Finding the easiest bank accounts to open online is easy with the internet today.
There are hundreds of options when opening a bank account online. Knowing which bank accounts offer the most features and are the fastest to open can help you start the path to reaching your financial goals faster.
Today, you can bank completely online without stepping foot in a bank. It sounds complicated, but it’s really not.
15 Easiest Bank Accounts to Open Online
Here are the top 15 easiest bank accounts to open online in the US today:
- UFB Direct
- Varo
- Albert
- Discover
- Marcus
- Chime
- Chase Bank
- Ally Bank
- Juno
- Synchrony
- Current
- Wells Fargo
- United Bank
- Axos Bank
- Wise
1. UFB Direct
UFB Direct is a division of Axos Bank, and like Axos, it doesn’t offer checking accounts. But it does provide competitive savings and money market accounts, with some of the highest savings yields in the country.
There are no account minimums or monthly fees to worry about. And you don’t have to maintain a set amount to earn the highest interest rate—all balances earn the same amount.
The savings account comes with a debit card, and you can make fee-free withdrawals from more than 91,000 ATM locations.
UFB Direct is fully online, but it offers 24/7 customer support, so you have full access to representatives when you need assistance with your accounts.
How to Open an Account Online:
You can open a UFB Direct account in a few minutes. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. To get started, you’ll need to provide your name, date of birth, address, contact information, and Social Security Number.
Simply choose the account you want to open and complete the online application. You can also submit questions to UFB Direct’s team through a contact form before committing to an account.
Learn more:
2. Varo
While it doesn’t offer the extensive product lineup that some banks in this review do, Varo is a straightforward, user-friendly option with convenient checking and savings accounts.
The Varo Bank Account offers easy online checking with no minimum balance requirements, monthly account fees, or overdraft fees. You also get direct deposits two business days early.
Once you open a Varo checking account, you can enroll in Varo Savings. The account has no minimum requirements and pays competitive interest on every penny in your account.
When you meet certain requirements, you can jump from 3.00% APY to 5.00%. The account also has automated savings tools to help you make the most of your savings.
With Varo Advance, you can borrow up to $250 with no interest, for a $20 fee. Varo also offers a fee-free secured credit card called Varo Believe if your credit needs a boost.
How to Open an Account Online:
You can open a Varo checking account in a few minutes. To be eligible for an account, you need to be at least 18 years old and have a smartphone to access the Varo app. You’ll need to download the Varo app, click “Get Started,” then provide your name, contact info, address, Social Security Number, and info from your government-issued ID.
There’s no minimum deposit requirement, but you can fund your account once your identity is verified. After opening this account, you can also opt to open a Varo Savings Account.
Learn more:
3. Albert
Albert is a tech-savvy online banking service backed by member FDIC Sutton Bank. The mobile banking platform offers checking, savings, and investing services.
Albert’s cash account comes with a cashback debit card, 2-day early pay, and access to more than 55,000 fee–free ATMs.
Similar to other banks in this guide, Albert doesn’t charge monthly maintenance fees or have minimum account balance requirements. As an added bonus, you can get cash advances of up to $250 without any fees.
You can also automate your savings and enjoy an annual bonus on your savings, with additional benefits if you enroll in Albert’s premium Genius plan.
How to Open an Account Online:
Albert claims you can set up an account in five minutes. You must be 18 years or older, be a resident of the U.S., and have a bank account with a US bank or credit union to be approved for an account.
You also need to have a smartphone that will support Albert’s app, which is available in the Apple App store and the Google Play store.
To create a new account, you’ll first need to download the mobile app and provide your name, phone number, email, and address. You’ll also be asked to verify your phone number with an SMS verification code.
From there, Albert will ask you questions about yourself and your financial goals and prompt you to link your existing bank account(s) from other financial institutions.
Learn more:
4. Discover
While you might be more familiar with Discover because of its credit cards, it’s also a full-service online bank.
The platform is a user-friendly one-stop shop for managing your finances, with checking, savings, retirement accounts, MMAs, CDs, and loans.
Discover’s fee-free checking account provides 1% cashback on your first $3,000 of debit card purchases each month. You can also get early paychecks and use Apple Pay to earn cashback. Unfortunately, Discover has temporarily paused new applications for its checking account.
But you can still take advantage of Discover’s high-yield savings account, with no minimum deposit requirement or monthly management fees.
How to Open an Account Online:
When you sign up, Discover will ask for basic info like your name, address, and Social Security Number. You can make a deposit when your register or come back later. You can also call Discover’s customer support for assistance during the process.
Discover will send you an email confirmation after you complete the application, then you’re all set to start using your account.
Learn more:
5. Marcus
Marcus is an online bank launched by investment giant Goldman Sachs in 2016.
Marcus provides credit cards, loans, investment services, CDs, and savings accounts. While the lack of a checking account is a con to consider, the savings account is atop-notch choice.
