You don’t need to be married (or even dating) to open a joint bank account. Married and unmarried couples alike can open a joint bank account. A joint checking or savings account can make financial management easier as a couple. Roommates, business partners, or parents and their kids can open joint accounts together, too.
We’ve researched and analyzed over 400 joint accounts, and here are eight of the best.
SoFi Checking and Savings all-in-one online account takes the top spot for best overall joint bank account. An additional owner can easily be added with an online application that's directly sent to them. There are no monthly fees, overdraft fees or opening deposit requirements. Automatically, you earn up to 1.00% APY on savings, and up to 0.50% on checking. You can earn up to 3.80% on savings if set up direct deposit to become a Plus member, or deposit at least $5,000 per month. Alternatively, you can pay $10 per month to become a Plus member to get the highest savings rate. SoFi® also offers optional FDIC insurance up to $3 million. However, many users report issues connecting their bank to fund their SoFi account if their existing bank isn't compatible with Plaid.
APY
Up to 3.80%
Fee
$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open
$0
SoFi Checking and Savings all-in-one online account takes the top spot for best overall joint bank account. An additional owner can easily be added with an online application that's directly sent to them. There are no monthly fees, overdraft fees or opening deposit requirements. Automatically, you earn up to 1.00% APY on savings, and up to 0.50% on checking. You can earn up to 3.80% on savings if set up direct deposit to become a Plus member, or deposit at least $5,000 per month. Alternatively, you can pay $10 per month to become a Plus member to get the highest savings rate. SoFi® also offers optional FDIC insurance up to $3 million. However, many users report issues connecting their bank to fund their SoFi account if their existing bank isn't compatible with Plaid.
Pros
Allows one additional joint owner
No monthly or overdraft fees
Up to 3.80% APY on savings
Cons
No physical branches
Must be Plus member for best perks
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
Up to 3.80%
Intro or bonus offer
Get up to $300 cash bonus with qualifying direct deposit. Terms apply. This offer is available until January 31, 2026.
Rewards
Get up to $300 cash bonus with qualifying direct deposit. Terms apply. This offer is available until January 31, 2026.
Fee
$0 per month
ATM transaction fee
$0
Overdraft fee
$0
Foreign transaction fee
0%
New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) OR $300 (with at least $5,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Eligible Direct Deposit. If you have satisfied the Eligible Direct Deposit requirements but have not received a cash bonus in your Checking account, please contact us at 855-456-7634 with the details of your Eligible Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 12/7/2023 and will be available through 1/31/2026. Full terms at sofi.com/banking. SoFi Checking and Savingsis offered through SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. SoFi members with Eligible Direct Deposit can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults)and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Eligible Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the 3.80% APY for savings (including Vaults). Members without Eligible Direct Deposit will earn 1.00%APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus with Eligible Direct Deposit or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days or SoFi members with $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Eligible Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. Members without either SoFi Plus or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. If you have satisfied Eligible Direct Deposit requirements for our highest APY but do not see 3.80% APY on your APY Details page the day after your Eligible Direct Deposit arrives, please contact us at 855-456-7634. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. See the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus.
We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Checking & Savings Fee Sheet for details at sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/.
SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per depositor per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations. Any additional FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $3M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms. See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks.
We’ve partnered with Allpoint to provide you with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. You will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third-party fees incurred when using out-of-network ATMs are not subject to reimbursement. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at our discretion at any time.
Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.
Overdraft Coverage is limited to $50 on debit card purchases only and is an account benefit available to customers with Eligible Direct Deposits of $1,000 or more during the current 30-day Evaluation Period as determined by SoFi Bank, N.A. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Members with a prior history of non-repayment of negative balances are ineligible for Overdraft Coverage.
Greenlight is a top kids' account offering parents three plans to choose from. Each plan offers up to five kids' debit cards and an app with granular parental controls that allow you to set store- and category-level spending limits. There are no reload fees, and you and your kid will get access to chore and allowance features, money games, and tools for spending, saving and earning. Greenlight also offers a credit card that's currently waitlisted called the Family Cash Card that accepts kids as authorized users so they can start building credit history. One of the only downsides with Greenlight is that you'll pay a monthly fee of at least $5.99 per month.
