11 Best Rewards Checking Accounts of 2024
The best rewards checking accounts offer high interest rates or cash back on spending.
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Rewards usually are associated with credit cards, but some checking accounts have them, too. Perks include high interest rates and cash back.
» Want to explore one-time bonuses? Browse our monthly roundup of best bank account bonuses
Why trust NerdWallet: Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage to help you choose the financial accounts that work best for you. See our criteria for evaluating banks and credit unions.
Here’s a list of our favorite rewards checking accounts.
APYs shown are current as of July 1, 2024. All other information is current as of Feb. 23, 2024.
Rewards usually are associated with credit cards, but some checking accounts have them, too. Perks include high interest rates and cash back.
» Want to explore one-time bonuses? Browse our monthly roundup of best bank account bonuses
Why trust NerdWallet: Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage to help you choose the financial accounts that work best for you. See our criteria for evaluating banks and credit unions.
Here’s a list of our favorite rewards checking accounts.
APYs shown are current as of July 1, 2024. All other information is current as of Feb. 23, 2024.
Best Rewards Checking Accounts
ELIGIBLE FOR REWARD
| Bank/institution | NerdWallet rating | APY | Bonus | Monthly fee | Overdraft star rating | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 SoFi Checking and Savings Learn more at SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC | 0.50% With $0 min. balance for APY | $300 Earn up to $300 with direct deposit. Terms apply. | $0 | 5.0/5 | Learn more at SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC | |
 Discover® Cashback Debit Learn more at Discover® Bank, Member FDIC | N/A | $360 Up to $360 per year. See website for details. | $0 | 4.5/5 | Learn more at Discover® Bank, Member FDIC | |
 nbkc bank Everything Account Learn more at nbkc bank, Member FDIC | 1.75% With $0 min. balance for APY | N/A | $0 | 4.0/5 | Learn more at nbkc bank, Member FDIC | |
 Quontic High Interest Checking | 1.10% With $0.01 min. balance for APY | N/A | $0 | 4.0/5 | Read review | |
 Amalgamated Bank Give-Back Checking | 0.90% With $100 min. balance for APY | N/A | $0 | 3.5/5 | Read review | |
 Bank5 Connect High Interest Checking | 2.70% With $100 min. balance for APY | N/A | $0 | 3.0/5 | Read review | |
 American Express Rewards Checking | 1.00% | N/A | $0 | 3.5/5 | Read review | |
 TAB Bank Kasasa Cash Back® Checking | N/A | N/A | $0 | 4.0/5 | Read review | |
 ZYNLO Bank More Spending Account | 2.00% | N/A | $0 | 4.0/5 | Read review | |
 Connexus Credit Union Xtraordinary Checking | 1.75% With $0 min. balance for APY | N/A | $0 | 4.5/5 | Read review | |
 Upgrade - Rewards Checking Plus Learn more at Upgrade, Deposits are FDIC Insured | N/A | N/A | $0 | 4.0/5 | Learn more at Upgrade, Deposits are FDIC Insured |
0.50%
With $0 min. balance for APY
$300
Earn up to $300 with direct deposit. Terms apply.
$0
5.0/5
Why We Like It
SoFi Checking and Savings gives customers 0.50% APY (variable and subject to change) on balances in the checking portion of their account.
In addition, the savings portion earns 4.60% APY as long as customers set up direct deposit or deposit at least $5,000 every 30 days into their account. Without direct deposit, savings balances earn 1.20% APY.
The account doesn't have monthly or overdraft fees. Customers can also receive their paychecks up to two days early and earn up to 15% cash back on purchases made with their SoFi debit card. New customers can earn a bonus of up to $300 depending on how much they direct deposit within 25 days of their first qualifying direct deposit.
N/A
$360
Up to $360 per year. See website for details.
$0
4.5/5
Why We Like It
Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month. Customers can also get their paychecks up to two days early when they set up direct deposit to their accounts. Discover® Bank has a nationwide network of over 60,000 fee-free ATMs, and customers can also opt in to fee-free overdraft protection.
1.75%
With $0 min. balance for APY
N/A
$0
4.0/5
Why We Like It
NBKC’s Everything Account gives its customers 1.75% APY on all balances. There’s no monthly fee or minimum balance requirement, and customers have access to more than 37,000 fee-free ATMs. NBKC also offers up to $12 in monthly fee reimbursements for out-of-network ATMs.
1.00%
N/A
$0
3.5/5
Why We Like It
Customers with an American Express Rewards Checking account earn 1.00% APY on all balances. They also have access to over 37,000 fee-free MoneyPass ATMs nationwide and 24/7 customer service. The account can only be opened by customers who have an American Express consumer credit card that has been open for at least three months.
