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Premium Checking Accounts

What they are, how much they cost and their benefits.

So you want a premier, top-of-the-line banking experience, eh? Premium checking accounts might just be your thing.

What is a premium checking account?

A premium checking account can offer more perks and benefits compared to a standard checking account.

Think of premium accounts as an upgraded version of a regular account. Premium checking may include features like waived fees on other accounts, exclusive rewards programs, loan discounts, higher savings APYs and priority customer service.

But as the name suggests, premium accounts can also have premium requirements.

They’re typically designed for those who can maintain high balances to avoid costly monthly fees or even qualify for the account. While they’re not for everyone, premium checking accounts can offer great value to those who qualify.

Premium checking features and benefits

Premium checking accounts often come with useful perks for frequent travelers or high-balance customers.

  • Waived fees. By maintaining a high enough balance or meeting activity requirements, many premium accounts waive your monthly fee or fees on other accounts you have with the institution.
  • Earn APY. While most checking accounts don’t earn interest, many premium checking accounts do.
  • Travel benefits. International premium accounts frequently include perks like free currency exchanges, airport lounge access or travel insurance.
  • Enhanced customer service. A lot of the time, having a premium account gets you priority support or even a dedicated relationship manager.
  • ATM rebates. Many premium accounts offer out-of-network ATM reimbursements.

Most banks have regular checking accounts but may not offer premium options. Among the thousands of institutions, here are seven premium accounts to help you begin your search.

Bank of America Advantage Relationship Banking®

6 Standard

$300 Bank of America Advantage Banking offer: See offer page for more details. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC.
Go to site Read review
APYUp to 0.02%
Fee$25 per month
Minimum deposit to open$100
HSBC Premier Checking

7 Great

Earn up to $3,000 when you open a Premier checking and Premier Relationship Savings account by February 28, 2025 and complete qualifying activities
Go to site Read review
APY0.01%
Fee$50 per month
Minimum deposit to open$0
Chase Premier Plus Checking

5 Standard

Read review
APY0.01%
Fee$25 per month
Minimum deposit to open$0
Chase Sapphire Checking

5 Standard

Get a $1,000 welcome bonus when you join Sapphire Banking. Within 45 days of joining, transfer a total of $75,000 or more in qualifying new money or securities to a combination of eligible checking, savings and/or investment accounts (excludes any J.P. Morgan retirement accounts and CDs), and maintain the balance for at least 90 days.
Read review
APY0.01%
Fee$25 per month
Minimum deposit to open$0
Wells Fargo Premier Checking

APY0.01%
Fee$35 per month
Minimum deposit to open$25
Charles Schwab Investor Checking

9.6 Excellent

Read review
APY0.05%
Fee$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open$0.01
PNC Virtual Wallet with Performance Select

6.8 Standard

Earn $400 when you open a new PNC Virtual Wallet with Performance Select and establish a direct deposit of at least $5,000+ to your Spend account in the first 60 days.
Read review
APY0.01%
Fee$25 per month
Minimum deposit to open$0

Is a premium checking account worth it?

A premium checking account can be worthwhile if you meet the balance requirements and can take advantage of the perks. These accounts are great for frequent travelers, high-balance customers or anyone who values additional rewards and benefits.

However, if you can’t meet the minimum balance or don’t need the extra features, a standard checking account might be a better fit.

Alternatives to premium checking accounts

Premium accounts can have high monthly fees and high balance requirements to waive fees. In some cases, you might not need the perks they offer. If premium accounts don’t feel right, consider these other top checking accounts:

  • SoFi Checking & Savings. A hybrid checking and savings account, SoFi’s all-in-one account offers high APYs on both account balances, early direct deposit, high FDIC insurance, savings tools and more. There are also no monthly fees or opening deposit requirements, but you must meet the deposit requirements to get the best APYs.
  • Upgrade Rewards Checking Plus. A fintech with banking services, Upgrade’s reward checking account offers cashback rewards with no monthly fees or opening deposit requirements.
  • Capital One 360 Checking. A top pick for frequent travelers, the 360 Checking account has no monthly fees, foreign transactions or currency transaction fees.
  • Compare standard checking accounts

    Not sure a premium checking account is right for you? Compare your options with these top standard checking accounts. Narrow down your options by monthly fees, APYs and features. For a better way to compare, tick the Compare box on multiple accounts to see features side by side.

    1 - 5 of 18
    Product USFSA-CHK Finder Score Fee Minimum deposit to open Annual Percentage Yield (APY) Bonus offer
    SoFi logo
    Finder score
    $0 per month
    $0
    Up to 3.80%
    Get up to $300 cash bonus with qualifying direct deposit. Terms apply. This offer is available until January 31, 2026.
    Step Black Card
    Step logo
    Finder score
    From $0 per month
    $0
    4.00% on balances of $0 to $1,000,000
    Chime logo
    Finder score
    $0 per month
    $0
    N/A
    Bank of America logo
    Finder score
    $4.95 per month
    (can be waived)
    $25
    N/A
    $300 Bank of America Advantage Banking offer: See offer page for more details. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC.
    Discover logo
    Finder score
    $0 per month
    $0
    N/A
    loading

    What is the Finder Score?

    The Finder Score crunches over 300 checking accounts from hundreds of financial institutions. It takes into account the product's monthly fees, overdraft fees, opening deposit, customer support options, ATM network and features — this gives you a simple score out of 10.

    To provide a Score, Finder’s banking experts analyze hundreds of checking accounts against what we consider is the best option: no monthly fees, no overdraft fees, a large ATM network of 50,000 or more, additional features outside of typical banking services, and the optional perk of earning interest. Accounts that are nearly free to maintain and use are scored the highest, while accounts with costly fees and few features are scored the lowest.

    Read the full Finder Score breakdown

    Bottom line

    Take the time to weigh the costs and benefits based on your financial habits and goals. If none of those premium accounts are your cup of tea, compare the best checking accounts.

Holly Jennings's headshot
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Holly Jennings as part of our fact-checking process.
Bethany Hickey's headshot
Written by

Editor, Banking

Bethany Hickey is the banking editor and personal finance expert 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. See full bio

Bethany's expertise
Bethany has written 463 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Personal finance
  • Banking
  • Auto loans
  • Insurance
  • Cryptocurrency and NFTs

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