9 Easiest Bank Accounts to Open Online [2024]: Instant Approval

Today, opening a bank account online is easier than ever. Many financial institutions allow you to open an account without an opening deposit and don’t require you to maintain a certain balance amount. Some don’t even need to look at your credit and banking history before letting you open an account.

The financial institutions we recommend all offer bank accounts that are simple and quick to open online.

Featured Checking Account

Truist One Checking - $400 Bonus

4.3

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

Truist One Checking Benefits

• New checking clients can earn a $400 bonus with qualifying activities¹ <p><b><u>Terms and Conditions for the $400 Truist One Checking Affiliate Offer 1: AFL2425TR1400</u></b></p> <p><b><u>Offer Information</u></b>: Open a new Truist One Checking account <b><u>online</u></b> from 10/31/24 through 4/30/25, receive at least 2 qualifying Direct Deposits* totaling $1,000 or more within 120 days of account opening and earn $400.</p> <p> Account must be opened online. Enrollment in the promotion is required at the time of account opening using promo code <b>AFL2425TR1400</b>. Please refer to the Account Opening and Enrollment section below for full instructions.</p> <p>*A qualifying Direct Deposit is an electronic credit (greater than $0.00) of your salary, pension, Social Security or other regular monthly income deposited into your new checking account by your employer or outside agency. Transfers made from one account to another, or deposits made via a branch, ATM, online transfer, mobile device, debit/prepaid card number or the mail are not eligible direct deposits.</p> <p><b><u>Offer Eligibility</u></b>: Clients that are the primary account holder on an existing personal checking account with Truist or who have closed a personal checking account with Truist on or after 10/31/23 are not eligible to participate. Offer valid for Truist One Checking accounts only. Primary account holder must be 18 or older at the time of account opening. Truist employees, Directors, Officers, and Local Boards/Advisors are not eligible. Offer available only to US residents with a valid US taxpayer identification number. The qualifying checking account must be opened online and have a mailing address in: AL, AR, FL, GA, IN, KY, MD, MS, NC, NJ, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV or DC.</p> <p><b><u>Reward Processing</u></b>: The reward will be deposited to the new checking account within 4 weeks after the qualification requirements have been met and verified. The new checking account must be open and in good standing with a balance of at least $0.01 at the time of Truist verification and until the reward is deposited to receive the reward. Truist verification will occur one time after the qualification requirements are initially met. Promotion is only applicable once per checking account and per client. Truist may report the value of any offer reward received to the IRS as required by law. Any applicable taxes are the responsibility of the recipient.</p> <p><b><u>Reward Forfeiture</u></b>: Reward forfeiture will occur if: (1) the checking account is changed to an account type not included in this client offer, (2) the checking account is closed prior to the reward being deposited, or (3) the new checking account has a $0.00 or negative available balance at the time Truist verifies the qualification requirements have been met.</p> <p><b><u>Other Terms</u></b>: Minimum opening deposit is $50. The offer is non-transferable, may not be combined with any other checking offers, is subject to change, and may be discontinued at any time. Truist reserves the right in our sole discretion to prohibit a reward payout to non-eligible individuals for any offers claimed through third-party websites with no affiliation or prior authorization from Truist. All promotional payouts will be processed no later than 1/31/26 at which point this promotion (and any related disbursements) will be considered final, and no further disbursements will be made.</p> <p><b><u>Account Opening & Enrollment Instructions</u></b>: To open and enroll your new account in the promotion, visit the offer website and click on “Open an account online.” Enter AFL2425TR1400 into the promo code field provided, review the offer Terms and Conditions, and then select “Accept Offer”. Accounts opened without the promo code applied will not be eligible to participate in the offer. Once enrolled in the promotion, clients may receive promotional updates via the email address provided or by calling 800.709.8700.</p> <p>Version 3 10022024 <b>AFL2425TR1400</b></p>
• No overdraft fee to worry about
• Minimum opening deposit is just $50
• $100 Negative Balance Buffer² <p>The $100 Negative Balance Buffer is only available with Truist One Checking and allows eligible clients to overdraw their account up to $100.</p> <p>All eligibility requirements below must be met to initially qualify for the $100 Negative Balance Buffer:</p> <ul> <li>Account must be opened for a minimum of 35 calendar days</li> <li>Account must be funded and have a positive balance</li> <li>A single direct deposit of at least $100 per month must be made for 2 consecutive months</li> </ul> <p>To remain qualified for the $100 Negative Balance Buffer, the requirement below must be met:</p> <ul> <li>A recurring direct deposit of at least $100 per month</li> </ul> <p>For accounts that qualify for the $100 Negative Balance Buffer and also have Overdraft Protection, Truist will use the $100 Negative Balance Buffer first. If the account has neither, transactions that exceed the account balance will typically be declined or returned.</p> for eligible clients
• Ways to waive the monthly maintenance fee³ <p>The Monthly Maintenance Fee (MMF) can be waived for the Truist One Checking account for each statement cycle by:</p> <p><b>Option 1: Making $500 or more in total qualifying Direct Deposits per statement cycle.</b> A qualifying direct deposit is an electronic credit via ACH deposited to your account during the current statement cycle. Pre-authorized transfers made from one account to another or deposits made via a branch, ATM, online transfer, mobile device, debit card/prepaid card number or the mail are not eligible to meet this requirement.</p> <p><b>Option 2: Maintaining a total combined ledger balance of $500 or more in any Truist related accounts across personal deposits and all investments as reflected on the business day before your statement cycle end date.</b>A Ledger Balance is actual balance in your account on a specific day and does not reflect any holds or pending transactions. Your Total Combined Balance is the sum of all balances within the Truist personal deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market or CDs), IRAs or brokerage accounts introduced through Truist Investment Services, Inc. Related Accounts automatically includes all applicable accounts associated with primary and secondary account holders.</p> <p><b>Option 3: Having a personal Truist credit card, mortgage or consumer loan, excluding LightStream®. </b></p> <p><b>Option 4: Having a linked Small Business Checking Account.</b> Eligible Small Business account types include: Truist Dynamic Checking, Business Interest Checking, Simple Business Checking and Business Value 200.</p> <p><b>Option 5: Maintenance fees waived for students under the age of 25.</b> Waiver for a student under the age of 25 requires that they are listed as the primary owner. The waiver is applied automatically at account opening and expires on the 25th birthdate of the student or their stated graduation date, whichever comes later. On this date, the account is subject to all applicable fees, including the Monthly Maintenance Fee unless at least one waiver criterion is satisfied.</p> <p><b>Option 6: Primary account owner is age 62 and older.</b></p> <p>Truist Bank, Member FDIC. ©2024, Truist Financial Corporation. Truist, Truist Purple and the Truist Logo are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation.</p>
• Member FDIC