N/A
N/A
$0
4.0/5
Why We Like It
TAB Bank’s Kasasa Cash Back Checking gives 1% cash back on debit card spending with no limit on earnings. Customers also get nationwide ATM fee refunds of up to $5 per fee and up to $15 monthly. The account has no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements.
2.00%
N/A
$0
4.0/5
Why We Like It
Zynlo’s More Spending account gives customers a 2.00% APY with a $10 minimum deposit to open the account. Customers have access to more than 55,000 fee-free Allpoint ATMs, and there’s no monthly fee on the account. Customers can also get paid up to two days early when they set up direct deposit with their employer.
1.75%
With $0 min. balance for APY
N/A
$0
4.5/5
Why We Like It
Connexus Xtraordinary Checking customers can earn 1.75% APY on balances of up to $25,000 as well as up to $25 per month in out-of-network ATM fees. To qualify for these benefits, customers have to opt into e-statements and make either $400 in debit card purchases or make 15 debit card transactions per month. Customers won’t earn interest or receive ATM fee reimbursement if they don’t meet these requirements. For customers who keep more than $25,000 in their Xtraordinary Checking account, they’ll earn 0.25% APY for any amount over the threshold.
N/A
N/A
$0
4.0/5
Why We Like It
Upgrade offers its Rewards Checking customers 2% cash back on everyday debit purchases — such as those made at restaurants, bars, convenience stores, drugstores, gas stations, utility companies and streaming services — up to $500 in rewards per year. For other debit card purchases, and for everyday purchases made after the $500 reward limit, customers can earn 1% cash back.
Upgrade charges no monthly fees or overdraft fees. As of May 2024, customers have fee-free access to 55,000 AllPoint ATMs.
Want to compare more options? Here are our other top picks:
Chasing the best rewards can’t make up for having a checking account that lacks features you need or that charges you high fees to access your money. But it’s worth looking for a financial institution that offers you a little extra incentive to bank with it.
Last updated on July 1, 2024
Methodology
Affirm, All America Bank, Alliant Credit Union, Ally Bank, Amalgamated Bank, America First Credit Union, American Express National Bank, Andrews Federal Credit Union, Associated Bank, Axos Bank, Bank of America, Bank5 Connect, Bank7, Barclays, Bask Bank, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, BMO, BMO Alto, Boeing Employees Credit Union, Bread Savings, BrioDirect, Capital One, Carver Federal Savings Bank, Charles Schwab Bank, Chase, Chime, CIBC U.S., CIT Bank, Citibank, Citizens, Citizens Bank, City First Bank, Climate First Bank, Commerce Bank, Community First Credit Union of Florida, ConnectOne Bank, Connexus Credit Union, Consumers Credit Union, Current, Delta Community Credit Union, Discover® Bank, E*TRADE, EverBank (formerly TIAA Bank), Fifth Third Bank, First Foundation, First National Bank, First Tech Federal Credit Union, Flagstar Bank, FNBO Direct, Global Credit Union, GO2bank, Golden 1 Credit Union, Greenwood, Hope Credit Union, Huntington Bank, Industrial Bank, Ivy Bank, KeyBank, Lake Michigan Credit Union, LendingClub Bank, Liberty Bank, Live Oak Bank, M&T Bank, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, Navy Federal Credit Union, NBKC, One, OneUnited Bank, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, PNC, Popular Direct, Quontic Bank, Regions Bank, Revolut, Salem Five Direct, Sallie Mae Bank, Santander Bank, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Security Service Federal Credit Union, Securityplus Federal Credit Union, Self-Help Credit Union, Service Credit Union, SoFi, State Employees’ Credit Union of North Carolina, Suncoast Credit Union, Synchrony Bank, TAB Bank, TD Bank, Truist Bank, U.S. Bank, UFB Direct, Upgrade, USAA Bank, Varo, Vio Bank, Wells Fargo and Zynlo Bank.
To recap our selections...
NerdWallet's Best Rewards Checking Accounts of 2024
- SoFi Checking and Savings
- Discover® Cashback Debit
- nbkc bank Everything Account
- Quontic High Interest Checking
- Amalgamated Bank Give-Back Checking
- Bank5 Connect High Interest Checking
- American Express Rewards Checking
- TAB Bank Kasasa Cash Back® Checking
- ZYNLO Bank More Spending Account
- Connexus Credit Union Xtraordinary Checking
- Upgrade - Rewards Checking Plus
