Enjoy a generous welcome bonus and get unlimited free transactions with the affordable chequing account.
The BMO Performance Chequing Account is one of BMO's most popular chequing accounts. It offers unlimited free transactions and e-Transfers, and a generous welcome offer.
Just be aware that this account comes with a monthly fee of $17.95, however this can be waived if you maintain a minimum daily balance of at least $4,000.
Earn up to a $1,100 cash bonus. Plus, get a Walmart+ membership for up to 12 months. Valid until March 1, 2027.
T&Cs apply.
Pros
Earn an up to $1,100 welcome bonus
Unlimited free transactions
$0 Interac e-Transfers
Monthly fee waived on $4,000+ balances
Cons
This account has a monthly fee of $17.95
You won't earn any interest on the money in your account
In this guide
Our verdict
Frequently asked questions
Your reviews
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Become a Finder member, then open a new BMO Performance Chequing Account online through Finder as a first-time customer to get a $175 digital Visa card from Finder + earn up to $1,100 in welcome bonuses from BMO. Keep the account open until January 29, 2027. Offer ends November 30th, 2026.
Separate T&Cs apply.
What are the benefits of the BMO Performance Chequing Account?
The BMO Performance Chequing Account is a mid-level account that offers a number of benefits. These include the following:
Monthly fee can be waived. The monthly account fee is waived if you maintain a minimum daily balance of at least $4,000.
Unlimited free transactions. You can carry out as many transactions as you like with the BMO Performance plan without limit, including bill payments, debit purchases and ATM withdrawals.
Free Interac e-Transfers. You’ll be able to send money to family and friends at no extra charge with unlimited free Interac e-Transfers.
Welcome bonus.Earn up to $1,100. Earn up to a $1,100 cash bonus with the BMO Performance Chequing Account. Plus, get a Walmart+ membership for up to 12 months. Valid until March 1, 2027.
Eligible for a family bundle. Your family members won’t have to pay if they open a BMO Performance Chequing Account under the umbrella of your account.
Special discounts. You may qualify to get your monthly fees waived or discounted if you’re a youth, student, senior or recent graduate.
No Fee Global Money Transfer: Send funds quickly and securely to up to 50 countries (regions) in multiple currencies.
Annual credit card rebate. You’ll get a rebate of $40 on the annual fee that’s associated with your BMO Mastercard when you sign up for this account.
What should I look out for?
While this performance plan from BMO comes with a number of benefits, there are also a couple of drawbacks you should keep in mind before signing up:
Monthly fee. You’ll have to pay a monthly fee of $17.95 to keep this account active unless you hold a balance of $4,000.
No interest on savings. You won’t earn interest on the money you hold in your account.
Fee for overdraft protection. You’ll have to pay $5 per month to get overdraft protection if you dip into a negative balance.
Fee for paper statement. You’ll pay an additional $2.25 per month to have a paper statement mailed to you.
Non-BMO ATMs cost money. It will cost you an extra fee to take money out at non-BMO ATMs (though you’ll get one free non-BMO withdrawal within Canada per month).
BMO Performance Chequing Account‘s ATM network and fees
The BMO Performance Chequing Account comes with a monthly fee of $17.95. This works out to $215.40 per year if you do the math, which is a lot to pay for a bank account. That said, you may be able to get a discounted rate for being in a certain demographic. The monthly account fee is waived if you maintain a minimum daily balance of at least $4,000.
One of the main benefits associated with the BMO Performance plan is that you’ll get free unlimited BMO ATM withdrawals. That said, you may have to pay a fee to withdraw money using a non-BMO ATM. This is why you should be careful about where you take money out to avoid having to pay extra fees for domestic and international withdrawals.
What other chequing account options does BMO offer?
Besides the BMO Performance plan, BMO also has several chequing accounts to choose from, so it should be easy to find a good match based on the exact specifications you’re looking for. You can easily compare features of BMO chequing accounts below.
