The Best American Bank Accounts Without a Credit Check
Byron Mühlberg
Guide
Monito's Managing Editor, Byron has spent several years writing extensively about financial- and migration-related topics.
Jarrod Suda
Reviewer
A writer and editor at Monito, Jarrod is passionate about helping people apply today’s powerful finance technologies to their lives. He brings his background in international affairs and his experiences living in Japan to provide readers with comprehensive information that also acknowledges the local context.
Links on this page, including products and brands featured on ‘Sponsored’ content, may earn us an affiliate commission. This does not affect the opinions and recommendations of our editors.
Read moreAlthough traditional banks don't always look at your credit score to open a normal checking or savings account, many banks might still run a check on your financial history. And although they're not as tough as the credit checks you'll face when taking out a loan, mortgage, credit card, or overdraft, these screenings will be able to determine if you've not paid back any old overdrafts or if you've racked up any overdraft fees or bounced any checks in the past.
Fortunately, as more and more of our financial lives rest on the internet, it's becoming easier and easier than ever before to open a no-credit-check bank account completely online without having to go through a credit check or financial history screening. In this short guide, we detail six of the best no-credit-check bank accounts in the USA, providing our assessments of each along the way.
According to our analysis of dozens of finance apps, Revolut is the best no-credit-check account to open online in the USA. It gives you an FDIC-insured online checking account and a debit card within minutes, all without any credit checks or financial history screenings!
Best: Revolut
Account | |
---|---|
Time to apply | 5 minutes |
Time to verify | 1-3 business days |
Credit check | None |
Documents needed |
|
Minimum deposit | $0.00 |
UK-based financial technology company Revolut partners with FDIC-insured US banks to provide money transfer and currency exchange services through its app. Offerings include domestic transfers, international remittances, and multi-currency accounts. Additional features include early direct deposit, free ATM withdrawals or an interest-earning savings account, junior accounts, and even stocks and precious metals. Revolut also offers many internationally-oriented features, like ten free foreign transfers a month, free foreign exchange up to $1,000 a month, and the ability to hold a balance in foreign currencies, making it a good choice for those who frequently travel abroad.
Revolut is a financial technology company, not a bank. For more information, see our Revolut review or visit their website.
2nd Best: Chime
Account | |
---|---|
Time to apply | 2 minutes |
Time to verify | 1-2 business days |
Credit check | None |
Information required |
|
Minimum deposit | $0.00 |
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC.
Founded in 2013, Chime® is one of the most popular mobile financial apps and debit cards in the US, as its 12 million customers can attest. You can open an account online through Chime in just two minutes with no credit check or minimum balance.
Once you're signed up, Chime will charge you no monthly fees¹ and give you a panel of features, including overdraft on debit card purchases and cash withdrawals⁵ offered via a special optional service called SpotMe®.
Chime also provides free in-network ATM withdrawals¹ and offers APY of 2.00% via its Chime Savings Account³ (to open this, you need to have opened a Chime Checking Account). There are a few downsides, most notably the fact that you won't be able to send or receive wire transfers, and you can pay a lot in fees if you need to add cash to the app. On the whole, though, Chime offers simple online checking that's well-liked by its users, and if you're looking for a mobile financial app and you don't need an extensive list of features, we believe that Chime is probably the best choice you could make.
To learn more, see our Chime review or visit their website.
3rd Best: Capital One
Account | |
---|---|
Time to apply | 5 minutes |
Time to verify | 1-3 business days |
Credit check | None |
Information needed |
|
Minimum deposit | $0.00 |
Exceedingly cheap to use — even when travelling abroad — and offering solid functionality with the peace of mind afforded by a reputable financial institution, Capital One's 360 Checking Account is one of the best no-credit-check bank accounts to open and provides US residents with a cheap, accessible and online way to bank. What's more, the application process is quick and can be done entirely online.
For more information, see our Capital One review or visit their website.
4th Best: Current
Account | |
---|---|
Time to apply | 2 minutes |
Time to verify | 1-5 business days |
Credit check | None |
Required information |
|
Minimum deposit | $0.00 |
Current’s checking account doesn’t have as much functionality as some other banks in this ranking, so if you’re looking to make use of its premium features, it might be worth weighing other options before subscribing to the paid plan, especially if their rewards program doesn’t seem to offer much in your area. There’s one area where we think Current as the edge, however: if you’re looking to open a monitored account for your teens, they’re one of the better options.
See our Current review or visit their website to learn more.
5th Best: Wise
Account | |
---|---|
Time to apply | 10 minutes |
Time to verify | 2 business days |
Credit check | None |
Required documents |
|
Minimum deposit | $0.00 |
You might be familiar with Wise if you often need to send or receive money abroad. Formerly known as TransferWise, this UK-based fintech made its name by enabling cheap and fast international money transfers, bypassing traditional SWIFT transfers — which makes it a frequently featured player in Monito’s comparison engine!
