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Compare Chase vs Wells Fargo
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Chase
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Wells Fargo
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| Best for | In-person banking | Young adults |
| Bank accounts | Checking
Savings CDs |
Checking
Savings CDs |
| Unique banking features/perks | New account promotions for college students
Free credit monitoring |
Budgeting tools |
| Number of branches | 5,000 | 4,000 |
| Number of ATMs | 15,000 | 11,000 |
| FDIC insurance | Yes, JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association is a member FDIC (Cert. #628) | Yes, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association
is a member FDIC (Cert. #3511) |
| Customer ratings |
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| Check out our full Chase review | Check out our full Wells Fargo review |
For those who like the option of visiting a bank in person, both Chase and Wells Fargo can be good fits. These two banks are among the best brick-and-mortar banks, and they operate more physical branches and ATMs than many other banks. However, Chase outpaces Wells Fargo with thousands more fee-free ATMs.
When it comes to account options, Chase has more accounts to choose from, but the two banks are similar in terms of fees and APYs. Where they differ is their mobile capabilities and customer service, where Chase tends to be the leader.
Is Chase good for you?
Chase is the largest bank in the country, and it has the largest physical presence in the nation. The bank operates over 5,000 branches and 15,000 ATMs.
Along with its strong brick-and-mortar presence, Chase is also an industry leader for mobile and digital banking. In the 2025 J.D. Power U.S. Banking Mobile App Satisfaction Study, Chase ranked third out of nine national banks. It also ranked third out of nine in the 2025 J.D. Power U.S. National Banking Satisfaction Study.
With those factors in mind, Chase could be a good fit for those who prefer to handle their banking online or through a mobile app. But, it could also be a useful option for those who work cash-based jobs, such as servers or bartenders, who need to be able to deposit cash at ATMs or local branches.
I am a Chase customer, both for my personal banking and my small business banking. Chase has more convenient branch options than other banks, and I appreciate its robust tools that allow me to sync my credit cards and bank accounts and manage them on one easy platform.
Is Wells Fargo good for you?
Wells Fargo has a massive branch and ATM network; only Chase has a larger physical banking footprint. But Wells Fargo may be a better choice than Chase for young adults just starting out and learning the principles of personal finance.
Wells Fargo has a free Budget Watch tool you can use to create a budget, track your spending, and view your progress as you work toward your financial goals (such as building an emergency fund or saving for a vacation).
The other area where Wells Fargo stands out is its certificates of deposit (CDs). While Chase does have some CD options with higher-than-average APYs, it requires huge deposits ($100,000 or more) to earn the highest APY. By contrast, you can earn a higher-than-usual APY with Wells Fargo with as little as $5,000 deposited via its promotional CDs.
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Chase vs. Wells Fargo: Compare checking
Chase and Wells Fargo have several checking account options, ranging from low-cost accounts to premium accounts for high-net-worth individuals.
| Chase checking | Wells Fargo checking | |
| Banking perks | On some accounts, get paid up to two days early | Discounts on some banking services
On some accounts, get paid up to two days early |
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Monthly maintenance fee | $0 to $356 <p>$15 Monthly Service Fee OR $0 with one of the following, each monthly statement period: </p> <p>$500+ in qualifying electronic deposits</p> <p> OR $1,500+ balance at the beginning of each day</p> <p> OR $5,000+ average beginning day balance in this account, or in combination with any linked qualifying personal deposits or in investments</p><p class="">OR Link this account to a qualifying checking account</p> | $0 to $35 |
| Monthly transaction limits | None | None |
| Overdraft protection | Yes, on some accounts | Yes, on some accounts |
Chase checking
Chase has eight different checking account options, including specialty accounts for students. Its accounts for children, high school students, and college students have no monthly fees and no minimum deposit requirement, making it easy to open an account.
Its other checking account options, such as Chase Total Checking®, provide comprehensive banking features like debit cards and check-writing privileges. And some accounts, such as Chase Sapphire Banking, even earn interest.
