Money · banking fees on record
"Free" checking, until the fees add up.
A dated record of 8 checking accounts — the monthly maintenance fee and what it costs over a year, plus the overdraft, ATM and wire fees the headline skips. 4 of 8 charge no monthly fee.
Figures are recorded readings from public account disclosures, last verified Mar 2026. Annual maintenance is the recorded monthly fee × 12. Not a live feed; fees and waiver rules change, so confirm with the bank before you open an account.
Section · The ledger
Every account, the monthly fee and what it costs to bank
All 8 accounts on file, read the same way: the monthly fee, the annual maintenance it adds up to, and the overdraft, ATM and wire fees. Filter or sort the record; a row opens for the detail.
A monthly fee is often "waivable" — the row opens to the conditions (direct deposit, minimum balance). Annual maintenance is the recorded monthly fee × 12, the cost if the waiver isn't met.
| Bank | Monthly | Annual maint. | Overdraft | ATM fee | Wire (out) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Capital One 360 Checking · Online-Only | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Ally Ally Interest Checking · Online-Only | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $20 | |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs Marcus Online Savings · Online-Only | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Discover Discover Cashback Debit · Online-Only | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Wells Fargo Wells Fargo Everyday Checking · Traditional | $10/mo | $120/yr | $35 | $2.50 | $30 | |
| Chase Chase Total Checking · Traditional | $12/mo | $144/yr | $34 | $2.50 | $25 | |
| Bank of America Bank of America Advantage SafePass · Traditional | $12/mo | $144/yr | $10 | $2.50 | $30 | |
| Citi Citi Basic Checking · Traditional | $12/mo | $144/yr | $34 | $2.50 | $25 | |
All fees from public account disclosures, last verified Mar 2026. Annual maintenance is the recorded monthly fee × 12; many monthly fees are waivable — open a row for the conditions.
Count the year, not just the month.
A small monthly fee is a real annual cost unless you meet the waiver — and overdraft, ATM and wire fees stack on top. These are dated, recorded readings; confirm the current terms with the bank before you open an account.
Monthly, overdraft, ATM, wire and foreign-transaction fees for all 8 accounts are recorded readings from public account disclosures, last verified Mar 2026. Annual maintenance is the recorded monthly fee × 12; monthly fees are often waivable under the listed conditions. Source-backed where read at the bank. These are recorded readings, not a live feed; fees and waiver rules change, so confirm with the bank before you open an account. Coverage on record, not a promise of accuracy.