Best Military Checking Accounts [2025]: Which Banks Take Care of Service Members?

Being in the military can add complications to everyday life. But, in some cases, it might also get you access to some perks that the civilian population doesn't receive.

For example, many financial institutions offer military checking accounts with extra perks, especially for active-duty or deployed members. As we searched for the best military checking accounts, we compared availability, eligibility requirements, interest rates, and ATM reimbursement, among other factors.

We found that some banks, such as Chase and U.S. Bank, are household names that offer accounts to anyone but have extra features tailored to military members and their families. Others, like Navy Federal Credit Union or USAA, offer accounts only to active or retired service members, and sometimes, their immediate families.

What do military checking accounts offer?

Military checking accounts work like regular checking accounts. However, they tend to have extra perks or features that help military members better manage their finances while on deployment or stationed abroad.

For example, some military bank accounts offer:

• No fees or reduced monthly fees
• No-fee ATMs or reimbursement of out-of-network fees
• Early paycheck access or special military pay processing
• Military-focused customer service
• Expanded online banking capabilities for deployment
• Special discounts on other banking products and services, like loans
• Financial education resources for military families
• An annual percentage yield (APY) on checking balances
• Partnerships with retailers

Bank account name	Best for …	Features
Navy Federal Active Duty Checking	ATM rebates	No minimum balance requirement Earns a 0.05% (as of 9/9/25) APY Rebates on ATM fees up to $20 per statement cycle
USAA Classic Checking	Mobile banking tools	$25 minimum opening deposit Earns a 0.01% (as of 9/9/25) APY Rebates on ATM fees up to $10 per statement cycle
Chase Premier Plus Checking	Active-duty service members	No minimum opening deposit Earns a 0.01% (as of 04/04/25) APY on all balances Up to four non-Chase ATM fees waived per statement cycle1 <p>$15 Monthly Service Fee OR $0 with one of the following, each monthly statement period: </p> <p>Electronic deposits made into this account totaling $500 or more, such as payments from payroll providers or government benefit providers, by using (i) the ACH network, (ii) the Real Time Payment network, or (iii) third party services that facilitate payments to your debit card using the Visa® or Mastercard® network,</p> <p> OR a balance at the beginning of each day of $1,500 or more in this account,</p> <p> OR an average beginning day balance of $5,000 or more in any combination of this account and linked qualifying Chase checking, savings, and other balances.</p>
U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking2 <p>Subject to certain terms and limitations</p>	Rewards	$25 minimum opening deposit Earns 0.001%-0.005% (as of 7/14/25) APY, depending on balance3 <p>Variable rate account – Interest rates are determined at the bank’s discretion and may change at any time. Speak to a banker for current deposit rates, disclosures on rates, compounding and crediting and other balance information.</p> Two waived ATM fees per month with the U.S. Bank Smart Rewards® program
PenFed Access America Checking	Higher checking APY	$25 minimum opening deposit Earns 0.15%-0.35% (as of 04/11/25) APY, depending on balance Large network of 85,000+ ATMs
Service Credit Union Everyday Checking	International banking	$5 minimum opening deposit Three account tier options with different perks International bill pay in local currencies

Navy Federal Active Duty Checking

Navy Federal Credit Union is available to active-duty and retired service members, their immediate family members, and Department of Defense civilian employees.

The Active Duty Checking account offers a 0.05% (as of 9/9/25) APY and doesn't charge a monthly fee or have a minimum balance requirement.

Navy Federal also has more than 30,000 fee-free ATMs. If you use an out-of-network ATM, the credit union charges a $1 fee. However, it will reimburse ATM fees up to $20 per statement period ($240 per year), although the owner of the ATM may still charge a fee that isn't eligible for the rebate.

To maintain eligibility for the Active Duty Checking account, you need to have a qualifying military direct deposit within 180 days of opening the account. If you don't set up the direct deposit, your account reverts to an EveryDay checking account and loses some features.

