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8 Banks With No ATM Fees

Review Updated
Steven Porrello
By: Steven Porrello
Steven Porrello
Steven Porrello
Writer

Steven is a personal finance writer covering topics from mortgages to credit cards to market news. He has written for The Motley Fool Canada, Ramsey Solutions, Nerdwallet, Clever Real Estate, and other major outlets. Steven launched his writing career at the age of four with his first book, "Revenge of the Bad Guys." He currently lives in Portland, Oregon.

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Our Banking Expert

Ashley Maready
Check IconFact Checked Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready
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Ashley Maready is a former history museum professional who made the leap to digital content writing and editing in 2021. She has a BA in History and Philosophy from Hood College and an MA in Applied History from Shippensburg University. Ashley loves creating content for the public and learning new things so she can teach others, whether it's information about salt mining, canal mules, or personal finance.

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Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures our experts’ opinions aren’t influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page. APY = Annual Percentage Yield. APYs are subject to change at any time without notice.

ATM fees reached a record high of $4.73 in 2023, up from $1.98 in 1998, according to a Bankrate study. With ATM fees rising steadily each year, it's more important than ever to find a bank with no ATM fees.

Fortunately, many banks will reimburse ATM fees on domestic and international transactions, even when the ATM is outside its network. If you depend on ATM transactions -- and want to save hundreds of dollars in fees -- read on to learn which banks are the best for avoiding these costs.

What are ATM fees?

ATM fees are what banks charge their clients to withdraw or deposit cash at certain ATMs. Often, this fee is imposed when you use an ATM that isn't within the bank's network. In general, they come in three types:

  • Out-of-network fee: This is charged by your bank for using an out-of-network ATM.
  • ATM surcharge: This is what the ATM itself charges you for accessing your account.
  • Foreign transaction fee: This is what you're charged for using ATMs or conducting transactions abroad.

Banks with no ATM fees

Most banks have a fee-free network, the use of which will never result in an additional charge. The best banks with no ATM fees, however, will go beyond this to reimburse you for any ATM fees imposed at out-of-network ATMs, whether domestic or abroad.

With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the best free checking accounts with no ATM fees.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Jun 28, 2024
Award Icon 2024 Award Winner

Axos Bank Rewards Checking

Open Account for Axos Bank Rewards Checking
Member FDIC.
Rating image, 4.25 out of 5 stars.
4.25/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Rating image, 4.25 out of 5 stars.
4.25/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Open Account for Axos Bank Rewards Checking
offer alert
Cash in on up to a $500 bonus† and up to 3.30% APY* with a new Rewards Checking account. Just use promo code RC500 before July 31.
APY
0.40% (up to 3.30%) Rate info Circle with letter I in it. To earn the full APY, account holders must do all of the following: Receive monthly direct deposits totaling more than $1,500; make 10 transactions a month with your Axos debit card, or sign up for Axos's Personal Finance Manager; maintain an average daily balance of $2,500 per month in an Axos Invest Self Directed Trading Account; and use your Rewards Checking account to make your full monthly Axos Bank consumer mortgage, personal, or auto loan payment.
Min. To Earn APY
Monthly direct deposits totaling at least $1,500
  • High checking account APY
  • Unlimited ATM fee reimbursements
  • No monthly maintenance, NSF, or overdraft fees
  • No monthly balance requirements
  • Cash back checking option
  • Must meet certain requirements to earn the highest interest tier
  • Low savings and CD APYs compared to competitors

A solid checking account with an APY that far outpaces the competition. The fact that it also has no maintenance fees and no overdraft or NSF fees are the cherries on top.

Rewards Checking disclosure:

To be eligible to earn all or a portion of the cash incentive as part of the promotional offer "RC500," an application for a Rewards Checking account must be submitted between 06/20/2024 at 12:00 am PT and 07/31/24 at 11:59 pm PT.

Axos Bank reserves the right to limit each primary account holder to one (1) checking account promotional offer per year. Promotional terms and conditions are subject to change or removal without notice. Incentive may be taxable and reported on IRS Form 1099-MISC. Consult your tax advisor. After initial requirements above are met, the amount of incentive earned will depend on meeting the additional requirements outlined below:

Rewards Checking bonus up to $500: You must be approved for your new Rewards Checking account and fund it within 60 days of account opening. An incentive of up to $500 can be earned during the first six (6) statement cycles, starting in the statement cycle thirty (30) days after the account is opened. A statement cycle is a calendar month consisting of at least one day your account was open during that month. You can earn a maximum of five (5) payouts during the six (6) statement cycles, and the incentive will be deposited into the qualifying account within 15 business days following the end of the statement cycle in which the requirements were met.