4.3

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

Open a Truist One Checking account here

Important considerations when choosing a bank account

• Does the bank require a minimum deposit? Most of the banks on our list don’t require one, giving you flexibility.
• How long does it take to open an account? We especially like the ease and speed of opening a Discover® Cashback Debit Account online. The application process typically takes a few minutes, and a physical debit card arrives in the mail within 10 business days.
• Do they charge a monthly fee? Our list favors banks that don't charge a monthly fee or give you the ability to waive the monthly fee if you meet specific criteria.

What are the easiest bank accounts to open online?

• Discover Cashback Debit
• U.S. Bank Smartly Checking
• Truist One Checking
• Bank of America Advantage Plus Banking®
• Chime Checking
• Chase Total Checking
• Current Checking

Compare easy-to-open checking accounts

Discover Cashback Debit Account

4.5

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

Discover® Cashback Debit

Discover®️ Cashback Checking

Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month.⁸ <p>See website for details.</p> No minimum deposit or balance. FDIC Insured.

Learn More

The Discover® Cashback Debit Account stands out from other checking accounts because you can earn 1% cash back on debit card purchases up to $3,000 each month.⁹ <p>Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month. See Deposit Account Agreement for details on transaction eligibility, limitations and terms. Deposit Account Agreement can be found at <a href="https://www.discover.com/content/dam/dfs/online-banking/documents/NationalDepositAccountAgreement.pdf">https://www.discover.com/content/dam/dfs/online-banking/documents/NationalDepositAccountAgreement.pdf</a>.</p> This is an unusual (and valuable) perk for a checking account. Another outstanding feature is the ability to get your paycheck deposit up to two days early when you set up direct deposit.

You won't find a lot of Discover brick and mortar locations, but you can make cash deposits into your Discover account at any Walmart location (minimum of $20). This eliminates one of the major headaches of online banking.

Opening a Cashback Debit account is easy to do online. There’s no initial deposit required to open the account, and your application won’t impact your credit score. However, you must deposit money into the account within 45 days of opening it, or else it will be closed.

Visit Discover or Read our review to learn more

U.S. Bank Smartly Checking

4.0

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

U.S. Bank Smartly®️ Checking

Earn up to $450

When you open a new U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking account and complete qualifying activities. Subject to certain terms and limitations. Offer valid through December 30, 2024. Member FDIC. Offer may not be available if you are an existing U.S. Bank customer or live outside of the U.S. Bank footprint.

Open Account

U.S. Bank’s Bank Smartly Checking account can be set up quickly online — we found the account opening process only took five minutes to complete. Their mobile app is a stand out feature. We found it user-friendly and it has some useful features like the ability to track your spending. If you're looking for a basic budgeting app, you could just use this app versus paying for a separate subscription for a budget tracking app.