Learn more in our Navy Federal Credit Union review

USAA Classic Checking

USAA is well known in the military community, offering everything from banking and investing services to various types of insurance. Membership is open to all active-duty service members, veterans, National Guard and Reservists, and eligible federal agency employees. Cadets, midshipmen, officer candidates, military spouses, and children of USAA members also qualify.

Its Classic Checking account pays only a 0.01% (as of 9/9/25) APY on daily balances of $1,000 or more, but it doesn't charge monthly maintenance fees. You'll need to deposit at least $25 to open an account. USAA will refund up to $10 per monthly statement if you use a non-USAA Bank ATM.

What we like most about the USAA Classic Checking is the wide range of mobile tools, which makes managing your money while stationed abroad easier. USAA offers budgeting and bill pay tools, as well as a digital wallet and tap-to-pay services. You can also deposit checks or send or receive money with Zelle through the USAA mobile app, a feature not available at every bank or credit union.

Chase Premier Plus Checking

While Chase Bank generally doesn't have the features or APYs found with the best savings accounts, its Premier Plus Checking account can be a good option. If you're a current or former military member with a qualifying ID, you can open this account without any of the usual minimum deposit or daily balance requirements, and the $25 monthly service charge is waived.

The Premier Plus Checking account earns a 0.01% (as of 04/04/25) APY on all balances. It offers no-fee money orders and cashier's checks, waives four non-Chase ATM fees per month, and has no monthly service fees for certain linked accounts.

If you direct deposit your military base pay into your Chase account⁴ <p>Your direct deposit needs to be an electronic deposit of your paycheck, pension or government benefits (such as Social Security) from your employer or the government. Person to Person payments (such as Zelle®) are not considered a direct deposit. Micro-deposits do not qualify as a direct deposit for the bonus. Micro-deposits are small deposits, typically less than $1, that are sent to your account to verify it is the correct account.</p> , you'll receive additional perks, like no Chase fees on incoming or outgoing wires, non-Chase ATM use, and foreign exchange rate adjustments for ATM withdrawals and purchases with your debit card.

Learn more in our Chase Bank review

U.S. Bank Smartly^® Checking

Anyone can open a U.S. Bank Smartly^® Checking account with a minimum deposit of $25. However, U.S. Bank charges a $12 monthly service fee. If you have a qualifying ID (including military, seniors, and other groups), that fee is waived. The account is tiered, meaning you can reach higher levels based on your combined qualifying balances and access more rewards.

We like the U.S. Bank Smartly^® Checking account because it's an easy bank account to open. It earns a 0.001%-0.005% (as of 7/14/25) APY, depending on your balance.

We also like that it offers the U.S. Bank Smart Rewards program, which provides cashback benefits, discounts on some loan products, and no fees at U.S. Bank ATMs. Additionally, U.S. Bank will waive at least two out-of-network ATM fees per month, though the ATM owner may still charge you.

As an extra perk, U.S. Bank Smartly^® Checking provides free access to Greenlight, an educational tool that helps parents teach their kids about money, complete with a kids' debit card.

Visit U.S. Bank Smartly^® Checking | Learn more in our U.S. Bank Smartly^® Checking review

PenFed Access America Checking

Membership at PenFed Credit Union, or Pentagon Federal Credit Union, is available to everyone after a $5 opening deposit.

It offers the Access America checking account, which earns a 0.15%-0.35% (as of 04/11/25) APY, depending on your balance. You'll need to deposit at least $25 to open this account, and the $10 monthly maintenance fee is avoidable if your daily balance or monthly direct deposits total at least $500.

Additionally, PenFed has a Premium Online Savings account that offers a 2.80% (as of 04/11/25) APY on all balances, has no monthly fee, and requires a minimum deposit of only $5. We also like that PenFed is one of the banks with no credit check, though it will do a soft pull for identity verification. Soft pulls don't affect your credit score.

