Banking Checking Accounts

7 Bank Accounts With No Credit Check Required To Open [2025]

If you're looking for a checking account you can open with no hard credit check, we recommend SoFi Checking and Savings and Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking®. Here are others we suggest for people with imperfect banking histories.

Updated July 2, 2025
Fact checked

Applying for a new bank account can be daunting when your credit is less than stellar. But today, there are many options for people in this situation. Most banks don't perform a hard credit check when you apply for an account, but some accounts are better than others if you have bad credit or an imperfect banking history.

We researched the most popular institutions to find the best no-credit-check bank accounts. Online-only banks and fintechs like SoFi®, Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking®,1 and Discover stood out in our research for offering excellent perks without hard credit checks or deposit requirements,23 and Chime® Checking4 is a good choice if your main goal is to improve your credit. We also recommend Bank of America as well as Truist if you prefer in-person banking, and it doesn't get much better than Varo for second-chance banking.

Here's which checking accounts with no credit check we recommend when you're banking with bad credit and the best ways to use them.

Featured checking account with no credit impact

5.0
info
Financebuzz awards badge

2025 award winner Best Checking and Savings Combo

SoFi Checking and Savings Benefits

  • Earn up to 3.80% APY5 and collect up to a $300 cash bonus with direct deposit or $5,000 or more in qualifying deposits6
  • No account, overdraft, or monthly fees2
  • Get your paycheck up to two days early7
  • Access additional FDIC insurance up to $3 million8
Open an account with SoFi® here

How we evaluate products

No-credit-check bank accounts that are easy to open

As you'll see, there's no shortage of checking accounts with no hard credit checks to open and no deposit requirements. There are also a few bank accounts we recommend that do have deposit requirements or monthly fees, but are still worth considering if you have reason to want to avoid hard credit checks (perhaps because your banking history is imperfect). Here are some of the easiest bank accounts you can open online with bad credit.

Bank account Best for Minimum opening deposit Monthly fees
SoFi Checking and Savings
SoFi Checking and Savings
No-hard-credit-check banking None None2
Bank of America Advantage Banking
Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking®
In-person banking $1001 $0 or $12
Discover® Cashback Debit
Discover® Cashback Debit
Avoiding debt with bad credit None None
Chime®
Chime® Checking
Improving credit None None9
Truist One Checking
Truist One Checking
No overdraft fees $50 $12 (can be waived)10
Current
Current11
Teens with no credit None No membership fees12
Varo
Varo Bank Account
Second-chance banking None None

SoFi® Checking and Savings

Best for no-hard-credit-check banking

Financebuzz awards badge

2025 award winner Best Checking and Savings Combo

5.0
info
SoFi Checking and Savings
SoFi Checking & Savings - Earn Up to $300 When You Set Up Direct Deposit
Earn up to 3.80% APY5 and collect up to a $300 cash bonus with direct deposit or $5,000 or more in qualifying deposits.6 FDIC Insured.8

SoFi's no-hard-credit-check bank account combines checking and savings under one metaphorical roof, making it one of the best options we've found for keeping your banking simple. We chose SoFi Checking and Savings for this list not because it's packed with perks but because we appreciate that you essentially get two bank accounts — checking and savings — with one application and zero hard credit checks.

Avoiding fees and minimums is also important when you're working with a poor or mixed banking history. You won't pay any monthly maintenance, ATM,13, or low-balance fees for this account.2 The account has no minimum opening deposit requirement, so you can open it quickly.

It also offers the added perks of early access to your paychecks7 and overdraft coverage14 that may come in handy when money is tight and help you avoid getting into banking trouble.

Pros
  • No monthly service charge or overdraft fees
  • Earns up to 3.80%APY5 on savings and 0.50% (as of 01/24/25) APY on checking with direct deposit5
  • FDIC insurance up to $3 million8
Cons
  • Highest APY requires direct deposit or $5,000 in qualifying deposits
  • Overdraft coverage is relatively low

Visit SoFi | Read our SoFi® review

Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking®

Best for in-person banking

4.2
info
Bank of America Advantage Banking
Bank of America Advantage Banking
$300 bonus offer. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Click ‘Learn More' for more details.

If you like being able to easily deposit cash or talk to a live human being, Bank of America is a good choice. It has thousands of ATMs and financial centers, so it's convenient if you're often on the move.

Bank of America offers a few checking accounts, but the one I like the best for second-chance banking is the Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking®. It has a relatively modest monthly maintenance fee of $4.95, with options for a $0 monthly fee instead if you're under 25, keep a minimum daily balance of $500, or are a member of Bank of America Preferred Rewards®. 15

But the best thing about it is that it doesn't charge overdraft item fees. And those fees can really add up, depending on the bank.

