Chase Bank Review [2025]: Is In-Person Banking Still Worth It?

Chase Bank overview

Chase Bank is one of the largest banks in the U.S. by asset holdings and ranked second among J.D. Power's National Banking Satisfaction Study in 2022. It was also named one of the Time100 Most Influential Companies in 2023, proving it's a bank you can trust to provide what you need.

Chase offers a large variety of banking products including checking, savings, CDs, credit cards, investment products, home and auto loans. Its banking products (checking and savings) leave a little to be desired as far as interest rates, and its fees can get high if you don't pay attention to how to waive them.

I like Chase Bank because of its convenient locations (4,800 branches in 48 states), 16,000 ATMs, and numerous banking products, especially checking accounts. I also love that it's been around for so long; I knew it (and banked at it) growing up, so it's a comfortable choice when I need convenience.

One thing to note is that customers tend to disagree about the level of customer service offered by Chase. While the company receives high customer satisfaction scores in the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study, there are many complaints about the level of service provided over the phone and in bank branches.

Types of checking accounts offered at Chase

Chase Total Checking

The Chase Total Checking account is one of Chase's most popular checking accounts and has many features that you'll find with other checking accounts.

While it doesn't pay interest, it includes the following features:

• Online bill pay and banking
• Mobile banking
• Zelle for transferring money
• Autosave to a linked Chase savings account
• Chase Overdraft Assist℠

You don't have to keep a minimum balance, but if you don't carry at least a $1,500 daily balance or receive at least $500 in monthly direct deposits, Chase Total Checking costs $12 a month.

Its other checking account options are either focused on a specific age group, or require much higher balances to waive fees or to be eligible.

Open a New Checking Account With Chase

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Chase Total Checking® Benefits

• Get a $300 bonus when you open a Chase Total Checking® account with qualifying activities; offer valid through 7/16/2025³ <p>Offer not available to existing Chase checking customers, or those whose accounts have been closed within 90 days or closed with a negative balance within the last 3 years. You can receive only one new checking account opening related bonus every two years from the last coupon enrollment date and only one bonus per account. Coupon is good for one-time use. To receive the bonus: 1) Open a new Chase Total Checking account, which is subject to approval; AND 2) Have your direct deposits totaling $500 or more made to this account within 90 days of coupon enrollment. 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. After you have completed all the above requirements, we'll deposit the bonus in your new account within 15 days. To receive this bonus, the enrolled account must not be closed or restricted at the time of payout. Eligibility may be limited based on account ownership. Bonus is considered interest and will be reported on IRS Form 1099-INT (or Form 1042-S, if applicable). Offer availability subject to change. Other Chase checking bonus offers may exist concurrently.</p>
• Access to more than 15,000 ATMs and more than 4,700 branches
• Manage all your accounts from the Chase Mobile® app
• Monthly Service Fee as low as $0 when you meet qualifying electronic deposits or account balance minimums¹ <p>$12 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>
• Member FDIC

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Chase Savings Account Comparison

Chase only offers two savings accounts and you can access mobile and online banking with either one, as is the case with many of the best savings accounts. This allows for quick check deposits using the mobile app rather than visiting a branch or ATM. You can even access your savings account from a Chase ATM. I suggest linking a Chase savings account to a Chase checking account to prevent overdraft fees if your checking account includes it.

My favorite feature of the Chase savings accounts is Autosave, which allows you to set goals and fund them over time. Setting up an Autosave goal of at least $25 a month can help you avoid the $5 monthly service fee on the Chase Savings℠ account, while helping you reach your goals.

Chase CDs

Chase Bank offers Certificates of Deposit (CDs) with various term lengths and interest rates. Chase offers CDs with terms ranging from 1 month to 120 months.

Like most banks, if you withdraw funds before the CD expires, you'll pay a penalty. If your CD term is less than six months, you'll have to pay 90 days of interest on the amount withdrawn. If your term is six months to less than 24 months, you'll pay 180 days of interest on the amount withdrawn or 365 days of interest if your term is more than 24 months.

I suggest choosing a CD term you know you can leave untouched for the entire term. There's no sense in paying unnecessary penalties. If you aren't sure how long until you'll need the money, stick with a savings account until you have a clearer picture.

Notable features

Easy access to branches and ATMs

Chase Bank is one of the largest banks in the country and has branches or ATMs in every state except Alaska and Hawaii (there is only one Chase ATM available in the entire state of HI). People who travel frequently can find a branch or ATM to use just about anywhere, which can cut down on ATM fees. You can also use the Chase mobile app to access your money, deposit checks, and pay bills. I love the convenience they offer, while combining the benefits of in-person and online banking.

Overdraft protection

Although Chase charges an overdraft fee of $34, it provides options to avoid overdrafts.