Non-student accounts tend to have monthly fees, but you may qualify for a fee waiver based on your account balance or direct deposits7 <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> .
| Minimum deposit | Monthly fee | Fee waiver | Interest-bearing? | |
| Chase Total Checking | $0 | $0 or $15 | Yes, if you receive $500 in qualifying deposits per statement period or maintain a balance of at least $1,500 at the beginning of each day or maintain a $5,000 average daily balance, or in combination with a linked qualifying checking account | No |
| Chase Secure Banking | $0 | $0 or $4.95 | Yes, if you receive $250 in qualifying deposits per statement period | No |
| Chase Premier Plus Checking | $0 | $0 or $25 | Yes, if you maintain a $15,000 average daily balance, link to a qualifying checking account or a Chase mortgage account, or if you're a U.S. military service member or veteran | Yes, earns 0.01% (as of 10/16/25) |
| Chase College Checking | $0 | $0 or $15 | $0 while in school (for up to five years); after that, you can qualify for a fee waiver by receiving at least $500 in qualifying electronic deposits, maintaining an average daily ending balance of $1,500, or linking to a qualifying checking account | No |
| Chase High School Checking | $0 | $0 | Not applicable | No |
| Chase First Banking | $0 | $0 | Not applicable | No |
| Chase Sapphire Banking | $0 | $0 or $25 | Yes, if you maintain an average beginning day balance of $75,000 or more in qualifying Chase accounts or linking to a qualifying checking account | Yes, earns 0.01% (as of 10/16/25) |
| Chase Private Client Checking | $0 | $0 or $35 | Yes, if you maintain an average beginning day balance of $150,000 or more in qualifying Chase accounts or linking to a qualifying checking account | Yes, earns 0.01% (as of 10/16/25) |
Learn more in our Chase bank review
Wells Fargo checking
With four accounts to choose from, Wells Fargo has fewer checking account options than Chase. Its basic Clear Access Checking account is a low-cost account without paper checks, so it may be a useful tool if you need an account to receive direct deposit payments and pay bills electronically.
The Wells Fargo Premier account is for those who maintain higher account balances. This account gives you discounts on Wells Fargo's investment services, so it tends to be best for those with more cash on hand.
| Minimum deposit | Monthly fee | Fee waiver | Interest-bearing? | |
| Clear Access Checking | $25 | $0 or $5 | Yes, fee waivers for:
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No |
| Everyday Checking8 <p><b>To be eligible</b>: Offer is for new consumer checking customers only and is available only to the primary owner of the new checking account. The primary account owner is the owner whose Taxpayer Identification Number, such as a Social Security Number, is assigned to the account and has tax responsibility. Offer is not available to customers that received a bonus for opening a Wells Fargo consumer checking account within the past 12 months, Wells Fargo employees and are non-resident aliens or foreign entities signing any version of IRS Form W-8. Accounts offered by Wells Fargo Private Bank are not eligible for this offer.</p> <p><b>To receive the $300 bonus</b>: You must use your bonus offer code when opening a new Wells Fargo consumer checking account, which is subject to approval, by April 16, 2025 and receive $1,000 or more in qualifying electronic deposits within 90 calendar days of account opening (the “qualification period”). A qualifying electronic deposit is a deposit of funds, such as your salary, government benefit payment, or other income, that has posted to your account and is (1) a <b>direct deposit</b> made through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network, (2) an <b>instant payment</b> processed through the RTP® network (real-time payment system) or FedNow℠ Service, or (3) an <b>electronic credit</b> from a third party service that facilitates payments to your debit card using the Visa® or Mastercard® network (e.g., an Original Credit Transaction). Transfers from one account to another, mobile deposits, Zelle®, or deposits made at a branch or ATM are not considered a qualifying electronic deposit. An ACH direct deposit made available early with Early Pay Day does not count toward the bonus requirements until it posts to your account and is no longer pending (e.g., scheduled payment date).</p> <p>After the 90-day qualification period, if you have met all requirements, <b>Wells Fargo</b> <b>will deposit the bonus into your new account</b> within 30 calendar days. Your new account must stay open through the time we attempt to deposit the bonus. We may close accounts with a zero balance without prior notice. You are responsible for any taxes due on the bonus. We will report the bonus as income to tax authorities, as required by applicable law. If you are subject to backup withholding at the time of payment, we may withhold the required amount and remit to tax authorities.