Aside from its money transfer product, Wise also offers a multi-currency account, which comes with a debit MasterCard. Its main feature is that it allows you to hold money in more than 50 currencies and gives you account details for 10 of them, including USD, EUR or GBP (though note that you will have to pay a small fee actually to exchange money).
To learn more, read our Wise Account review or visit their website.
6th Best: Majority
Account | |
---|---|
Time to apply | 5 minutes |
Time to verify | 1-3 business days |
Credit check | None |
Information required |
|
Minimum deposit | $0.00 |
Focused on immigrants and newcomers, Majority is a secure digital banking platform that offers multi-lingual support to its clients and a powerful mobile app with international calling features to help them connect with family back home and low-cost international money transfers.
A great option for residents in the United States and those who get paid in US dollars, Majority is a debit card and checking account for immigrants that we recommend, especially for newcomers and those with family living abroad.
For more information, see our Majority review or visit their website.
FAQ About Online Banking
🔎 What is a no-credit-check bank account?
A no-credit-check bank account is a type of account offered by financial institutions that doesn't require a credit check during the account opening process. Traditional bank accounts often need a credit check or a financial screening to assess an individual's financial history and creditworthiness. However, with a no-credit-check version, you can still open and use a bank account, even with poor credit or no credit history.
💵 What are the fees for no-credit-check bank accounts?
While fees vary depending on the financial institution, many no-credit-check bank accounts come with costs. Standard fees include monthly maintenance, ATM withdrawal, overdraft, and transaction fees. It's essential to carefully review the fee structure before opening an account to understand the potential costs.
🧾 Can I build credit with a no-credit-check bank account?
No-credit-check bank accounts don't typically directly contribute to building or improving your credit score. Since no credit check is involved, the account activity is not reported to credit bureaus. However, having a bank account and managing it responsibly can indirectly help you establish a positive financial history, which may be beneficial when applying for credit in the future.
💻 What online bank should I use?
If you're from the US, we recommend Revolut as the best online checking account overall. It gives you low fees across the board and a panel of features, including local US account details to receive payments and a low bar to entry. It also provide excellent foreign exchange services, although frequent ATM withdrawals can become pricey.
🖱 What is the best account to open without a credit check?
We think Chime is the best account to open online without a credit check. It gives you a mobile financial app and debit card within normally two days— with a two-minute application process and no credit check!
✅ What is the easiest bank account to get approved for?
There's no clear easiest bank account to get approved for. With any bank account you apply for, in theory, your application could be rejected. However, if you're looking for an account where verification takes place quickly, we recommend Current, the verification process of which is automatic and normally completed in mere seconds!
🛂 Can I open a bank account if I am an illegal alien?
Although it's difficult, opening a bank account in the US as an undocumented immigrant is possible. Find out how in our dedicated explainer here.
💸 Can I open a bank account without money?
Yes, it's normally possible to open a bank account without money. Many US banks require a minimum deposit of around $25 to $100 to open a checking account, but some (especially online banks) don't require any minimum initial deposit at all.
Disclaimers
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services and debit card provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A.; Members FDIC. Credit Builder card issued by Stride Bank, N.A.
¹ Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and over-the-counter advance fees may apply. See here for details.
² To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Chime Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash loads or deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits.
³ The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") for the Chime Savings Account is variable and may change anytime. The disclosed APY is effective as of September 20, 2023. No minimum balance is required. Must have $0.01 in savings to earn interest.
⁴ On-time payment history can have a positive impact on your credit score. Late payment may negatively impact your credit score. Results may vary.
⁵ SpotMe® on Credit is an optional, no-interest/no-fee overdraft line of credit tied to the Secured Deposit Account available to qualifying members with an active Chime Credit Builder Account. SpotMe on Debit is an optional, no-fee overdraft service attached to the Chime Checking Account available to qualifying members after Visa debit card activation. Both SpotMe on Credit and SpotMe on Debit are sometimes collectively referred to as "SpotMe" or, if you have signed up to use SpotMe with only one account, "SpotMe" means the elected service. To qualify for SpotMe, you must receive $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits to your Chime Checking Account monthly. Qualifying members will be allowed to overdraw their Chime Checking Account and/or Secured Deposit Account (associated with your Chime Credit Builder credit card) up to $20 but may be later eligible for a higher limit of up to $200 or more based on Chime account history, direct deposit frequency and amount, spending activity and other risk-based factors. The SpotMe limit will be displayed within the Chime mobile app and is subject to change at any time, at Chime’s sole discretion. Although Chime does not charge any overdraft fees for SpotMe, there may be out-of-network or third-party fees associated with ATM transactions. SpotMe Debit Terms and Conditions and SpotMe on Credit Terms and Conditions.
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