Crediful is committed to helping you make smarter financial decisions by presenting you with the best information possible. We are able to present this information to you free of charge because some of the companies featured on our site compensate us.
Compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including the order in which they may appear within listing categories.
While Crediful does not feature every company, financial product, or offer available, we are proud that the information, reviews, guides, and other tools found on our site are entirely objective and available to you free of charge.
Our #1 priority is you, our reader. We will never ever recommend a product or service that we wouldn't use ourselves. Our reviews are based on independent research.
What does this mean for you? It's simple: we will never steer you in the wrong direction just because a company offers to pay us.
Are you tired of those pesky overdraft fees sneaking up on you when you least expect it? We know how frustrating it can be to see your hard-earned money vanish due to a simple oversight or financial hiccup. That’s why we’ve taken the time to thoroughly research and compile a list of the best checking accounts with no overdraft fees.
Say goodbye to those unwelcome charges and hello to financial peace of mind.
Chime® has a new fee-free overdraft feature called SpotMe®. They spot members up to $200 on debit card purchases when their balance is low, with no overdraft fees5.
Chime is a mobile-only banking option that allows you to get your paycheck up to two days early with direct deposit2.
In addition, you get daily balance notifications and instant transaction alerts whenever you use your Chime Visa Debit Card.
To avoid paying ATM fees, you’ll need to find a specified ATM via your mobile app whenever you need cash. There are over 60,000 fee-free1 ATMs to choose from.
This checking account has no minimum balance requirements, no monthly maintenance fees, no deposit required, and no foreign transaction fees.
GO2bank is a mobile banking solution designed to provide an accessible and affordable banking experience. They offer a user-friendly mobile app and online banking platform that makes managing your finances easy.
With GO2bank, there’s no credit check and no minimum opening deposit required to open an account. Plus, there are no monthly service fees with eligible direct deposit.
You can also get paid up to 2 days early with direct deposit, and access to over 19,000 fee-free ATMs with your debit card.
The account also offers features such as mobile check deposit, bill pay, and account transfers, making it a convenient banking option for those who prefer to manage their finances digitally.
Chase is one of the most popular banks in the U.S. And now, they offer an account called Chase Secure Banking with no credit check, no ChexSystems, and no overdraft fees.
Account holders also get access to over 16,000 fee-free ATMs, free online bill pay, and free money orders and cashier’s checks.
With 4,700 locations across the country, this is an excellent option for anyone who prefers having access to physical branches.
Opening a Chase Secure Banking account comes with a $100 cash bonus when you use the card for 10 purchases within 60 days.
Account approval is immediate and you’ll receive your debit card within days. There is a small monthly service fee of $4.95. However, there is no minimum opening deposit to get started.
Current is one of the fastest-growing mobile banking solutions in the U.S., with over one million members. However, Current is a financial technology company, not a bank. Most importantly, Current does not use ChexSystems or pull your credit report.
The Current mobile banking account offers fee-free overdraft protection of up to $100, 40,000 fee-free Allpoint ATMs, and no minimum balance.
You can also get paid up to two days early with direct deposit and earn up to 15x points, and get cashback.
Quontic High Interest Checking is an easy and convenient way to manage your finances. The process of applying online only takes 3 minutes and has no impact on your credit score.
To open an account, you’ll need to provide basic contact information, your Social Security number, and date of birth. You’ll also need a minimum deposit of $100.
Once the account is open, you can earn 1.10% APY on all balance tiers when you make at least 10 qualifying debit card point of sale transactions of $10 or more per statement cycle. However, if you fail to make qualifying transactions, the interest and APY will be 0.01%.
There are no monthly fees or overdraft fees. Additionally, all eligible accounts are FDIC insured and include advanced security monitoring. With 90,000+ ATMs across the nation, customers can access their funds easily.
Quontic High Interest Checking also offers fully mobile and online banking options such as remote check deposit, bill pay, account transfers, and receipt tracking to make managing your finances easy.
The SoFi Checking and Savings account has no overdraft fees, no minimum balance fees, and no monthly fees.
Additionally, it offers 55,000+ fee-free ATMs within the Allpoint® Network. Similar to Chime and Current, you can get your paycheck up to 2 days early when you set up direct deposit.
You’ll also get a 3.75% APY on your checking and savings accounts and up to 15% cash back at local establishments with your SoFi debit card.
