Checking
Maximize your checking: Compare high-yield checking accounts, no-fee checking accounts and more.
Explore checking basics
From no fees to online bill pay, here are the must-have checking account features.
If you overdraw your account frequently, then overdraft protection could be a good way to avoid hefty overdraft fees.
Checks aren’t as ubiquitous as they once were, but you may still have to write one.
Get started with a checking account
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.
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.
Experts in all things banking
Our expert writers and editors bring you timely news and reliable information - backed by data and first-hand experience.
About Bankrate's team
Chief Financial Analyst
Principal U.S. Economy Reporter
Senior Economic Analyst
Compare top-rated banks
Learn more
- Introduction to Checking Accounts
Spend money, pay bills, write checks or make fund transfers with a checking account.
Check out the 13 different types of checking accounts.
Finding the account of your dreams comes down to knowing what you want and the features you value most.
Here are simple steps to take to avoid paying checking account fees.
Checks aren’t as ubiquitous as they once were, but you may still have to write one.
There are several ways to deposit a check — some are simpler than others.
Setting up direct deposit is typically easy and can save you a lot of time. Here’s how.
Latest articles
Here’s what you need to know if you’re considering a switch to business checking.
Withdrawing cash at an out-of-network ATM? Be prepared to pay more than ever.
Debit cards are inherently less secure than credit cards, especially at these spots.
That string of numbers at the bottom of your check is really important. Find out why.
Mobile apps make managing your money a snap and mobile alerts can help protect it.
Knowing your ATM withdrawal limits can make a sudden need for cash easier to handle.
There’s a right way to handle old checks. The wrong way can cost you.
Overdraft protection can be a helpful and convenient tool to avoid paying a steeper overdraft fee.
You’ve matured, but those savings bonds from childhood may still need more time.
Now might be the time to dust off those paper bonds and cash them in. Here’s what you need to know.
Recent Bankrate data shows that young people are the ones most optimistic about their finances.
Losing your wallet can be reduced to a minor inconvenience if you know what to do.
Online banks typically offer savings accounts with much higher yields than brick-and-mortar banks.
Losing a savings bond doesn’t mean it’s money lost. Here’s how to find it.
Even small contributions to savings can substantially add up — if you give it time.
There are savings opportunities in the current interest rate environment.
Compare the best high-yield savings rates as of September 15, 2025.
A tough mix of rising prices and weak hiring is leaving the Fed with no easy way out.
Wire transfer fees can be expensive, but here are ways to send money for less.
In this era of no-fee banking, pesky fees still exist. Here’s how to avoid them.
Artifical intelligence (AI) is likely to reshape our lives in as big a way as the internet did in the 1990s and smartphones did in the 2000s (scary or exciting as that may be). That means changes to your [...]
Compare the best high-yield savings rates as of September 12, 2025.
Check out the latest CD rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of banks and thrifts.
Comparing savings rates can ensure you get the best return on your savings.
The trusted provider of accurate rates and financial information