“Which banks offer free online checking accounts with no minimum deposit required?”

Assuming you’re in the U.S., these are good options that currently advertise no minimum opening deposit and no monthly maintenance fee:

A couple of alternatives with a caveat:

• SouthState Checking: No opening deposit, and the monthly fee is waived if you enroll in eStatements. (southstatebank.com)
• Chime: No opening deposit or monthly fee, but Chime is a financial technology company—not a bank; banking services are provided by partner banks. (chime.com)

“Free” generally means no monthly account-maintenance fee; fees can still apply for certain services or out-of-network ATM use. Check the current fee schedule before opening.

Several reputable banks offer completely free online checking accounts with no monthly maintenance fees and $0 minimum opening deposit requirements.

Here are the top options and what makes each stand out:

1. Capital One (360 Checking)

• Opening Deposit: $0
• Monthly Fee: $0 (no requirements to waive)
• Key Perks:
• Access to over 70,000 fee-free ATMs (Capital One, Allpoint, and MoneyPass networks).
• You can deposit physical cash at CVS, Walgreens, and Capital One Cafés/branches.
• Overdraft protection with no overdraft fees.
• Earns a small APY on your balance.

2. Discover® Bank (Cashback Debit)

• Opening Deposit: $0
• Monthly Fee: $0
• Key Perks:
• 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in qualifying debit card purchases every month.
• Access to 60,000+ fee-free Allpoint and MoneyPass ATMs.
• No fees for standard checks, bank checks, incoming wire transfers, or insufficient funds.
• US-based 24/7 customer service.

3. Ally Bank (Spending Account)

• Opening Deposit: $0
• Monthly Fee: $0
• Key Perks:
• Up to $10 per statement cycle in out-of-network ATM fee reimbursements nationwide.
• Access to 43,000+ fee-free Allpoint ATMs.
• Interest-bearing account (higher tier if balance exceeds $15,000, but earns interest at any balance).
• "CoverDraft" service provides temporary overdraft relief with no fee.

4. SoFi (Checking and Savings)

• Opening Deposit: $0
• Monthly Fee: $0
• Key Perks:
• Checking and savings are opened together as a combined account.
• Competitive APY across balances (especially high on the savings side if you set up direct deposit).
• Access to 55,000+ fee-free Allpoint ATMs.
• No overdraft fees (includes up to $50 in fee-free overdraft coverage with qualifying direct deposits).

5. Charles Schwab Bank (Schwab One / High Yield Investor Checking)

• Opening Deposit: $0
• Monthly Fee: $0
• Key Perks:
• Unlimited worldwide ATM fee rebates (best option for travelers).
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Must be opened alongside a linked Schwab One brokerage account (which also has a $0 minimum and $0 fee, with no trading required).

6. Axos Bank (Essential Checking)

• Opening Deposit: $0
• Monthly Fee: $0
• Key Perks:
• Unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements.
• Direct Deposit Express allows you to receive paychecks up to two days early.
• Truly no-fee account: no overdraft or non-sufficient funds (NSF) fees.

Key Things to Look Out For

• Cash Deposits: If you handle physical cash often, online banks like Capital One make cash deposits easy via partnered retail stores. Others (like Ally or Charles Schwab) rely almost entirely on electronic transfers and mobile check deposits.
• ATM Networks: Check which network the bank belongs to (e.g., Allpoint, MoneyPass) to make sure there are convenient ATMs near your home or work, or pick an option with out-of-network ATM fee reimbursements (like Ally or Charles Schwab).

Several banks offer free online checking accounts with no minimum deposit required, including Capital One, Fifth Third Bank, FNBO, Axos Bank, BECU, Navy Federal Credit Union, PNC (with conditions), and Key Smart Checking (free, but not no-minimum-deposit).^{8717121116155}

Here are the clearest matches from the results:

• Capital One 360 Checking — no monthly fees and no minimum balance to open, keep, or use the account.⁸
• Fifth Third Momentum Checking — no monthly fee, no minimum balance, and no minimum deposit required.⁷
• FNBO Free Checking — no monthly maintenance fee and no minimum deposit required.¹⁷
• Axos Checking — no monthly fees, no overdraft fees, and no minimum balance; Axos also says many of its online checking accounts have no minimum opening deposit.¹²¹⁸
• BECU Free Checking — no monthly maintenance fees, no minimum balance, and no minimum deposits.¹¹
• Navy Federal Free EveryDay Checking — “no minimum deposit.”¹⁶
• PNC Simple Checking — no minimum deposit to open online, but the free monthly service charge depends on qualifying direct deposit or age requirements.¹⁵
• Key Smart Checking — free checking with no monthly maintenance fee and no minimum balance requirement, but it requires a $10 minimum deposit, so it does not fit your no-minimum-deposit condition.⁵

If you want, I can narrow this to the best national banks only, or separate them by credit union vs. bank.