Service Credit Union Everyday Checking

Service Credit Union offers membership to various military and Department of Defense personnel, their families, and members of multiple other employers and organizations. It offers the Everyday Checking account with these three tiers:

• Basic: This level provides debit card purchase rewards and online bank tools with access to remote check deposit and mobile bill pay.
• Everyday Checking with Direct Deposit: If you set up direct deposit of your paycheck, you'll receive loan discounts, a $15 monthly rebate for ATM surcharges and foreign transaction fees, as well as other features.
• Everyday Checking Direct Deposit+: To qualify, you must set up a direct deposit and make five or more monthly payments or transactions. You'll receive everything in the levels above, plus a bigger loan discount and up to a $30 monthly rebate for ATM surcharges and foreign transaction fees.

In addition, Service Credit Union offers international bill pay in local currencies worldwide. To help you save money in the military, it also provides a subscription manager that will help you identify and cancel unwanted subscriptions.

While this checking account doesn't offer interest, you can earn an APY with the Dividend Checking account, which has a monthly fee without a $1,500 minimum daily balance. We also really like that Service Credit Union offers a Deployed Warrior Savings account, earning a significant APY on deposits of up to $10,000 for members serving active duty in a combat zone.

How to choose the right military checking account

While there are numerous military checking account options to choose from, finding the right one depends on the features you need and what the individual bank or credit union offers.

To help you on your search, consider the following:

• Decide between a credit union and a bank, keeping in mind that credit unions usually have better rates and lower fees, while banks may have more branches or locations
• Fee structures, including potential waivers for military members
• Minimum balance requirements to open an account or receive the best APY
• APYs, including any balance tiers or requirements to earn interest
• Various account fees, including overdraft, returned check, and incoming or outgoing wire charges
• ATM and branch access, especially if you prefer visiting a physical location
• Deposit insurance through the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for banks or the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) for credit unions
• Membership fees or requirements if you're using a credit union
• Perks, like rewards and discounts on entertainment or purchases at certain retailers
• Digital banking tools to help you when you're living internationally or deployed
• Other banking services and programs, such as savings accounts, loans, and financial education resources

FAQs

Bottom line

While military checking accounts are similar to regular checking accounts, if you're a service member, they're worth checking out. These accounts typically offer extra features and better interest rates than regular checking accounts. While researching the best checking accounts can take time and effort, finding the right account can help you make the most of your money and keep everything running smoothly while on deployment or out of the country.

Methodology

The companies on our list of best military checking accounts may be current or past FinanceBuzz partners. We did not review all available banks or bank accounts in the market. We considered several key factors, including membership and eligibility requirements, annual percentage yields, ATM access and fee rebates, account requirements, digital banking tools, international account access, and fees.

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SoFi Checking and Savings Benefits

• Limited-Time Offer: Earn up to a $300 bonus and up to 4.50% APY on Savings (3.80% APY⁸ <p>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 <a href="https://www.sofi.com/banking/">sofi.com/banking</a>. SoFi Checking and Savings is offered through SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC.</p><p>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.&nbsp;Additional information can be found at <a href="http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet" >http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet</a>.</p> with +0.70% APY Boost) for 6 Months on new accounts with eligible direct deposit. Terms Apply.⁹ <p>Earn up to 4.50% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on SoFi Savings with a 0.70% APY Boost (added to the 3.80% APY as of 8/5/25) for up to 6 months. Open a new SoFi Checking &amp; Savings account with Eligible Direct Deposit by 1/31/26. Rates variable, subject to change. Terms apply at <a href="https://www.sofi.com/banking/#2">sofi.com/banking#2</a>. SoFi Bank, N.A. Member&nbsp;FDIC.</p>
• No account, overdraft, or monthly fees¹⁰ <p>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 <a href="http://sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/">sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/</a></p>
• Get your paycheck up to two days early¹¹ <p>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.</p>
• Access additional FDIC insurance up to $3 million¹² <p><b style="font-family: Rubik, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;">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.&nbsp;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&nbsp;<a href="http://sofi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms">SoFi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms</a>. See list of participating banks at <a href="http://sofi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks">SoFi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks</a>.</b></p>

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