Chase charges monthly fees on most checking and savings accounts, but you can avoid them by meeting straightforward requirements

Chase does charge monthly maintenance fees on most of its checking and savings accounts. A Chase Total Checking account costs $12 per month, and a Chase Savings account costs $5 per month. However, Chase waives these fees if you meet one of several conditions — the most common being a minimum daily balance or a direct deposit. The fee structure varies by account type, so the amount you pay (or don't pay) depends on which account you open.

The good news is that most people can avoid these fees without much effort. If you have a paycheck or government benefit deposited directly into your Chase account, the fee disappears automatically. If you prefer not to use direct deposit, you can keep a small balance in the account instead. Either way, you have options.

Key Takeaways

  • Chase Total Checking has a $12 monthly fee that disappears if you keep a $500 minimum daily balance or receive a direct deposit of any amount.
  • Chase Savings has a $5 monthly fee that waives with a $300 minimum daily balance or a direct deposit.
  • Chase Student Checking has no monthly fee for the first five years, then converts to a regular checking account with its standard fee structure.
  • Some Chase accounts, like certain money market accounts, have higher minimum balance requirements to avoid fees.
  • You can check your account's specific fee waiver requirements in the Chase app or by calling customer service.

How Chase Total Checking fees work

Chase Total Checking is Chase's standard checking account for most adults. The monthly maintenance fee is $12, but Chase waives it if you meet any one of these conditions: maintain a $500 minimum daily balance, receive a direct deposit in that month, or maintain a linked Chase savings or money market account with a $500 minimum daily balance.

Direct deposit is the easiest route for most people. It does not matter how much your employer deposits — even a small transfer counts. If you have a paycheck, pension, or government benefit set up to go directly into your Chase checking account, the fee is waived automatically each month. You enroll through your employer's payroll system or the benefit provider, and the money flows in without any action needed from you after that.

If you do not have direct deposit, the $500 minimum daily balance means the account cannot drop below that amount on any single day of the month. If your balance dips to $499 on one day, the fee applies that month. Some people find this easier than others depending on how their paychecks land and how they spend. Chase checks your balance every day, so even a temporary dip counts against you.

Chase Savings account fees and waivers

Chase Savings has a $5 monthly maintenance fee. You can waive it by maintaining a $300 minimum daily balance or by receiving a direct deposit of any amount in that month. The $300 threshold is lower than checking because savings accounts are meant to hold money rather than be used for regular spending.

Many people pair a Chase Savings account with a checking account and use the direct deposit from their paycheck to cover both. Since the direct deposit waives the fee on both accounts, you end up paying nothing on either one. This is one of the reasons direct deposit is so popular — it solves the fee problem for multiple accounts at once.

Student and teen accounts with no monthly fees

Chase Student Checking has no monthly fee for the first five years after you open it, as long as you are under 24 years old. After five years or when you turn 24, whichever comes first, the account converts to Chase Total Checking and the $12 monthly fee applies unless you meet a waiver condition.

Chase also offers Chase First Banking for teenagers under 18, which has no monthly fee as long as a parent or guardian is a Chase customer and the account is linked to their account. Once the teen turns 18, the account converts to a standard account with applicable fees. These accounts are designed to give young people time to build banking habits without worrying about fees.

Money market and other account types

Chase offers money market accounts that combine features of checking and savings. These accounts typically have higher minimum balance requirements — often $2,500 or more — to avoid a monthly fee. The fee itself varies by account type but can range from $25 to $100 per month if the minimum is not met.

Chase also offers CDs (certificates of deposit) and individual retirement accounts (IRAs), which generally do not have monthly maintenance fees. However, some accounts may charge fees if you close them early or fail to maintain a required minimum balance at maturity. Always check the specific terms when you open one of these accounts.

What happens if you do not meet the fee waiver conditions

If your account does not meet any of the fee waiver conditions in a given month, Chase charges the monthly maintenance fee. The fee is deducted directly from your account balance. If your balance is very low, the fee could push you into overdraft, which triggers additional overdraft fees on top of the maintenance fee.

You can see whether a fee was charged by checking your account statement in the Chase app or online banking portal. The fee appears as a line item labeled "Monthly Maintenance Fee" or similar. If you notice a fee you believe should have been waived, you can contact Chase customer service to review your account activity for that month and ask them to look into it.

How to avoid Chase monthly fees

The simplest way to avoid fees is to set up direct deposit. If your employer, pension provider, or government agency offers direct deposit, you can enroll through them and have the funds sent to your Chase account. This waives fees on both checking and savings accounts automatically. You only need to set it up once, and it works every month without any additional steps.

If direct deposit is not an option, you can maintain the minimum daily balance. For checking, that is $500; for savings, $300. Some people find it easier to keep a small buffer in their account rather than manage direct deposit enrollment. The key is making sure your balance never dips below the minimum on any day of the month.

If you are a student or teenager, take advantage of the fee-free period while it lasts. Once that period ends, plan ahead to set up direct deposit or maintain the minimum balance so you do not face surprise fees. Setting up direct deposit early is often the easiest transition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Chase charge me a fee if I have direct deposit?

No. If you have a direct deposit posted to your account in a given month, Chase waives the monthly maintenance fee on that account for that month, regardless of your balance. The direct deposit can be from your employer, a pension, Social Security, or another source.

What if my balance drops below the minimum for one day?

If your daily balance falls below the required minimum on even one day of the month, you do not meet the waiver condition for that month and the fee applies. Chase checks your balance every day, so a temporary dip counts. If this happens often, direct deposit may be a better option for you.

Do I have to pay a fee to open a Chase account?

No. Chase does not charge an opening fee or account setup fee. You only pay the monthly maintenance fee if your account does not meet a waiver condition. Some accounts, like student checking, have no monthly fee at all for a set period.

Can Chase remove a fee if I call and ask?

Chase may reverse a single fee if you contact customer service and explain your situation, especially if it is your first time being charged. However, this is not may provide. The more reliable approach is to set up direct deposit or maintain the minimum balance so fees do not occur in the first place.

Are there Chase accounts with no monthly fees at all?

Chase Student Checking has no monthly fee for the first five years. Chase First Banking for teenagers also has no monthly fee while linked to a parent's account. For adults, most accounts have a monthly fee unless you meet a waiver condition, but the fee can be avoided through direct deposit or minimum balance.