$100 will be earned for each statement cycle, up to $500, when you meet two requirements during that statement cycle: 1) your Rewards Checking account receives qualifying direct deposits at least $1,500.00 in total, and 2) the average daily balance in your Rewards Checking account is at least $3,000.

Your Rewards Checking account must remain open and in good standing at the time the incentive is paid to be eligible.

A direct deposit is an electronic deposit of your paycheck or government benefits, such as Social Security, Disability etc. Other deposits (i.e., online banking transfers, ATM and mobile check deposits, etc.) or person-to-person payments are not considered a direct deposit. Account transactions may take one or more business days from the transaction date to post to the account.

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Axos Bank Rewards Checking account holders get unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements. This fills in for the fact that Axos Bank doesn't have its own network of free-free ATMs. This free checking account also has a tiered APY that increases when you meet certain requirements, like receiving monthly direct deposits and using your debit card.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Jun 28, 2024

Quontic High Interest Checking

Open Account for Quontic High Interest Checking
Member FDIC.
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Open Account for Quontic High Interest Checking
High APY when you complete 10 or more qualifying debit card purchases each month
APY
up to 1.10%
Min. To Earn APY
$1
  • High checking APY
  • One of the highest APY for CDs and savings account
  • No monthly fees, overdraft, or NSF fees
  • Comes with a debit card
  • Large fee-free ATM network
  • Quontic Pay Ring: the nation's first wearable payment ring
  • Must meet monthly transaction requirements to earn higher interest tier 
  • Limited CD terms
  • No physical branches

Quontic High Interest Checking earns one of the highest APYs among checking accounts. Unfortunately, you must make 10 qualifying debit card purchases of $10 or more each statement cycle to earn the highest interest tier. Still, the account is a good option to maximize savings beyond other deposit accounts. Plus, it has no monthly fees and access to fee-free ATMs.

10 debit card point of sale transactions of $10 or more per statement cycle required to earn the maximum APY. If the qualifying activity requirement is not fulfilled, the interest rate paid on the entire balance will be 0.01% APY.

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Quontic has one of the largest no-fee ATM networks of all banks -- 90,000 through several networks including Allpoint, Citibank, MoneyPass, and SUM. The Quontic High Interest Checking account in particular has a competitive APY (with 10 debit card transactions of $10 each), a debit card, and a unique Pay Ring that lets you check out with a ring on your finger.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Jun 28, 2024
Award Icon 2024 Award Winner

Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking

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Member FDIC.
Rating image, 4.75 out of 5 stars.
4.75/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Rating image, 4.75 out of 5 stars.
4.75/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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APY
0.45%
Min. To Earn APY
$0.01
  • Competitive APY
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • No monthly maintenance fees
  • Unlimited ATM fee reimbursements worldwide
  • Great customer service
  • Free linked investment account with checking account
  • Higher APY available at other financial institutions
  • Physical locations for investment services

This free checking account is available to Schwab brokerage customers. Schwab offers unlimited domestic and international ATM reimbursements. Schwab also doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee (which can be 1% to 3% of transaction cost). In addition, there is no minimum deposit requirement and no minimum balance requirements.

Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking offers unlimited ATM fee reimbursements worldwide. The account has no monthly maintenance fee, earns some interest, has overdraft protection, and charges no foreign transaction fees on its debit card.

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Rates as of Jun 28, 2024

Betterment Checking

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Member FDIC.
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
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APY
0%
Min. To Earn APY
$0
  • No monthly fees, ATM and foreign transaction fees reimbursed
  • Cash back rewards
  • Robust mobile app
  • Wide range of financial services
  • No APY
  • No physical locations

Betterment Checking is a no-fee account, with generous debit card cash back rewards, and 100% of foreign transaction and ATM fees are reimbursed. It also offers a robust mobile app to help you manage your finances and take advantage of its popular robo-advisor platform. However, it may not be a good fit for those who want to speak to someone face to face and have the need to deposit cash.

Betterment Checking reimburses ATM fees worldwide. Better yet, it will also reimburse any foreign transaction fees on your debit card. This free checking account also earns cash back rewards when using its debit card, a perk that few checking accounts have.

