Chase Total Checking Review [2024]: Simple Everyday Checking

We recommend Chase Total Checking if you want a straightforward, everyday checking account that’s supported by a large national bank and excellent mobile banking apps. This account has a lot going for it, including Chase Overdraft Assist, which charges no overdraft fee if you’re overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the business day.¹

There’s a $12 monthly service fee, but you have multiple ways to waive it.²

Let’s dig into our Chase Total Checking review to see if this should be your new checking account.

Key takeaways

• We recommend Chase Total Checking as an excellent everyday checking account if you want access to both in-person branches and highly-rated mobile apps. We like that there is no minimum opening deposit, up to $250,000 in FDIC insurance, and the opportunity to waive the monthly maintenance fee.
• You can waive the $12 monthly service fee each statement period if you have a beginning daily balance of at least $1,500, have an average beginning daily balance of at least $5,000 in combined accounts, or receive qualifying electronic deposits totaling at least $500.⁴
• Chase Total Checking charges a $34 overdraft fee. But with Chase Overdraft Assist, there’s no overdraft fee if you’re overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the business day.
• Chase Total Checking isn’t an interest-bearing account.

Chase Total Checking overview

Chase Total Checking is a popular Chase checking account option if you’re interested in a traditional brick-and-mortar bank that also offers mobile and online banking. With Chase Bank, you get access to over 4,700 in-person branches nationwide as well as highly-rated mobile apps available for both iOS and Android devices.

Chase’s wide reach is one of its primary benefits. It’s the first national bank to have a retail presence across all 48 of the lower states (not including Hawaii and Alaska), so you don’t have to worry about being a resident of a specific state to become a customer.

Note that Chase Total Checking isn’t an interest-bearing account, which is common for checking accounts from traditional banks.

Chase Total Checking details

Annual percentage yield (APY)	Not an interest-bearing account
Minimum deposit requirement	$0
Monthly maintenance fees	$12 (can be waived)
Number of branches	4,700+
ATM access	Fee-free access to 15,000+ Chase ATMs
FDIC insured	Up to $250,000

Chase Total Checking is designed as an everyday checking account with low requirements that could appeal to someone who wants to use exceptional mobile apps and also receive in-person support.

Compared to other checking accounts from traditional banks, the Chase Total Checking account is similar with its waivable monthly fee and overdraft benefits.

Chase Total Checking has no minimum opening deposit requirement, while other banks like Wells Fargo Clear Access and U.S. Bank Smartly Checking require a $25 minimum opening deposit.

What we like about Chase Total Checking

• No minimum opening deposit: You don’t need to make any sort of minimum opening deposit for approval of a Chase Total Checking account.
• Chase Overdraft Assist: There aren’t any overdraft fees as long as you’re overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the business day. That means even if you were overdrawn by more than $50 at one point, you’ll still avoid the overdraft fee if your account ends the business day as overdrawn by $50 or less.
• In-person branches: Chase gives you access to over 4,700 in-person branches nationwide (compared to over 2,000 U.S. Bank branches, for example).
• Large service area: Since Chase has branches all over the U.S., you don’t have to worry about state residency requirements like you do with some smaller financial institutions.
• ATM access: Chase offers access to over 15,000 fee-free Chase ATMs.
• Member FDIC: You can receive up to $250,000 in FDIC insurance.
• Highly-rated mobile apps: Chase Mobile has a 4.8 out of 5 rating with over 5.4 million ratings on the App Store. On Google Play, Chase Mobile has a 4.4 out of 5 rating with over 1.8 million ratings.