Bank of America accounts are insured by the FDIC up to $250,000 per depositor.

Pros
  • Thousands of ATMs and financial centers
  • Application doesn't impact your credit score
  • Peace of mind with a $0 Liability Guarantee16
  • Member FDIC
Cons
  • Monthly service fee unless you meet certain requirements
  • Doesn't earn interest
  • Has overdraft fees

Visit Bank of America | Read our Bank of America Advantage Banking review

Discover Cashback Debit

Best for avoiding debt with bad credit

Financebuzz awards badge

2025 award winner Best Online Checking Account

4.5
info
Discover® Cashback Debit
Discover® Cashback Checking
Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month.17 No minimum deposit or balance. FDIC Insured.

Discover's Cashback Debit Account is the checking account we'd recommend if your credit is in rough shape and you want to avoid debt by using a debit card (as opposed to borrowing with a credit card).

Why? Because this account encourages you to use your debit card, it can help you spend within your means. Avoiding credit cards, even if you're approved for one, could be a smart move for improving your finances in the short term. Most checking accounts include debit cards, but few provide so much incentive to use them regularly as Discover's. Discover Cashback Debit lets you earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month.

I also like that this account has no monthly fees, no fees for insufficient funds or overdrafts, and no minimum balance requirements. With direct deposit, you can even receive your paycheck up to two days early.

Pros
  • No monthly fees or minimum balance requirement
  • 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month
  • FDIC insured
  • Cash deposits permitted at Walmart locations
Cons
  • You can only have one Cashback Debit account
  • Daily limits on the amount of cash you can add

Visit Discover | Read our Discover Checking review.

Chime® Checking

Best for improving credit

Financebuzz awards badge

2025 award winner Best for Bad or No Credit

4.6
info
Chime®
Chime® Checking18 - No Monthly Fees9 + Get paid up to 2 days early with direct deposit19
Checking Account. No minimum balance. FDIC Insured through The Bank Corp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A.

There's a lot we like about Chime for people with bad credit. It has no monthly service fees or overdraft fees9, and its SpotMe® feature offers a fee-free overdraft of up to $200 for eligible members.20 To be eligible, you have to receive a single deposit of $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits to a Chime checking account. For a lot of folks, having their paycheck directly deposited will take care of that requirement.

I especially like the Chime® Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card, and that definitely would have come in handy for me during the years I spent rebuilding my credit.21 Additionally, their policy of not using ChexSystems for account openings provides a fresh start for those with past banking issues.

I don't love that Chime's savings account only has a 1.25% APY on savings account balances.22 Note that you can't open a savings account without opening a Chime checking account.23 There are higher savings APYs at online banks like SoFi, but if you want to keep all your funds in one place, it's not the worst savings APY either.

Chime, like many financial institutions, offers FDIC insurance up to $250,000 per depositor through its banking partners, The Bancorp Bank, N.A. and Stride Bank, N.A..

Pros
  • No monthly maintenance fee or minimum balance requirement9
  • Easily set up transaction and balance alerts
  • Offers SpotMe® overdraft feature 20
Cons
  • No in-person branches
  • SpotMe overdraft feature only available to specific customers
  • 1.25% APY on savings2223

Visit Chime | Read our Chime review.

Alternatives to Chime
If you find Chime appealing but aren't quite sold, other banks similar to Chime that we recommend — and haven't already talked about — include AllyAxos, and EverBank.

Truist One Checking

Best for no overdraft fees

4.3
info
Financebuzz awards badge

2025 award winner Best for Overdraft Protection

Truist One Checking - Earn $40024
Terms apply. No overdraft fee, low minimum deposit of $50. Balance Buffer25for eligible clients. Ways to waive monthly maintenance fee.10 Member FDIC.
Open Account

We chose Truist for this list not only because the bank offers access to in-person locations, unlike the online banks we've covered, but also because Truist One Checking doesn't charge any overdraft fees (which is unusual in a brick-and-mortar bank, and especially nice if you're in a tight spot with money). And its Balance Buffer can give your account an extra cushion of up to $100 for unexpected charges.25

I don't love the $12 monthly maintenance fee, but there are six ways to waive it. You can:

  • Maintain a combined monthly average balance of $500 or more across eligible Truist accounts.
  • Make $500 or more in total qualifying direct deposits per statement cycle.
  • Have a Truist credit card, mortgage, or loan (not Lightstream).
  • Have a linked Small Business Checking account.
  • Be younger than 25.
  • Be age 62 or older.

