Best Checking Accounts of 2025
There are plenty of options available when you are searching to open a bank account. We compare the best bank accounts available today to help you choose the best for your needs.
TOP CHECKING ACCOUNTS IN COLUMBUS, OHIO
Earn 1% Cash Back on up to $3k in Monthly Debit Purchases¹ (See website for details)
- Early Pay: Get Paid up to 2 days Early with Direct Deposit²
- No Monthly Fees & No Min. Balance Required
- Access to 60,000+ Fee-Free ATMs
- Fee-free Overdraft Protection³
- Get Paid Up To 2 Days Early with Direct Deposit Set Up
- No Monthly Fees & No Min. Balance Required
- 50k+ Fee-free ATMs³ at Walgreens®, 7-Eleven®, CVS® & more
- No Fees for Foreign Transactions & Transfers
Multi-featured payment account and debit card
- Get paid up to two days faster
- 40,000 fee-free ATMs
- $0 minimum balance
- Easy-to-use app
- New Current Build secured credit card
- Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Member FDIC.
- Network of over 80,000 ATMs
- Free debit card with digital wallet compatibility
- No minimum balance required
- ATM reimbursements up to $20/month (for out-of-network)
- No monthly service fee
- Overdraft protection
- No monthly or maintenance fees
- Early access to paycheck funds with direct deposit*
- No minimum balance
- Varo contactless VISA® Debit Card
- FDIC insured through Varo Bank, N.A. Member FDIC
- No fees at Allpoint® ATMs
Earn 1% Cash Back on up to $3k in Monthly Debit Purchases¹ (See website for details)
- Early Pay: Get Paid up to 2 days Early with Direct Deposit²
- No Monthly Fees & No Min. Balance Required
- Access to 60,000+ Fee-Free ATMs
- Fee-free Overdraft Protection³
SoFi's Disclaimers:
¹ APY Disclosures: SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus with Eligible Direct Deposit or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days or SoFi members with $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 3.80% 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 stated interest rate. Members without either SoFi Plus or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period 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 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. If you have satisfied Eligible Direct Deposit requirements for our highest APY but do not see 3.80% APY on your APY Details page the day after your Eligible Direct Deposit arrives, please contact us at 855-456-7634. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. See the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus.
² Up to $300 Bonus Tiered Disclosure: 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 during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) OR $300 (with at least $5,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Eligible Direct Deposit.
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 12/7/2023 and will be available through 1/31/2026. Full terms at sofi.com/banking. SoFi Checking and Savings is offered through SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. SoFi members with Eligible Direct Deposit can earn 3.80% 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 3.80% 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 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
³ Fee Policy: We do not charge any account, service, or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however, the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Checking & Savings Fee Sheet for details at sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/.
⁴ ATM Access: We've partnered with Allpoint to provide you with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. You will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third-party fees incurred when using out-of-network ATMs are not subject to reimbursement. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at their discretion at any time.
⁵ Overdraft Coverage: Overdraft Coverage is limited to $50 on debit card purchases only and is an account benefit available to customers with Eligible Direct Deposits of $1,000 or more during the current 30-day Evaluation Period as determined by SoFi Bank, N.A. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Members with a prior history of non-repayment of negative balances are ineligible for Overdraft Coverage.
⁶ Early Access to Direct Deposit Funds: Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date but may vary.
⁷ Additional FDIC Insurance: 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.
8 0.70% Savings APY Boost: Earn up to 4.50% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on SoFi Savings with a 0.70% APY Boost (added to the 3.80% APY as of 8/5/25) for up to 6 months. Open a new SoFi Checking & Savings account with Eligible Direct Deposit by 1/31/26. Rates variable, subject to change. Terms apply at sofi.com/banking#2. SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.
CIT's Disclaimers:
The Annual Percentage Yields (APY) and interest rates are effective as of March 20, 2025. Fees may reduce earnings. Checking APYs and interest rates are variable and may change at any time without prior notice, including after account opening. The minimum opening deposit for eChecking is $100. See Fee Schedule and Agreement for Personal Accounts for details. To obtain the interest rate and APY disclosed, the minimum balance for the applicable balance tier must be maintained.