Fee
$5.99 per month
ATM withdrawal
$0
Greenlight is a top kids' account offering parents three plans to choose from. Each plan offers up to five kids' debit cards and an app with granular parental controls that allow you to set store- and category-level spending limits. There are no reload fees, and you and your kid will get access to chore and allowance features, money games, and tools for spending, saving and earning. Greenlight also offers a credit card that's currently waitlisted called the Family Cash Card that accepts kids as authorized users so they can start building credit history. One of the only downsides with Greenlight is that you'll pay a monthly fee of at least $5.99 per month.
Pros
Up to five kids per plan
Strong parental controls
Optional investing platform and credit card
Money games and educational content
Cons
Unavoidable monthly fee
Monthly fee
$5.99
ATM withdrawal
$0
Card replacement fee
$3.50
Card type
Debit
Card network
Mastercard
Special offer
For each successful referral you or your kid make, you’ll earn a cash bonus and so will your referral.
Relay wins our best pick for a joint business bank account. This business checking account lets you create up to 20 customizable checking accounts for your team or specific expenses and assign up to 50 debit cards to employees with daily spending and ATM withdrawal limits. There are also no monthly fees, foreign transaction or ATM fees. Create up to two savings accounts and earn between 1.75% to 3.76% APY, depending on your balance. On the downside, Relay doesn't offer checkwriting, and you'll need a balance of at least $50,000 to earn the 3.76% APY on the savings account.
APY
Up to 3.76%
Fee
$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open
$0
Relay wins our best pick for a joint business bank account. This business checking account lets you create up to 20 customizable checking accounts for your team or specific expenses and assign up to 50 debit cards to employees with daily spending and ATM withdrawal limits. There are also no monthly fees, foreign transaction or ATM fees. Create up to two savings accounts and earn between 1.75% to 3.76% APY, depending on your balance. On the downside, Relay doesn't offer checkwriting, and you'll need a balance of at least $50,000 to earn the 3.76% APY on the savings account.
Pros
No monthly, foreign or ATM fees
Up to 20 checking accounts
Up to 50 debit cards for employees
Cons
No checkwriting privileges
Requires high balance for best APY
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
3.76% on balances of $50,000+ 2.75% on balances of $10,000 to $50,000 1.75% on balances of $0 to $10,000
Fee
$0 per month
Nonsufficient funds fee
$0
ATM transaction fee
$0
Overdraft fee
$0
Foreign transaction fee
0%
Relay is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services and FDIC insurance are provided through Thread Bank and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.The Relay Visa® Debit Card is issued by Thread Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa® debit cards are accepted.
Zeta stands out for its joint accounts for married and unmarried couples alike. There are no monthly or overdraft fees and no balance requirements. When you sign up, you get one joint bank account and two debit cards. The mobile app is bursting with couple-friendly features like an in-app chat function to discuss finances, auto-bill pay, envelope system budgeting, virtual cards, savings goals and more. You and your partner can set up weekly or monthly spending trackers to stay on budget. Also earn up to 2.2% APY on your checking balance with VIP status by depositing at least $1,000 per month or holding a minimum balance of at least $5,000. You can also link your credit cards to the Zeta joint account, so the app can set aside money for you to easily pay off the balance. However, app reviews frequently mention the app has some technical issues.
APY
2.20%
Fee
From $0 per month
Minimum deposit to open
$0
Zeta stands out for its joint accounts for married and unmarried couples alike. There are no monthly or overdraft fees and no balance requirements. When you sign up, you get one joint bank account and two debit cards. The mobile app is bursting with couple-friendly features like an in-app chat function to discuss finances, auto-bill pay, envelope system budgeting, virtual cards, savings goals and more. You and your partner can set up weekly or monthly spending trackers to stay on budget. Also earn up to 2.2% APY on your checking balance with VIP status by depositing at least $1,000 per month or holding a minimum balance of at least $5,000. You can also link your credit cards to the Zeta joint account, so the app can set aside money for you to easily pay off the balance. However, app reviews frequently mention the app has some technical issues.