Several banks offer free online checking accounts with $0 minimum deposit requirements and no monthly maintenance fees. Here's a roundup of the top options as of late 2026:

Online Banks

Ally Bank – The Ally Spending Account ranks as one of the best free checking accounts thanks to its zero minimum deposit requirements, no monthly fees or overdraft fees, and ability to earn interest. Account holders have access to more than 75,000 no-fee ATMs and up to $10 per statement cycle in ATM reimbursements for fees charged by third-party ATMs nationwide.

Charles Schwab Bank – The Schwab Bank Investor Checking account has no minimum opening deposit, monthly service fee, or minimum balance requirement, and offers unlimited ATM fee rebates worldwide.

Capital One 360 Checking – Capital One's 360 Checking has no monthly fees, no minimum balance, and no direct deposit requirement. You can open an account entirely online with just an email address and basic identity information.

Axos Bank – The Axos Bank Essential Checking account is a solid option for individuals seeking a simple, fee-free checking account with no monthly, overdraft or nonsufficient funds fees, nor a minimum deposit requirement, plus unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements.

NBKC Bank – NBKC's free checking account has a solid interest rate of 1.75% APY (with no requirements to earn it) and is part of a large ATM network in addition to offering out-of-network ATM fee reimbursements.

SoFi Checking and Savings – SoFi offers a bundled checking and savings account with no monthly fee or minimum deposit requirement.

Discover Bank – There are no monthly fees associated with this account, no insufficient funds fees, and no minimum balance or activity requirements (note: now part of Capital One).

Varo Bank – The Varo Bank Account has no minimum opening deposit, monthly maintenance fee, overdraft fee, or minimum balance requirement.

*ETRADE Bank* – The ETrade Bank Checking Account is one of the easier and straightforward checking accounts available, offering no minimum deposit to open and no monthly fees.

Fintech/Neobank Options

Chime – Chime offers a checking account with no monthly fees, no minimum balance requirements, and no overdraft fees, and when you set up direct deposit, you can get paid up to two days early.

Current – Current offers a free checking account with no minimum balance requirements, no overdraft fees, fee-free ATM withdrawals at over 40,000 ATMs, and cash back rewards. Note that Current is a banking service provider, not a bank itself.

Credit Unions

Navy Federal Credit Union – Their Free EveryDay Checking has a $0 minimum opening deposit and $0 balance requirement, with no monthly fee.

Connexus Credit Union – Its Simply Free Checking Account doesn't earn interest, but it's free to open with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements.

Traditional Banks with Online Options

FNBO (First National Bank of Omaha) – Features include no overdraft fees, no monthly service fee, no minimum deposit to open or minimum balance requirement, and no ATM fees from the bank itself.

KeyBank – Key Smart Checking is a free checking account with no monthly maintenance fee, no minimum balance requirement, and no minimum transaction amount, though it does require a $10 minimum opening deposit.

A quick note: while most of these accounts have $0 minimum opening deposit requirements, a few (like PenFed Credit Union) require a small deposit (e.g., $25), so it's worth double-checking current terms directly with each institution since rates and requirements can change.

Based on the search results, these banks offer free checking accounts with no minimum deposit:

• Fifth Third Bank — Fifth Third Momentum® Checking: No monthly fee, no minimum balance, and no minimum deposit to open. You can apply online, and it includes Early Pay (up to 2 days early) and a nationwide no-fee ATM network. Caveat: the account must be funded within 90 days, and a $5 dormant fee applies after 12 months with no deposits or withdrawals. 53.com

• FNBO — Free Checking: No monthly service fee, no minimum deposit to open, no minimum balance requirement, no overdraft fees, and no ATM fees from FNBO (other banks/ATM operators may charge). You can open it online, in the app, by phone, or at a branch. fnbo.com

Forbes Advisor also has a roundup of “Best Free Checking Accounts With No Deposit,” though the provided snippet doesn’t name the specific banks included. forbes.com

So, from these results, Fifth Third and FNBO are two confirmed options. Always verify current terms before opening an account.