Must have a bank account in the U.S. to use Zelle. Transactions typically occur in minutes when the recipient’s email address or U.S. mobile number is already enrolled with Zelle. Zelle and the Zelle related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used
herein under license. The Apple Pay logo and Apple are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. The Samsung Pay logo and Samsung are registered trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
For complete list of account details and fees, see our Personal Account disclosures.
Chime Disclaimers:
Chime® is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC. Deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through deposit insurance coverage to apply.
The Chime Visa® Debit Card and the secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card are issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., pursuant to licenses from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit or credit cards are accepted. Please see back of your Card for its issuing bank.
¹ Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing of the submission of the payment file from the payer. We 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.
2 Out of network ATM withdrawal and over the counter advance fees may apply except at MoneyPass ATMs in a 7-Eleven, or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATM.
³ Terms apply. Limited time only, must open the new account and complete qualifying activites to earn 3 individual rewards, up to a max of $350.00, as described at https://www.chime.com/policies/newmemberofferv3.
Discover’s Disclaimers:
¹ Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month. See Deposit Account Agreement for details on transaction eligibility, limitations, and terms.
² Early Pay is automatically available to checking, savings (excluding IRA savings) and money market customers who receive qualifying ACH direct deposits. At Discover’s discretion, and dependent on the timing of receipt of the direct deposit instructions, Discover may make funds from these qualifying direct deposits available to you up to 2 days early. See their Deposit Account Agreement for more information.
³ Balance+ is a no-fee overdraft coverage that applies to your debit card transactions. It is not available to cover checks, ATM/Cash withdrawals, or other electronic payments, such as Zelle®. Repayment is due immediately. Balance+ is provided at our discretion, and we may decline to cover any debit card transaction, for example, if we suspect the transaction is fraudulent. Please review the agreement as other terms and conditions apply.
Alliant Credit Union’s Disclaimers:
1APY=Annual Percentage Yield. The High Rate Checking Dividend provides an Annual Percentage Yield (APY) of 0.25% APY. The APY is accurate as of the 4/7/2025 dividend declaration date. Checking dividend may change after account is opened and is subject to change at any time. There is no minimum balance requirement to earn the stated APY. Checking Dividends are paid on the last day of each month to checking account holders who have opted out of receiving paper statements (receive eStatements only) and have a recurring monthly electronic deposit to their Alliant checking account each month (e.g., a direct deposit, payroll deposit, ATM deposit, mobile check deposit or transfer from another financial institution). Otherwise, Alliant checking accounts do not earn a dividend. Alliant checking charges no monthly maintenance or service fees; however, if incurred, other fees may reduce earnings on the account. Please refer to the Alliant Fee Schedule for a list of these types of fees. Dividend applies to Checking and Teen Checking Accounts. Account is subject to approval. We may not open checking for you if you do not meet Alliant criteria.
2Alliant will rebate ATM fees up to $20 per month per membership account when you use your Alliant checking account Visa debit card to make a deposit, withdrawal, transfer or balance inquiry. The rebate does not apply to cash advances from Alliant Visa credit cards through ATMs nor to the Alliant Savings ATM Card and Visa International Service Assessment (ISA) fee, referenced as the foreign transaction fee on account statements. Not all ATMs accept deposits.
Current Disclaimers:
1Fees may apply, including out of network cash withdrawal fees, third-party fees, cash load fees, inactivity fees, account closure fees, international transaction fees, replacement card fees, express mail fees and escheatment fees.
2For eligible customers only. Your actual available Paycheck Advance amount will be displayed to you in the mobile app and may change from time to time. Conditions and eligibility may vary and are subject to change at any time, at the sole discretion of Finco Advance LLC, which offers this optional feature. Finco Advance LLC is a financial technology company, not a bank. For more information, please refer to Paycheck Advance Terms and Conditions.
VaroMoney Disclaimers:
1. Fees apply to loans and out of network withdrawals & cash deposits.
2. We give access to direct deposits from employer & government payers on the day we receive them, typically up to 2 days earlier than your scheduled pay date.
3. Varo Advance (VA) is a small dollar line of credit. Initial limits range from $20-$250, work your way up to $500 over time. Fees range from $1.60 - $40 based on loan amount. Quals Apply.