A no-monthly-fee, digital checking account with tons of perks.
The Chime Checking account is a digital account with no monthly fees. Chime isn't a bank, but its banking services are backed by its FDIC-insured banking partners. There are no monthly maintenance fees, foreign transaction fees or overdraft fees. By meeting direct deposit requirements, you get features like early direct deposit, SpotMe® the an overdraft alternative service that can spot you up to $200 if you overdraft and much more. There's also an optional 1.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) savings account and a secured Chime Card (formerly the Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card) to help you build credit history. But you can't open joint accounts, and Chime has thousands of customer complaints due to many account closures without notice.
Best for: Those in need of an affordable online checking account.
Chime Checking is well-suited for anyone in need of a low-hassle online checking account. It also doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, making it great for those who travel internationally. And if you don’t like fees, good news, because it doesn’t have any monthly fees or balance requirements either.
Chime also won’t check your banking history through the ChexSystems report during the application process. This makes it a solid second-chance account for those with negative banking history.
Chime isn’t a bank – it’s an online fintech offering banking services through Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A. As an online fintech, it doesn’t have any physical branch locations. But if you don’t need frequent in-person customer support and don’t make frequent cash deposits, the lack of physical locations shouldn’t pose too much trouble.
The account offers many perks, featuring low fees, a large ATM network, early direct deposits up to two days early and an optional savings account. You’ll get a Visa debit card that grants you no-fee access to more than 47,000 ATMs across the country.
Chime claims that it will never hide behind fine print or profit from members’ misfortune or mistakes, and its website displays a chart of all potential fees associated with the account. It eliminates many fees found at larger banks, such as monthly maintenance, overdraft and foreign transaction fees.
When you sign up for this checking account, you’ll get access to Chime’s optional savings account, which earns up to your savings APY is 1.00%. There are also no monthly fees.
Having the Chime checking account also unlocks Chime’s optional Chime Card™, a secured credit card (formerly the Chime Credit Builder card) that helps build credit and is designed to work with Chime’s Checking account.
There’s no credit check, no annual fees or APR. Your spending limit is determined by the amount of money you move to the Chime Card from your Chime Checking Account. It works like a security deposit, similar to other secured cards. When you use the card and pay off the outstanding balance, the payments are reported to all three credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
Chime now offers tax filing in its app. With a Chime account, you can file your state and federal tax returns with no fees. If you’re owed a refund, you can opt to have it directly deposited into your Chime account, which could also mean getting your refund up to six days early.
Chime says it accepts most typical tax situations, but since it’s an in-app tax filing service, it is probably better suited for those with simple tax situations.
Chime doesn’t have a lot of fees, but there is an out-of-network ATM fee of $2.50 per transaction. But if you use MoneyPass, Allpoint and Visa Plus Alliance ATMs, you won’t incur a fee. And like most fintechs with banking services, Chime has no branch locations.
Also, if you’re in need of a joint checking account with Chime, you’re out of luck. Chime doesn’t allow joint accounts or allow customers to get a second card.
Nearly 8,000 people have filed a complaint against Chime on its Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile in the last three years. As a result, Chime has a C+ rating with the BBB. While Chime makes an effort to resolve these complaints and issues, the high volume of complaints is alarming.
Chime also has nearly 4,000 complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in the last three years. Complaints are in the same vein as BBB, and almost every complaint comes from customers whose accounts were inexplicably closed.
These account closures are the result of a security measure that’s supposed to fight fraud, but it seems that many innocent victims lost hundreds or thousands of dollars, as reported by MoneyUnder30.
| Type of fee | Fee details |
|---|---|
| Monthly service | $0 |
| Opening deposit | $0 |
| ATMs |
|
| Debit card fees |
|
| Overdraft or nonsufficient funds | $0 |
| Wire transfers | N/A |
| Other fees |
|
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How we picked theseThe Finder Score crunches over 300 checking accounts from hundreds of financial institutions. It takes into account the product's monthly fees, overdraft fees, opening deposit, customer support options, ATM network and features — this gives you a simple score out of 10.
To provide a Score, Finder’s banking experts analyze hundreds of checking accounts against what we consider is the best option: no monthly fees, no overdraft fees, a large ATM network of 50,000 or more, additional features outside of typical banking services, and the optional perk of earning interest. Accounts that are nearly free to maintain and use are scored the highest, while accounts with costly fees and few features are scored the lowest.
| BBB accredited | No |
|---|---|
| BBB rating | B- |
| BBB customer reviews | 4.23 out of 5 stars, based on 2437 customer reviews |
| Trustpilot score | 3.4 out of 5 stars, based on 10,509 customer reviews |
| Customer reviews verified as of | 29 May 2025 |
Chime has thousands of customer reviews. A few years ago, Chime had issues with account closures, causing a flood of negative reviews and Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaints, but those reports have slowed down significantly. Now, its customer complaints are more similar to other fintechs and online banking options, with customers reaching out in attempts to resolve fraudulent charges, questions about locked accounts and other typical banking issues.
