8 best free checking accounts of June 2026

According to a MoneyRates survey, new or increased bank fees are the number-one reason people switch banks. In January 2026, monthly maintenance fees alone averaged a record $13.95.

CNBC Select reviewed more than 20 top financial institutions to find the best checking accounts with no monthly maintenance fees. We crowned winners in a variety of categories, including ATM access, minimum balance requirement, interest earnings, and branch availability. For more on how we made our choices, see our methodology.

Who's this for? Set up direct deposit of at least $1,000 with SoFi Checking and Savings and you can earn a welcome bonus of up to $400. (Your cash bonus is based on the total amount of the direct deposit.*)

Standout benefits: This combo account offers a high APY on savings, plus FDIC insurance on up to $2 million in deposits.

Who's this for? If you prefer to bank in person, Capital One 360 Checking has close to 750 branches and over 2,000 in-network ATMs. There are also more than 50 Capital One Cafés, where you can grab a cup of Verve coffee, enjoy free Wifi and speak to a Capital One ambassador.

Standout benefits: Capital One 360 has no account minimum requirement, no charge for overdrafts and no foreign transaction fees.

Who's this for? Axos Rewards Checking includes unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements, making it ideal if you struggle to stick to in-network ATMs.

Standout benefits: Rewards Checking has no monthly maintenance, overdraft or non-sufficient funds fees, and zero minimum monthly balance requirement.

Who's this for? The online-only Ally Bank Spending Account offers higher interest than most traditional banks. You can score 0.10% APY on balances less than $15,000 and 0.25% APY on $15,000-plus balances.

Standout benefits: In addition to no monthly maintenance or overdraft fees, members can get their paychecks up to two days early after setting up direct deposit. There are over 43,000 no-fee Allpoint ATMs and Ally reimburses up to $10 per month for out-of-network ATM fees.

Who's this for? If you like the personal touch of a credit union, Alliant High-Rate Checking is our top pick. Joining Alliant just requires a $5 donation to the nonprofit Alliant Credit Union Foundation. (Alliant will refund your donation after you open your account.)

Standout benefits: All you need to open an Alliant High Rate Checking account is a $25 deposit. There's no minimum balance requirement or overdraft or NSF fees. Members have access to over 80,000 fee-free ATMs and up to $20 in out-of-network ATM fees are reimbursed per month.

Who's this for? Chase College Checking is available to students aged 17 to 24 who are enrolled in college or vocational school. New account holders can earn $125 after completing 10 qualifying transactions within 60 days of coupon enrollment. (This offer ends 3/13/2026.)

Standout benefits: Chase waives the $15 monthly service fee for students for up to five years. Accounts convert to Chase Total Checking after graduation, when fees may be waived by meeting balance or deposit requirements.

Who's this for? Your Schwab Investor Checking Account™ is automatically linked to a Schwab brokerage account, making it a great option for investors who want to manage their money in one place.

Standout benefits: This interest-earning checking account comes with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. Members enjoy unlimited ATM-fee reimbursements worldwide and no ATM or foreign transaction fees.

Who's this for? Discover Cashback Debit Checking comes with a no-fee debit card that earns 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in purchases each month. Cash can be redeemed as a deposit into a Discover checking, savings or money market account, or transferred to a Discover credit card.

Standout benefits: There's no minimum deposit with Discover Cashback checking and overdraft protection is free (a rarity). Account holders have access to over 60,000 fee-free Allpoint and MoneyPass® ATMs.

While there are many fees associated with a checking account, "free checking" usually refers to an account that doesn't charge a monthly maintenance fee. Some banks will waive its fee if you maintain a minimum balance or direct deposit, but we excluded those from our selection.

The good news is you shouldn't have any trouble finding a free checking account that comes with other perks — like earning interest, ATM fee reimbursement and a welcome bonus.

