Trying to get bank accounts with bad credit used to be a challenge. Most big banks did not want your business and smaller, regional banks created second chance checking accounts to fill the void. These second chance bank accounts usually came with monthly fees or account minimums and didn’t offer the features provided in other accounts.
During the past several years, however, new and innovative banks and credit unions have begun to offer checking accounts with no bank fees or monthly minimums and even offer better perks and benefits than the accounts provided by the major banks. These banks and credit unions make it simple to get a no credit check bank account and they don’t use ChexSystems.
Most of these new banks are actually financial technology (“fintech”) companies that have partnered with a bank to offer the new accounts. That means your money is safely held at the bank which is insured by the FDIC while giving those with bad credit or a challenging banking history a fantastic way to get back into banking.
If you have bad credit, there’s no reason to settle for an inferior bank account.
The Best Bank Accounts for Bad Credit
Open an account today!U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking at a Glance
- A U.S. Bank Visa debit card
- Online banking and bill pay
- Mobile banking with mobile check deposit
- Send money with Zelle®
- Access to U.S. Bank Smart Rewards™ to reap additional benefits
- No NSF charges for overdraft balances under $50
- No fees at U.S. Bank ATMs
- No surcharge fees at 40,000 MoneyPass ATMs
- Member FDIC
Chime at a Glance
- NO credit check or ChexSystems
- NO initial deposit required
- NO minimum balance required
- NO monthly or annual fees
- NO NSF/overdraft fees1
- NO foreign transaction fees
- NO fees at over 60,000 ATMs2
- NO fees for mobile and online bill pay
- FREE cash deposits at 8,500+ Walgreens
- Get your paycheck up to 2 days early with direct deposit3
- FDIC insured account up to $250,000
The Current Build account works just like a checking account but also helps you build credit every time you use the card. Sign-up takes about 2 minutes and Current has extremely high acceptance rates.
Current at a Glance
- NO credit check
- NO minimum balance
- NO deposit required to open an account
- NO fees at over 40,000 ATMs in the U.S.
- Get your paycheck up to 2 days early with direct deposit
- Earn 4.0% APY on your balance up to $6,000 with direct deposit; earn 0.25% APY without
- Earn points for unlimited cashback at participating retailers
- Send money instantly for free
- An elegant but simple smartphone app
- 24/7 member support
- FDIC insured account up to $250,000
Chase Secure Banking at a Glance
- NO credit check
- NO ChexSystems
- NO minimum deposit to open
- NO overdraft fees
- FREE access to over 15,000 Chase ATMs
- FREE Chase Online Bill Pay
- FREE money orders and cashier’s checks
Walmart MoneyCard at a Glance
- Easy approval: no ChexSystems or credit check
- No initial deposit is required and there are no monthly minimums
- Deposit cash for free at any Walmart store and it shows up 10 minutes later
- Deposit checks using the Walmart MoneyCard smartphone app
- Easily request multiple cards for family use1
- Manage your account from your computer or the smartphone app
- 3% cashback on Walmart.com purchases, 2% cashback for Walmart fuel stations, and 1% cash back for use in-store2
- Earn 2.00% APY on money you set aside in a free savings account3
- With qualifying direct deposits4, you can opt-in and enjoy overdraft protection of up to $200 on eligible purchases5
- No monthly fee when you direct deposit $500+ in the previous monthly period. Otherwise, there’s a $5.94 monthly fee.6
The Walmart MoneyCard is available in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.
You get a debit MasterCard and a very slick smartphone app. You can make deposits, write checks, utilize electronic bill pay, and transfer money. You don’t need to make an opening deposit to get an account and SoFi never charges monthly maintenance fees. You’ll have access to a large and fee-free ATM network along with a generous cashback program.
Using the SoFi direct deposit option unlocks additional benefits. First, if you overspend a bit, SoFi will cover up to $50 with no overdraft fees. Second, you’ll receive a much higher interest amount of 4.50% APY on savings account balances and .50% APY on checking account balances.
