10 Best Free Savings Accounts of September 2026

You may have to pay third-party fees, like mutual fund transaction fees and charges for options contracts. All data is up to date as of Jan. 22, 2026, rates and fees subject to change. Factors (1) and (2) were weighted 0.5 times, factors (3) and (4) weighed 1.5 times, factor (5) weighed 3 times. All factors were then scored and combined, with the lowest score being the best.

• No monthly fees and no minimum balance to open mean it’s accessible to everyone, while unlimited transfers and withdrawals let you manage your savings your way.
• Credit Karma Checking is an online checking account that’s free to open — with no penalties, overdraft fees or minimum balance requirements.
• All factors were then scored and combined, with the lowest score being the best.
• The best no-fee checking accounts offer features such as low or no minimum balance requirements, convenient ATM access, overdraft protection and early paycheck access.
• Yes, there are some high-yield savings accounts that let you earn a top APY without setting up direct deposit.
• That makes it easy to get off the ground and start earning right away.

If you want to keep your checking and savings accounts under one roof, we recommend SoFi®. To help you find the right fit, we identified the best savings accounts with no monthly fees. If your bank charges account or maintenance fees, it’s time to switch so those fees don’t hurt your progress.
Both Regular Checking ($15/month) and Access Checking ($5/month) waive fees with just $250+ in enhanced direct deposits, and neither account charges any overdraft or returned item fees. Citi offers multiple checking options with no minimum opening deposit required, but monthly service fees range from $5-$15 depending on the account type. Monthly fees range from $0-$25 depending on the account type, but most can be waived with direct deposits or minimum balance requirements. You get up to $50 in overdraft coverage on debit purchases (with eligible direct deposit), plus access to 55,000+ fee-free ATMs nationwide.

We name the top accounts with no monthly fees and low (or no) minimum balance requirements.

• Ally requires no minimum deposit and charges absolutely no monthly maintenance fees, overdraft fees, or minimum balance requirements.
• Even though this account doesn’t have a minimum balance requirement to open and earn interest, it does require monthly deposits as one option to unlock the highest rate.
• Current may suit customers who also want credit-building tools, while Chime and Varo provide simple mobile banking without monthly maintenance fees.
• CNBC Select has chosen the best savings accounts with no monthly maintenance fees, excessive transaction fees, overdraft charges or insufficient/non-sufficient funds fees.
• Some banks that don’t charge monthly maintenance fees compensate for it with other fees.

We do prefer comprehensive options, though — institutions that make it easy to spend, save, invest, and plan from the same app. But the best accounts go the extra mile and make it easy — even preferable — to bank on the go. “Maintain a minimum daily balance of at least $1,500 to waive the $12 monthly maintenance fee” — you get the gist.
Savings accounts from American Express, SoFi, and Capital One have $0 monthly fees, maintenance fees, or minimum balance requirements. To find the right savings account with no monthly fees for you, consider these factors. American Express is best known for its rewards credit cards, but it also offers several banking products, alexa casino including checking and high-yield savings accounts. Find out what your top high-yield savings account options are now.

Common Checking Account Fees

Some advertise no monthly fees but charge ‘behind the scenes’ for many other features. It’s easy to open a no-fee savings account, especially since they are typically online-only accounts. Here are the top factors to consider when choosing a no-fee savings account. When customers’ bank account balances dip below the threshold, they charge a monthly maintenance fee.
The products and rates we offer may vary between locations, are available in select markets only, and are subject to change without notice. There are no monthly fees and no transaction limits, which is nice. No monthly fees and no minimum balance to open mean it’s accessible to everyone, while unlimited transfers and withdrawals let you manage your savings your way.

Discover® Online Savings Account

Generally, these accounts are online and have limited branch access, but come with high annual percentage yields (APYs). If you’re looking for a savings account with no minimum deposit, there are plenty of options to choose from. Every account below has no required opening deposit and no standard monthly maintenance fee. They all come with no minimum deposits, no monthly fees, and there’s no minimum balance required. The nbkc Everything Account combines checking and savings features in one interest-bearing account. Chime makes it easy to make cash deposits and transfer money with its mobile app.

Varo Online Savings Account

A free online checking account can help you avoid monthly fees, but some banks still require money upfront before they will open the account. Note that the rates and fee structures for savings accounts are not guaranteed forever; they are subject to change without notice and they often fluctuate per the Fed rate. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best free savings accounts. To choose the best free savings account for you, consider if you value in-person banking or if you’re fine with an online-only bank.

It has no minimum opening deposit, monthly maintenance fee, or minimum balance requirement. The Ally Bank Spending Account has no minimum opening deposit, monthly maintenance fee, overdraft fee, or minimum balance requirement. The Varo Bank Account has no minimum opening deposit, monthly maintenance fee, overdraft fee, or minimum balance requirement.

Monthly fee

That makes it easy to get off the ground and start earning right away. Quontic High Interest Checking makes earning category-leading interest on eligible checking account balances easy. Chime is a mobile-first financial app that merges the low cost of online checking and savings accounts with the convenience of truly on-the-go money management. Axos ONE transforms free checking by bundling high-yield checking and savings into a single, zero-fee package. Credit Karma Checking is an online checking account that’s free to open — with no penalties, overdraft fees or minimum balance requirements.