There is a monthly fee for this account, but it can be waived a variety of ways including having monthly direct deposits totaling $1,000 or maintaining a minimum balance of $1,500.¹⁰ <p>No Monthly Maintenance Fee for the U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking account with one of the following: Combined monthly direct deposit totaling $1,000+, an average account balance of $1,500 or greater, the presence of an eligible U.S. Bank credit card, are 24 and under, 65 and over, or a member of the military (must self-disclose), or qualify for one of the four Smart Rewards® tiers.&nbsp;</p>  The monthly maintenance fee is also waived for customers aged 24 and under or 65 and over.

Visit U.S. Bank or read our U.S. Bank Smartly Checking review

Truist One Checking

4.3

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

Truist One Checking

Truist One Checking - Earn $400

Terms apply. No overdraft fee, low minimum deposit of $50. $100 Negative Balance Bufferfor eligible clients. Ways to waive monthly maintenance fee. Member FDIC.

Open Account

If your financial management is a little shaky, this could be the account for you. Truist One Checking doesn’t charge any overdraft fees, and its $100 Negative Balance Buffer can give your account an extra cushion of up to $100 for unexpected charges.² <p>The $100 Negative Balance Buffer is only available with Truist One Checking and allows eligible clients to overdraw their account up to $100.</p> <p>All eligibility requirements below must be met to initially qualify for the $100 Negative Balance Buffer:</p> <ul> <li>Account must be opened for a minimum of 35 calendar days</li> <li>Account must be funded and have a positive balance</li> <li>A single direct deposit of at least $100 per month must be made for 2 consecutive months</li> </ul> <p>To remain qualified for the $100 Negative Balance Buffer, the requirement below must be met:</p> <ul> <li>A recurring direct deposit of at least $100 per month</li> </ul> <p>For accounts that qualify for the $100 Negative Balance Buffer and also have Overdraft Protection, Truist will use the $100 Negative Balance Buffer first. If the account has neither, transactions that exceed the account balance will typically be declined or returned.</p> As you get more secure and your average monthly balance increase, you can start to see more benefits like free paper checks and unlimited no-fee ATM transactions from non-Truist ATMs. 

There is a $12 monthly maintenance fee unless you meet one of five requirements to waive the fee. That includes maintaining a combined monthly average balance of $500 or more across eligible Truist accounts or making $500 or more in total qualifying direct deposits per statement cycle.

Visit Truist Bank or read our Truist Bank review

Bank of America Advantage Plus Banking® account

4.2

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

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.

Learn More

If it's important to you to be able to bank in person, Bank of America has a large national footprint with thousands of branches in the U.S. But, their mobile banking options are strong too, giving you the best of both worlds. You can do basic banking in their mobile app, as well as interact with their virtual financial assistant, lock and unlock your debit card, and set up mobile app alerts.

The Bank of America Advantage Plus Banking® account does come in with a $12 monthly maintenance fee, but you can avoid it if you meet certain requirements:

• You’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member
• You have at least one qualifying direct deposit of $250 or more
• You maintain a minimum daily account balance of $1,500 or more

Visit Bank of America

Chime® Checking

Chime isn’t a bank but a fintech company with the motto, “We want to profit with our members, not from them.”⁵ <p class="">Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services and debit card provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A.; Members FDIC.&nbsp;<br></p> In line with that motto, Chime doesn’t charge overdraft fees, monthly service fees, foreign transaction fees, or have minimum balance requirements.⁶ <p>There’s no fee for the Chime Savings Account. Cash withdrawal and Third-party fees may apply to Chime Checking Accounts. You must have a Chime Checking Account to open a Chime Savings Account.</p>

Despite its online origins, you still have an option for depositing cash into your account with Chime. You can deposit cash for free at over 8,000+ Walgreens locations or for a fee at 75,000 retail locations like Walmart, CVS, and 7-Eleven.¹⁴ <p>Once the retailer accepts your cash, the funds will be transferred to your selected Chime Account. Barcode and debit card cash deposits land in the Checking Account. Credit Builder card cash deposits first go through your Card Account and then land in your Secured Account. Cash deposit fees may apply if using a retailer other than Walgreens and Duane Reade.</p> ¹³ <p>Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and over the counter advance fees may apply except at MoneyPass ATMs in a 7-Eleven, or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATM.</p> You can use the Chime app for mobile check deposits.¹⁵ <p>Mobile Check Deposit eligibility is determined by Chime in its sole&nbsp;discretion and may be granted based on various factors including, but not&nbsp;limited to, a member's direct deposit enrollment status.</p>

Chime also offers an optional high-yield savings account with a 2.00% (as of Sept. 9, 2024) APY¹⁶ <p class="">The Annual Percentage Yield (“APY”) for the Chime Savings Account is variable and may change at any time. The disclosed APY is accurate as of September 20, 2023. No minimum balance required. Must have $0.01 in savings to earn interest.&nbsp;</p> that you can open along with your Chime Checking account.¹⁷ <p class="">Chime Checking Account is required to be eligible for a Savings Account.<br></p>

Visit Chime or read our Chime review

Chase Total Checking

4.2

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

Chase Total Checking®

Enjoy $300 as a new Chase checking customer

When you open a new Chase Total Checking® account with qualifying activities.¹⁸ <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> FDIC Insured. Offer valid through 1/22/2025.