Ivella features a joint savings account that's heavily designed for engaged or married couples. It offers a very high 5.15% APY with direct deposit, or by subscribing to Pods+. When you open the Ivella checking account, you get up to two pods for free. With its Pods+ membership costing $5 per month (and a free 30-day trial), you can create up to 500 savings pods to separate your custom savings goals for things like a honeymoon, college savings, vacations, emergencies — you name it. Each savings pod has its own account and routing number, so it's like having 500 savings accounts in one. You also get virtual cards that can be assigned to individual pods for easy budgeting. Set savings goals you can track in the app with your partner, and have peace of mind with up to $500,000 on FDIC insurance. Just keep in mind that if you don't set up some form of direct deposit or get Pods+, the APY drops to 1%.
APY
Up to5.15%
Fee
From $0
Ivella features a joint savings account that's heavily designed for engaged or married couples. It offers a very high 5.15% APY with direct deposit, or by subscribing to Pods+. When you open the Ivella checking account, you get up to two pods for free. With its Pods+ membership costing $5 per month (and a free 30-day trial), you can create up to 500 savings pods to separate your custom savings goals for things like a honeymoon, college savings, vacations, emergencies — you name it. Each savings pod has its own account and routing number, so it's like having 500 savings accounts in one. You also get virtual cards that can be assigned to individual pods for easy budgeting. Set savings goals you can track in the app with your partner, and have peace of mind with up to $500,000 on FDIC insurance. Just keep in mind that if you don't set up some form of direct deposit or get Pods+, the APY drops to 1%.
Ally Bank's Spending Account is a top account for singletons and couples alike. You can add up to four joint owners who each get their own login, and there are no monthly fees or balance requirements. It's full of hard-to-beat perks, including $10 in monthly out-of-network ATM reimbursements, free checks, online bill pay, savings roundups, and early direct deposit. You can also create up to 30 spending buckets, which function like digital envelopes for budgeting. Earn up to 0.10% APY on balances under $15,000 and up to 0.25% APY on balances over $15,000 on your spending account and buckets. Even if you can't earn the highest APY, the 0.10% rate is still higher than the national average of 0.07%. However, as an online bank, you'll get no physical branches, and you can't make cash deposits.
APY
Up to 0.25%
Fee
$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open
$0
Ally Bank's Spending Account is a top account for singletons and couples alike. You can add up to four joint owners who each get their own login, and there are no monthly fees or balance requirements. It's full of hard-to-beat perks, including $10 in monthly out-of-network ATM reimbursements, free checks, online bill pay, savings roundups, and early direct deposit. You can also create up to 30 spending buckets, which function like digital envelopes for budgeting. Earn up to 0.10% APY on balances under $15,000 and up to 0.25% APY on balances over $15,000 on your spending account and buckets. Even if you can't earn the highest APY, the 0.10% rate is still higher than the national average of 0.07%. However, as an online bank, you'll get no physical branches, and you can't make cash deposits.
Pros
Allows up to four joint owners
No monthly or overdraft fees
Create up to 30 spending buckets
Earn 0.10% to 0.25% APY on balance
Cons
No cash deposits
Best APY requires a $15,000 balance
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.25% on balances of $15,000+ 0.10% on balances of to $15,000
Discover It Secured is a highly rated credit card with no annual fee. Discover credit cards allow up to five authorized users. There's no minimum credit score requirement, so it's great for young couples or families looking to build credit together. You can earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants up to $1,000 each quarter and unlimited 1% everywhere else. Plus, Discover matches all the cash back you earned in the first year of card ownership automatically with no limits. After seven months, Discover reviews your account to see if you can upgrade to an unsecured card and earn your deposit back. Like other secured credit cards, there's an APR, and you'll need to make an opening deposit of at least $200.