If you decide not to utilize direct deposit, you’ll receive 1.20% APY on savings balances. Finally, when you set up direct deposit from an employer, SoFi will credit your account up to $275 (depending on the amount of your direct deposit).
The sign-up process can take less than 60 seconds. With over 5.5 million members, SoFi is a bank you can count on!
SoFi has been great! The account was easy to open and I got my debit card a few days later. The smartphone app is easy to use and I can check everything from my computer, too. I’ve had some issues with ChexSystems in the past and SoFi seems to be the perfect bank.
Claire M., SoFi Customer
There is a $5 monthly fee, but that is be waived for account holders 24 years old and younger. This account is available to residents in all 50 states.
Wells Fargo Clear Access Banking at a Glance
- No minimum daily balance required
- 11,000 branches in the U.S.
- Minimum deposit of $25 to open an account
- Online bill pay and smartphone app
- Mobile check deposit
- Includes a Visa debit card
- Send and receive money through Zelle®
- Additional features include account alerts, 24/7 fraud monitoring, and zero liability protection for your debit card
One significant drawback to many online-only bank accounts is that they have no way to accept cash deposits. But GO2bank accepts cash deposits at over 90,000 Green Dot locations nationwide. However, participating retailers may charge you a fee.
If you direct deposit over $500, your monthly maintenance fee of $5.00 is waived. And, they offer a pretty sweet overdraft protection program, but it has a gotcha charge of $15 if you don’t replace the funds within 24 hours. If you open an account online, there is no opening deposit requirement.
Account holders will appreciate the ability to budget their money with the help of a mobile app, budgeting tools, and a savings vault. In fact, they pay 4.50% on all money in the savings vault up to $5,000.
Powered by Liberty Savings Bank (established in 1889!), the mph.bank Fresh account does use ChexSystems, but as long as you don’t have more than 3 charge-offs totaling $1,000 or reports of fraud approval rates are very high. Fees for the account include a $9 monthly service fee and a $10 overdraft fee.
mph.bank Fresh Account at a Glance
- $0 initial deposit to open account
- Send and receive money with Zelle®
- Access your account with your phone or computer
- When coupled with a free savings account, earn up to 5.00% APY
- Optional ability to round up charges and stash the cash into savings
- Get paid up to 2 days early with direct deposit
- Access to over 55,000 fee-free ATMs
Lili offers a checking account and Visa debit card with no opening deposit or minimum balance requirement, no hidden fees, no credit check, and no ChexSystems. Lili makes getting your account easy!
Lili at a Glance
- FREE business VISA debit card
- FREE (and very user-friendly) mobile app
- NO minimum balance
- NO NSF charges or fees
- NO credit check or ChexSystems
- NO fees for incoming wire transfers
- Receive direct deposit funds 2 days earlier than many banks
- Mobile check deposit
- Unlimited fee-free transactions
- Takes 3 minutes to apply
Application Process
You can set up an account online. If you’re a freelancer, you should receive approval and account access almost instantly. All others (Sole Proprietor, Single-Member LLC, Multi-Member LLC, General Partnership, Limited Liability Partnership, or S Corp) can take a couple of days to get approved. You can fund your account using a mobile check deposit, direct deposit, ACH transfer, or by linking your Venmo, PayPal, or Cash App account.
It takes about 2-3 minutes to sign up and not only do you get a checking and savings account, but you also have access to an investment account once you’re ready to consider that. There is a $3 monthly fee that is easily covered by the ATM fee reimbursement and other goodies included with the account.
Acorns at a Glance
- FREE heavy metal tungsten Visa® debit card
- FREE bank-to-bank transfers
- FREE physical check sending online or through the mobile app
- FREE mobile check deposits
- FREE or reimbursed ATM withdrawals nationwide
- NO minimum balance or overdraft fees
- NO credit check; ChexSystems OK
- Get paid up to 2 days earlier with direct deposit
- Optional Real-Time Round-Ups where the spare change from each transaction is transferred to savings
- FDIC insured
If you’ve struggled with poor credit or ChexSystems, Acorns might be the perfect account.