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Rates as of Jun 28, 2024

LendingClub Rewards Checking

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Member FDIC.
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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APY
Up to 0.15%
Min. To Earn APY
$2,500
  • Unlimited cash back on debit card purchases
  • Unlimited ATM fee reimbursements worldwide
  • Get your paycheck up to two days early
  • No monthly maintenance or overdraft fees
  • Low balances won't earn interest
  • Most customers won't qualify for the highest APY
  • Higher APY available at other financial institutions
  • Must have at least $2,500 to earn cash back rewards

LendingClub Rewards Checking offers unlimited ATM fee reimbursements worldwide. This account has no monthly fees and can earn some APY when you receive an average of $2,500 in direct deposits.

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Rates as of Jun 28, 2024

Capital One 360 Checking

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Member FDIC.
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
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APY
0.10%
Min. To Earn APY
$1
  • Branches and Capital One Cafes in some states
  • Variety of accounts
  • Robust digital platform and app
  • Great customer service
  • Higher APY available at other financial institutions

Capital One boasts a top-rated mobile app and has over 70,000 fee-free Capital One, MoneyPass, and Allpoint ATM locations. For those looking for face-to-face interaction, Capital One has over 450 locations and 50 Capital One Cafes, where customers can bank, get a cup of coffee, and ask for advice from a certified money coach. However the APY is lower than other online banks.

The Capital One 360 Checking account has a sizable network and fee-free ATMs. It doesn't charge a fee for using out-of-network ATMs, but it also doesn't reimburse you for any fees that particular ATM may charge. That said, it does allow free cash deposits at CVS and Walgreens of up to $999 per day.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Jun 28, 2024

Alliant High Rate Checking

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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
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APY
0.25%
Min. To Earn APY
$1
  • No monthly fees or overdraft fees
  • No monthly minimum balance requirements
  • Network of 80,000 ATMs
  • Reimburses up to $20 ATM fees
  • No monthly fees, overdraft fees, and no monthly minimum balance requirements
  • No physical branches
  • Higher APY available at other financial institutions
  • Need to meet certain requirements to receive the dividend

Alliant is an online-only credit union based out of Chicago; however, anyone can qualify for membership. There is no monthly maintenance fee, no overdraft fees, and no monthly minimum balance requirement. To qualify for the high-yield account, you only need to meet two monthly requirements. It's not a bank, so it's not a member of the FDIC, but Alliant accounts are federally insured through the National Credit Union Administration.

The Alliant High Rate Checking account has more than 80,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide. It also offers up to $20 in monthly ATM reimbursements, including international transactions (but not foreign transaction fees). Joining Alliant Credit Union could be as simple as becoming a member of the Foster Care to Success ($5 lifetime membership fee).

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Rates as of Jun 28, 2024

EverBank Performance℠ Checking

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Member FDIC.
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Good
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APY
0.40%
Min. To Earn APY
$0
  • Earns APY
  • Monthly ATM fee reimbursements
  • Purchase protections for debit cards
  • Higher APY available at other financial institutions

The EverBank Performance℠ Checking is a great fit for those who want no monthly fees. While those with larger balances will benefit the most from this account, just about everyone will appreciate the rare debit card protections and ATM fee reimbursements many other online checking accounts skip.

The EverBank Performance℠ Checking will reimburse all out-of-network ATM fees. But there's a catch: Account holders need to maintain a $5,000 daily balance to get unlimited. Otherwise, account holders will get up to $15 of fee reimbursements each month.

Tips for avoiding ATM fees

If you're currently paying ATM fees, here's what you can do to avoid these pesky charges.

  • Open a checking account with no ATM fees: This is the easiest way to avoid ATM fees. Period. By opening any of the bank accounts listed above, you'll have no-fee ATM transactions at your disposal.
  • Use your bank's in-network ATMs: Most banks have a network of fee-free ATMs. Although these ATMs will have some transaction limits, you can use them without incurring a charge. Many of these banks will also help you find its ATMs through locators on their mobile apps or websites.
  • Get cash back at a cash register. Some stores will let you withdraw cash for free when you check out. For example, many grocery stores, gas stations, and department stores will let you withdraw small amounts of cash with a debit card. That said, many places have caps on how much you can withdraw.

All in all, you don't have to pay ATM fees if you don't want to. Take a look at the checking accounts above, compare their other features -- like APY, checking account fees, and debit card rewards -- and start saving on ATM fees today.