Welcome Offer
Other
Rewards
Up to 2% cash back
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
300
Discover It Secured is a highly rated credit card with no annual fee. Discover credit cards allow up to five authorized users. There's no minimum credit score requirement, so it's great for young couples or families looking to build credit together. You can earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants up to $1,000 each quarter and unlimited 1% everywhere else. Plus, Discover matches all the cash back you earned in the first year of card ownership automatically with no limits. After seven months, Discover reviews your account to see if you can upgrade to an unsecured card and earn your deposit back. Like other secured credit cards, there's an APR, and you'll need to make an opening deposit of at least $200.
Pros
Up to five authorized users
No annual fee
No minimum credit score requirement
Cashback and match program
Cons
Minimum deposit of $200
Starting 27.24% purchase APR
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
27.24% variable
Balance transfer APR
10.99% intro for the first 6 months (then 27.24% variable) Balance transfer fee of 3%
Welcome Offer
Discover will match cash back earned at the end of your first card year
Rewards
Up to 2% cash back
Welcome Offer
Other
Rewards
Up to 2% cash back
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
300
Best for roommates
Quontic Cash Rewards Checking
Quontic Cash Rewards Checking accepts one primary owner with up to four other joint owners, with no monthly fees. And, as the name suggests, there's cash back to be earned: 1% cash back on all signature-based purchases up to $50 per month. Quontic also offers a unique product called Pay Ring, which is a wearable ring that works like a contactless debit card that's tied to your Quontic checking account. It's free to get, doesn't need to be charged, is water- and scratch-resistant and can easily be turned on and off from the Quontic app. Each joint owner can also get a free Pay Ring. This cashback checking account has a $100 opening deposit requirement, but after that, there are no minimum balance requirements.
Fee
$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open
$100
Quontic Cash Rewards Checking accepts one primary owner with up to four other joint owners, with no monthly fees. And, as the name suggests, there's cash back to be earned: 1% cash back on all signature-based purchases up to $50 per month. Quontic also offers a unique product called Pay Ring, which is a wearable ring that works like a contactless debit card that's tied to your Quontic checking account. It's free to get, doesn't need to be charged, is water- and scratch-resistant and can easily be turned on and off from the Quontic app. Each joint owner can also get a free Pay Ring. This cashback checking account has a $100 opening deposit requirement, but after that, there are no minimum balance requirements.
Pros
Up to five joint owners
No monthly fees
1% cash back up to $50 per month
Free Pay Ring for contactless payments
Cons
$100 opening deposit
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
N/A
Fee
$0 per month
Overdraft fee
$0
Foreign transaction fee
0%
Fee
$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open
$100
verified_userFDIC Insured
Methodology
Finder’s banking experts research over 400 bank accounts to find the best joint account options. We compare checking, saving, business and kids’ bank accounts to find the best in the current market and update our best picks regularly. We also favor accounts with no monthly fees, no opening deposit requirements, and accounts with joint-specific features such as in-app chats, shared savings goals and budgeting.
Nationwide availability
Monthly fee at or below $6
Must accept more than one account holder
Opening deposits:
At or below $100 for savings and checking
At or below $200 for credit cards
Reasonable requirements to earn APY on savings, such as a direct deposit requirement
How do joint bank accounts work?
Joint bank accounts work just like regular bank accounts — the main difference is that two or more people share the account. For joint checking, each owner gets their own debit card and can access the funds. Both owners are responsible for fees incurred, like overdraft charges, so you should only open a joint bank account with someone you trust.
Although they typically allow up to two account holders, some providers allow three or more people. Most joint accounts give owners equal access, but some banks allow you to add restrictions, such as requiring dual signatures for withdrawals or closures — a particularly common restriction with joint business bank accounts.
How to open a joint bank account
The application process for a joint bank account is nearly the same as opening an account on your own.
You do not need to be related or married to someone to open a joint account with them. To apply for a joint bank account, you and the other intended owner(s) need to show proof of identity and address, provide other contact information and meet deposit requirements, if applicable.