It offers competitive interest and checks all the boxes of a top online savings account, with no minimum deposit requirements or fees. That includes outgoing wire transfer fees, which a lot of banks charge for. You can also enjoy same-day transfers up to $100,000.
The Marcus app is easy to use, and the website provides extensive financial tools, including calculators and Marcus Insights to help you manage your finances.
How to Open an Account Online:
To open an online account with Marcus by Goldman Sachs, you need to provide your name, contact information, Social Security Number, and employment status.
If you’re already a Marcus customer, you can log in and have this information pre-filled. Once you e-sign the account agreement and privacy policy and your identiy is verified, you can link your checking or savings accounts from other banks and fund your account.
Learn more:
6. Chime
Chime is one of the easiest bank accounts to open online because its simple offerings offer many benefits of online banking. For example, customers can open a checking or savings account at Chime Bank, but you must open a checking account to get the savings account.
Chime Bank doesn’t charge monthly maintenance or overdraft fees, and they have a network of over 60,000 fee-free ATMs. In addition, if you set up direct deposit with Chime, you’ll get early access to your paycheck (two days early), and they don’t charge foreign transaction fees.
Chime doesn’t have a minimum balance requirement, which makes it easy to open because you don’t have to worry about a certain amount of money being deposited.
Chime offers two unique and optional features that make saving even easier, too:
- Round up – Chime will round up your purchases made with your Chime debit card to the nearest dollar. Then, they will transfer the difference to your savings account for easy savings.
- Paycheck transfer – You can opt into automatic savings with your paycheck by allowing Chime to transfer 10% of your paycheck to your savings account.
How to Open an Account Online:
To apply for a Chime account, you must complete a quick application with your full name, address, and email. Next, you must download the Chime app and open a checking account with an optional savings account. After that, you’ll receive a free debit card and the option to set up direct deposit.
Learn more:
7. Chase Bank
Chase Bank is one of the country’s largest banks, but they offer a user-friendly online banking program that’s easy to open. The nice thing about Chase Bank’s online banking program is that you get the best of both worlds with the option to bank in person.
Chase offers a wide selection of banking products, including checking, savings, and money market accounts.
Chase Bank runs promotions often to reward customers opening a new bank account, and they offer simple ways to avoid the monthly maintenance fee charged on most bank accounts.
If you feel better about banking at a national bank with one of the largest presences in the country, Chase Bank can be a good option for an easy-to-open online bank account.
How to Open an Account Online:
As long as you’re 18 or older, you can open a Chase bank account online with these steps:
- Compare your bank account options and choose the one that helps you improve your financial situation
- Review and sign the agreements
- Complete an application
- Provide government-issued ID
- Make a deposit
- Activate your debit card
Learn more:
8. Ally Bank
Ally Bank is an online-only bank with many robust features. They offer interest checking, online savings, and even money market accounts for customers to choose how to best manage their money.
Like most online banks, Ally Bank pays higher APYs and doesn’t charge a monthly maintenance or overdraft fee. While Ally Bank is online only, they have many great customer service options to ensure you get the service you need without having to see a banker in-person.
Ally Bank doesn’t require minimum balances to waive monthly fees, and they have a large 43,000 ATM network. However, like most online banks, you must be comfortable managing your money online, including making deposits via mobile or electronic transfers.
How to Open an Account Online:
To open an Ally Bank account, follow these simple steps:
- Choose the account you want to open (checking, savings, money market, or CD)
- Provide your personal identifying information, including your name, address, social security number, and birthdate
- Provide proof of your identity (government-issued IDs)
- Choose your funding method (external bank account) and fund your account
Learn more:
9. Juno
Juno is one of the easiest bank accounts to open online because of its simple yet robust offerings.
You can open a checking account with a debit card at Juno that pays a 5% annualized bonus on deposits up to $10,000. That’s a $500 annual bonus just for using their checking account. You can also earn an additional 3% bonus on any amount over $10,000 and under $250,000.
Juno bank account holders also earn 5% cash back on purchases made with the Juno debit card from over 35 top brands, including crypto purchases. Finally, Juno rewards customers who set up direct deposits by paying Juno coins (cryptocurrency).
Juno is an inexpensive bank account that doesn’t charge monthly fees and only takes a few minutes to open.
How to Open an Account Online:
All Juno requires to open a checking account is the following:
- Name, address, and birthdate
- Cellphone number
- Social security number
- Government-issued documents to verify your identity
Learn more:
10. Synchrony
Synchrony Bank is an online bank; however, they only have savings and CDs; they don’t offer checking accounts. They pay high rates, but you won’t have access to a checking account, so keep that in mind.
Like many online banks, Synchrony Bank doesn’t charge monthly fees, but they also pay some of the highest interest rates on their savings accounts. You don’t need a minimum balance to earn the APY, and you won’t pay ATM fees if you use one of their network ATMs.
If you use an out-of-network ATM, Synchrony Bank will reimburse account holders up to $5 a month in non-network ATM fees.