Good to know
For whatever it's worth, both the fee and the options to waive the fee are in line with those of other brick-and-mortar banks.

Truist is FDIC insured.

Pros
  • No overdraft fees
  • FDIC insured
  • Balance Buffer of up to $10025
Cons
  • $12 monthly maintenance fee (can be waived)10
  • $50 minimum opening deposit

Visit Truist | Read our Truist review.

Current

Best for teens with no credit

Current
Build Credit Not Debt
Build credit with everyday purchases.26No credit checks or history required.

For teens looking to start building credit while banking, Current is a strong choice.27 The fintech offers one bank account, like SoFi, but a host of benefits for accountholders, especially those looking to avoid hard credit checks. The reason we recommend a Current account for teens is because anyone can build credit with the account's linked secured credit card. Using the Current Build Visa® Credit Card, you could make regular monthly payments that get reported to the credit bureaus.28 Even ATM swipes count in some instances. Parents do need to open accounts for teens, though.

As you use your Current Visa secured credit card, you can earn 1X to 7X points, depending on the merchant (and as long as you opt in within the mobile app). This bank account would be ideal for anyone who wants to build credit without the credit checks required for many traditional credit cards.

You'll qualify for $250,000 in FDIC insurance on your bank accounts through Choice Financial Group and Cross River Bank. FDIC insurance doesn't extend to Current's crypto offerings.

You'll pay no monthly membership or annual account fees with Current, and you could earn up to a 4.00% bonus on your savings, but this requires a monthly $200 direct deposit. This is lower than Varo's direct deposit requirement to earn the highest APY, so it's definitely competitive.

Pros
  • Up to 4.00% bonus29
  • Earn up to 7x points at certain merchants
  • No monthly membership or annual account fees12
Cons
  • Minimums required to earn the highest bonus rate
  • No in-person banking options

Visit Current | Read our Current review

Varo Bank Account

Best for second-chance banking

We recommend all of the banks on this list for second-chance banking, but Varo is one of the best options we've found for this because of the many ways it encourages you to improve your finances — and offers to help you when you're in a bind. Between its automated savings features, cash advances, and credit-builder card, you can work on whatever you need to tackle to get your credit and overall financial health in a better place.

Like other companies on this list, Varo has no fees on either of its savings or checking accounts. And while its 5.00% (as of 04/25/25) APY promise on its savings account is inviting at first, do be aware that only the first $5,000 in deposits qualify. Still, you'll earn a decent APY of 2.50% (as of 12/11/24) on deposits after that threshold. And you need to receive qualifying direct deposits of $1,000 or more each month to get the highest APY. Those are pretty steep requirements, especially compared to a bank like SoFi, which only requires direct deposit, but no specific amount.

More importantly, Varo offers a cash advance of up to $500, which is twice as much as competitor Chime. You start with anywhere from $20 to $250, based on your account history and other factors, then you could potentially work your way up to $500. You do need to have at least $800 in qualifying direct deposits during the current or previous month to qualify.

As for FDIC insurance, Varo Bank, National Association (Cert. #59190) provides each depositor with $250,000 in coverage.

Pros
  • Get paid up to two days early30
  • Cash advances up to $500
  • 5.00% (as of 04/25/25) APY on savings
Cons
  • 5.00% (as of 04/25/25) APY is limited to up to $5,000 in deposits
  • No standalone savings account

Visit Varo  | Read our Varo review

How to choose a no-credit-check bank

There are dozens and dozens of deposit account options, even for those looking to qualify without a credit check or need a second-chance bank. How do you find the checking account that fits all your needs? Consider each of these features to narrow down the list.

Account requirements

While a bank may not require a credit check, make sure there are no other requirements, such as a minimum opening deposit or a minimum balance required to earn interest.

Fee structure

First things first — do you want to pay any fees? If not, eliminate banks that charge fees. Additionally, some banks only charge fees if you can't meet requirements like setting up direct deposit. Many banks charge no fees to maintain your account and still provide worthwhile features.

Mobile and online setup

No-credit-check accounts typically are online bank accounts, so you want to ensure the bank of your choice includes easy-to-use mobile banking, including mobile check deposit and an online portal. You may also want to consider features like bill pay and transfers to family and friends through services like Zelle.

Additional banking services

Many banks offer more than just checking and savings accounts, which you may (or may not) be interested in. Do you need investing help? Do you want to open a CD? Are you considering a personal or auto loan? If you want to do your banking all in one place, check on the additional services the bank may offer.