The only fee Dave charges for the account is a $1 monthly maintenance fee. There are no monthly minimum balance requirements, no overdraft fees, and no fees at over 40,000 MoneyPass® ATMs in 7-Eleven and other spots near you. There’s no opening deposit requirement to get your Dave account either.
If you opt for direct deposit and get paid on a regular basis, Dave will spot you up to $250 if your balance isn’t enough to cover an incoming charge. That feature won’t cost you any fees or interest charges.
Just like a savings account, you can set aside money in “Dave Goals” for any special purpose such as a vacation or car purchase. While you work toward your savings goal, Dave will pay 4.00% APY on your money.
Finally, Dave has partnered with a number of businesses around the country to help accountholders find side gigs. This is a unique feature we’ve not seen with any other checking account. You can find work when you need it, right from the Dave app. Between instant-pay surveys and easy-apply side hustles, there are thousands of ways to get paid.
We like the robust Dave smartphone app. Customers like the app, too. Dave is rated 4.8 out of 5 stars in the Apple store and 4.4 out of 5 stars in the Google Play store.
A Smartphone App Built for You
KeyBank has a popular smartphone app with strong customer ratings on both Apple and Android devices. The app allows you to set customer alerts, lock or unlock your debit card, deposit checks, and much more:
- Easily send or receive money through Zelle®
- Mobile payments with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay
- View and download up to 7 years of statements
- Never miss a payment with online bill pay
- Sign on with fingerprint or face ID
- Locate branch or ATM locations
- Order paper checks
Available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Capital One acts more like an online bank than one with over 400 branches in a few states. Its highly-rated smartphone app gives customers full control of their account and you can access everything from a computer, too.
Capital One 360 Checking at a Glance
- No opening deposit is required
- No monthly or annual fees
- No minimum balance and no overdraft fees
- Add cash to your account at CVS® locations.
- No-fee access to over 70,000 ATMs nationwide
- No foreign transaction fees when traveling abroad
- Deposit checks and pay bills with the smartphone app
- Send and receive money with Zelle®
- Early direct deposit feature
- Monitor your credit score with Capital One’s CreditWise feature
- FDIC insured account up to $250,000
NorthOne at a Glance
- FREE business Mastercard debit card
- FREE access at over 40,000 ATMs nationwide
- FREE online and mobile app
- FREE live chat (not a chatbot), telephone, or email support
- FREE in-app invoice creator
- NO minimum monthly balance requirement
- NO NSF fees
- NO ACH transfer fees
- NO credit check or ChexSystems
What Do Banks Check During the Application Process?
Before traditional banks and credit unions approve a checking account, they will oftentimes perform a soft pull of your credit report. They may also check your credit score and if you’ve had past credit report challenges, this may cause your application to be denied.
The more pervasive tool banks and credit unions use is a company called ChexSystems. This is a little-known consumer reporting agency (CRA) that provides information about any past checking accounts which have been closed and the reason for the closing. If you have negative marks on your ChexSystems report, the bank may choose to deny your new account application.
Our list of no credit check bank accounts includes financial institutions that use neither of these ChexSystems or credit checks to approve accounts. These aren’t second-rate accounts by any means. They come with all the bells and whistles of accounts offered by big banks and in many cases, with more attractive account features and benefits.
The 2 Types of Banks That Offer Checking Accounts for Bad Credit
The types of financial institutions that offer consumers bank accounts with bad credit fall into two main categories:
- Large national banks or credit unions – These banks have several thousand branch locations. These companies may not offer as many account features and may also charge monthly fees, but they have a local presence many consumers feel is important to their banking experience.
- Online-only and technology-infused banks – These banks have built their customer base with feature-rich online bank accounts for bad credit. They have no fees and offer smartphone and online apps that make banking from anywhere easy. The lack of an expensive branch network allows them to be focused on meaningful improvements in fees, costs, and service.
