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Maximize your checking: Compare high-yield checking accounts, no-fee checking accounts and more.

Explore checking basics

A woman uses mobile banking while eating.
From no fees to online bill pay, here are the must-have checking account features.
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If you overdraw your account frequently, then overdraft protection could be a good way to avoid hefty overdraft fees.
close up of hands signing a check
Checks aren’t as ubiquitous as they once were, but you may still have to write one.

Get started with a checking account

Checking

Types of checking accounts

Whether you’re making payments online, using a debit card, or writing a physical check, a checking account is a necessity for most people. Here are some of the most-widely available types of checking accounts offered at banks and credit unions.

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Checking

Available balance vs. current balance

Learn about the two separate balances you may see when looking at your bank account.

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Checking account fees

Learn about the different kinds of checking account fees and what you can do to avoid them.

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Checking

Bank account alerts to protect your money

Explore the types of bank account alerts you can set up to help you stay informed about your finances whenever and wherever you are.

 

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Experts in all things banking

Our expert writers and editors bring you timely news and reliable information - backed by data and first-hand experience.

About Bankrate's team
Greg McBride

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Chief Financial Analyst

Sarah Foster

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Principal U.S. Economy Reporter

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Senior Economic Analyst

Latest articles

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Balancing your checking account may sound dated, but it still makes sense.
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Online checking accounts stand out for different features. Here’s our top picks.
close up of hands signing a check
Checks aren’t as ubiquitous as they once were, but you may still have to write one.
Young woman withdrawing money using phone at the ATM machine on the street in Budapest in Hungary.
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Capital One Bank signage in New York City
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Older gentleman using a laptop
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Whimsical illustration of a hand putting a quarter into a miniature but realistic high end safe. As if it were a piggy bank
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It’s a low interest rate environment, but there are ways to earn more on your money.
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Bank account budgeting tools make it easy to track your personal finances.
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These simple moves can help build a cash cushion.
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Savings yields topping inflation could let you hold onto your purchasing power.
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The amount of money you should save each month will vary based on your goals. Here’s what to know.
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Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks to lawmakers during a testimony.
Experts say higher inflation and a faster rebound could force the Fed’s hand.
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The job market has come a long way, but economists’ forecasts suggest more recovery time is needed.
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The pandemic upended everything, and your wallet wasn’t spared.
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You might not know it, but the repo market is the bedrock for the financial system.
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One Florida credit union aims to offer an alternative to check-cashing stores by starting their own, offering lower interest rates and fees. Elsewhere, middle-income consumers and college students are [...]
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks to reporters at a press conference.
As the economy rebounds, don’t expect the Fed’s extraordinary support to last forever.
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