Premium Checking Accounts

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.

7 popular premium checking accounts

• HSBC Premier Checking
• Bank of America Advantage Relationship Banking®
• Chase Premier Plus Checking
• Chase Sapphire Checking
• Wells Fargo Premier Checking
• Charles Schwab Investor Checking
• PNC Virtual Wallet with Performance Select

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.

Finder Score	Fee	Minimum deposit to open	Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
Finder score 7 Great HSBC Premier Checking	Finder score 7 Great	$50 per month (can be waived)	$0	0.01% on balances of $5+	Earn up to $7,000 when you open an HSBC Premier checking account by March 31, 2026 and complete qualifying activities. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it Want global banking perks and exclusive benefits? Enter HSBC Premier Checking. You'll get access to HSBC relationship rates, a relationship manager, global customer service, the ability to share Premier benefits with up to four family members and no foreign transaction fees, and your balance earns 0.01% APY. However, the monthly fee is $50 per month, so it's best for those who can meet the fee waiver requirements. It offers no monthly fees if you maintain a $100,000 balance your accounts, receive at least $5,000 in qualifying monthly direct deposits, have an HSBC US residential mortgage loan, or have Private Bank status. Pros & cons Pros $0 opening deposit and no overdraft fees 0% foreign transaction fee Relationship rates and access Priority and global customer support Share Premier status with family members Cons $50 monthly fee (waivable) Strict and hefty qualification requirements Low 0.01% APY
Finder score 6 Standard Bank of America Advantage Relationship Banking®	Finder score 6 Standard	$25 per month (can be waived)	$100	0.02% on balances of $50,000+ 0.01% on balances of to $49,999	Bank of America Advantage Banking Up To $500 Cash Offer. See offer page for more details. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it The Bank of America (BofA) Advantage Relationship Banking account is interest-bearing and designed for high-balance account holders. There's a $25 monthly fee and a $100 opening deposit requirement. You'll get a spending and budgeting tool, custom alerts, bill pay and other typical modern perks. Pros & cons Pros Earns APY Balance Connect overdraft protection Budgeting tools Cons $100 opening deposit requirement Monthly fee if you don’t meet waive requirements Low APY
Finder score 5 Standard Chase Premier Plus Checking	Finder score 5 Standard	$25 per month (can be waived)	$0	0.01%	View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it Chase Premier Plus Checking offers everyday banking with premium perks. Benefits include free money orders and cashier's checks, fee waivers on other Chase accounts, no Chase fees on your first four non-Chase ATM transactions per statement period and Chase Overdraft Assist. Your balance also earns interest, but rates are often around 0.01% APY and vary by zip code. You can waive the $25 monthly fee by maintaining an average beginning-day balance of at least $15,000 in this account or other linked deposit or investment accounts. You can also waive the fee if you're a current service member or veteran of the US Armed Forces or by linking the account to a Chase mortgage with automatic payments. Pros & cons Pros ATM rebates Fee waivers on linked accounts Overdraft fee waived for small overdrafts Cons High monthly fee without $15,000 balance Low APY High wire transfer fees
Finder score Not scored yet Wells Fargo Premier Checking	Finder score Not scored yet	$35 per month (can be waived)	$25	0.01%	View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it Wells Fargo's Premier Checking account has a $35 monthly fee and a $25 opening deposit. It provides access to Premier Client Service and 24/7 customer support. This account unlocks relationship rates on savings products and interest rate discounts on select new loan products, which is a plus considering Wells Fargo also offers CDs, savings accounts and loans. Additionally, you'll have no wire transfer fees, free cashier's checks, no ATM fees worldwide and unlimited ATM rebates and free checks. But it's not easy to waive the account's $35 monthly fee. To do so, you must maintain a balance of at least $250,000 across your Wells Fargo deposit, IRAs or investment accounts. Pros & cons Pros Dedicated Premier team Waived fees on banking services Preferred rates on Wells Fargo products No ATM fees worldwide Cons $35 per month $35 overdraft fee Relationship rates below average
Finder score 9.6 Excellent Charles Schwab Investor Checking	Finder score 9.6 Excellent	$0 per month	$0	0.05%	View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it As the name suggests, the Charles Schwab Investor Checking is checking designed for investors, but it's also a great premium account well-suited for travelers. There are no foreign transaction fees, and you'll get unlimited ATM fee rebates worldwide. The cherry on top is this account has no monthly service fees or overdraft fees. It also links to the Schwab One brokerage account to support investing, and you can easily transfer funds between the accounts, as there's only one login. Pros & cons Pros Earns interest Free ATM access No monthly fee No minimum balance Few transaction fees Free overdraft transfers Cons Requires you to open a brokerage account No foreign wire transfers No cash deposits
Finder score 6.8 Standard PNC Virtual Wallet with Performance Select	Finder score 6.8 Standard	$25 per month (can be waived)	$0	0.01%	View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it If the other premium accounts on this list have balance requirements you can't quite meet, this might be the one to check out. The PNC Performance Select Checking is one of the many variations of the PNC Virtual Wallet accounts. The PNC Performance Select Checking has a $25 monthly fee, which you can waive with at least $5,000 in direct deposit to your Spend account or by maintaining a combined average monthly balance of $5,000 in your Spend and/or Reserve accounts. There's also no minimum deposit requirement to open the account. Premium perks include: No PNC out-of-network ATM fees, ATM reimbursements, free domestic wires and higher APYs on lower balances compared to the other Virtual Wallets. You can earn between 0.04% to 0.05% APY on your Growth account, depending on your balance. However, some PNC Virtual Wallet accounts are unavailable in certain states. Pros & cons Pros Expense tracker and money management tools Free overdraft protection New customer bonuses often available Cons Monthly fees (can be waived) Limited state availability Low APYs that vary High $36 overdraft fee

