United States · Checking
Chase vs Bank of America vs Wells Fargo: checking fees
A checking account can cost USD 0 in one statement period and USD 15 in the next. Here is how three US accounts compare on monthly fees, deposit-based waivers and ATM withdrawals.
Sources checked
The short version
Compare the fee you can actually avoid. A qualifying deposit has a specific definition, and a monthly fee waiver does not make every transaction free.
- 01
Base fee
What is charged without a waiver?
- 02
Waiver
Which deposits qualify, and when?
- 03
ATM costs
Your bank’s fee plus the operator’s fee.
Three checking accounts: base fees and deposit waivers
Sources checked: 2026-10-13 · USD
| Account | Base monthly fee | One deposit-based route to USD 0 |
|---|---|---|
 ChaseTotal Checking | Base monthly feeUSD 15 | USD 500 or more in qualifying electronic deposits during each monthly statement period. Other balance or linked-account waiver routes are available. [1] |
| Base monthly feeUSD 12 | At least one qualifying direct deposit of USD 250 or more during each statement cycle. Other minimum-daily-balance or eligible BofA Rewards waiver routes are available. [2] | |
 Wells FargoEveryday Checking | Base monthly feeUSD 15 | USD 500 or more in total qualifying electronic deposits each fee period. Other balance, age or qualifying military-deposit waiver routes are available. [3] |
1. Check the deposit, not just the total
Bank of America requires at least one qualifying direct deposit of USD 250: two USD 125 deposits do not satisfy that route. Chase and Wells Fargo use a USD 500 qualifying-electronic-deposit threshold for their respective periods. Chase excludes Zelle, cash, checks and wires; Wells Fargo excludes Zelle, account-to-account transfers, mobile deposits and branch or ATM deposits. Check how your payment is classified and when it posts.
2. Add ATM costs separately
For a cash withdrawal at another bank’s ATM in the US, the disclosed bank fee is USD 3 at Chase, USD 2.50 at Bank of America and USD 3 at Wells Fargo. The ATM operator may charge extra. Monthly maintenance, ATM, overdraft and other service charges are separate items; use each account’s fee schedule for your actual transactions.
3. Count the periods that will be charged
A waiver that you meet consistently matters more than a small difference in base fees. Other waiver routes may fit your circumstances; the table shows only the deposit route. Check the official requirements and your statement period dates.
Official sources: [5]
Illustrative example · USD
Illustration: the base monthly fee is charged in each of 12 periods. These bars show maintenance costs only.
- Chase Total Checking
- USD 180
- USD 15 × 12
- BofA Advantage Plus
- USD 144
- USD 12 × 12
- Wells Fargo Everyday Checking
- USD 180
- USD 15 × 12
USD 3 per period × 12 = USD 36 difference
Assumes unchanged base fees with no waivers or introductory relief. This is not a first-year quote: new-account fee relief may change the number of charged periods. Excludes ATM, overdraft and all other service fees, bonuses and interest.
Before you move your money
- Confirm your exact account and statement or fee-period dates.
- Verify that a deposit qualifies before relying on a waiver.
- Compare your ATM use and other service fees, then confirm current terms with the bank.
Compare US checking accounts
Browse published US checking accounts and compare their conditions. Read verification dates and confirm current fees with the bank. Not every account discussed here is necessarily listed.
Explore US checkingCommon questions
Does USD 250 in total deposits waive BofA Advantage Plus fees?
For the deposit route, at least one qualifying direct deposit must be USD 250 or more. Two deposits of USD 125 do not meet that requirement. Other waiver routes are separate.
Do Zelle payments count for Chase or Wells Fargo?
The checked disclosures exclude Zelle from these accounts’ qualifying electronic deposits. A credit arriving in the account does not automatically satisfy the waiver.
Does USD 0 monthly maintenance mean no fees at all?
A monthly fee waiver covers that fee. Check ATM, overdraft and other service charges separately.
Go deeper
Official sources
Checked on the date shown above. Fees, offers and terms can change.
How this article was made
Published by SwitchaBank. Written and translated with AI assistance and checked against the linked official sources. It has not received independent financial-expert review. General information, not personal financial advice.
SwitchaBank receives no compensation from the institutions discussed in this article.
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