What's the most important feature in a checking account?

Your priorities may vary, but key checking account factors include low fees and easy ATM access. If you use your debit card while traveling internationally, pay attention to foreign transaction fees and international ATM access.

Is it worth paying a monthly fee for a checking account?

It’s usually not worth paying a monthly fee for a checking account, especially when there are many free checking accounts available. However, most checking accounts with a fee offer waivers if you meet certain criteria, such as maintaining a minimum balance or receiving regular direct deposits. If you’re considering a checking account with a monthly fee, consider the features and benefits to figure out if they outweigh the cost.

Can you earn rewards on checking accounts?

Most checking accounts don’t earn rewards, but some do. Rewards checking accounts include American Express Rewards Checking and Discover Cashback Debit. Some checking accounts earn interest. Welcome offers are also available with some accounts, offering cash rewards if you open a new account and make qualifying transactions, usually qualifying direct deposits within a specific timeframe.

Which checking accounts are best for international travel?

If access to cash internationally is a top priority, Schwab Bank Investor Checking and the Fidelity Cash Management Account are good options. Both offer global ATM fee reimbursements and have no foreign transaction fees.

Does it make sense to open more than 1 checking account?

You can have multiple checking accounts. It can be helpful to use a primary account for everyday finances and open a second account for travel, ATM access, or earning a new account bonus. A second account can also help with budgeting, allowing you to route money for specific purposes, such as discretionary spending, bills, or sharing joint expenses.

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The 8 Best Checking Accounts of 2025 [Low Fees, Global ATMs, and Rewards]

Updated: December 24, 2025, 10:57am CST

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Table of Contents

Accounts Summary
The 8 Best Checking Accounts
Final Thoughts

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Choosing a great checking account can simplify everyday finances, making it easier to manage bills, access cash, or move money. The fees, rewards, ATM access, and other features of a checking account all contribute to its overall usefulness.

Some checking accounts offer benefits for travelers or earn rewards or interest (sometimes both). Broad ATM networks and minimal (or no) foreign transaction fees can make a checking account useful, whether you’re at home or abroad.

The accounts in this guide are well-suited for everyday money management and provide reliable access to cash while you’re on the road. They also offer large, fee-free ATM networks and minimal account fees.

Accounts Summary

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Checking Account	Monthly Fee	Foreign Transaction Fee	Rewards or Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	Best For
American Express Rewards Checking	$0	2.7%	1% APY and 1 Membership Rewards point per $2 spent, $250 welcome offer	Amex cardholders seeking rewards and a welcome offer
Chase Sapphire Checking	$25 (waivable)	None	None	Chase customers who want global access
Capital One 360 Checking	$0	None	$250 welcome offer, 0.10% APY	Fee-free international banking
Discover Cashback Debit	$0	None	1% cash-back on up to $3,000 per month	Simple rewards checking
Schwab Bank Investor Checking	$0	None (foreign ATM fee reimbursement)	0.01% APY	Heavy international users
Fidelity Cash Management Account	$0	None (foreign ATM fee reimbursement)	1.84% APY	Travelers wanting brokerage services
SoFi Checking & Savings	$0	0.2% foreign purchases	Up to $300 new account bonus, up to 4.00% APY for the first 6 months	High APY earnings
Ally Spending Account	$0	1% international ATM withdrawals, 0.2% foreign purchases	Up to 0.25% APY	Everyday banking with light international use

The 8 Best Checking Accounts

Checking accounts remain essential financial tools, even as digital wallets and mobile payments continue to grow. You can handle direct deposit, debit purchases, bill pay, transfers, ATM withdrawals, and more with a checking account. A good checking account should have limited fees, smooth features, and work reliably wherever you are.

Some accounts take it a step further by pairing with your credit card rewards, so you can quickly move cash around, pay bills, or top off a rewards account.

These are some of the best checking accounts, offering low fees, travel-friendly policies, and helpful features such as early paydays or earning points, cash back, or interest.

American Express Rewards Checking

American Express Rewards Checking is a standout choice if you have an American Express card and want to boost your Membership Rewards points balance with your bank account. This checking account is open only to current American Express cardholders.

Your checking account balance earns 1% APY, which is better than most checking accounts. There’s no monthly account fee, overdraft fee, or minimum balance requirement. You can withdraw money from ATMs nationwide with no Amex fee, but this is limited to U.S. withdrawals. Additionally, a 2.7% foreign exchange fee applies to debit card and ATM transactions.

You can earn 1 Membership Rewards point for every $2 spent on eligible debit card purchases. It’s unusual to find a checking account that earns transferable travel points on debit purchases, and Membership Rewards are one of the most valuable points you can earn and redeem for travel value.

Points earned with your checking account pool with the Membership Rewards points earned with credit cards. You can strategically use Amex credit and debit cards to earn points on every purchase. Opt for credit card payments on most purchases, such as airfare with the Platinum Card^® from American Express and the American Express^® Gold Card for dining and at supermarkets. Then use debit for purchases that may incur a fee for credit use, like utilities and taxes.

Amex Gold Amex Platinum Hotel Lobby Upgraded Points LLC — Pair Amex credit cards with rewards checking. Image Credit: Upgraded Points

American Express Rewards Checking also has a welcome offer bonus of $250 when you open an account and receive a total of $5,000 or more in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of opening your account.

Chase Sapphire Checking

Chase Sapphire Checking is one of the strongest travel-friendly checking accounts from a major bank. Although it doesn’t help you earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, it’s great if you have Chase credit cards and want to stay in the Chase ecosystem for banking. It’s also a good choice if you often withdraw cash abroad.