With the Aspiration Spend & Save account, you can have both a regular checking account and a savings account which could earn up to 5% APY.
Aspiration also offers unlimited fee-free withdrawals at over 55,000 ATMs. Deposits are FDIC insured up to $2 million, and you can get paid up to two days early.
The Aspiration debit card is made from recycled plastic. Deposits are 100% fossil fuel-free. And they even give you the option to plant a tree with every card swipe.
Your card will not allow transactions to process without sufficient funds. However, there is no fee for any accidental overdraft.
Capital One actually does something pretty cool for overdrafts. When you overextend your online checking account, Capital One gives you an overdraft line of credit. You can pay it back month-to-month at 12.25% APR.
Say you go over your checking account balance by $50. You won’t be fined an overdraft fee of $35 and then be immediately harassed for the $50 the next day.
Instead, you would have a $50 debt plus the pennies in interest you would owe by the end of the month.
You can also link to a Capital One savings or money market account to cover overdrafts.
If you hold a Schwab brokerage account, you can benefit from Schwab’s free overdraft protection service.
In the event that your checking account becomes overdrawn, Schwab will automatically transfer funds from your brokerage account to cover the negative balance.
It should be noted that this complimentary overdraft protection applies only to certain transactions, such as debit card purchases. The coverage does not extend to checks, electronic withdrawals, or bill payments made through your checking account.
If any of these transactions result in an overdraft, you may be charged an insufficient funds fee of $25 per occurrence.
This fee can accumulate up to $100 per day, making it crucial to closely monitor your account balance and ensure you have enough funds to cover all transactions.
Ally Bank is one of the latest banking institutions to eliminate overdraft fees, joining a growing list of banks committed to offering customers a more transparent and customer-friendly banking experience.
With the Ally Bank Interest Checking Account, there are no minimum balance requirements or monthly maintenance fees.
As an online bank, Ally provides a network of over 43,000 Allpoint®ATMs across the United States that you can use for free with your Ally debit card.
However, if you find yourself in a situation where you need to use an out-of-network ATM, Ally Bank has you covered. The bank reimburses up to $10 per statement cycle for fees charged at other ATMs nationwide.
Alliant Credit Union provides a checking account that is free and easy to use, with no monthly service fees, overdraft fees, or account minimums.
It’s called High-Rate Checking, and it comes with a 0.25% APY.
The credit union offers over 80,000 ATMs for free, and you can earn up to $20 a month in reimbursements for any ATM fees you incur.
Your Visa debit card and your first box of checks are free, and you can access your account anytime, anywhere through Alliant’s online banking and mobile apps, which also allow you to use Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay.
Signing up for overdraft protection and courtesy pay is an excellent decision because no one wants to worry about their card being declined at the register.
In addition, Alliant Credit Union ensures that your account is insured to at least $250,000 by the NCUA.
Tips to Avoid Overdrafting Your Account
The banks listed above offer the best solution. However, if you still decide to bank with a financial institution that charges overdraft fees, there are a few things you can do to lessen the likelihood of overdrawing your account.
First off, there are three things that suck up most people’s paychecks every two weeks.
Student Debt
Housing
Car Payments
Is this the situation you’re in?
Experts say you should never spend more than 28% of your income on housing, and no more than 10% to 20% on transportation.
Simply put, don’t live beyond your means. Do the math before you commit. If the monthly payments mean you won’t be able to afford a fast-food run once in a while, then you can’t afford them.
There are things you can do to lessen your student debt before you’re enrolled. However, it’s unlikely you’re in a position to take advantage of those things now. So, apart from consolidating your loans and getting into an income-based repayment plan, let’s look at some practical ways you can manage your bank account.
1. Watch your account balances
Check your accounts regularly to make sure your balances aren’t too low. If your bank has a mobile app, you can see your balance at any time.
2. Set up alerts for low balances
If your bank or credit union offers to email you or send you a text alert when your balance is low, take advantage of it.
3. Use cash for all purchases
It’s certainly not convenient to go to the bank and withdraw cash every time you need to spend money.
To get around doing this, take out as much money as you can and leave just enough to pay your mortgage, car payment, and monthly bills. Take just enough cash with you when you go out, and leave your debit card and credit card at home.
This way, your budget is a very real one. If you go over, you can’t pay for what you’re trying to purchase. It’s not stressful; it’s practical. Use your phone as a calculator, know your state’s sales tax, and you’ll be just fine.
