each offering unique benefits to help you manage your money more effectively.

Types of checking accounts

Consider this account if you are disposed to using a debit card for most of your daily purchases and are comfortable finding an in-network ATM when you need to access cash. Consider this account if you typically don’t carry a high balance and use your debit card for most transactions. Betterment Checking charges few fees and reimburses unlimited ATM and foreign transaction fees worldwide. It’s a great option if you want a simple checking account that won’t nickel-and-dime you to death. While the NBKC Bank Everything Account is the most well-rounded checking account, other options offer better terms on specific categories. For instance, you can find a checking account with a higher APY or another that offers more ATM reimbursements.

These accounts typically include debit cards, mobile access, and bill pay while rewarding customers for meeting simple conditions like monthly direct deposits or debit card transactions. Ally Bank offers a top-tier digital experience and accounts that generally come with few fees. Its checking account — which Ally calls its Spending account — earns interest on all balances, though you’ll need at least $15,000 to earn the top APY. Early direct deposit allows you to access your paycheck up to two days early. We factored minimum deposit requirements (5%) and minimum balance requirement to avoid a monthly fee (5%) in this category.

If you’re looking to grow your money while keeping it accessible, a high-yield checking account might be the right choice for you. These accounts typically offer higher interest rates than traditional checking accounts, allowing your balance to grow at a faster pace. While interest rates on checking accounts tend to be lower than those on savings accounts, high-yield checking accounts can still provide an opportunity to earn a bit more on your balance. Ally offers a no monthly maintenance fee checking account with free access to 43,000 ATMs nationwide. With no fees for common services like online bill pay, debit card replacements, and incoming wires, Ally’s checking account is a solid option for fee-conscious users. They also offer interest-bearing accounts with a competitive APY, so you can earn a little on your balance while avoiding fees.

Ally Spending Account

• It’s a great option if you want a simple checking account that won’t nickel-and-dime you to death.
• If you’d prefer to have a bit of anonymity, though, consider opening a single joint checking account for you and your spouse, as well as separate ones for each of you.
• Lastly, we gave a 30% weight to the Forbes Advisor Consumer Sentiment Index (CSI).
• High-yield checking accounts function like standard checking accounts but offer significantly higher annual percentage yields (APYs).
• Here are some alternatives to checking accounts, both for daily spending and for higher interest rates.

In particular, users appreciate the lack of fees and ATM rebates, while its customer service was touted for its professionalism and responsiveness. Most importantly, Schwab Bank Investor Checking™ account charges few fees, including no monthly maintenance fee, overdraft fee or a fee to stop a payment. You’ll have all ATM fees reimbursed, and there are no foreign transaction charges if you use your card outside of the U.S.

• When it comes to checking accounts, the offerings from credit unions and banks are often similar enough, but the institutions themselves differ.
• This real-time monitoring can help you stay on top of your finances and avoid issues like overdrafts or fraudulent charges.
• Some users experienced delays with cash deposits and occasional technological issues, but most report an overall positive sentiment about the bank.
• Ideal Credit Union delivers a solid online and in-branch experience, making it one of the most accessible high-yield checking accounts.
• Traditional checking accounts — typically from large banks — often pay little to no interest.

Analyze Interest Rates and Rewards

You may need to share your birthdate, Social Security number, and contact information. In 2025, Discover® Cashback Debit won NerdWallet’s annual award for best overall checking account. Tony began his NerdWallet career as a writer and worked his way up to editor and then to head of content on the banking team. His writing has been featured by the Los Angeles Times, MarketWatch, Mashable, Nasdaq.com, USA Today and VentureBeat. Chanelle Bessette is a personal finance writer at NerdWallet covering banking. Her expertise has appeared in The New York Times, Vox and Apartment Therapy.

You won’t deal with many fees (including monthly maintenance, overdrafts and expedited delivery for a replacement debit card). You’ll also earn a decent 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month. To determine the best checking accounts, we reviewed several factors, including account fees, minimum deposit and balance requirements and consumer sentiment.

Checking Account Features to Look For

Student and teen checking accounts are designed for young people who are just starting to manage their finances. These accounts typically have low fees, if any, and offer simple features to help teach financial responsibility. Online-only checking accounts are becoming increasingly popular due to their low fees and ease of use.

Why Major Banks Don’t Make the List

There are few fees to consider, including no monthly fees and overdrafts, and you’ll have access to thousands of fee-free ATMs. One of the primary reasons many people seek out the best checking account options is to avoid fees. Monthly maintenance fees, ATM fees, and overdraft fees are some of the most common charges that can quickly eat away at your balance. When looking at checking accounts, always pay attention to the fee structure. Online banks often provide the best APY (Annual Percentage Yield) on checking accounts. Since they don’t have physical branches to maintain, they can pass along higher interest rates to customers.