Chase charges monthly fees on most checking and savings accounts, but you can waive them by meeting specific requirements
Chase does charge monthly maintenance fees on most of its consumer checking and savings accounts. The fee amount varies by account type—typically between $12 and $25 per month. However, Chase offers multiple ways to waive these fees, and some accounts have no monthly fee at all. The most common waiver is maintaining a minimum daily balance, though other options include setting up direct deposit, keeping a linked savings account, or using Chase's mobile app for statements.
The fee structure depends on which account you hold. Chase's basic checking account (Chase Total Checking) costs $12 per month unless you waive it. Their premium checking account (Chase Sapphire Checking) costs $25 per month. Savings accounts typically charge $5 per month. If you do not meet the waiver requirements, the fee posts to your account automatically each month.
Key Takeaways
- Chase Total Checking charges $12 monthly, but the fee disappears if you maintain a $500 minimum daily balance or set up direct deposit of at least $500 per month.
- Chase Sapphire Checking charges $25 monthly and requires either a $15,000 minimum daily balance or $5,000 in linked Chase savings to waive the fee.
- Chase Savings accounts charge $5 monthly, waived by keeping $300 minimum daily balance or linking to a may have access to Chase checking account.
- Chase offers one account with no monthly fee at all: Chase Secure Checking, designed for people building or rebuilding credit.
- Monthly fees post automatically if you do not meet waiver requirements, but you can call Chase to request a one-time reversal if you miss the threshold by a small amount.
How to waive the monthly fee on Chase Total Checking
Chase Total Checking is the most common account Chase offers. It carries a $12 monthly fee, but you can eliminate it in three ways. The first is maintaining a minimum daily balance of $500—this means your account balance must stay at or above $500 every single day of the month. If your balance dips below $500 even once, the fee posts. The second waiver is setting up direct deposit of at least $500 per month from your employer or another source. The third is maintaining a linked Chase savings account with at least $300 in it.
Many people find the direct deposit waiver easiest because it requires no ongoing balance maintenance. If you receive a paycheck, government benefit, or regular transfer of $500 or more per month, that counts. You set it up once and the waiver applies automatically each month going forward. If you do not have direct deposit but can maintain the $500 balance, that works too—just be aware that unexpected expenses can push you below the threshold.
Chase Sapphire Checking and its higher fee structure
Chase Sapphire Checking is a premium account that costs $25 per month. It comes with benefits like higher interest rates on balances and priority customer service, but the fee is substantially higher than Total Checking. To waive it, you must meet one of two requirements: maintain a minimum daily balance of $15,000 or keep a linked Chase savings account with at least $5,000.
This account makes sense only if you have significant cash reserves or if the higher interest rate on your balance outweighs the $25 monthly cost. For most people, Chase Total Checking with the direct deposit waiver is a better fit. If you are considering Sapphire Checking, calculate whether the interest you earn on $15,000 exceeds $25 per month—it usually does not.
Chase Savings account fees and how to avoid them
Chase Savings accounts charge $5 per month. You can waive this fee by maintaining a minimum daily balance of $300 or by linking the savings account to a may have access to Chase checking account. The linked account waiver is often the easiest path because it requires no separate balance threshold—as long as your checking account exists and is in good standing, your savings account fee disappears.
If you are building an emergency fund or saving for a specific goal, the $5 monthly fee can add up quickly if you do not meet the balance requirement. Many people open a Chase savings account alongside their checking account specifically to trigger the fee waiver on both accounts.
Chase Secure Checking: the account with no monthly fee
Chase offers one account with no monthly maintenance fee: Chase Secure Checking. This account is designed for people who are building or rebuilding credit or who have a history of overdrafts. It has no minimum balance requirement and no monthly fee under any circumstance.
The trade-off is that Secure Checking does not come with a debit card by default, though you can request one. It also does not earn interest. For someone with limited funds or an unstable balance, this account eliminates the risk of monthly fees entirely. You can always move to a different Chase account later once your financial situation stabilizes.
What happens if you fall below the minimum balance
If your account balance drops below the required threshold on any day of the month, Chase posts the monthly fee automatically. The fee appears as a debit to your account, usually on the last business day of the month. If you are only slightly below the threshold—say, $50 short of the $500 minimum—you can call Chase customer service and request a one-time fee reversal. They do not always grant it, but many customers report success on their first request, especially if they have a good account history.
If you miss the threshold repeatedly, Chase may close your account or move you to a different account type. Repeated overdrafts or fee reversals signal to Chase that you cannot maintain the account as designed. It is better to switch to an account with a waiver method you can actually meet—like direct deposit—than to repeatedly fall short and request reversals.
Monthly fees versus overdraft fees and other charges
Chase's monthly maintenance fees are separate from overdraft fees. If your account goes negative, you pay an overdraft fee on top of the monthly maintenance fee. Overdraft fees at Chase are typically $35 per occurrence. You can opt out of overdraft coverage to prevent these fees, though that means transactions will be declined if you do not have sufficient funds. Monthly maintenance fees are unavoidable unless you meet a waiver requirement or switch accounts.
Chase also charges fees for other services: wire transfers, stop payments, cashier's checks, and excessive ATM withdrawals from out-of-network machines. These are separate from the monthly maintenance fee and apply only when you use those specific services. The monthly fee posts regardless of whether you use the account actively.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I waive my Chase monthly fee if I have multiple accounts?
Yes. If you link a savings account to your checking account, the savings account fee waiver applies. If you have two checking accounts, each one has its own waiver requirements—meeting the threshold on one does not waive the fee on the other. However, a single direct deposit can waive fees on multiple accounts if they are linked.
What if I do not have direct deposit or enough money for the minimum balance?
Switch to Chase Secure Checking, which has no monthly fee and no minimum balance. You lose the debit card and interest earnings, but you eliminate the fee entirely. Once your financial situation improves, you can move to a different account type.
Does Chase charge monthly fees on business accounts?
Yes, but the fee structure is different. Chase business checking accounts typically charge $15 to $25 per month with different waiver requirements, usually based on minimum balance or monthly transaction volume. Contact Chase directly for current business account fees, as they vary by account type.
Can I get a monthly fee reversed if I just opened the account?
Chase may reverse a fee once if you call within a few days of it posting, especially if you are a new customer. Explain that you did not understand the waiver requirements or that you are working to meet them. They have discretion to reverse one fee per account per year, though this is not may provide.
Do Chase online-only accounts have monthly fees?
Chase does not currently offer online-only checking or savings accounts separate from its branch network. All Chase consumer accounts are available through both branches and online banking. Monthly fees and waiver requirements are the same whether you bank online or in person.