</p> <p><b>Other Terms</b>: This offer may be discontinued or changed at any time without notice and cannot be combined with any other consumer deposit offer (limit one bonus per customer/account). Offer cannot be reproduced, purchased, sold, transferred, or traded.</p> | $25 | $0 or $159 <p>The Wells Fargo Everyday Checking account monthly service fee is $15. Minimum opening deposit is $25.</p><br> <p>The monthly service fee can be avoided with one of the following each fee period:</p><br> <p>- $1,500 minimum daily balance.</p><br> <p>- $5,000 or more in qualifying deposit balances, investment balances, or both. On the last business day of each fee period balances in eligible Wells Fargo accounts will be automatically totaled. Eligible accounts include consumer deposit account balances (checking, savings, CDs, FDIC-insured IRAs), certain investment account balances, and applicable Wells Fargo bank fiduciary and custody accounts.</p><br> <p>- $500 or more in total qualifying electronic deposits. A qualifying electronic deposit is a deposit of funds, such as your salary, government benefit payment, or other income, that has posted to your account and is (1) a direct deposit made through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network, (2) an instant payment processed through the RTP® network (real-time payment system) or FedNow℠ Service, or (3) an electronic credit from a third party service that facilitates payments to your debit card using the Visa® or Mastercard® network (e.g., an Original Credit Transaction). Transfers from one account to another, mobile deposits, Zelle®, or deposits made at a branch or ATM are not considered a qualifying electronic deposit.</p><br> <p>- A primary account owner who is 17 to 24 years old. (When the primary account owner reaches the age of 25, age can no longer be used to avoid the monthly service fee.)</p><br> <p>- A qualifying monthly non-civilian military direct deposit with the Wells Fargo Worldwide Military Banking program. You will receive your Worldwide Military Banking program benefits 45 days after your qualifying non-civilian military direct deposit is deposited into your eligible Wells Fargo checking account. For more information on the qualifying non-civilian military direct deposit, program qualifications and benefits, please visit <a href="https://www.wellsfargo.com/military/worldwide-military-banking/">wellsfargo.com/military/worldwide-military-banking</a><a href="https://wellsfargo.com/military/worldwide-military-banking or wellsfargo.com/depositdisclosures"> </a> or <a href="https://wellsfargo.com/depositdisclosures">wellsfargo.com/depositdisclosures</a>.</p> <ul> <ul> <ul> </ul> </ul> </ul> | Yes, fee waivers for:
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No |
| Prime Checking | $25 | $0 or $25 | Yes, fee waivers for:
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Yes, earns 0.01% (as of 11/05/25) |
| Wells Fargo Premier | $25 | $0 or $3510 <p>The Premier Checking account has a $35 monthly service fee. The fee can be avoided each period with $250,000 or more in statement-ending qualifying linked accounts.</p> | Yes, fee waivers for:
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Yes, earns 0.01% (as of 11/05/25) |
Learn more in our Wells Fargo bank review
Chase vs. Wells Fargo: Compare savings
Chase and Wells Fargo have basic savings account options. As is common with big banks, they tend to offer below-average APYs, so if you're looking for a high-yield savings account, you may need to look elsewhere.
Opening a savings account with big banks like Chase and Wells Fargo can make sense if you want a convenient option linked to your checking account with the same bank.
| Chase savings | Wells Fargo savings | |
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Monthly maintenance fee | $0 to $25 | $0 to $12 |
| Monthly transaction limits | None | None |
| Overdraft protection | Yes | None |
Chase savings
Chase has two savings account options: Chase Savings and Chase Premier Savings. Both accounts have low APYs. With the Chase Savings account, there is a low monthly fee, but you may qualify for fee waivers based on your balance, age, or by signing up for automatic transfers from a linked Chase checking account.
With the Chase Premier Savings account, you can earn a higher APY and qualify for a monthly fee waiver by meeting balance requirements.
| Chase Savings | Chase Premier Savings | |
| APY | 0.01% (as of 10/16/25) | 0.01%-0.02% (as of 10/16/25) |
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Monthly fee | $0 or $5 | $0 or $25 |
| Fee waiver | Yes, fee waived by maintaining a balance of $300 at the start of each day, receiving $25 or more in automatic savings transfers from a Chase checking account, or for those younger than 18 | Yes, fees waived by maintaining a balance of $15,000 or more at the start of each day |
Wells Fargo savings
Like Chase, Wells Fargo has two savings accounts: Way2Save and Platinum Savings. For families and young adults who want a simple, low-cost savings account, the Way2Save is a good match. It has a low minimum deposit requirement and a low $5 fee, and there are multiple ways to qualify for fee waivers.