Chase Sapphire Checking has no ATM fees worldwide and refunds ATM surcharge fees. It doesn’t charge a foreign exchange rate adjustment fee. Like Chase credit cards, you can access Chase Offers with a Chase Sapphire Checking account.

There’s a $25 monthly service fee, but it can be waived if you have a daily balance of $75,000 or higher in qualifying Chase deposit accounts or link your account to a qualifying checking account. Overdraft fees are waived as long as you bring your account current within 4 business days.

Hot Tip:

Chase offers several types of checking accounts. See other account types from Chase in our guide to Chase personal checking accounts.

Capital One 360 Checking

Capital One 360 Checking is a straightforward and travel-friendly checking account offered by a major bank. It’s an easy option if you want a mainstream bank account without fees. Plus, it earns 0.10% APY on deposits, and there’s an opportunity to earn an account opening bonus.

There are no monthly fees or overdraft fees, and you don’t pay foreign transaction fees on debit card purchases or ATM withdrawals. It has a broad ATM network, including locations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K., and Australia. Using direct deposit, you can access your money up to 2 days before payday.

You can earn a $250 bonus when you open a new Capital One 360 Checking account using the code CHECKING250. You have to set up direct deposit and receive at least 2 direct deposits of $500 or more each within 75 days of opening your account.

Discover Cashback Debit

Discover Cashback Debit offers rewards and fee-friendly features. It’s a good choice if you want a simple account with cash back and no fees.

You can earn 1% cash-back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month, which is up to $360 back per year. Cash-back can be automatically redeemed into a Discover Online Savings Account each month, or you can use it in your checking account.

There are no monthly maintenance, overdraft, ATM, or foreign transaction fees, and no minimum opening deposit or minimum balance requirement. With the Early Pay service, you can access direct deposits up to 2 days early.

Hot Tip:

Consider pairing Discover Cashback Debit with the 5% cash-back Discover it^® Cash Back Card.

Schwab Bank Investor Checking

Schwab Bank Investor Checking is a great tool for international travelers, as it offers unlimited worldwide ATM fee reimbursements and has no foreign transaction fees on debit card purchases. You can rely on this account to always get cash at a fair rate, no matter where in the world you are.

Hyatt Regency DFW ATM — One of the best features of Schwab Bank Investor Checking is unlimited worldwide ATM fee reimbursements. Image Credit: Ryan Smith

There’s no monthly maintenance fee or minimum balance requirement, although the checking account requires a paired Schwab One brokerage account, which also doesn’t have a monthly maintenance fee or minimum balance.

Hot Tip:

Schwab Bank Investor Checking is one of the accounts we recommend for avoiding international ATM withdrawal fees.

Fidelity Cash Management Account

The Fidelity Cash Management Account is another brokerage-backed account that has helpful features for travelers. It has no monthly maintenance fee, no foreign transaction fee, and unlimited global ATM fee reimbursements.

Technically, the Fidelity Cash Management Account isn’t a checking account. Still, its basic functions work similarly to those of a checking account, as you can set up direct deposit, use a debit card for purchases, and access ATMs.

If you opt for the Fidelity Government Money Market Fund, you can earn a very competitive 3.40% APY on your cash, with a rate that rivals high-yield savings accounts. However, your funds are not protected in the money market and could lose value. If you don’t want any risk, choose the FDIC-Insured Deposit Sweep Program, which has an APY of 1.84%.

Hot Tip:

The Fidelity^® Rewards Visa Signature^® Card earns unlimited 2% back on all purchases, which you can deposit into your Fidelity Cash Management account.

SoFi Checking & Savings

SoFi Checking & Savings is an online banking service with a welcome offer, strong APYs, early direct deposit, and an extensive ATM network. It doesn’t offer fee-free foreign use, but it has low foreign transaction fees.

There are no monthly, overdraft, or minimum balance fees, and SoFi’s ATM network offers international coverage. However, there’s a 0.2% foreign transaction fee for debit card purchases or ATM withdrawals made in a foreign currency, and SoFi doesn’t reimburse foreign ATM owner surcharges.

You can earn up to 4.00% APY on your deposits, including a 6-month boost of 0.70% APY for the first 6 months. There’s a welcome offer of up to $300 if you receive $5,000 or more in eligible direct deposits within the first 25 days of opening an account, or a $50 bonus for deposits between $1,000 and $4,999.99.

Ally Bank Spending Account

The Ally Bank Spending Account is an everyday checking service with low fees. It has no monthly maintenance fees or overdraft fees, and you can get direct deposit up to 2 days early. It earns interest on your deposits, though the rate is low at 0.10% APY.

Ally’s ATM network offers international access and offers up to $10 per statement cycle for domestic ATM fees. However, there’s a 1% foreign transaction fee on ATM withdrawals and a 0.2% fee on foreign purchases.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right checking account depends on your banking habits, including how often you move money, access ATMs, and use your debit card abroad. Consider how you use your debit card, withdraw cash, and whether you care about earning rewards. There’s no shortage of solid options, and many accounts offer a mix of convenience, value, and customer-friendly policies.

If you’re already committed to a credit card ecosystem, such as Amex or Chase, you can make money management easier with a matching checking account. Digital-first banks, such as Ally and SoFi, offer straightforward banking without monthly fees, although Capital One also offers a competitive basic checking account. Heavy travelers seeking global access with ATM fee reimbursements should consider brokerage-backed accounts, such as Schwab and Fidelity.