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Chase checking accounts offer solid access to financial services both in person and online.
There are various accounts to suit different needs, and fees are on par with those of other national banks. Here’s a look at key Chase checking accounts and their features, fees and requirements.
Chase checking accounts
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Chase Total Checking® | Chase Premier Plus Checking℠ | Chase Sapphire℠ Checking |
|---|---|---|
Monthly fees | ||
$12. 3 ways to waive it | $25. 2 ways to waive it | $25. 1 way to waive it |
Minimum opening deposit | ||
$0. | $0. | $0. |
Interest on balances | ||
No. | 0.01% APY (effective 10/18/2022; rates are variable and subject to change). | 0.01% APY (effective 10/18/2022; rates are variable and subject to change). |
ATM fees | ||
$3 fee at non-Chase ATMs in the U.S. | Four free ATM withdrawals per statement period at non-Chase ATMs. (ATM owner fees may still apply.) The $3 fee applies to any additional withdrawals. | No ATM fees worldwide. |
Overdraft fees | ||
$34 per overdraft, charged up to 3 times per day. No charge when account is overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the day or if the account is overdrawn by $50 and then brought down to overdrawn $50 or less by the end of the next business day. | $34 per overdraft, charged up to 3 times per day. No charge when account is overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the day. | No charge for up to four overdrafts within 12 months; after that, $34 per overdraft, charged up to 3 times per day. No charge when account is overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the day. |
Sign-up bonus | ||
$200 (expires 04/19/2023); our bank bonuses roundup explains how to qualify. | N/A. | N/A. |
» MORE: Full review of Chase Bank
Deposits are FDIC Insured
Current Account
N/A
$0
Deposits are FDIC Insured
Chime Checking Account
N/A
$0
Member FDIC
Axos Bank® Rewards Checking
3.30%
$0
How Chase checking account fees compare
Chase checking account fees and services are similar to those of other national banks. The $12 monthly fee for Chase Total Checking® is also what Citibank and Bank of America charge for similar checking accounts (Wells Fargo's basic option is slightly cheaper at $10). And two of the most common ways to avoid monthly fees at these three institutions are having direct deposits or keeping at least $1,500 as a daily balance (Citibank also requires a bill payment). Some other banks have a lower direct deposit minimum than Chase allows.
Other banks also let you avoid fees in other ways, such as making transactions on your account while others, like many online banks, charge no monthly fees.
Chase also offers student checking for high school and college students with services similar to Chase Total Checking®. The high school account is free, and the college account charges a $6 monthly fee, which can be avoided fairly easily.
» Want to compare? Check out the best free checking accounts
Benefits for all Chase checking accounts
Free access to more than 4,700 branches and about 16,000 ATMs: This network reaches more than 45 states and is one of the largest in the U.S.
Chase online and mobile banking: Check balances and pay bills, and set up alerts via text and email. The app also has a mobile check deposit feature.
Zelle: This person-to-person service lets you send money online to friends and family, even if they don’t bank with Chase. It’s free, and money often arrives within minutes. (Learn more about Zelle.)
Chase debit card with chip technology: This chip helps protect your card information from being skimmed, or copied, at ATMs or store checkouts.
Cardless ATM access: Chase lets you withdraw cash at its ATMs with just your smartphone. Open your mobile wallet app (for example, Apple Pay), select your Chase debit card (or add it if you haven’t yet), tap the phone to the cardless symbol on the ATM and enter your PIN.
Long customer support hours: The phone line includes an automated menu, but it’s easy to navigate and you can talk to a real person from 7 a.m. to midnight ET, daily.
» Check out NerdWallet’s best banks and credit unions
Additional benefits for high-end Chase checking accounts
Chase Premier Plus Checking℠ users get free personal checks, cashier’s checks and money orders and aren’t charged by Chase for using an out-of-network ATM four times per month (fees from the ATM owner or operator may still apply). Chase Sapphire℠ Checking customers are reimbursed for all ATM fees worldwide.
But Chase’s higher-end checking accounts also require much higher minimum balances to waive the monthly fee, compared with basic Chase checking accounts. If you can’t meet them, the additional benefits that come with those accounts might not be worth paying $25 a month, or $300 a year.
How Chase high-end checking accounts compare
Chase Premier Plus Checking℠ requires a $15,000 balance across linked Chase accounts to avoid the monthly fee. This is lower than the $20,000 required by Bank of America’s Gold Preferred Rewards account and Portfolio by Wells Fargo to avoid monthly fees. Out of all these accounts, Chase Sapphire℠ Checking requires the highest average balance: $75,000 across qualifying accounts.
Similar to the high-end Chase checking accounts, the premium Bank of America and Wells Fargo accounts offer some free use of out-of-network ATMs, and complimentary services and products including check orders and more.
At $25, the Portfolio by Wells Fargo monthly fee is the same as that of Chase Premier Plus Checking℠ and Chase Sapphire℠ Checking if you don’t meet minimum balance requirements.
» See some of NerdWallet's favorite checking accounts
Is a Chase checking account the right choice?
Chase checking accounts are generally a solid bet if you have easy access to their ATMs and can avoid the monthly fees.
If you’re not in the Chase branch network, can’t avoid the monthly fees or are looking to earn interest on your checking, check out NerdWallet’s best credit unions and top online banks. Or see how other national banks compare.
