20 Banks That Don’t Use ChexSystems (2024)

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If you have had past financial mistakes come back to bite you and have been blacklisted by ChexSystems, you might also have been blocked from opening a bank account. You still have options, however, as not all banks utilize this consumer reporting agency.

Top Banks That Don’t Use ChexSystems

Here’s a quick look at some of the banks that do not use ChexSystems when you are opening a new account.

Keep reading to learn more about these second-chance banks and how they work.

1. TD Ameritrade

Although the TD Ameritrade account application notes that TD may obtain a consumer report to determine an applicant’s eligibility, it doesn’t equivocally state that it will request one. But because it’s a brokerage, you’ll need to open and fund a brokerage account before you can apply for a cash management account. Yes, you might be able to open an account online at TD Ameritrade with no minimum deposit and a spotty banking history.

Here are some of the perks of the cash management account:

• Monthly maintenance fees: None
• Minimum deposit: None
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: Interest on deposits, free ATM withdrawals, unlimited check writing, debit card issued by TD Bank

2. Woodforest National Bank

Woodforest National Bank, a regional financial institution, offers its Second Chance Checking account to customers with a history of banking problems. Here are the details:

• Monthly fees: $9.95 with direct deposit, $11.95 otherwise; $3 for paper statements or choose e-statements for free
• Minimum deposit: $25
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: $9 setup fee required; must open account in person, at a branch

3. GTE Financial

With GTE Financial, you apply for a Go Premium or Go Full Access checking account, and if you don’t get approved, the bank will contact you with information about its Go Further account with easy approval. The account includes unlimited check writing and access to 30,000 fee-free ATMs. Here are more details about the Go Further account:

• Monthly maintenance fee: $9.95, waivable when you meet deposit, debit/credit transaction and e-statement criteria
• Minimum deposit: $5
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: Account upgrade after a year if you meet eligibility criteria

4. Southwest Financial Federal Credit Union

The Texas-based Southwest Financial Federal Credit Union offers the Checkless Checking account, which might be an option if you have had trouble qualifying for a bank account. The account includes the following:

• Monthly service fees: None
• Minimum deposit: None
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: Membership only open to employees of affiliated companies and their immediate family. You must join and open a savings account with a $25 deposit in order to open Checkless Checking..

5. Green Dot

Green Dot is an option if you’re looking for an alternative to a checking account for bad credit. Green Dot’s reloadable, prepaid debit card does not use ChexSystems, and no credit check is required.

Prepaid debit card details include:

• Monthly fees: $7.95, unless you loaded $1,000 or more or more during the previous monthly period
• Minimum deposit: None
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: $3 ATM or teller withdrawal fee; cash reload fee of $5.95 per transaction; paper checks $5.95 for pack of 12

6. Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo offers its Clear Access Banking account to customers who want simplicity in their bank account and are looking for a second chance bank account. Clear Access Banking is geared towards individuals who have had issues opening other bank accounts because of a negative banking history or credit report. No checks are available with this account, but you can use the Wells Fargo mobile app, digital payments and contactless debit card. Other features include:

• Monthly service fee: $5; waived for those ages 13 to 24 years old
• Minimum opening deposit: $25
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: No non-sufficient funds or overdraft fees; student and teen banking is available

7. Capital One

If you’re worried about what Capital One will uncover when it runs a ChexSystems report, you’ll be happy to know that the bank performs a soft pull on your credit instead and looks at other risk factors before approving you. Chances are, if you have a good credit score — or at least some history — you’ll be golden. Here’s what your account will come with:

• Monthly fees: None
• Minimum deposit: At least 1 cent, so the bank will consider the account funded
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: No monthly fees and chance to earn an APY on your balance

8. PNC

PNC offers the Foundation Checking account, which is for those who have had trouble qualifying for a traditional checking account in the past. You’ll need to visit one of PNC’s branches to apply for this account.

• Monthly service charge: $5, waived for account holders age 62 or older
• Minimum deposit: None
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: $0 overdraft and returned item fee; PNC Pay is available to make digital payments

9. Varo Bank

Varo Bank is a no-fee online bank willing to work with customers with bad credit. The bank doesn’t look at ChexSystems reports or run your credit report to determine if you’re creditworthy, which ensures you’re in the clear to open a checking account. Here are the details:

• Monthly fees: None
• Minimum deposit: None
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: Receive paycheck by direct deposit; get paid up to two days earlier

Good To Know

Some people may confuse the information ChexSystems collects with what is shown on your credit report or with FICO scores. ChexSystems creates its own consumer file about your banking history. The two are indirectly related. You may have a negative ChexSystems file and a high FICO score, although it’s more common that individuals have a low credit score and negative marks on their ChexSystems file.

10. San Diego County Credit Union

According to SDCCU, you might not be excluded from opening an account even if you have a history of bounced checks or bad credit. You’ll need to live or work in San Diego, Riverside or Orange counties to qualify. Here’s more information about SDCCU’s Classic Checking account:

• Monthly fees: $5, waived with a minimum account balance or by receiving direct deposits
• Minimum deposit: $25
• Minimum balance: None, unless you’d like to avoid monthly fee
• What else you need to know: Earns dividends with average daily balance of $1,500 or more

11. Credit Union One

Based in Michigan, Credit Union One allows you to open a no-credit-check bank account. The Basic Checking account is designed to help customers get back on their feet. Here’s what you need to know:

• Monthly fees: $15, or $10 when you receive direct deposits
• Minimum deposit: $25
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: Platinum debit card included; one point for every $3 spent, redeemable for travel, cash, gift cards and merchandise

12. Navy Federal Credit Union

According to a representative for Navy Federal, the credit union hasn’t used ChexSystems to approve or deny checking accounts in years. Navy Federal is only available as an option if you can qualify for membership. Membership is open to veterans, active or retired military personnel, Department of Defense personnel and family members of those who qualify to join. You’ll have up to five checking account options to choose from, based on your balance or student status.

