Top Free Checking Accounts

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Here are Wallet Wisely’s top checking accounts for March 2023 with no monthly maintenance fees.

Checking accounts are an essential need and should not be expensive to maintain. Many banks charge outrageous maintenance fees or have ridiculous steps you must do in order to waive fees. Wallet Wisely compared dozens of checking accounts offered by online and brick-and-mortar banks and credit unions charge zero monthly maintenance fees.

When ranking the best no-fee checking accounts, we looked for those that meet the following criteria:

$0 monthly maintenance fee
$0 minimum balance requirement
Low initial deposit of $0 to $50
Nationwide availability
Physical branch locations and/or online accessibility
Large ATM network
FDIC or NCUA insured up to $250,000

Accounts on our list had to meet all of the requirements above to be considered one of the best. In addition, all checking accounts mentioned below provide access to thousands of free ATMs and offer mobile check deposits.