However, some banks don’t allow you to open a joint account unless you already have an existing account with that bank. Some traditional banks might require you to visit a branch to verify the person you’re adding to the account.
Are joint accounts a good idea?
Joint bank accounts are a great way for spouses and life partners to manage expenses and get on the same page financially. Each joint owner has equal access to the funds, deposits and transaction history.
With two owners, there are two eyes on the account. Both owners can track of spending and budget, deposit funds, withdraw funds or pay bills. Joint accounts can also be great for roommates, business partners, family members who share expenses, unmarried life partners, or caregivers who manage someone else’s finances.
Whoever you choose to get a joint account with, trust is key — co-owners of a joint bank account have equal access to the funds unless set up otherwise.
On that same note, even if you are married, you don’t have access to your spouse’s individual bank account unless they have given you authorization to access it. Having a joint account with your spouse means you both can access the funds in that joint account, but individual accounts stay seperate unless special permissions are given.
Be sure to read through your bank’s terms, and talk with your future joint owner so you’re both at a clear understanding.
Joint accounts for kids
Joint accounts are also a great idea for parents, as they can open a joint bank account with their kids to monitor their spending and teach them how to manage their money. Parents can also open a shared savings account to set their child up for later.
Our expert says: How FDIC insurance works with joint accounts
"Each co-owner of a joint account is insured up to $250,000 for the combined amount of their funds in all joint accounts at the same institution, according to the FDIC. Simply put, this means you and each joint owner are individually insured up to $250,000. Insurance covers the depositor (you), not the account. If you and one co-owner pool over $500,000 in one bank, consider spreading out funds for full deposit insurance coverage."
Joint bank accounts are great for couples and can also help anyone looking to share or manage expenses with multiple people. Regardless of where you open your joint checking or savings account, be sure you and the co-owner trust each other.
Bethany Hickey is the banking editor and personal finance expert at Finder, specializing in banking, lending, insurance, and crypto.
Bethany’s expertise in personal finance has garnered recognition from esteemed media outlets, such as Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo Finance, GOBankingRates, SuperMoney, AOL and Newsweek. Her articles offer practical financial strategies to Americans, empowering them to make decisions that meet their financial goals. Her past work includes articles on generational spending and saving habits, lending, budgeting and managing debt.
Before joining Finder, she was a content manager where she wrote hundreds of articles and news pieces on auto financing and credit repair for CarsDirect, Auto Credit Express and The Car Connection, among others.
Bethany holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan-Flint, and was poetry editor for the university’s Qua Literary and Fine Arts Magazine. See full bio
Bethany's expertise
Bethany has written 448 Finder guides across topics including:
In a Joint Account with Either or Survivor option, if a Principal Account Holder dies and dispute arises among the legal heirs of the deceased, whst are the exceptions or grounds in which Survivorship mandate can end or can be challenged by other legal heirs.
Finder
JoshuaMarch 28, 2018Finder
Hi Omar,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder.
There are a lot of potential problems that may arise when one owner of the account passes away. Generally, the remaining balance in a joint account will pass to the surviving account holder on death by right of survivorship. However, this may change if the deceased account holder has a prepared Will and that Will specifically affects the future of the account.
Please note that we are not legal experts. Thus, it will be helpful if you seek professional advice to get a more personalized answer.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
You can open a joint bank account with three or more people. Learn how it works, how to sign up and what risks to be aware of.
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In a Joint Account with Either or Survivor option, if a Principal Account Holder dies and dispute arises among the legal heirs of the deceased, whst are the exceptions or grounds in which Survivorship mandate can end or can be challenged by other legal heirs.
Hi Omar,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder.
There are a lot of potential problems that may arise when one owner of the account passes away. Generally, the remaining balance in a joint account will pass to the surviving account holder on death by right of survivorship. However, this may change if the deceased account holder has a prepared Will and that Will specifically affects the future of the account.
Please note that we are not legal experts. Thus, it will be helpful if you seek professional advice to get a more personalized answer.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua