Chase charges monthly fees on most checking and savings accounts, but you can avoid them by meeting simple 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, a direct deposit, or a combination of smaller requirements. Understanding which accounts have fees and how to avoid them matters because the fee structure varies by account type and changes based on how you use the account.
The fee is not automatic if you may have access to for a waiver. You need to meet the requirement every month, or the fee will post to your account. Chase does not charge a fee one month and waive it the next based on inconsistent activity — it is month-to-month, and you have to stay on top of it.
Key Takeaways
- Chase Total Checking has a $12 monthly fee that waives if you maintain a $500 minimum daily balance, receive a direct deposit, or set up a Chase credit card payment.
- Chase Savings accounts charge $5 per month unless you keep a $300 minimum daily balance or link the account to a may have access to checking account.
- Chase Student Checking and some specialty accounts have no monthly fee at all, regardless of balance or activity.
- If you do not meet the waiver requirement in a given month, the fee posts automatically — Chase does not ask permission first.
- You can call Chase or log into your account online to confirm which waiver option applies to your specific account.
How Chase Total Checking fees work and how to avoid them
Chase Total Checking is the most common Chase checking account. It carries a $12 monthly maintenance fee, but Chase waives it if you meet any one of these conditions: maintain a $500 minimum daily balance, receive a direct deposit of any amount, or set up an automatic payment to a Chase credit card. Some customers also may have access to for a waiver by maintaining a combined balance of $25,000 across multiple Chase accounts, though this is less common for individual customers.
The direct deposit route is the easiest for employed people. Your employer does not have to deposit your entire paycheck — even a small recurring deposit counts. If you are self-employed or do not receive regular deposits, the $500 minimum balance is the most straightforward path. Chase calculates this as your lowest balance on any single day during the month, so you need to stay above $500 every day, not just on average.
If you do not meet any waiver requirement in a given month, the $12 fee posts on the last day of the month. You can request a refund by calling Chase, but they are not obligated to grant it — they will usually do it once or twice if you have been a customer for a while, but repeated requests may be denied.
Chase Savings account fees and balance requirements
Chase Savings accounts charge a $5 monthly maintenance fee. You can waive it by maintaining a $300 minimum daily balance or by linking the savings account to a Chase checking account that has no monthly fee. The $300 minimum is lower than the checking account requirement, but it still means your balance cannot dip below that amount on any single day of the month.
Linking to a fee-free checking account is often the easier route. If you have a Chase Total Checking account that waives its own fee through direct deposit, linking a savings account to it will waive the savings fee as well. This is useful if you want to save money without maintaining a separate high balance.
Accounts with no monthly fees
Chase Student Checking has no monthly maintenance fee, regardless of balance or activity. You must be between 17 and 24 years old and enrolled in school to open one. Once you turn 25 or graduate, Chase converts the account to a regular checking account, which then becomes subject to the $12 monthly fee unless you meet a waiver requirement.
Chase also offers some specialty accounts with no fees, such as certain business checking accounts or accounts tied to specific Chase products. These are less common for personal banking, but they exist. If you are interested in a no-fee account, ask a Chase representative whether any option fits your situation.
What happens if you do not meet the fee waiver requirement
If your account does not meet the waiver requirement in a given month, Chase posts the fee automatically. For checking, that is $12; for savings, that is $5. The fee comes out of your account balance, and if your balance is very low, it could trigger overdraft fees on top of the monthly fee.
You can call Chase at the number on the back of your debit card or log into your online account to check whether you met the requirement for the current month. Chase also sends account statements that show which waiver method you have selected and whether it was met. If you see a fee posted and believe it was an error, you can request a refund, though Chase reserves the right to deny it.
How to change your account type or waiver method
If you are paying monthly fees and want to stop, you have options. You can switch to a different Chase account type, increase your balance to meet the minimum, or set up a direct deposit or credit card payment. You can make these changes online, through the Chase mobile app, or by visiting a branch.
If you want to close your Chase account and move to a bank with no monthly fees, you can do that as well. Some online banks and credit unions charge no monthly fees and have no minimum balance requirements. Closing a Chase account takes a few minutes — you just need to transfer any remaining balance out and call or visit a branch to confirm the closure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Chase refund a monthly fee if I did not know about it?
Chase may refund a single fee if you call and ask, especially if you have been a customer for a while. However, they are not required to, and repeated refund requests are often denied. The best approach is to set up a waiver method now so the fee does not post in the first place.
Does the minimum balance have to be in my checking account, or can it be spread across multiple accounts?
For most Chase checking accounts, the $500 minimum must be in that specific checking account. However, Chase does offer a combined balance waiver if you maintain $25,000 across all your Chase accounts — checking, savings, money market, and CDs combined. Ask your branch whether you may have access to for this option.
If I set up direct deposit, does the entire paycheck have to go to Chase?
No. Even a small recurring direct deposit — such as a side gig payment or a transfer from another account — counts toward the waiver. The amount does not matter, only that it recurs and posts to your Chase account.
What happens to my student checking account when I turn 25?
Chase automatically converts it to a Chase Total Checking account, which then carries the $12 monthly fee unless you meet a waiver requirement. You will receive a notice before the conversion happens, giving you time to set up a waiver method or switch to a different account type.
Are there any Chase accounts with no fees and no minimum balance?
Chase Student Checking has no fee and no minimum balance, but it is only available to students aged 17 to 24. For adults, most Chase accounts require either a fee or a minimum balance. If you want a truly no-fee account, you may need to look at online banks or credit unions.