What Features Should I Look For in a Bank Account for Bad Credit?
- No or Low Fees. If you’ve had financial challenges in the past, you’re no stranger to extra fees. Even though you’re looking for a no credit checks bank account, you shouldn’t be paying any exorbitant fees for your banking services. The best banks have no monthly fees, no overdraft fees, no ATM fees, and no money transfer fees.
- Minimum Deposit and Balance Requirements. Some of our recommendations require a small initial deposit to get started. Most of the banks don’t require it. But when you’re getting back into banking, we don’t think any of your options should include banks or credit unions that require a minimum monthly balance in order to keep the account open. Full stop.
- Depositing Cash. Many online-only banks have partnerships with large retailers such as Walgreens, CVS, 7-Eleven, and Walmart where you can deposit cash and have it show up in your account immediately. Some retailers charge fees while others don’t and that largely depends on the deal they have with the individual online bank. Large banks with local branches offer access to their own branch and ATM network. A local bank branch might be the best option if you need to deposit large chunks of cash.
- ATM Access and Fees. One of the challenges other online bank accounts for bad credit can present is the lack of an ATM network. However, all of our recommendations have joined national ATM networks with locations in grocery stores, shopping malls, and retailers such as Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, and 7-Eleven.
- Mobile and Online Experience. Not all banking apps are created equal. In fact, some are far superior to others. Look for review scores that can provide insight into the quality of the mobile and online banking experience.
- Customer Service. Customer service used to be defined as being able to talk with another human. It has now evolved into live chat, email, robust documentation, and (sometimes) live interaction.
- Interest Rate. One area where new banks have made real progress is paying interest on your balance… no matter what that balance is. And they generally pay an interest amount far above the big banks. On the other hand, most traditional banks do not pay interest on your account balance unless you hold a significant minimum balance.
- Cashback Rewards. It is rare for banks to offer a rewards program tied to a checking account. This is where you either get points or cash back every time you use your debit card. If you plan to use your debit card a lot, look for a bank or institution that offers this kind of program.
Frequently Asked Questions About No Credit Checks Bank Accounts
Here are some of the most often asked questions when it comes to looking for bank accounts with bad credit.
Can I get a checking account with bad credit?
If you couldn’t already tell, the answer is yes! You can still get a checking account with bad credit. In addition to our options above, you can opt for a second chance checking account or a no ChexSystems checking account.
What is a second chance checking account?
A second chance checking account is a type of checking account designed for people with bad credit or a history of banking problems. These accounts often have higher fees and more restrictions, but they can help you rebuild your credit and establish a positive banking history.
What is a non-ChexSystems checking account?
A non-ChexSystems checking account is a type of checking account that doesn’t require a ChexSystems check, which is a report that tracks your banking history. These accounts can be a good option if you have negative marks on your ChexSystems report.
Can I open a checking account online with bad credit?
Yes, many banks and credit unions offer online account opening for second chance checking accounts, non-ChexSystems checking accounts, and obviously online bank accounts for bad credit that are already web-based.
What fees should I expect with a checking account for bad credit?
You may expect higher fees than with a traditional checking account, such as monthly maintenance fees, ATM fees, and overdraft fees.
How can I improve my credit with a checking account for bad credit?
One way to improve your credit with a no credit checks bank account is to use it responsibly, which means avoiding overdrafts, paying fees on time, and maintaining a positive balance.
What documentation do I need to open bank accounts with bad credit?
You’ll typically need to provide your name, address, Social Security number, and a valid government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license or passport, to open bank accounts with bad credit. Some banks may also require proof of income or residency.
Will my no credit checks bank account be FDIC insured?
All banks are required to provide their customers with FDIC insurance. Likewise, credit unions offer this kind of insurance through the NCUA.
Need A Local Bank or Credit Union? Here’s The List of Best Second Chance Banking in Every State.