Close to half of non-interest checking accounts charge a monthly maintenance fee, according to Bankrate's 2025 Checking Account and ATM Fee study, but there are other charges to consider as well:

• Maintenance fee: The cost of servicing your account, maintenance fees can be as much as $15 a month. Banks that charge maintenance fees will often waive them if you maintain a minimum balance or set up direct deposit.
• Overdraft fee: If you spend more than your account balance and the bank covers the payment, you may be charged up to $35 per incident. Some banks don't charge to cover a payment or allow you to link your checking and savings accounts to provide additional funds.
• Non-sufficient funds fee: If the bank does not cover a payment, you may incur an NSF fee. Try to find a bank that doesn't charge one.
• ATM fee: If you use an ATM from another company, you can be hit with two charges — one from your bank and another from the ATM operator. Look for an institution with a large ATM network or that reimburses for out-of-network fees.
• Paper statement fee: If you don't enroll in paperless banking, you may be charged $1 to $5 per statement to cover the cost of printing and mailing.
• Foreign transaction fee: If you use your debit or ATM card overseas, many banks charge a fee that's typically 3% of the transaction amount.
• Account closure fee: If you close your account early, usually within 90 to 180 days of opening, you may be penalized. Account closure fees are often $25 to $50.

The best checking accounts have no maintenance fees and waive other charges, including overdraft fees and out-of-network ATM fees. Look for an account that earns interest, gives cash back or offers a welcome bonus.

Consider the number of branches a bank has and whether there is a location in your area. Look at customer service reviews on the Better Business Bureau and on sites like Trustpilot. Make sure its website and mobile app are easy to use and provide the services you want.

It may be worth looking at the other account types offered, as many institutions offer perks to customers with high balances or multiple accounts.

Free checking accounts are available at both online banks and traditional brick-and-mortar institutions, but the experience can differ.

Online banks often offer perks such as higher interest rates, ATM fee reimbursements and fewer fees overall. Because they don't operate physical branches, their overhead costs are typically lower.

Traditional banks provide in-person service at local branches. This can be helpful if you prefer face-to-face assistance or need to deposit cash regularly. However, brick-and-mortar institutions are more likely to charge monthly maintenance fees or require certain conditions to waive them.

If you're comfortable managing your money digitally, an online bank offers more value, but if access to a physical branch is important to you, a traditional bank may be a better fit.

You can usually open a checking account online or at a branch location. To open a non-custodial account, you must be 18 or older. You'll provide your name, address, birth date, Social Security number, valid photo ID and other personal information.

Since this is a deposit account and not a loan, the approval requirements are much simpler. The bank may run a soft credit check to confirm your identity, but it won't hurt your credit.

If you're approved, you may be required to make a minimum opening deposit and create a PIN for your debit or ATM card. If you order paper checks, they should arrive within seven to 10 days.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice to help them make informed financial decisions. Every checking account list is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of banking products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

To find the best checking accounts with no monthly maintenance fees, CNBC Select analyzed dozens of accounts offered by brick-and-mortar banks, credit unions and online institutions.

We narrowed our selections to checking accounts with no monthly fee. Accounts that waive fees for customers who meet balance minimums were excluded.

All of the institutions on our list also met the following criteria:

• Initial deposit requirement of $50 or less
• Nationwide availability
• Large ATM network
• Easy-to-use online platform and mobile app
• Positive customer reviews

We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of credit cards, banking and money, and follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.

Information about the Ally Bank Spending Account has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by Ally prior to publication. Ally Bank is a Member FDIC.

* New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible Direct Deposit of $1 or more) OR $400 (with at least $5,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible Direct Deposit of $1 or more). Cash bonus amount will be based on the total amount of Eligible Direct Deposit received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible Direct Deposit of $1 or more. If you have satisfied the Eligible Direct Deposit requirements but have not received a cash bonus in your Checking account, please contact us at 855-456-7634 with the details of your Eligible Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 5/15/2026 and will be available through 12/31/26. See full bonus and annual percentage yield (APY) terms at sofi.com/banking/checking-offer/ *SoFi Checking and Savings is offered through SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. SoFi members with Eligible Direct Deposit can earn up to 3.10% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Eligible Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the 3.10% APY for savings (including Vaults). Members without Eligible Direct Deposit will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 5/28/26. There is no minimum balance requirement. Fees may reduce earnings. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. *SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per depositor per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC's regulations. Any additional FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $3M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms. See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks. *Earn up to 3.80% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on SoFi Savings with a 0.70% APY Boost (added to the 3.10% APY) for up to 6 months. Open a new SoFi Checking & Savings account with Eligible Direct Deposit by 12/31/26. Rates variable, subject to change. Terms apply at sofi.com/banking#2. SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC *Annual percentage yield (APY) is variable and subject to change at any time. Rates are current as of 5/28/26. There is no minimum balance requirement. Fees may reduce earnings. Additional rates and information can be found at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet