Chime is a fintech company with banking services provided by its partner banks. Chime offers a free checking account, a savings account with up to 2% APY and a credit-building card with no annual fee or interest charges. But it lacks some features like a cashback or points reward program, and you can’t open a joint account or deposit cash.
While it’s a top competitor among online banks and fintechs, other online banks like Chime with different strengths might fit your needs better.
SoFi is an FDIC-insured online bank with an all-in-one digital account called SoFi Checking and Savings. Similar to Chime, there are no monthly fees, overdraft fees or opening deposit requirements. Chime doesn't offer the ability to open two accounts in one, making a switch to SoFi more streamlined. And unlike Chime's low 2% APY, SoFi allows you to earn up to 4.6% APY on savings by setting up direct deposits or depositing at least $5,000 per month, and you earn 0.5% APY on your checking account. Chime's checking account isn't interest-bearing at all. SoFi also accepts cash deposits, unlike Chime, but you'll pay $4.95 per deposit.
Pros
Up to 4.6% APY on savings
Up to 0.5% APY on checking
No monthly fees, overdraft fees or opening deposit
Cons
Deposit requirements for best APYs
$4.95 fee for cash deposits
APY
4.60% on balances of $0+ 0.50% on balances of $0 to 1.20% on balances of $0+
Intro or bonus offer
Get up to $300 cash bonus with qualifying direct deposit. Terms apply. This offer is available until June 30, 2024.
Rewards
Get up to $300 cash bonus with qualifying direct deposit. Terms apply. This offer is available until June 30, 2024.
One's online, all-in-one account offers a much higher 5% APY than Chime's 2%. To earn the high 5% APY, you'll have to direct deposit at least $500 per month, or keep an average balance of least $5,000. If you don't meet the requirements, your savings still earns 1% APY. Like Chime, One doesn't charge any monthly fees, and it offers overdraft protection services. One also offers cashback rewards, such as 3% cashback at Walmart up to $50 per year if you meet the same deposit requirements to earn the 5% APY. But similar to Chime, One also doesn't accept joint accounts.
Pros
No monthly fees
All-one-account digital account
High 5% APY on savings
Cashback rewards
Cons
No joint accounts
Limited phone support
APY
5.00% on balances of $0 to $250,000 with $500+ direct deposit in previous month or $5,000+ daily balance. See details below 1.00% on balances of $250,000.01+
Rewards
Earn 3% cash back at Walmart, up to $50 annually, with eligible deposits
One is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC. Debit card rewards: ● Earn 3% cash back at Walmart, up to $50 every year, with eligible deposits¹ ● Earn up to 5% cash back on select brands² Early Pay: Get paid up to 2 days early with direct deposit³ 5.00% APY on Savings with eligible deposits: 5.00% annual percentage yield (APY) applies to the primary Savings pocket and custom pockets of customers who either (i) received $500 or more of eligible direct deposits in the previous month or (ii) have a total daily account balance of $5,000 or more. Customers can also earn 5.00% APY on Pay Autosave and ONE@Work Save balances. In all instances 5.00% APY is limited to a total Savings balance of up to $250,000. All other Savings balances will earn 1.00% APY. APYS are as of 2/7/2024, but may change at any time before or after account opening. Fees may reduce earnings on this account. ATMs: Allpoint Network ATM transactions are fee-free for accounts with eligible direct deposits totaling at least $500 in the previous month. For all other ATM transactions the One ATM Fee will apply and third-party ATM fees may be incurred. Free Walmart Withdrawals: Use your One card at any Walmart Money Center, cashier, or Customer Service desk to deposit or make a cash withdrawal for free. ¹To receive 3% cash back, eligible customers (at the time their purchase settles) must (i) have received $500 or more of eligible direct deposits in the previous month, or (ii) have a total account balance of $5,000 or more. 3% cash back is limited to up to $50 per year and applies only to purchases made at U.S. Walmart locations and on Walmart.com. This promotion may not be combined with other One promotions that offer cash back on purchases at Walmart. Terms apply. ²Cash back can be earned through the Debit Rewards Program. Individual offer details can be found in the One app. Terms apply. ³Direct deposit may be available up to 2 days in advance, but depends on when your employer sends paycheck data.
