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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.
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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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Latest articles

Customer writing cheque at bank counter
Learn about common checking terms, from bounced checks to outstanding checks.
Apples and oranges
Opening a checking account is easy. Finding the right one is the hard part.
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person making mobile payment outdoors
Online bill pay can add convenience and security to managing your routine bills.
mother and teenage son talking and looking at computer
We have a few suggestions on how to help your teenager learn personal finance and what you can teach them.
Pedestrians walking by TD Bank
Learn about the benefits of having multiple bank accounts and what to look for.
senior woman looking at paperwork in front of a computer
Age and region are also factors in how much consumers pay in checking fees.
person looking at american express digital checking account on phone
American Express launched a digital consumer checking account for card members.
Financial manager meeting with couple in bank branch office
Get the latest rates on top-yielding money market accounts.
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 looking tired at computer
Here’s how to financially prepare for the possibility of sudden unemployment.
coins in jar at the beach during sunset
We list three accounts to park your savings this summer as you wait to buy a house.
Man calculating finances
Here’s how to determine the amount to put in savings — and what to do with the rest.
Person on laptop computer
The APY percentage shows how much an account earns per year. Here’s what you need to know.
woman walking and looking at a phone
Subscriptions are easy to lose track of, but these apps can help restore order.
measuring the waistline of cash bills, comical
A spending diet can help you pursue your financial goals and save cash. Here’s how.
People walk by a Western Union location in New York.
Wire transfer fees can be expensive, but here are ways to send money for less.
Financial manager meeting with couple in bank branch office
Get the latest rates on top-yielding money market accounts.
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.
Piggy bank with cash overflowing
Walk away with stacks of cash just for opening a checking or savings account.
Man at laptop, deep in thought
Certificates of deposit offer peace of mind, but they’re not without some drawbacks.
Woman watering plants.
Check out the latest CD rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of banks and thrifts.
Banker and client shaking hands
Our list consists of FDIC-insured banks offering product suites ideal for startups.
woman looking tired at computer
Here’s how to financially prepare for the possibility of sudden unemployment.
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