On the happy side, customers praise features like the early direct deposit, the overdraft service SpotMe and the easy-to-use app. Many other reviews are also happy with the lack of fees and overall convenient services. And the secured Chime Card is mentioned a lot, with customers saying they like it for the lack of fees and report it’s helped them improve their credit history.
Chime isn’t a bank, but it partners with Stride Bank, N.A. and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., which offer FDIC protection for up to $250,000. The Chime app also provides encryption to protect your account information and allows you to block your card if you suspect fraudulent or suspicious activity. Plus, you can turn on notifications to stay on top of your account activity.
You can transfer funds from the secured Chime Card to your checking account with the Chime Move money in-app feature.
You can also withdraw cash using an ATM with the secured Chime Card, which is actually a cash advance because it’s a secured credit card. While most credit cards charge higher rates for credit card cash advances, Chime still doesn’t charge extra fees or APR for credit card cash advances.
The Chime debit card can be loaded at over 90,000 retail locations such as Walmart, Speedway, CVS, Family Dollar, Rite Aid and Walgreens. You can load a Chime card at no cost at Walgreens locations. Aside from Walgreens, the other retailers may charge third-party cash deposit fees.
To transfer money from your Chime Savings to your Chime® Checking Account, go into the Chime app or head to Chime.com. Then, select Move Money, then Transfers. Follow the prompts to transfer funds. You can also transfer funds from an external account with the Move Money feature.
Currently, Chime allows for unlimited transfers and withdrawals from the Chime Savings Account into the Chime® Checking Account.
If you want peace of mind, this rating will give it to you. These products offer the best value and outcomes considering various product features, terms, conditions and price.
Well-balanced products that provide what you need, offering a healthy mix of competitive features at a good price. However, they're not quite the best in class.
Bottom line: You can find better, but these products still offer reasonable value and have the basics sorted.
These products may not offer much value in the long run, and there are better options available.
Bethany Finder
Banking editor
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johnbasanes Finder
April 29, 2019
Hi LJ,
Thank you for reaching out to Finder.
Though there is no specific time frame for a mobile check going through, you may need to contact Chime directly via the contact details advised on the page we have. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
April 17, 2019
Hi John,
I get SSI from the social security when will that be deposited onto my Chime account?
Jeni Finder
April 19, 2019
Hi,
Thank you for getting in touch with Finder.
Please note that Chime do not hold deposits. Instead, when Chime receives payment information from your benefits provider, the deposit is instantly posted to your Chime Spending Account. Chime will let you know as soon as your money is available with an email and a push notification to your phone.
If you don’t see your deposit, it means that the files are either in transit or haven’t been sent by your benefits provider. In that case, please contact your provider for more information.
I hope this helps.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni
hitmencrew3
April 14, 2019
If i get a check on the first of the month i got direct deposit when will i recieve my benifiets
johnbasanes Finder
April 15, 2019
Hi hitmencrew3,
Thank you for reaching out to Finder.
It would depend on what benefits you are specifically looking at. Generally, once you have set up an account, you are already up for the benefits that the account provides it’s users. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
Buffy
March 23, 2019
How can I get a replacement card? mine was lost.
Val Finder
March 23, 2019
Hi Buffy,
Thank you for your question. Sorry to hear that you lost your card.
You can disable transactions in the Settings section of your Chime app or at http://www.chime.com. Under Card Settings, toggle the Allow transactions switch to the grey position. In the security section of the Settings page, turn off Chime Card Transactions. This will immediately prevent any more transactions on your card.
If you need a new Chime Card, tap the “Replace My Card” button in the Card Settings of your Chime app! You will be asked whether your card was Lost, Stolen, or Damaged. After confirming your address a replacement card will arrive within two weeks. Keep an eye out for a green envelop with a Salt Lake City, Utah return address.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Val
Charles
March 11, 2019
Can I transfer money from my account to other accounts outside United States?
Val Finder
March 11, 2019
Hi Charles,
Thank you for leaving a question. Chime does not impose a limit on bank transfers (ACH transfers) that are initiated from an external account. However, external banks may impose their own limits and fees. You may want to ask your receiver to check their bank if Chime transfer account is acceptable.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Val
LJ
April 29, 2019
How long does it take for a mobile check to be added to account after i take pics etc? How long does it take for a mobile checkin to go through?