Branch options

Do you want an in-person option? Or is an entirely online-based bank what you're looking for? Thankfully, there's a mix of both options out there.

ATM network

If you anticipate needing to withdraw cash, check to see if there are fee-free ATMs near you so you can make ATM withdrawals. Some banks and credit unions also offer ATM fee reimbursements if you use an out-of-network machine.

How to improve bad credit

Improving your credit score is a journey that requires patience, diligence, and a strategic approach. Whether you're looking to qualify for better loan rates, secure a rental agreement, or simply improve your financial well-being, taking steps to boost your creditworthiness can open doors to various opportunities. Here are a few ways that you can improve your credit score over time.

Pay your bills on time

Making timely payments on all bills, including credit card payments, utility bills, and loans, is crucial for improving your credit score. Payment history is a significant factor in determining your creditworthiness. 

Tip
If you're having trouble keeping track of your spending, consider signing up for a budgeting app like Rocket Money. This app provides an overview of your finances by tracking your account transactions, making it easy to see all your spending and recurring bills in one place.

Reduce your credit card balances where possible

Your credit utilization ratio, which is the amount of potential credit you have versus how much of that credit line you are actually using, also affects your score. Try to keep your credit card balances low relative to your credit limit, ideally no more than 30% of your available credit.

Avoid opening too many accounts

Opening multiple new credit accounts within a short period can lower your average account age and potentially cause a dip in your credit score. Be cautious about applying for new credit unless necessary.

Don't cancel old accounts

Older accounts can help improve credit scores since they establish when you first began building your credit history. Closing old credit cards can also cause your credit utilization rate to go up since you have less available credit in your name. Even if you never use a line of credit, keeping it open can help mature your credit age over time.

Monitor your credit report

Regularly checking your credit report can help you identify any errors or fraudulent activity that may be affecting your credit score. You can request a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once a year. You could also sign up for a credit monitoring tool such as Credit Karma or Credit Sesame, where you'll get free access to your credit score, reports, and monitoring. 

FAQs

Can I open a bank account without a credit check?

Yes, you absolutely can open a bank account without a credit check. Many banks use ChexSystems, a consumer reporting agency that focuses on banking history, to assess an individual's risk when opening a new account.

While a poor credit score may not necessarily prevent you from opening a bank account, negative marks in your ChexSystems report (such as a history of unpaid fees or fraudulent activities) could potentially pose challenges in the account opening process.

What is ChexSystems?

ChexSystems is like a report card for your banking behavior. It tracks things like bounced checks, overdrafts, and account closures and reports that information to banks, credit unions, and other entities that request it. Banks use this information to assess the risk of allowing new customers to open bank accounts.

What is the minimum deposit to open a bank account?

Most bank accounts have no minimum deposit to open your account. The ones that do often charge anywhere from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars.

Featured Checking Accounts

5.0
info
Financebuzz awards badge

2025 award winner Best Checking and Savings Combo

SoFi Checking & Savings - Earn Up to $300 When You Set Up Direct Deposit
Earn up to 3.80% APY5 and collect up to a $300 cash bonus with direct deposit or $5,000 or more in qualifying deposits.6 FDIC Insured.8
Learn More
4.5
info
Financebuzz awards badge

2025 award winner Best Online Checking Account

Discover® Cashback Checking
Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month.17 No minimum deposit or balance. FDIC Insured.
Learn More
4.2
info
Use Cash App As Your All-in-One Financial Services Platform
Bank31without all the fees—save, send, and spend your money the way you want.32 Get paid up to 2 days early – up to 2 days earlier than most banks33
Download Cash App

Bottom line

When you have bad credit, you want a bank that not only won't check your credit when you open an account but that also will help you make the most of your finances. No-credit-check bank accounts like SoFi Checking and Savings, Discover Cashback Debit, Chime® Checking, and others are a few we recommend for this. All of the accounts we've included here can be opened online.

To choose the best bank and checking account for bad credit, consider factors such as account requirements and fees, other banking services, in-person and online access, and more.

5.0
info
Financebuzz awards badge

2025 award winner Best Checking and Savings Combo

SoFi Checking and Savings Benefits

  • Earn up to 3.80% APY5 and collect up to a $300 cash bonus with direct deposit or $5,000 or more in qualifying deposits6
  • No account, overdraft, or monthly fees2
  • Get your paycheck up to two days early7
  • Access additional FDIC insurance up to $3 million8
Open an account with SoFi® here