Keep the Change rounds up your debit card purchases and moves the difference to savings
Keep the Change is a Bank of America savings feature that automatically rounds up every debit card purchase you make to the nearest dollar and transfers the rounded-up amount to a linked savings account. If you buy coffee for $3.47, the program moves $0.53 to savings. If you spend $12.00 exactly, nothing transfers that transaction.
The program is optional and free to set up. You control whether it runs, and you can turn it off at any time. The money stays in your own Bank of America savings account — you own it completely and can withdraw it whenever you want.
Keep the Change works only with debit card purchases, not credit cards, checks, ATM withdrawals, or online bill pay. It also does not apply to transactions at ATMs or to transfers between your own accounts.
Key Takeaways
- Keep the Change rounds up each debit card purchase to the nearest dollar and moves the difference into your linked savings account automatically.
- The program is free, optional, and you can pause or cancel it anytime through your Bank of America app or online banking.
- Only debit card purchases trigger the rounding — ATM withdrawals, bill pay, and credit card transactions do not participate.
- The rounded-up amounts are your own money in your own savings account, not a reward or bonus from the bank.
- Bank of America does not charge a monthly fee for Keep the Change, though your savings account itself may have its own terms.
How to turn Keep the Change on or off
You can enable or disable Keep the Change through your Bank of America online banking portal or mobile app. Log in, go to your account settings, find the Keep the Change option under savings features, and toggle it on. The feature typically activates within one business day.
If you want to pause the program temporarily without canceling it entirely, you can do that through the same menu. Pausing stops new transfers but leaves your existing rounded-up savings in place. You can resume at any time.
To cancel Keep the Change permanently, use the same settings menu and select the option to turn it off. Cancellation takes effect immediately, and no new transfers will occur after that point.
Which account receives the rounded-up amounts
When you set up Keep the Change, you link it to a specific Bank of America savings account. That account must be in your name and held at the same bank. All rounded-up transfers go to that one account.
You can change which savings account receives the transfers by updating your Keep the Change settings. If you close the linked savings account, the program will pause automatically until you link a different one.
The rounded-up money earns whatever interest rate your savings account offers. Bank of America savings accounts typically earn very low interest — the rate varies by account type and changes over time — so the interest earned on Keep the Change deposits is usually minimal.
What transactions do and do not trigger rounding
| Transaction Type | Rounds Up? |
|---|---|
| Debit card purchase at a store or online | Yes |
| Debit card purchase at a restaurant | Yes |
| ATM withdrawal | No |
| Credit card purchase | No |
| Online bill pay | No |
| Transfer between your own accounts | No |
| Recurring debit card transactions | Yes |
| Pending transactions | No (rounds when transaction posts) |
Keep the Change processes rounding only after a transaction fully posts to your account, not while it is still pending. This means a purchase you make today might not trigger a transfer until the next business day or later, depending on how quickly the merchant processes it.
How much you can accumulate and withdrawal limits
There is no cap on how much you can accumulate in Keep the Change transfers. If you make 100 debit card purchases in a month, you could transfer anywhere from $0 to $100 to savings, depending on the amounts. The money sits in your savings account with no maximum balance.
You can withdraw the rounded-up amounts anytime, just as you would withdraw any other money from your savings account. Bank of America savings accounts typically allow six withdrawals per statement cycle before fees or restrictions apply, though this rule has changed over time and varies by account type. Check your account terms or contact Bank of America directly to confirm the current limit for your specific account.
The rounded-up money is not locked in or restricted in any way. It is your money, and you control it completely.
Why someone might use Keep the Change, and why someone might not
Keep the Change works best for people who make frequent small debit card purchases and want a low-effort way to build savings without thinking about it. If you buy lunch, gas, or groceries with your debit card multiple times a week, the small transfers add up over months. The program requires no discipline or decision-making — it happens automatically.
Keep the Change is less useful if you rarely use your debit card, prefer to pay with credit cards, or already have a structured savings plan. The amounts are small — most transfers are under a dollar — so the program will not build large savings quickly. If you need to save money fast or in large amounts, manual transfers or automatic recurring deposits are more effective.
Some people find that rounding up purchases makes them more aware of their spending, which can be helpful. Others find it annoying to see small transfers they did not explicitly authorize, even though they can turn the feature off anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bank of America charge a fee for Keep the Change?
No. Keep the Change itself is free to use. However, your savings account may have its own monthly maintenance fee or other charges depending on the account type and your balance. Check your account agreement or contact Bank of America to see if fees apply to your specific savings account.
Can I use Keep the Change with a debit card from another bank?
No. Keep the Change only works with Bank of America debit cards linked to Bank of America checking accounts. If you have a debit card from another bank, the program will not apply to those transactions.
What happens to my Keep the Change savings if I close my Bank of America account?
The money in your savings account remains yours. If you close your checking account but keep the savings account open, Keep the Change stops working because it needs an active checking account with a debit card. If you close both accounts, you must withdraw the money before closure or it may be handled according to Bank of America's account closure procedures.
Can I set a limit on how much Keep the Change transfers each month?
Keep the Change does not have a built-in monthly cap or limit. You control the program by turning it on or off, but you cannot set a maximum transfer amount. If you want to limit transfers, you would need to pause the program or manually adjust your debit card usage.
Do I earn rewards or cash back on Keep the Change transfers?
No. Keep the Change transfers are not purchases or rewards — they are your own money moving between your accounts. You do not earn cash back, points, or any bonus on the transfers themselves. You may earn interest on the savings account balance, depending on the account type.