Varo is very comparable to Chime, but Varo's checking account has a major leg up thanks to its cashback rewards. You'll earn up to 6% in cash back with select merchants, which is unusually high for a checking account. Similar to Chime, Varo's checking account has no monthly fees, opening deposit requirement, overdraft fees or foreign transaction fees. Opening Varo's checking account also unlocks the savings account, which earns up to 5% APY, whereas Chime's savings account only earns up to 2%. Also, unlike Chime, Varo is directly insured by the FDIC and accepts cash deposits for a fee.
Pros
Up to 6% cash back
Optional savings account with up to 5% APY
No monthly, foreign or overdraft fees
Directly FDIC insured up to $250,000
Cons
Up to $5.95 fee for cash deposits
No joint accounts
APY
5.00% on balances of $0 to $5,000 (with direct deposits of $1,000+) 3.00% on balances of $5,000+
Intro or bonus offer
Existing and new customers get a $25 referral bonus when signing up for a Varo Bank account. T&C apply.
Get a $50 referral bonus by inviting your friends to join Current. Once the person receives the invite link and makes qualifying deposits of at least $200 within 45 days of opening the account, you and the referred friend each earn $50
Current is a fintech with banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and has very similar offerings to Chime. When you get a Current account, you can choose between a credit-building secured card or a debit card. Both cards come with an account offering a rewards program, no monthly fees, fee-free overdraft and budgeting features. Create up to three pods that can each earn 4% bonus on up to $2,000 by meeting deposit requirements, which is much higher than Chime's savings with a 2% APY. Current also offers Paycheck Advances by meeting deposit requirements with no credit check. And the secured Current Build card has no interest charges or annual fees and reports to TransUnion to help build a credit history.
Pros
Up to 4% bonus with deposit requirements
No monthly fees
Budgeting, overdraft protection and cashback points
Builds credit with Current's Build secured card
Cons
3% late fee on the Current Build card
Deposit requirements for best bonus on pods
No joint accounts
APY
4.00% on balances of $0.01 to $2,000 Up to 4.00% bonus. The disclosed rate is effective as of August 1, 2023. Must have $0.01 in Savings Pods to earn a Boost rate of either 0.25% or 4.00% annually on the portion of balances up to $2000 per Savings Pod, up to $6000 total. The remaining balance earns 0.00%. A qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more is required for 4.00%. No minimum balance required. For more information, please refer to Current Boost Terms and Conditions..
Intro or bonus offer
Get a $50 referral bonus by inviting your friends to join Current. Once the person receives the invite link and makes qualifying deposits of at least $200 within 45 days of opening the account, you and the referred friend each earn $50
Rewards
Earn up to 15x the points when you use your debit card at one of 14,000+ participating merchants
Chime only has one checking account option, and if you crave variety, look to Axos. This exclusively online bank is directly FDIC-insured and offers five checking accounts, a high-yield savings, a money market account and CDs. The checking accounts all have no monthly fees, a few are interest-bearing and most offer ATM reimbursements. There's also an account for teens and one for seniors. On top of that, Axos frequently offers signup bonuses for various accounts, usually gifting between $50 to $300 for using a promotional code and setting up direct deposit. Axos also has a large ATM network, and you can deposit cash at Green Dot locations for a fee. The downside is that four of the five checking accounts require an opening deposit, whereas Chime doesn't require any cash upfront.
Similar to Chime, Fizz is a fintech company with banking services. Its Fizz-secured card is heavily geared toward college students, and it's backed by an external checking account, making it more like a debit-credit card. There's no APR, annual fees, foreign transaction fees, late fees and, best of all, no credit check when you apply. The cashback rewards are also impressive, offering up to 25% cashback offers daily and sometimes flash offers from 75% to 100% cash back at a monthly rotating list of merchants such as Starbucks, Auntie Anne's and Jamba Juice. In comparison, Chime's secured card requires you to have its checking account and set up direct deposits to qualify. Plus, Chime's card doesn't come with cashback rewards, and you must make a deposit to set the credit limit.
Pros
No fees or APR
No credit check
High 25% to 100% cashback rewards
Reports to all three credit bureaus
Cons
Requires external bank account
Not FDIC-insured
APY
N/A
Intro or bonus offer
Earn 1,000 points ($10 value) when you download the Fizz app and enter code FINDER.
