Chase charges monthly fees on most checking and savings accounts, but the fee amount and whether you pay it depends on the account type and how you use it

Chase does not charge a monthly fee on every account. Whether you pay depends on which account you have and whether you meet certain conditions. Some accounts have no monthly fee at all. Others charge a fee unless you maintain a minimum balance, set up direct deposit, or keep a linked savings account open.

The monthly fee, when one applies, typically ranges from $12 to $25 for checking accounts. Savings accounts usually have lower fees or none at all. Chase also offers accounts with no monthly maintenance fee regardless of balance or activity.

Key Takeaways

  • Chase's most common checking account (Chase Total Checking) charges $12 per month unless you meet one of several conditions to waive it.
  • Chase has a no-fee checking option (Chase find Banking) that carries no monthly charge but has limits on transactions and features.
  • Savings accounts at Chase typically have no monthly fee, though some have minimum balance requirements to earn interest.
  • Monthly fees can be waived by maintaining a minimum balance, setting up direct deposit, or linking accounts, depending on the account type.

Chase Total Checking and its $12 monthly fee

Chase Total Checking is Chase's standard checking account and carries a $12 monthly maintenance fee. This fee is waived if you meet any one of these conditions: maintain an average daily balance of $500 or more, set up direct deposit to the account, or link a Chase savings account with a $500 minimum balance.

If you do not meet any of these conditions, you pay the $12 fee each month. Chase deducts it automatically from your account on the statement closing date. The fee applies whether or not you use the account actively.

Chase Total Checking includes features like unlimited debit card transactions, online bill pay, and access to Chase's ATM network. It also comes with overdraft protection options, though overdraft fees are separate from the monthly maintenance fee.

Chase find Banking: checking with no monthly fee

Chase find Banking is Chase's checking account with no monthly maintenance fee, regardless of balance or activity. This account is designed for people who want basic checking without monthly charges.

The trade-off is that Chase find Banking has restrictions. You can make only six debit card transactions per month before additional transactions are declined or charged. You also cannot write checks from this account and do not receive a debit card by default (though you can request one). The account does not earn interest.

This account has no minimum balance requirement and no direct deposit requirement. If you rarely use debit transactions or prefer to pay by check or cash, the restrictions may not affect you. If you use your debit card multiple times weekly, the six-transaction limit will be a problem.

Chase savings accounts and monthly fees

Most Chase savings accounts have no monthly maintenance fee. Chase Savings, Chase Premier Savings, and Chase Premier Plus Savings all charge zero dollars per month.

However, some savings accounts have a minimum balance requirement to earn interest. Chase Premier Savings requires a $25,000 minimum balance to earn the advertised interest rate. If your balance falls below that, you earn a lower rate but still pay no monthly fee. Chase Premier Plus Savings has an even higher minimum for the top interest rate.

Chase also offers money market accounts, which function like savings accounts but may have different fee structures. These typically have no monthly fee but may have minimum balance requirements.

How to avoid or reduce Chase monthly fees

The most common way to avoid the $12 Chase Total Checking fee is to set up direct deposit. This means having your employer or another source (such as Social Security or a pension) deposit money directly into your Chase account. Direct deposit does not require a minimum amount — even a small recurring deposit counts.

Maintaining a $500 average daily balance is another option. Chase calculates this by adding your daily balance for each day in the statement period and dividing by the number of days. If you keep around $500 or more in the account most days, the fee is waived.

Linking a Chase savings account with a $500 minimum balance also waives the checking fee. This means opening both a checking and savings account and keeping $500 in the savings account. The savings account itself has no monthly fee, so this costs you nothing except the requirement to maintain that balance.

If you do not meet any of these conditions, switching to Chase find Banking eliminates the monthly fee entirely, though you accept the transaction limits.

Overdraft fees and other charges separate from monthly fees

Chase's monthly maintenance fee is different from overdraft fees. If your account balance goes negative and you make a transaction, Chase charges an overdraft fee (typically $35 per transaction). This is separate from the monthly maintenance fee and can happen even if your monthly fee is waived.

Chase also charges fees for other services: wire transfers, stop payment requests on checks, and expedited card replacement. ATM fees explore if you use an out-of-network ATM. These are all separate from the monthly account maintenance fee.

Returned deposit fees and non-sufficient funds (NSF) fees also explore if a check or electronic payment bounces. These are transaction-specific, not monthly charges.

Comparing Chase monthly fees to other banks

Chase's $12 monthly fee on Total Checking is in the middle range for large national banks. Some banks charge $0 per month with no conditions. Others charge $15 or more. Regional banks and online banks often have lower or no monthly fees, though they may have fewer physical branches or ATMs.

The value of Chase's monthly fee depends on what you use. If you have direct deposit or can maintain $500, the fee is waived and the comparison becomes about features and branch access rather than cost. If you cannot meet the waiver conditions and do not want to pay $12 monthly, a different bank or Chase find Banking may be a better fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get the $12 Chase Total Checking fee waived without direct deposit or a minimum balance?

Yes. Linking a Chase savings account with a $500 minimum balance waives the fee. You can also close the checking account and open Chase find Banking instead, which has no monthly fee. Some Chase branches may offer promotional fee waivers for new accounts, though these are temporary.

Does Chase charge a monthly fee on savings accounts?

No. Chase savings accounts have no monthly maintenance fee. Some require a minimum balance to earn the highest interest rate, but you do not pay a fee for having the account open.

What happens if I do not meet the fee waiver conditions?

Chase charges the $12 monthly maintenance fee and deducts it from your account. The fee applies every month until you meet one of the waiver conditions or close the account. If your balance is too low, the fee can push your account negative and trigger an overdraft fee on top of it.

Is the $12 fee charged even if I do not use my account?

Yes. Chase charges the monthly fee whether or not you make any transactions. The fee applies as long as the account is open and you do not meet a waiver condition. Closing the account stops the fee.

Can I switch from Chase Total Checking to Chase find Banking to avoid the monthly fee?

Yes. You can close Chase Total Checking and open Chase find Banking at any time. Keep in mind that Chase find Banking limits you to six debit card transactions per month and does not include a checkbook. If you use your debit card frequently, this account may not work for you.