The 6 Best High-Interest Checking Accounts for May 2021

You’ve probably always thought that if you want to earn interest on your money, you move it to a savings account. Your checking account is just for paying bills and the like, right? Not anymore.

With the rise of online banks that don’t have the overhead of brick-and-mortar locations, the competition for your checking dollars has gotten fierce. One of the big benefits of this battle is that many banks are now offering interest-yielding checking accounts. And while you may not rake in giant interest rates, you can definitely earn a little something on that money — and why wouldn’t you?

How We Picked the 6 Best Checking Accounts That Pay Interest

Our methodology for this list is simple: According to the FDIC, the average interest rate for interest-bearing checking accounts is currently 0.03%. So, we looked for accounts that came in around that range or higher. (Note: APR fluctuates over time, so a lower rate now could rise in the future.)Beyond the interest rate, we looked at what else the account brings to the table. We gave preference to those accounts that don’t have maintenance fees or high minimum balances and that offer ATM fee reimbursement.

The 6 Best High-Interest Checking Accounts for May 2021

Here are the six best high-interest checking accounts where you can use your money and make a little money at the same time.

1. SoFi

One of the highest interest rates we’ve found for an online checking account is from SoFi Money. That checking account earns you 0.25% APY, or annual percentage yield, which is percent in interest (including compound interest) you’ll earn on your money in a year.

SoFi Money takes a number of steps to make the transition to online banking easy:

• ATMs: With automatic reimbursement of ATM fees, you can use just about any ATM anywhere for free.
• Overdraft Protection: This feature is new. SoFi Money members who meet certain criteria and accidentally spend more than they have in their account will be covered up to $50 with no fees.
• Website: SoFi’s website and mobile apps have detailed FAQs, and they make it simple and easy for you to find any information you want.

Read our full Sofi Money review.

2. NBKC Personal Checking

The NBKC Personal Checking Account offers 0.25% interest on all balances and has no minimum balance requirement. It also features $0 overdraft and non-sufficient funds charges, so if you tend to overextend your money, you won’t get dinged.

Do you use ATMs? NBKC Personal Checking also offers up to $12 monthly to refund those pesky ATM fees.

3. Memory Bank

You may not have heard of Memory Bank. Or maybe you did and you just forgot. (Get it?) Anyhoo, Memory Bank’s EarnMore Checking Account is another option for a high-interest checking account with 0.02% APY.

Memory Bank is a great choice for those of us who like the perks of online banking, but also want to know that we can get personal service when we need it. They offer live support by phone, email or online chat. That can be a great benefit when you just need to ask a quick question, but don’t want to get stuck on an automated phone system for an hour.

4. Capital One 360

The real beauty of the Capital One 360 Checking Account is the pure ease of its online banking setup. Both the website and the app are remarkably intuitive. Plus, you won’t have any minimum balance or fees to deal with.

The base APY right now for the Capital One 360 is 0.1%, which is a respectable three times the national average.

5. Charles Schwab

OK, when you think Charles Schwab, you probably don’t think about checking accounts. That could change. Its High Yield Investor Checking is a free account that earns 0.03% APY on your balance.

It also features unlimited ATM fee rebates worldwide. That’s pretty cool if you travel a lot.

This account has no minimum balance, no minimum opening deposit and no maintenance fees.

There is one catch: You need to have a Schwab One brokerage account linked to your checking to avoid maintenance fees. It may not be for everybody, but if you already invest, why not take advantage of it?

6. Ally Interest Checking Account

As the name suggests, you’ll earn interest with the Ally Interest Checking Account. For balances under $15,000, you’ll earn 0.1%, which isn’t all that remarkable.

But, if you tend to have $15,000 or more on hand, you can earn 0.25%. While 0.25% may not seem like much, that’s about eight times the national average for checking accounts that pay interest.

Ally’s Interest Checking really makes its mark with the other perks. The account has:

• No maintenance fees.
• No minimum balance requirement.
• No minimum opening deposit.
• Easy online access.

Another nice perk is that Ally will reimburse you for up to $10 worth of ATM fees charged by other banks per statement cycle.