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

Explore checking basics

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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.

Checking

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
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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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There’s no need to pay for a checking account when many banks offer free checking.
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Knowing your limit before making a purchase can help you make smarter decisions.
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Debit cards are inherently less secure than credit cards, especially at these spots.
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The amount of time can vary from check to check.
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Your bank accounts have two separate balances: the current balance and the available balance. Here’s the distinction.
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Knowing your ATM withdrawal limits can make a sudden need for cash easier to handle.
This old-school way of paying is still in demand. Here’s everything you need to know.
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Overdraft protection can be a helpful and convenient tool to avoid paying a steeper overdraft fee.
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Knowing a savings bond’s value can help you decide whether to hold it or redeem it.
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Comparing savings rates can ensure you get the best return on your savings.
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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.
A young girl visits a doctor.
Confused about finding an HSA? Use these tips to determine the best deal for you.
Older gentleman using a laptop
Knowing a savings bond’s value can help you decide whether to hold it or redeem it.
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.
Woman watering plants.
Check out the latest CD rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of banks and thrifts.
A young woman works from her laptop.
Balancing your checking account may sound dated, but it still makes sense.
Woman working with business document and laptop on the table
It’s a low interest rate environment, but there are ways to earn more on your money.
female soldier and her husband use a banking app to check the state of their finances
Bank account budgeting tools make it easy to track your personal finances.
Side view of father cooking food while daughter having apple in kitchen
These simple moves can help build a cash cushion.
A middle-aged asian woman in blue jeans sitting on the bed in a yoga pose in front of a laptop. Remote work at home. Online shopping in quarantine period
Banks are offering rates up to three times higher than average as the Fed cuts back.
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