How to Open an Account Online:
It’s easy to open an online bank account at Synchrony Bank with these steps:
- Complete the online application
- Provide your personal identifying information
- Provide your government-issued ID
- Link a funding account
- Transfer funds to your new savings account or CD
Learn more:
11. Current
Current isn’t a traditional online bank; it’s a neobank. Neobanks use FDIC-insured banks to partner with and provide banking services without being a bank themselves.
Account holders must be comfortable using the Current app to conduct banking transactions, but in exchange, they can earn competitive APYs and rewards for using the debit card. Current also offers budgeting tools and savings pods to help you achieve your financial goals.
Current doesn’t have minimum balance requirements, and they don’t charge monthly fees. Each time you use your rewards debit card at a partner retailer, you earn points you can redeem for cash or prizes.
Current uses the Allpoint ATM network, which has 40,000 ATMs but checking account customers don’t get a checkbook. Instead, you must pay bills using an ACH transfer or debit card.
How to Open an Account Online:
To sign up for Current, you’ll need a government-issued ID, a permanent U.S. address, and a smartphone to receive SMS text messages. You must be 18 years old to complete the application, and there’s no minimum deposit required.
Learn more:
12. Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo is a national bank that offers in-person and online banking. Their large presence makes it easy to waive monthly maintenance fees, and they have many bank accounts to offer customers.
Because Wells Fargo isn’t only an online bank, they don’t offer the most competitive interest rates, but you get access to 4,700 branches and 12,000 network ATMs. So if you prefer a ‘big name bank,’ you can easily open an online bank account at Wells Fargo, with the reassurance of the ability to bank in person as needed.
How to Open an Account Online:
To open a bank account online at Wells Fargo, you must be at least 18 years old. Younger applicants are required to apply at a local branch.
The online application will ask for personal information, including your name, address, birth date, and social security number. In addition, you must prove your identity and deposit at least $25 in the chosen account to begin banking online.
Learn more:
13. United Bank
United Bank offers a wide range of banking products online, including checking, savings, and CDs. United Bank has 222 full-service banks but also offers a robust online banking program to make it easy to bank from anywhere.
United Bank offers a variety of options, including free checking and savings accounts and accounts with fees that offer rewards and interest on your balances. In addition, United Bank offers the standard features of most online banks, including mobile deposit, free bill pay, Zelle, and budgeting tools.
How to Open an Account Online:
To open an account, you must complete an online application, provide your government-issued driver’s license or state ID, disclose your social security number, and make an opening deposit.
14. Axos Bank
Axos Bank is an online-only bank that doesn’t charge fees and offers rewards checking, savings, CDs, MMAs, and IRAs. Even though they don’t have in-person banks, they offer 24/7 customer service, including phone and online chat.
Axos Bank offers competitive interest rates, but you must meet the deposit requirements to earn the highest rates. They offer tiered rates for low balances and reward you for higher balances. In addition, Axos bank offers an unlimited amount of ATM fee reimbursements.
How to Open an Account Online:
It takes 15 minutes to open an account. Simply choose the account you want to open and complete the online application. You’ll disclose your personal identifying information and provide proof of your identification with a driver’s license or state ID and your opening deposit.
Learn more:
15. Wise
Wise is a money transfer service that makes sending or receiving money from international countries easy. Account holders can also have a multi-currency account that includes a Mastercard debit card to conduct transactions.
How to Open an Account Online:
It takes 10 minutes to apply for a Wise account but two days to get approved. First, you’ll complete an application and must provide your government-issued ID and a selfie of you holding the ID.
Frequently Asked Questions
Check out these common questions from people like you if you want to learn more about online banking.
What bank can I open an account online with no deposit?
Ally Bank, Discover, and Axos Bank don’t require an opening deposit. Instead, you can apply for an account and fund it at a later date if necessary. If you’re trying to earn interest on your bank account or need to use the funds to pay bills or buy necessities, it makes sense to fund your account immediately.
Can I open a bank account online and useit right away?
Each bank has different requirements. While the easiest bank accounts to open online take only a few minutes, it might be a day or two before you can use them. The bank must verify your identity and set up your account, which can take a couple of days.
What bank gives you money just for opening an account?
Chase Bank is the most common bank to offer promotions. They pay $100 – $250 depending on the bank account, the amount you deposit, and the current promotion. So always check back for the latest promotions to see what they offer.
What banks do not require a credit check to open an account?
Most banks don’t require a credit check to open an account. Instead, they’ll verify your identity; some may check the ChexSystem to see your banking history. They look for bounced checks or inappropriate use of your funds when determining if you qualify for an account.
Which banks do basic bank accounts?
Many banks have basic bank accounts, including Ally Bank and Chase Bank. In addition, many online banks offer free accounts, but keep in mind free accounts usually mean they don’t pay interest.
Can you open a bank account with poor credit?
You can open a bank account with poor credit, but not if you have a bad banking history. If your ChexSystems report is clear, you can open a bank account if your credit score is low, but not if you have a bad ChexSystems history. However, if you have a bad ChexSystems history, you may need a second-chance bank account.
