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.

woman 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.

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.

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.

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.

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, CFA

Chief Financial Analyst

Sarah Foster

Principal U.S. Economy Reporter

Mark Hamrick

Senior Economic Analyst

Learn more

Latest articles

Woman accessing her checking account at home on a laptop

Not paying fees and an easy way to bank should all be priorities. Here are some of our favorites.

Online checking accounts stand out for different features. Here’s our top picks.

Online bill pay can add convenience and security to managing your routine bills.

Depositing cash into someone’s account isn’t always possible, but there are options.

Man in coffee shop using laptop with a card in his hand.

The rule provides a framework for settling unauthorized debit-card transactions.

Here are easy actions you can take to avoid the fee of get it waived.

Withdrawing cash at an out-of-network ATM? Be prepared to pay more than ever.

Convenient access to your cash often comes at a price — and sometimes it’s a very high one.

Mother and daughter shopping for vegetables

These six simple moves can help you build a cash cushion.

Easy mornings and working from home for this couple

Savings yields topping inflation could let you hold onto your purchasing power.

Garage sale in grass on street curb with autumn trees background

Here are some places to look for a source of funds.

Here’s how to boost your savings.

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.

Young woman working from her kitchen island and drinking a hot beverage

Here are some of the best savings accounts you can sign up for as a business owner.

Here are 11 creative ways to save money, regardless of your financial goals.

Close up, two hands holding a one hundred dollar bill

Even earning as little as $100 in extra income here and there can give you added spending money.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks with journalists at a post-meeting press conference

The move marks an end to the Fed’s most aggressive economic rescue effort in history.

Follow these tips for the lowest fees and highest rates when opening an account.

Federal Reserve Eccles Building in Washington, D.C.

The Fed’s unconventional tool for fending off recession is being wound down.

President Joe Biden stands behind Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell at the announcement of his renomination

Consumers are bracing for a longer stretch of high inflation. But when can it be expected to slow down?

senior woman looking at paperwork in front of a computer

Age and region are also factors in how much consumers pay in checking fees.

man looking at phone while having coffee in cafe

The fourth-largest U.S. bank is the latest to cut or drop overdraft fees.

Sweepstakes winners used their $10,000 prize for practical (and fun) purposes.

Woman sitting outside of restaurant looking at cell phone

Getting into the habit of paying yourself first is hard. Here are some ideas to help you start.

The trusted provider of accurate rates and financial information

Checking

Explore checking basics

Get started with a checking account

Types of checking accounts

Experts in all things banking

Compare top-rated banks

Review our top banks of 2024

Latest articles