4. Use a prepaid debit card
This is basically the same as using cash, but you have the added security that comes with a debit card. If you use a prepaid debit card, monitor how much you have on the card by using a transaction register.
5. Keep track of all purchases and payments
This sounds simple, but it’s actually a powerful method to stay on top of your finances.
If you would rather not use your bank’s mobile app, you can write down every transaction in your register. If you always know how much money you have, you are less likely to waste it on small purchases.
You can also use a mobile app for budgeting to do this automatically. However, if you’re just starting out, you may want to track your everyday expenses manually before using your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are overdraft fees?
Most banks charge you an overdraft fee when you withdraw or spend more money from your checking account than you have. Overdraft fees vary by bank, but having a negative balance will usually cost you around $35 per transaction.
Banks and credit unions make billions of dollars in overdraft and nonsufficient funds fees every year. Fortunately, paying overdraft and nonsufficient funds fees is now optional. You can choose to completely avoid them by choosing the right checking account.
Which banks have no overdraft fees?
There are numerous checking accounts that don’t charge overdraft fees. Luckily, the list seems likely to grow even more in the years ahead. Why? A recent FICO survey found that Millennials are two to three times more likely to close all accounts and switch banks completely.
Their reason?
It should really come as no surprise — expensive fees.
In the years to come, the number of banks on this list will most likely grow as Millennials make up half the workforce. But, until then, the banks listed above offer consumer-friendly overdraft services.
If you have a checking account from a bank that charges overdraft fees, you usually have 5 to 7 days to fix your negative balance before you’re charged. However, thereafter, some banks charge overdraft fees every day your account is negative.
Some banks allow you to connect your checking account to your savings account or money market account. If you overdraft your checking, they will pull from your savings account to cover the overdraft.
How many overdraft fees can you get charged in a day?
There are no laws that specify a maximum number of fees that banks can charge for overdrafts. Each bank and credit union has its own limit on the number of overdraft fees it will charge in one day.
Most banks charge a maximum of 4 to 6 overdraft fees per day per account. However, some allow as many as 12 in one day.
Can I get overdraft fees waived?
Some banks will waive one overdraft fee per year as a courtesy. If overdrafting is something that you rarely do, contact your bank’s customer service to ask if they will waive it. However, if you do it frequently, it may be time to get a checking account with no overdraft fees or set up overdraft protection.
How can I avoid overdraft fees?
The best way to avoid overdraft fees is by getting a checking account that doesn’t have overdraft fees like the ones we listed above. However, if you are unable to switch to a fee-free checking account, there are a few other strategies that you can employ.
You can set up low balance notifications on your account and receive alerts when it drops below a certain threshold – this way, you can easily monitor your funds and keep tabs on potential overspending.
Linking your checking account to a savings account or line of credit is another choice, which serves as a financial safety net in the unlikely event of an overdraft. Finally, establish the habit of regularly monitoring your balances and avoiding impulsive purchases. That way all necessary expenses will always be taken care of without incurring any fees.
What is overdraft protection?
Overdraft protection is a service offered by banks that ensures your transactions are covered if you have insufficient funds in your checking account. The bank will automatically move funds you have available in a linked savings account, to the overdrawn account.
You may still incur a fee for the transfer from your linked account, but it’s usually less than the overdraft fee.
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services and debit card provided by The Bancorp Bank N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A.; Members FDIC. Credit Builder card issued by Stride Bank, N.A.
1. Out-of-network ATM withdrawal fees may apply with Chime except at MoneyPass ATMs in a 7-Eleven, or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATM.
2. Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing of the submission of the payment file from the payer. Chime generally make these funds available on the day the payment file is received, which may be up to 2 days earlier than the scheduled payment date.
5. Chime SpotMe is an optional, no fee service that requires a single deposit of $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits to the Chime Checking Account each at least once every 34 days. All qualifying members will be allowed to overdraw their account up to $20 on debit card purchases and cash withdrawals initially, but may be later eligible for a higher limit of up to $200 or more based on member’s Chime Account history, direct deposit frequency and amount, spending activity and other risk-based factors. Your limit will be displayed to you within the Chime mobile app. You will receive notice of any changes to your limit. Your limit may change at any time, at Chime’s discretion. Although there are no overdraft fees, there may be out-of-network or third party fees associated with ATM transactions. SpotMe won’t cover non-debit card transactions, including ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, or Chime Checkbook transactions. See Terms and Conditions.