• No overdraft fees on transactions of $5 or less
• If you activate Overdraft Assist℠, there's no overdraft fee for transactions less than $50
• No overdraft fees on overdrafts over $50 that you cover by the end of the next business day

You also have the option to enable Overdraft Protection coverage. This links your Chase Savings account to your checking account. If you have enough in your savings account, Chase will automatically transfer the amount needed for the overdraft protection without a fee. If there isn't enough in your savings account to cover the transaction, overdraft fees may apply.

I always recommend looking into your overdraft protection options and choosing the one that makes the most sense or turning off the option to approve overdrafts. The fees can add up faster than you think.

Welcome bonuses

Chase frequently offers sign-up bonuses or promotions to attract new customers. You must meet the account requirements, which vary by promotion to qualify. You can receive a new bonus every 24 months, but only one per account.

For example, they are currently running a $300 sign up bonus if you open a new Total Checking® account and make direct deposits of at least $500 within 90 days (offer valid through 7/16/2025).

Who is Chase Bank best for?

Today there are numerous banking options available that don't require a minimum deposit and pay higher interest rates, so who should use Chase Bank?

• You prefer to bank in-person
• A large number of ATMs nationwide is important to you
• You prefer to bank at a large institution with a proven record

Alternatives to Chase Bank

Although Chase Bank may work well for some people, other options are available.

U.S. Bank

Like Chase, U.S. Bank has many physical locations and charges monthly maintenance fees on its checking account, which offer ways to waive them. Its fees are comparable to Chase's and it offers an Overdraft Fee Forgiven program that waives overdraft fees if your account balance, excluding the overdraft fee, is at least $0 by the end of the day.

U.S. Bank offers a savings account that earns 0.01% (as of 12/23/24), similar to Chase, but it also has a checking account that accumulates interest called Bank Smartly® Checking. While it's not much, it's a nice account feature — to learn more about Bank Smartly® Checking, visit U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank also offers CD accounts starting at a minimum balance of $500 and varying interest rates depending on term length.

SoFi Checking and Savings

SoFi® is an online-only bank, so there are no physical branches to visit. Its checking and savings accounts earn considerably more interest than Chase accounts, up to 3.80% APY on savings account balances with direct deposit and 0.50% (as of 01/24/25) APY for checking with direct deposit.⁴ <p>SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus with Direct Deposit or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days or 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 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. Only SoFi Plus members are eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of Jan. 24, 2025. There is no minimum balance requirement. 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>. See the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at <a href="https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus">https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus</a>.</p> SoFi is a Member, FDIC⁵ <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> and has no monthly maintenance or overdraft fees.⁶ <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>

SoFi uses the All-Point Network, which provides access to more than 55,000 ATMs nationwide without fees⁷ <p>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.</p> . Customers who set up a qualifying direct deposit don't need to worry about overdraft fees on overdrafts of up to $50⁸ <p>Overdraft Coverage is limited to $50 on debit card purchases only and is an account benefit available to customers with direct deposits of $1,000 or more during the current 30-day Evaluation Period as determined by SoFi Bank, N.A.&nbsp; 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 &gt; Savings &gt; Current APY or (ii) Banking &gt; Checking &gt; Current APY.&nbsp; Members with a prior history of non-repayment of negative balances are ineligible for Overdraft Coverage.<br></p> , and you can earn cash back when using the SoFi debit card.

Visit SoFi or read our full SoFi Checking and Savings review.

FAQ

Bottom line

Using Chase Bank is a good option for people who want a well-established, safe place to keep their money. While you will likely find significantly better interest rates on savings at other banks, Chase Bank is a good place for everyday banking and a safe place to keep any cash you want immediate access to for emergencies.

Before you choose a bank, research the account options available and be sure you understand the associated fees, disclosures, and requirements for each account.

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No minimum initial deposit

Offers overdraft assistance² <p>With Chase Overdraft Assist℠, we won’t charge an Overdraft Fee if you’re overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the business day OR if you’re overdrawn by more than $50 and you bring your account balance to overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the next business day (you have until 11 PM ET (8 PM PT) to make a deposit or transfer). Chase Overdraft Assist does not require enrollment and comes with eligible Chase checking accounts.</p>

More than 4,700 in-person branches and 15,000 ATMs

Member FDIC

Author Details

Kate Daugherty

Kate Daugherty is a writer for FinanceBuzz with a passion for providing others the head start they deserve on their financial journeys. Largely self-taught, Kate relied on books, blogs, and trial-and-error to learn how to budget and save for the future, all while working to pay back about $15,000 in student loans.

Author Details

Samantha Hawrylack

Samantha Hawrylack is a writer with more than five years of experience. Her work has been published in Newsweek, MarketWatch, USA Today, Rocket Mortgage, BiggerPockets, Crediful, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Master of Business Administration from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and she was previously a brokerage investment professional with Series 7 and 63 licenses at Vanguard.