• Monthly fees: None except for a $10 fee for Flagship Checking, waived with an average daily balance of $1,500 or more
• Minimum deposit: None
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: Varying dividends paid, depending on the account; NFCU debit card included

13. SoFi

The SoFi Checking and Savings cash management account is a good way to stay off the ChexSystems radar. You’ll even earn a competitive APY if you have direct deposit. Although SoFi isn’t a bank, you can rest assured that your money will be FDIC insured when it arrives at SoFi’s partner banks.

Here’s what you can expect from this online-only option:

• Monthly fees: None
• Minimum deposit: None
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: No ATM fees at over 55,000 Allpoint cash machines

14. US Bank

U.S. Bank’s Safe Debit account is a check-free account option. A bank representative said that it doesn’t use ChexSystems to approve or deny a Safe Debit account. You may not have as much functionality as you would with a standard checking account, but at least you’ll be able to pay bills and perform other cash-management tasks. Plus, you’ll be able to track your progress thanks to free credit score access for Safe Debit account holders.

• Monthly fees: $4.95
• Minimum deposit: $25
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: Comes with a Visa debit card; no overdraft fees

15. Renasant Bank

Renasant Bank serves the South with about 200 locations in seven states. You won’t have to worry about past mistakes with Renasant — the bank doesn’t use ChexSystems before it approves your account. You’ll have three checking options and one student checking account to choose from.

• Monthly fees: $6.50 to $10; $10 fee waivable when you meet balance or transaction requirements
• Minimum deposit: $50
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: Earn interest on your balance on all accounts except the Renasant Simple Checking account

16. Go2Bank

Go2Bank is Green Dot’s second generation of banking for individuals looking for bank accounts that avoid credit checks and ChexSystems. It was originally called GoBank, but changes were made to the mobile-only platform, requiring some reinvention. Go2Bank makes banking inexpensive and easy, offering a chance to anyone having trouble opening an account.

• Monthly fees: $5, waived with direct deposit
• Minimum deposit: None
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: Receive pay up to two days earlier; earn up to 7% cash back when you buy electronic gift cards at participating retailers.

17. Acorns

Acorns is a mobile brokerage primarily set up for investing. However, you could open an Acorns Checking account and avoid ChexSystems and credit pulls once your Acorns account has been verified. The Acorns Checking account is low in fees and can give you a great opportunity to turn over a new leaf by managing banking, investments and even retirement funding in one place.

• Monthly fees: Starts at $3 per month for an individual account
• Minimum deposit: You’ll be asked to deposit $25 to begin using your card as soon it arrives
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: Receive direct deposits two days earlier; automatically invest part of your paychecks

18. LendingClub

LendingClub doesn’t do a credit check on Rewards Checking applicants — other than a soft pull to verify identity. So chances are, you don’t have to worry about it looking at a ChexSystems report, either.

• Monthly fees: None
• Minimum deposit: $25
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: No overdraft fees, 1% cash back on qualified debit purchase, minimum balance of $2,500 to earn interest

19. Mph.bank

Mph.bank’s Fresh* digital checking account is a second-chance account for people who’ve been turned down by other banks because of prior ChexSystems reports. You can be approved for an account as long as you have no more than three ChexSystems charge-offs with a combined balance of $1,000 or less.

• Monthly fees: $9 per month
• Minimum deposit: $25
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: $10 overdraft fee; Goals savings account earns 1% annual percentage yield

20. First American Bank

Fresh Start Checking from First American Bank helps you get back on track after past issues with previous banks. First American has branches in Illinois, Wisconsin and Florida.

• Monthly fees: $9.95 per month
• Minimum deposit: None
• Minimum balance: None
• What else you need to know: Unlimited check writing, 55,000 surcharge-free ATMs

What Is ChexSystems?

ChexSystems is a reporting agency that collects data from banks and credit unions on consumers’ checking and savings account activity. The company uses this information to create tools — including consumer reports — that financial institutions can use to screen potential customers.

The agency helps banks and credit unions screen potentially risky applicants by issuing reports that detail previous financial issues like overdrawn and closed accounts and unpaid debt. Once you’ve been flagged by ChexSystems, you might have a difficult time obtaining a bank account.

Final Take

Some banks ignore a bad consumer report and give customers a second chance at maintaining a checking account. Checking accounts for customers with a troubled banking history typically come with fees, but it’s the perfect way to get back in the game if you’ve had financial problems in the past. Banks with no consumer checks, or even credit checks, do exist; you just need to know where to find the best second-chance banking accounts.

Melanie Grafil, Lia Sestric, Cynthia Measom, Gabrielle Olya and Daria Uhlig contributed to the reporting for this article.

Rates are subject to change; unless otherwise noted, rates are updated periodically. All other information on accounts is accurate as of Mar. 26, 2024.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.

Lending Club: Rates from 5.99% to 35.96%* APR. Best APR is available to borrowers with excellent credit.