Rewards
Earn 1,000 points ($10 value) when you download the Fizz app and enter code FINDER
Step is a fintech offering a secured card backed by the Step deposit account. It requires no opening deposit and has no monthly fees or interest charges. Step is heavily designed for teens and young adults to start building a credit history without the risk of accumulating debt, offering anyone under 18 to get the card with adult approval and sponsorship — unlike Chime, which requires you to be at least 18 years old to open its secured card. A Step account also offers up to 5% in savings rewards on your savings balance by meeting deposit requirements, and you can earn cashback rewards, open its optional investing platform and teens can learn financial literacy through its Money 101 course. For comparison, Chime has no cashback rewards, no investing platform and has strict eligibility requirements for its secured card.
Pros
No credit check, APR or monthly fees
Open to kids with adult sponsorship
Savings and cashback rewards
Optional investing platform and financial literacy course
Cons
No phone support
APY
5.00% on balances of $0 to $250,000 5% savings reward with $500+ in direct deposits.
Capital One is a hybrid between an online and traditional bank. Its 360 Checking online account is a top option for globetrotters, with no foreign transaction fees or currency transaction fees. You'll also get access to a network of 70,000 ATMs, earn up to 0.1% APY on your balance and enjoy no overdraft fees or monthly fees. While the APY on that account isn't as high as Chime's 2% APY on its savings account, Capital One also offers its 360 Savings account with a 4.30% APY. Overall, Capital One is more like a full-service bank than Chime, offering more products like traditional credit cards, kids banking, loans and CDs, and some physical branches in a handful of states. You can also easily add a joint owner to your Capital One accounts, while Chime offers no joint account options at all.
Pros
No foreign or currency transaction fees with 360 Checking
Like Chime, Dave is an online banking app. It has a few more perks than Chime, with a Spending Account that earns an extremely high 4% APY with no minimums or deposit requirements, cash advances, cashback rewards and budgeting features. There is a $1 monthly membership fee, but the 4% APY on the spend account can more than pay for that. Cashback offers can be as high as 15%, which is very high for a checking account or credit card. Depending on your eligibility, you could get cash advances up to $500 with no fees or interest charges. Chime doesn't offer any cashback rewards or cash advances, and the APY on its savings account is much lower than Dave's 4% APY. But with Chime, there's no monthly fee at all, and Dave doesn't offer a way to waive its $1 membership fee.
If you and your sweetheart want a joint account, Chime wouldn't be the answer. Instead, check out Honeydue, which is a mobile banking app with budgeting and banking options specifically designed for couples. The app offers Joint Cash, which is a mobile spend account with no monthly fees or minimums. You and your partner can choose to share balances and transactions for easy tracking and cash management. You can also block your partner from seeing specific transactions, such as birthday or anniversary gifts. You can also connect external bank accounts to the app for easy money management. However, Chime offers its own savings account, secured card option and a unique overdraft service — all features Honeydue lacks entirely.
Pros
Designed for couples
No monthly fees or balance requirements
Connect external bank accounts for easy management
Custom visibility on balances and transactions
Cons
No savings account
No cash deposits
APY
N/A
Fee
$0 per month
APY
N/A
Fee
$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open
$0
How Chime compares
Chime has a lot going for it. It offers a no-fee checking account, the well-known overdraft service Chime SpotMe, automatic savings features and more. Chime’s savings account APY isn’t too shabby either, offering up to 2% APY with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. Chime Credit Builder secured card has no interest charges, requires no credit check, no APR, and no minimum opening deposit requirement. On the downside, you’ll need the Chime® Checking Account to get the secured card and must have qualifying direct deposits of at least $200 per month. And unfortunately, Chime doesn’t offer any cashback rewards on its checking or secured credit card.
Bethany Hickey is a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in banking, lending, insurance, and crypto.
Bethany’s expertise in personal finance has garnered recognition from esteemed media outlets, such as Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo Finance, GOBankingRates, SuperMoney, AOL and Newsweek. Her articles offer practical financial strategies to Americans, empowering them to make decisions that meet their financial goals. Her past work includes articles on generational spending and saving habits, lending, budgeting and managing debt.
Before joining Finder, she was a content manager where she wrote hundreds of articles and news pieces on auto financing and credit repair for CarsDirect, Auto Credit Express and The Car Connection, among others.
Bethany holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan-Flint, and was poetry editor for the university’s Qua Literary and Fine Arts Magazine.
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