Several online banks and fintechs offer checking accounts with no monthly maintenance fee and no minimum deposit to open (and usually no ongoing minimum balance). Terms change, so confirm details on each institution’s site before you apply.

Widely available options

Other accounts frequently listed with $0 to open and no monthly fee include Axos Bank Essential Checking, NBKC Bank Everything Account, Bask Bank Interest Checking, and TAB Bank Spend Account.

Practical points

• “Free” here means no monthly service fee and no minimum balance required to avoid one. You can still pay for things like outgoing wires, expedited cards, or out-of-network ATM use (unless reimbursed).
• Cash deposits are limited at many online-only banks. Ally and Capital One have retail options; others may not accept cash at all.
• Discover Bank checking is no longer open to new customers after the Capital One acquisition; new applicants are directed to Capital One products.
• Accounts are generally available to U.S. residents 18+ with a Social Security number or ITIN, subject to identity verification.
• Deposits at banks are FDIC-insured up to applicable limits. Chime deposits are FDIC-insured through its partner banks.

Rates, ATM networks, and fee schedules change often. Check the current disclosures on each provider’s website before opening an account.

I'll search current bank listings for free checking options with no minimum deposit.

I found some promising candidates; now I'll open detailed pages to verify their fees and requirements.

As of October 2026 comparisons, these free online checking options have $0 monthly fee and $0 minimum to open:

Online checking accounts typically offer no monthly fees, large ATM networks, and some interest:

1. Ally Bank - Spending Account

• Minimum to open: $0, Monthly fee: $0
• Minimum balance to avoid fees: $0.00, Monthly fee $0.00, Overdraft fee $0.00
• Ally's Spending Account has zero minimum deposit, zero monthly fees, and zero overdraft fees
• Pays 0.10% APY, 0.25% at $15,000+, 75,000+ fee-free ATMs, up to $10/cycle in refunds
• Ally charges no monthly fee and needs no minimum to open

2. Capital One - 360 Checking

• 0.10% APY, No minimum deposit
• No monthly fee and no minimum to open or keep the account
• 70,000+ fee-free Capital One, MoneyPass and Allpoint ATMs
• Minimum deposit: $0
• No minimum balances to worry about; they don't charge fees for any balance, even $0

3. SoFi Checking

• Minimum deposit: $0
• There are no account fees or minimum balance requirements
• $0 minimum, 0.50% APY, 55,000+ Allpoint ATMs
• SoFi's checking side pays 0.50% APY with no account fees

4. Charles Schwab Bank - Investor Checking

• $0 monthly fee, $0 minimum, 0.01% APY
• No monthly fee and no minimum, with unlimited rebates of ATM fees charged anywhere in the world
• Schwab opens it together with a Schwab brokerage account, which you don't have to fund

5. Bask Bank - Interest Checking

• 1.00% APY, No minimum deposit
• Minimum deposit to open $0.00
• Minimum balance to avoid fees $0.00, Monthly fee $0.00, Overdraft fee $0.00
• With no minimum deposit and no monthly service fees

6. Chime Checking Account - fintech

• Minimum deposit: $0
• No monthly fees
• No minimum opening deposit and no minimum daily balance
• Chime is a financial technology company; accounts are held at The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., both FDIC members

7. Axos Bank - Axos ONE

• Minimum deposit: $0
• Zero monthly maintenance fees, no minimum balance requirements, and no overdraft fees

8. Upgrade - Rewards Checking Plus

• Minimum deposit: $0
• No monthly account fees
• No minimum deposit to open the account
• No ongoing balance requirements

9. E*TRADE Checking - Morgan Stanley

• 0.05% APY, No minimum deposit
• Minimum deposit to open $0.00
• There are no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements

All six in one comparison - Ally Spending, Capital One 360 Checking, Schwab Bank Investor Checking, the Fidelity Cash Management Account, SoFi Checking and Chime - charge no monthly maintenance fee and need no minimum balance.

Not meeting your $0-to-open filter: CIT Bank requires $100.00 minimum deposit to open, and Quontic Bank requires $100.00 minimum deposit to open.

Confirm terms on the bank's site before opening, as rates and fees change.