BMO Practical Chequing Account. This simple and inexpensive account comes with 12 free transactions per month. It costs $4 to maintain, and will only be a good fit if you don’t use your chequing account on a day-to-day basis.
BMO Plus Chequing Account. The BMO Plus Chequing Account comes with a price tag of $12.95 per month. It offers a generous welcome bonus, unlimited free Interac e-Transfers and 25 free transactions each month.
BMO Premium Plan Chequing Account. This account is a step up from the BMO Performance Chequing Account. It costs $30.95 per month and comes with unlimited free transactions, a sizable welcome bonus and a premium credit card fee waiver.
To apply for a BMO Performance Chequing Account, you need to meet the following criteria: Must be 18 or older (or the age of majority), have a SIN and a Canadian address. To qualify for the NewStart Program, you must be a permanent resident or foreign worker who arrived in Canada within the last five years.
Required documents and information
You’ll likely need to provide the following information when signing up for the BMO Performance Chequing Account:
Your name, residential status and contact information
Your Social Insurance Number and date of birth
Your email address and phone number
BMO Performance Chequing Account
Earn up to $1,100 in cash bonuses from BMO
Exclusive: Get an extra $175 reward from Finder + a $25 BMO referral boost
Get up to 5.00% promo interest with a linked savings account
You can easily take money out of your BMO Performance plan account at an ATM or by visiting a branch in person. It’s also possible to transfer money out of your account using an internal BMO transfer, or by sending money to an external bank account.
To deposit funds, all you need to do is cash a cheque or deposit cash at an ATM or in a branch. You can also set up a direct deposit from your payroll or send a transfer in from a BMO account or an external bank account.
Expert BMO Performance Chequing Account review
The BMO Performance Chequing Account offers unlimited transactions and top-tier benefits for a reasonable monthly fee. These benefits include free Interac e-Transfers, a decent annual credit card rebate and a generous welcome bonus. This account might work well for you if you make a significant number of withdrawals each month and you’d like to pay a reasonable fee.
Earn cash, rewards points, bonus interest rates and more with these new bank account offers and promotions.
Frequently asked questions
You can get your monthly fee waived for the BMO Performance Chequing Account if you maintain a minimum daily balance of at least $4,000. You may also be eligible for discounts if you meet certain criteria.
There is a $0 minimum balance requirement to operate the BMO Performance plan. However, if you would like the annual fee waived, than you must keep a daily balance of at least $4,000.
You could look into a very basic account with a Big Five bank such as BMO. That said, your best bet to get unlimited transactions and extra benefits might be to check out which accounts are on offer with some of Canada's most popular digital banks.
BMO has mechanisms in place to safeguard your personal and financial information. It's also a member of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC). This means that any money you put into your BMO Performance plan account will be protected up to $100,000 in the unlikely event that BMO goes bankrupt.
You absolutely can. BMO has a very highly-rated mobile app for both iOS and Android. On the Google Play Store the app has a rating of 4.2 stars out of 5 (based on 78.1K reviews), while reviewers on the Apple App Store gave it 4.6 stars out of 5 (based on 109.9K reviews). Through the BMO app, you can send and receive money into your Performance account, as well as view account details, pay bills, find BMO branches and more.
Yes, you can apply by clicking on the Go to Site button at the top, or by visiting the BMO website.
Finder writers are subject matter experts and use primary sources, in-depth research and interviews with other experts to ensure you're getting accurate, up-to-date information. Articles are fact checked in line with our editorial guidelines.
Claire Horwood was a writer at Finder, specializing in credit cards, loans and other financial products. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies from the University of Victoria, and an Associate’s Degree in Science from Camosun College. Much of Claire’s coursework has focused on writing and statistics, with a healthy dose of social and cultural analysis mixed in for good measure. In her spare time, Claire enjoys rock climbing, travelling and drinking inordinate amounts of coffee.
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