The Platinum Savings account boasts a higher potential APY, but you need to link a qualifying Wells Fargo checking account to it to earn the higher rates.
| Way2Save | Platinum Savings | |
| APY | 0.01% (as of 11/05/25) | 0.01% - 0.05% (as of 12/06/25) |
| Minimum deposit | $25 | $25 |
| Monthly fee | $0 or $5 | $0 or $12 |
| Fee waiver | Fees waived based on meeting one of the following:
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Fees waived based on meeting a $3,500 daily balance requirement |
Chase vs. Wells Fargo: Compare other bank accounts
Neither Wells Fargo nor Chase offer money market accounts — accounts that tend to offer higher APYs than savings accounts, according to the FDIC — but they do offer CDs.
Both banks tend to offer relatively low APYs on their CD terms. Chase does have a promotional offer with a significantly higher-than-average APY, but it requires a deposit of at least $100,000 to earn the highest rate.
Wells Fargo may be more accessible; it has higher rates on promotional terms with a lower deposit requirement.
Besides deposit accounts, Chase and Wells Fargo also offer the following products:
- Credit cards
- Auto loans
- Mortgages
- Investment accounts
- Wealth management
One key difference is with personal loans. Chase doesn't offer personal loans of any amount, while Wells Fargo offers personal loans as large as $100,000.
Chase vs. Wells Fargo: Compare fees
| Chase | Wells Fargo | |
| Overdraft fee | $3411 <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> | $35 |
| Insufficient funds fee | $0 | $0 |
| Cash deposit fee | $0 | $0 |
| ATM fees | $0 to $5 | $0 to $5 |
| Excess transaction fee | $0 | $0 |
| Stop payment fee | $0 to $30 | $0 |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3% of the transaction amount | 3% of the transaction amount |
| Wire transfer fees | Domestic outgoing: Not available
Domestic incoming: $15 International outgoing: Not available International incoming: $15 |
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The two banks are very similar in terms of fees. However, Chase does have a larger ATM network than Wells Fargo, so you have a better chance of finding a fee-free, in-network ATM as a Chase customer.
If your priority is reducing fees, big national banks like Wells Fargo and Chase are unlikely to be a good match. Instead, online or digital banks may offer lower-cost options without added fees.
Chase vs. Wells Fargo: Compare customer experience
Both Chase and Wells Fargo have lackluster customer reviews. However, sites like the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot don't differentiate between negative reviews about loans or credit cards and reviews about its banking products, so their low ratings may be influenced by a range of financial products.
Also, keep in mind that customers motivated enough to leave a review for such large and established institutions are likely customers who feel they had a negative experience — neither Chase nor Wells Fargo would be so dominant in the market if the customer experience was terrible 100% of the time.
For Wells Fargo, customers complained about the bank's customer service phone lines. For example, one customer stated:
"Save yourself the headache and bank elsewhere. The first support person voice was elevated the entire time and also acting as if I was lying to him. The 2nd support person hung up on me," said reviewer Giuliana on Trustpilot.
Chase had similar negative reviews about responsiveness and long hold times. Check out one customer's take:
"I've been on hold for an hour only to be told your office is closed. This is unacceptable. How do I get actual support?" asked reviewer Vivian Stitzel on Trustpilot.
Despite negative customer reviews, J.D. Power ranked Chase highly in terms of customer satisfaction in its 2025 U.S. Mobile App Satisfaction and National Banking Satisfaction studies. However, Wells Fargo performed poorly. J.D. Power ranked Wells Fargo last in the 2025 National Banking Satisfaction Study.
FAQs
Which bank is better, Chase or Wells Fargo?
In general, we found that Chase had more account options, better mobile tools, and higher customer satisfaction ratings than Wells Fargo. However, no bank is better for every situation, so weigh your options.
What are the disadvantages of Chase?
Chase's non-student accounts usually have monthly fees (unless you qualify for a fee waiver), and its savings accounts have lower-than-average APYs. However, those drawbacks are common among big national banks.
What is the downside of Wells Fargo?
Wells Fargo doesn't have the best reputation. Beyond firsthand reports of customer service issues, Wells Fargo is infamous for having been fined multiple times by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over the years for a string of violations, including creating fraudulent accounts in consumers' names.
Bottom line
If you want to open a bank account and want a bank that offers a broad range of banking and financial products, Chase and Wells Fargo are obvious choices.
With bank accounts and loan options — as well as a huge network of branches and ATMs — these banks combine accessibility with digital functionality.
Chase may be a better fit if you're looking for more account options or better customer service, while Wells Fargo may offer more budgeting tools if you need personalized help.
Regardless of which bank you choose, be sure to review the account fee schedule to avoid any costly surprises. And if you want a bank with no monthly maintenance fees, check out our selections for the best fee-free banks.
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