CNBC’s best big bank checking accounts of 2022

Editor’s Note: APYs listed in this article are up-to-date as of the time of publication. They may fluctuate (up or down) as the Fed rate changes. CNBC Select will update as changes are made public.

Big banks have a major advantage over online-only banks when it comes to convenience. With hundreds or thousands of physical branches scattered across the U.S., customers can deposit and withdraw money by visiting a teller inside or via a drive-up window or ATM machine. Customers also have the convenience of being able to speak to someone face-to-face and work out any account questions or requests, rather than needing to call in and deal with potentially long wait times.

Online banks often offer customers better rates and lower fees since big banks have to recoup overhead costs to keep physical branches up and running. That said, there are still competitive brick-and-mortar banks that offer checking accounts with options to waive monthly fees if you meet certain requirements.

To help you choose the right bank for your needs, CNBC Select evaluated dozens of checking accounts offered by big banks, offering access to at least 2,000 physical branches and over 4,000 fee-free ATMs in the U.S. We considered features like fees, minimum balance requirements and ease of use, among other factors to choose the top five best big bank checking accounts. (See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best checking accounts.)

Note: Most big banks require you to enter your zip code online for the correct account offerings, and in some cases, you might not be able to open an account because of your location.

Before you open a checking account, consider these six factors:

1. Insurance: Verify that the bank or credit union where you open an account provides insurance from either the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). This insurance protects and reimburses you up to your balance and the legal limit ($250,000 per individual account) in the event your bank or credit union fails.
2. Minimum deposit requirements: Many checking accounts require you to maintain a certain balance in order to avoid the monthly maintenance fee. If you don’t meet the balance requirements, you may incur a monthly maintenance fee up to $15. However, some accounts offer several different ways you can qualify for a waived monthly fee that don’t require a minimum balance.
3. Fees: Checking accounts charge various fees to access your money, including: monthly service/maintenance fee, overdraft fee, non-sufficient (NSF) fee and ATM fee. These fees can range from a couple dollars to $35 per occurrence, making repeat fees costly.
4. ATM network: If you often pay with or receive cash, you’ll need to use an ATM and/or visit a branch location to withdraw money. Thankfully, all of the checking accounts mentioned above provide access to thousands of free ATMs, plus physical branch locations.
5. Interest and rewards: Checking accounts aren’t meant for long-term savings goals, but there are some financial institutions that provide interest rates on eligible balances.
6. Mobile app features: While you can visit physical branch locations with brick-and-mortar checking accounts, you should also consider what mobile features are offered. Mobile check deposit and integration with peer-to-peer payment apps, such as Zelle, are two common features to look for.

While there are several good no-fee checking accounts out there, most checking accounts come with standard fees. Here are some of the common checking account fees you may incur:

• Monthly maintenance fee: The monthly service fee, often up to $15, that banks or credit unions charge to maintain your account.
• Overdraft fee: If you spend more than the amount in your account, resulting in a negative balance, you may be hit with a steep overdraft fee up to $35.
• Non-sufficient funds (NSF) fee: If you write a check and it bounces because there isn’t enough money in your bank account, you’ll likely incur a NSF fee.
• ATM fee: When you use an ATM that isn’t affiliated with your bank or credit union, you may be hit with two fees: one from your bank/credit union and another from the ATM operator. Banks/credit unions charge around $1.63 while ATM operators charge roughly $3.09.
• Paper statement fee: If you don’t enroll in paperless statement, you could pay up to $5 per statement.
• Foreign transaction fee: If you use your debit card to make purchases or withdraw money from an ATM outside of the U.S., you’ll often incur a fee that’s often 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of the transaction.
• Account closure fee: If you close your account within 90 to 180 days of opening it, you may incur an account closure fee around $25.

While these fees can add up, you can avoid them by responsibly managing your account and always maintaining a positive balance.

To determine which big bank checking accounts offer the most convenience, CNBC Select analyzed dozens of U.S. checking accounts offered by the largest national banks and credit unions. We narrowed down our rankings by only considering checking accounts that come from brick-and-mortar banks with broad availability, offering access to at least 2,000 physical branches and over 4,000 fee-free ATMs in the U.S.

We compared each checking account on a range of features, including:

• Fees
• Minimum balance requirement
• Number of states with branches
• Large ATM network
• Ease of use and account accessibility
• Customer reviews, when available

All of the accounts included on this list are Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) insured up to $250,000. This insurance protects and reimburses you up to your balance and the legal limit in the event your bank or credit union fails.

The rates and fee structures for checking accounts are subject to change without notice and they often fluctuate in accordance with the prime rate.

Your earnings depend on any associated fees and the balance you have in your checking account. To open an account, some banks and institutions may require a deposit of new money, meaning you can’t transfer money you already had in an account at that bank.

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