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No Checking Account? No Problem — Get One Simply at These 4 Banks

Blend Images - JGI/Jamie Grill
Blend Images - JGI/Jamie Grill

Maintaining a personal checking account is practically a necessity in this day and age. Unfortunately, many banks make opening new accounts a hassle.

Find Out: Here’s How Much Americans Have in Their Savings Accounts in 2023
See: How To Transfer Money From Savings Into a High-Yield Savings Account

The following four banks let you create a checking account in mere minutes. Best of all, you won’t have to pay a fee to use any of them. All of the bank accounts on this list come without pesky fees like maintenance and setup fees.

Capital One 360 Checking Account

According to the Capital One website, it takes just five minutes to apply for this checking account. The application process consists of a series of guided questions. You’ll be asked for personal information including your name, address, employment status, annual income and Social Security number.

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You also need to supply photos of two forms of personal ID. Acceptable forms of ID include a driver’s license, a passport, a Social Security card and a birth certificate.

The account itself has no set-up fee, no minimum balance and no ongoing maintenance costs. Gain access to more than 70,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide and 24/7 mobile banking. The account has a 0.10% APY. There’s no charge to send money via Zelle or Bill Pay.

Capital One has completely eliminated overdraft fees. You can choose from a range of optional overdraft protection choices including auto-decline, free transfer and no-fee overdraft.

  • Minimum opening deposit — $0

  • Ongoing maintenance expenses — $0

  • Minimum balance — $0

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Alliant Credit Union High-Rate Checking Account

Alliant Credit Union has no maintenance fees and no minimum balance for these account holders. You also won’t have to worry about overdraft fees, although it does charge a stop payment and check-printing fee. Opening an account is quick and painless.

You can complete the entire process online. Similar to other banks on this list, Alliant will ask for your personal information including a driver’s license or other government-issued ID, a Social Security or tax identification number, employment information and other personal details.

Alliant currently offers 0.25% APY interest on its checking account. When you open an Alliant account, you’ll gain access to more than 80,000 fee-free ATMs and $20 per month in ATM fee rebates. In addition to your debit card, Alliant links with several popular digital wallets, such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay.

This checking account also comes with $0 fraud protection that will reimburse you in the event that your card is stolen or your account is hacked. You can also access overdraft protection measures, like Courtesy Pay, which will shield you from declined charges.

  • Minimum opening deposit — $25

  • Ongoing maintenance expenses — $0

  • Minimum balance — $0

Ally Interest Checking Account

Ally charges no account opening fees, no maintenance fees, no minimum balance fees and no overdraft fees. Account setup takes five minutes or less, according to the Ally website. The account creation process consists of just a few simple steps.

First, you’ll input your personal information including your legal name, Social Security number or tax identification number, birth date and residential street address. You may also have to upload a picture of one or more forms of government-issued IDs, such as a driver’s license.

If you need help managing your money, Ally checking accounts come with free-spending buckets. This tool automatically deducts money from your account as you spend and earmarks it for predetermined uses.

Ally does not allow cash deposits. However, you can withdraw money fee-free from more than 43,000 Ally ATMs. Ally also offers a $10 reimbursement credit per statement cycle for third-party ATM fees.

  • Minimum opening deposit — $0

  • Ongoing maintenance expenses — $0

  • Minimum balance — $0

Axos Bank Rewards Checking

The Axos website advertises zero overdraft fees, zero account maintenance fees and no minimum balance requirements. You have to fund your account with a minimum of $50, but the Axos website makes no mention of an account creation fee.

You can earn up to 3.30% APY. However, you have to set up a direct deposit payment, a managed portfolio, a self-directed trading account and a loan payment account to gain access to that figure. With just a direct deposit, you can get 0.40% APY (Axos does not offer APY without a direct deposit setup).

Opening an account takes just minutes to complete, according to the Axos website. To create an account, you need a Social Security number, a form of government-issued ID, a U.S. phone number, a U.S. residential address and an email address.

  • Minimum opening deposit — $50

  • Ongoing maintenance expenses — $0

  • Minimum balance — $0

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: No Checking Account? No Problem — Get One Simply at These 4 Banks