- Last updated April 2024
Best Online Checking Accounts Of April 2024
Top checking accounts full of amazing features
✓ No monthly fees or overdraft fees
✓ Easy 24/7 mobile access
✓ Large ATM networks
What account do you want?
9.5
Upgrade
Best cashback debit card
Unlimited 2.00% Cashback On Debit
- Cashback rate as of April 18, 2024
- No monthly fees
- All ATM fees reimbursed
Fastest growing online bank
Best cashback debit card
Unlimited 2.00% Cashback On Debit
- Fastest growing online bank in the U.S.
9.4
U.S. Bank
Earn up to $800 when you open a new U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking account and a Standard Savings account and complete qualifying activities.
- Subject to certain terms and limitations. Offer valid through December 29, 2023. Member FDIC.
- Offer may not be available if you live outside of the U.S. Bank footprint.
- No fee overdraft protection transfers from a linked deposit account
Earn up to $800 when you open a new U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking account and a Standard Savings account and complete qualifying activities.
9.3
Current
Fee-free overdraft up to $200
- 40,000+ free ATMs
- Get paid 2 days faster
- Earn up to 4.00% APY
9.1
Quontic
Best for free ATM access
Access 90,000+ Fee-Free ATMs
- No monthly fees or overdraft fees
- Low minimum balance of $100
- Earn 1.10% APY
8.7
Spruce
Limited time: Get a $20.00 bonus
- Get federal tax refund 5 days early
- No minimum balance
- Get your free credit score
8.4
GO2bank
Best for overdraft protection
Up To $200 In Overdraft Protection
- No monthly fees or minimums
- Get paid up to 2 days early
- Build credit with secured Visa card
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SmartScore
The SmartScore consists of a combination of the following 2 components:
SmartWealthTrends uses community feedback as one of the components to determine the quality of a service or product that is ranked on our lists.
SmartWealthTrends uses our individual analysis on the various products and services we review to determine how helpful they are to potential new users.
Our Top Choice
Most Popular Checking Account
9.5
Upgrade
Best cashback debit card
Unlimited 2.00% Cashback On Debit
- Cashback rate as of April 18, 2024
- No monthly fees
- All ATM fees reimbursed
Why Should You Open An Online Checking Account?
There are many reasons why you should open a checking account. For one, it can help you budget your money by allowing you to track your spending and income. Additionally, a checking account has various features and benefits, such as online banking, mobile banking, and overdraft protection. Plus, having a checking account can make it easier to pay bills and manage your finances. If you're looking for a way to simplify your financial life, a checking account may be the right choice.
Choosing an account with no or low fees is important because you want to avoid paying unnecessary charges. You'll also want to find an account that offers features that fit your lifestyle. For example, if you travel often, you may want an account that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees on its debit card. Or, if you're always on the go, you may want an account with mobile banking capabilities.
Once you've found the right account for you, open a checking account today and start enjoying the benefits it has to offer.
Which Account Is Right For You?
Top 5 Benefits Of Online Checking Accounts
-
Get Paid Early: With a checking account, you can get paid early
with a direct deposit. This means that you can get your paycheck a few days earlier than you would without a bank account. This means you can access your funds sooner to pay bills or make purchases.
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Easier Payments: Most checking accounts come with a debit card. This means you can use your checking account to pay for groceries, gas, or online purchases. You can also set up automatic payments for rent or mortgage. Some debit cards, like Upgrade's cashback card, also give you additional money back on everyday purchases.
-
Quickly Transfer Funds: With a checking account, you can quickly and easily transfer funds to another person or account. This can be helpful if you need to pay someone back or send money to someone else, like friends or family.
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Access Your Money Easily: With a checking account, you can access your money through an ATM or debit card. This means you can get cash when you need it or make purchases without carrying around a lot of cash.
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Keep Your Money Safe: When you have a checking account, your money is kept in an FDIC-insured account. This means that your money is protected in the event of a bank failure. Generally, your funds will be protected up to $250,000.
Top Online Checking Accounts
Upgrade Rewards Checking is their best banking product. It has no monthly maintenance fees, no ATM fees, and no transfer fees. Upgrade will pay you back for any ATM fee charged by another institution for debit card withdrawals in the United States–up to five times per month! It also offers a debit card with up to 2% cashback for everyday purchases.
Pros
- Up to $30/mo refunded in ATM fees
- No minimum opening deposit
- Up to 2% cashback debit card
Cons
- No physical locations
- No 24/7 support
- No cash deposits
The Current Account is a free checking/savings account hybrid. If you are okay with having your funds in one spot and want access to budgeting resources and savings features, this account could be the right fit for you.
With Current, you can earn up to 4% APY through a savings feature called a Savings Pod. You can use a Savings Pod to save money for different goals, and each account has three Saving Pods. Unlike other bank accounts with only one saving category, we give you more control over your finances by letting you choose where to put your money.
With the Current Account, you'll receive your direct deposit two days early and earn cash back on every debit card purchase and other nifty features most traditional banks do not offer.
Pros
- Earn up to 4% APY
- No monthly fees
- No minimum balance requirement
Cons
- Foreign transaction fees
- No physical locations
- Category limits on debit card for cashback
If you're looking for a high-yielding checking account, we recommend taking advantage of Quontic's current offer. You can earn up to 1.10% on balances of $150,000 or less if you make at least 10 qualifying transactions each month–and 0.35% APY on the portion of your balance above $150,000 (plus 1.01% APY on the first $150,000). This is a highly competitive option that will allow you to grow your money without having to move it into a separate account.
Pros
- High APY rates
- No monthly fees
- 90,000+ ATM locations
Cons
- No physical locations
- Limited support
- No cash deposits