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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.

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5 of 16 results

Finder Score	Fee	Minimum deposit to open	Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
Finder Rewards ExclusivePromoted Finder score 9.6 Excellent Chime® Checking Account	Finder score 9.6 Excellent	$0 per month	$0	N/A	ENDS SOON! $300 Visa Card Reward 1 Join Finder 2 Open a Chime® Checking account and receive a first payroll deposit of $200 or more 3 Receive card from Finder Ends by. T&Cs and limits apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
Promoted Finder score 9.2 Excellent Current	Finder score 9.2 Excellent	$0 per month	$0	4.00% on balances of $0.01 to $2,000	Get a $100 referral bonus by inviting your friends to join Current. Once the person receives the invite link, applies your unique referral code, and makes qualifying Eligible Payroll Deposits of at least $200 within 45 days of opening the account, you and the referred friend each earn $100. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
Promoted Finder score 9 Excellent SoFi Checking and Savings	Finder score 9 Excellent	$0 per month	$0	Up to 3.30%	Earn up to 4.00% APY on savings and $50 or $400 with direct deposit. Open a new SoFi Checking and Savings account by 31 December 2026, set up eligible direct deposit within 60 days, and maintain direct deposit for six months. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
Finder score 7 Great HSBC Premier Checking	Finder score 7 Great	$50 per month (can be waived)	$0	0.01% on balances of $5+	Earn up to $7,000 when you open an HSBC Premier checking account by March 31, 2026 and complete qualifying activities. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
Finder score 9.6 Excellent Revolut	Finder score 9.6 Excellent	From $0 per month	$0	5.50% on balances of $0+ 4.50% on balances of $0+ 4.00% on balances of $0+	Join Revolut and get $20. Make your first virtual or physical Revolut card payment to receive $20 credited to your Revolut account. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading

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How we picked these

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 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.

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

Written by

Bethany Hickey

Banking editor

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

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Bethany has written 491 Finder guides across topics including:

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