What users are saying about Chase Mobile

App Store - 4.8 out of 5 rating	Google Play - 4.4 out of 5 rating
5 out of 5 “I have been a customer with Chase for over 50 years. They have always been attentive to my needs and concerns. Their advice and service is excellent and valuable to us.” Texas Cajun 14 - February 14, 2024	5 out of 5 “Best banking app out there. Love it. Very easy to navigate and also it displays a lot of information needed for any customer about various products.” Shreyas Mukthur - December 2, 2023
5 out of 5 “Many apps are complicated and take too many steps. CHASE app is so easy and fast!” rcvillan - February 13, 2024	5 out of 5 “Long story short - one of the best banking apps I've ever used.” David Waszmer - February 14, 2024
1 out of 5 “Unable to search for specific transactions with keywords in the search bar” travelbabbel - February 13, 2024	2 out of 5 “I have had to uninstall and reload the app 3 times. I have a Motorola and after the first log in or maybe it's because I try to save my password 🤔 something I am testing this time the whole app blanks out white and I can't do anything at all once it does that I have to uninstall. Very frustrating.” Victoria Jackson - February 10, 2024

What Chase Total Checking could improve

• No APY rate: While some checking accounts provide interest, the Chase Total Checking option doesn’t.
• Monthly service charge: There’s a $12 monthly maintenance fee. You can waive the fee by meeting certain criteria, but some of the best checking accounts don’t charge a fee at all.
• No early direct deposit: Many checking accounts allow for early access to direct funds by up to two days, but Chase Total Checking isn’t one of them.

Who is a Chase Total Checking account best for?

The Chase Total Checking account makes sense if you want an everyday checking account from a well-known and established bank. With its many branches and exceptional mobile app experience, Chase appeals to both in-person and online users.

If you consider the ways to waive the $12 monthly service fee, Chase Total Checking doesn’t make the most sense if you’re a student (Chase does have separate student accounts), if you frequently carry a low balance, or if you don’t receive direct deposit pay. That’s because two of the fee-waiving options require keeping a sizable balance ($1,500 to $5,000), so only users with high balances or those who have at least $500 in monthly direct deposits can more easily waive the fee.

How to open a Chase Total Checking account

Visit an in-person branch or the Chase Total Checking product page to open a Chase Total Checking account. To get started online, follow these steps.

1. Navigate to the Chase Total Checking product page and select Open an account.
2. If you’re already a Chase customer, you can sign into your account for a faster, pre-filled application. If not, you can simply continue with your application.

3. Fill out your application with the required information, such as your Social Security number, driver’s license or state ID, and account preferences. (Note that you have to be at least 18 to open a Chase Total Checking account.)

4. Submit your application once you’ve filled out the required information. You can typically see if you’re approved right away.

Alternatives to Chase Total Checking

Discover Cashback Checking

The Discover® Cashback Debit Account doesn’t have any monthly service fees or minimum balance requirements, providing you with a truly stress-free experience. There’s also a fee-free overdraft protection transfer service available, plus access to a network of over 60,000 fee-free ATMs.

Even better, you can take advantage of 1.00% (as of Jan. 30, 2024) on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month.⁵

Discover is a Member FDIC.

Visit Discover | Read our Discover Bank review

SoFi Checking and Savings

As an online-only bank, SoFi doesn’t have in-person banking locations. That makes it easy to open and manage SoFi Checking and Savings accounts nationwide. With these accounts, you can receive up to 4.60% APY with direct deposit, as well as up to $2 million in FDIC insurance.⁶⁷ That’s all with no monthly maintenance fees or minimum opening deposit.

Visit SoFi | Read our SoFi Checking and Savings review

FAQ about Chase Total Checking

Chase Total Checking review: bottom line

We recommend Chase Total Checking if you want to take advantage of a large network of in-person branches, over 15,000 fee-free ATMs, and highly-rated mobile apps for iOS and Android devices.

We think Chase Total Checking makes the most sense if you’re able to easily waive the $12 monthly service fee by keeping at least a $1,500 balance or by meeting one of the other requirements.

However, Chase Total Checking isn’t an interest-bearing account and doesn’t completely waive overdraft fees, even with Chase Overdraft Assist. If it doesn’t seem like the right fit for you, check out alternative options from our list of the best banks.