Open Account

Chase is another good option if in-person banking is important to you. Chase Total Checking is the bank’s most popular account. This account has a monthly service fee of $12, but this fee is waived if you have electronic deposits totaling $500 each monthly statement period, a daily balance of $1,500, or an average beginning-day balance of $5,000 on all your Chase checking and savings accounts.¹⁹ <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>

Chase does charge overdraft fees, but this account includes Overdraft Assist, which means 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 can avoid the hefty $34 overdraft fee.²⁰ <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> No overdraft fees would be better, but at least you have a chance to fix your mistake with this service.

Visit Chase or read our Chase Total Checking review

Current

Current

Build Credit Not Debt

Build credit with everyday purchases.²¹ <p><b>Current is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. FDIC insurance up to $250,000 only covers the failure of an FDIC-insured bank. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through deposit insurance coverage to apply. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Member FDIC, and Cross River Bank, Member FDIC.</b> The Current Visa®️ Debit Card is issued by Choice Financial Group pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. The Current Visa®️ secured charge card is issued by Cross River Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted. Please see the back of your Card for its issuing bank. Current Individual Account required to apply for the Current Visa®️ secured charge card. Independent approval required.</p> No credit checks or history required.

Get started today

Current²¹ <p><b>Current is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. FDIC insurance up to $250,000 only covers the failure of an FDIC-insured bank. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through deposit insurance coverage to apply. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Member FDIC, and Cross River Bank, Member FDIC.</b> The Current Visa®️ Debit Card is issued by Choice Financial Group pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. The Current Visa®️ secured charge card is issued by Cross River Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted. Please see the back of your Card for its issuing bank. Current Individual Account required to apply for the Current Visa®️ secured charge card. Independent approval required.</p> offers you the ability to build credit while you bank making it a good "second chance" banking option. It's also a good option if you don't have credit yet or are still building credit. There are no credit checks required to apply, and you can use your everyday spending to build credit. It's a good alternative to a secured credit card, which often comes with fees or deposit requirements.

It has a few other unique features that could benefit someone who might be on a tight budget. It removes gas station holds on your debit card, so your money isn't tied up when you fill up your tank. It also offers the option to get paid up to two days earlier when you set up direct deposit.²⁴ <p>Faster access to funds is based on comparison of traditional banking policies and deposit of paper checks from employers and government agencies versus deposits made electronically. Direct deposit and earlier availability of funds is subject to timing of payer's submission of deposits.</p>  

Visit Current or read our full Current review

How to choose a bank account to open online

Many bank accounts are easy to open these days, taking just minutes to apply for and set up your account. But there are other features the best banks offer that make them strong contenders. When choosing a financial institution, look for one that offers:

FAQs

Featured Checking Account

4.5

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

Discover®️ Cashback Checking

Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month.⁸ <p>See website for details.</p> No minimum deposit or balance. FDIC Insured.

Learn More

4.0

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

Earn up to $450

When you open a new U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking account and complete qualifying activities. Subject to certain terms and limitations. Offer valid through December 30, 2024. Member FDIC. Offer may not be available if you are an existing U.S. Bank customer or live outside of the U.S. Bank footprint.

Open Account

Other bank accounts to consider

While our list primarily focuses on checking account options, if you're looking to open both a checking and savings account, SoFi® and Ally are two more options to consider. Both are online banking with strong mobile banking features and high APYs.

Read our SoFi Checking and Savings review.

Read our Ally Online Savings review.

Bottom line

As more online banks enter the marketplace, it gets easier and easier to open a bank account without ever stepping foot into a branch. Many of these banks or financial companies allow you to open an account with no initial deposit.

The best bank accounts to open online are those that require little to no initial deposits, don’t charge monthly fees (or offer ways to waive the fees), enable you to get paid early with direct deposit, and have no minimum balance requirements. Features like overdraft protection, no foreign transaction fees, and interest-earning checking accounts are added benefits.

Of the financial institutions we looked at for this article, the best and easiest bank account to open online is Discover. 

Learn More

4.5

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

Earn 1.00% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month⁸ <p>See website for details.</p>

Easily switch direct deposit via the Discover mobile app or online for Early Pay (get your paycheck up to 2 days early!)

Get the security of a Member-FDIC bank