Some banks and credit unions offer so-called second chance checking accounts to help people rebuild their credit and improve their banking history. The table below will take you through all the various banks and credit unions in your state that offer these types of accounts.
Takeaway
A bank account is one of those required things in life. You need access to a debit card for purchases or direct deposit from an employer. A bank account is almost the only way to enjoy these basic services. But if you’ve experienced financial challenges or unexpected events — and the ensuing bad credit — it may be difficult to open a new bank account.
The good news is that you can still open free online bank accounts for bad credit with no credit check, no monthly fees, or minimum balance requirements. CheckingExpert has helped tens of thousands of people just like you open no credit check bank accounts… no credit check bank accounts that give you all the checking account features you need and deserve without the exorbitant fees many banks impose.
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services and debit card issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A.; Members FDIC. Credit Builder card issued by Stride Bank, N.A.
1Eligibility requirements apply. Overdraft only applies to debit card purchases and cash withdrawals. Limits start at $20 and may be increased up to $200 by Chime. See chime.com/spotme.
2Out-of-network ATM withdrawal fees may apply except at MoneyPass ATMs in a 7-Eleven, or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATM. Cash deposit or other third-party fees may apply.
3Early 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.
4Customers are limited to three $1,000 cash deposits at Walgreens each day and $10,000 each month.
5Sometimes instant transfers can be delayed. The recipient must use a valid debit card to claim funds. Once you are approved for a Chime Checking Account, see your issuing bank’s Deposit Account Agreement for full Pay Anyone Transfers details. Please see the back of your Chime debit card for your issuing bank. See Terms and Conditions.
6The Annual Percentage Yield (“APY”) for the Chime Savings Account is variable and may change at any time. The disclosed APY is effective as of May 22, 2023. No minimum balance required. Must have $0.01 in savings to earn interest.
7Early 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.
1Family Accounts: Activated, personalized card required. Other fees apply to the additional account. Family members age 13 years and over are eligible. Limit 4 cards per account. See Deposit Account Agreement for details.
2Cash back, up to $75 per year, is credited to card balance at end of reward year and is subject to successful activation and other eligibility requirements. Redeem rewards using our website or app. You will earn cash back of three percent (3%) on qualifying purchases made at Walmart.com and in the Walmart app using your card or your card number, two percent (2%) at Walmart fuel stations, and one percent (1%) on qualifying purchases at Walmart stores in the United States (less returns and credits) posted to your Card during each reward year. Grocery delivery and pickup purchases made on Walmart.com or the Walmart app earn 1%. For the purposes of cash back rewards, a “reward year” is twelve (12) monthly periods in which you have paid your monthly fee or had it waived. See account agreement for details.
3Interest is paid annually on each enrollment anniversary based on the average daily balance of the prior 365 days, up to a maximum average daily balance of $1,000, if the account is in good standing and has a positive balance. 2.00% Annual Percentage Yield may change at any time before or after account is opened. Annual Percentage Yield is accurate as of 3/1/2022.
4Direct Deposit: Early availability of direct deposit depends on timing of payroll’s payment instructions and fraud prevention restrictions may apply. As such, the availability or timing of early direct deposit may vary from pay period to pay period. Make sure the name and social security number on file with your employer or benefits provider matches what’s on your Walmart MoneyCard account exactly. We will not be able to deposit your payment if we are unable to match recipients.
5Opt-in required. $15 fee may apply to each eligible purchase transaction that brings your account negative. Balance must be brought to at least $0 within 24 hours of authorization of the first transaction that overdraws your account to avoid the fee. We require immediate payment of each overdraft and overdraft fee. Overdrafts paid at our discretion, and we do not guarantee that we will authorize and pay any transaction. Learn more about overdraft protection.
6No monthly fee with qualifying direct deposit, otherwise $5.94 a month. Waived when $500+ is loaded in the previous monthly period. First monthly fee occurs upon first use, the day after card activation or 90 days after card purchase, whichever is earlier.