Skip to Main Content

Checking

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.
person standing next to bike and looking at phone
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.

Arrow Right Icon
Checking

Available balance vs. current balance

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

Checking

Checking account fees

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

Image for Bank account alerts to protect your money
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.

 

Arrow Right Icon

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

Greg McBride, CFA Arrow Right Icon

Chief Financial Analyst

Sarah Foster

Sarah Foster Arrow Right Icon

Principal U.S. Economy Reporter

Mark Hamrick

Mark Hamrick Arrow Right Icon

Senior Economic Analyst

Latest articles

Young Woman Checking Her Finances At Home
Finding the account number on a check is easy — if you know where to look.
This old-school way of paying is still in demand. Here’s everything you need to know.
close up of hands signing a check
Checks aren’t as ubiquitous as they once were, but you may still have to write one.
person on phone by computer looking at piece of paper
Here’s how these two bank fees compare and how to best avoid them.
Young woman withdrawing money using phone at the ATM machine on the street in Budapest in Hungary.
Here are simple steps to take to avoid paying checking account fees.
Women using tablet
Online checking accounts stand out for different features. Here’s our top picks.
Bank of America at Times Square
Bank of America offers perks beyond basic banking, including museum passes, cash back deals and $300 new account bonuses.
A check-cashing store.
If you don’t have a bank account, check-cashing services offer access to your money, at a cost.
Caucasian woman and African American man sit at kitchen counter with breakfast working with pen, paper and laptop
Budgeting may be unpopular, but it’s important to know where your money is going.
Woman online banking with a tablet
How Reg. D impacts your savings account and why it pays to check with your bank.
Smiling woman talking with someone
Saving $1,000 need not be a daunting task. Here are 11 ways to do so.
Illustration of construction workers on a roof
An emergency fund is an essential part of a solid financial plan.
Whimsical illustration of a hand putting a quarter into a miniature but realistic high end safe. As if it were a piggy bank
Comparing savings rates can ensure you get the best return on your savings.
A woman does her budgeting.
The amount of money you should save each month will vary based on your goals. Here’s what to know.
Image of a person's hands holding an open walled and pulling money from it.
Bank consolidation often leads to lower deposit rates. Here’s what the current merger boom means for your savings and how to respond.
family on vacation in south carolina
The right savings strategy could put that family vacation within reach.
Wall Street in New York City
Experts are betting that a recession will occur by the end of 2021, a new survey suggests.
Federal Reserve building
Will the Federal Reserve raise borrowing costs two times in 2019, as it initially anticipated? That’s a question even the officials on the inside can’t answer.
Man relaxed smiling
It could save you time when switching accounts and even inspire you to build a bank of your own.
Man and woman walking past Wells Fargo in Manhattan
Are bank mistakes giving you a headache? Here’s what to do.
People at working talking over computer
A tweak to your bank’s online address might help you sidestep a scam.
Chase Bank
What’s all that tech spending doing for banks and their customers?
Chairman of the Federal Reserve nominee Jerome Powell is sworn in during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee
Learn all about Jerome Powell, who is presiding over his first FOMC policy meeting.
Dad and son doing dishes in kitchen | Hero Images/Getty Images
A new Bankrate survey also finds 1 in 4 Americans is open to buying a home in 2017.
The trusted provider of accurate rates and financial information
Wall Street Journal
Usa Today
New York Times
Cnn
Bloomberg
Abc