10 Best Rewards Checking Accounts for November 2023

All information about American Express® Rewards Checking has been collected independently by GOBankingRates and has not been reviewed or approved by American Express. American Express® Rewards Checking is not available through GOBankingRates.
Checking accounts are an essential part of your day-to-day spending, consuming and participating in capitalism. Cash has gone the way of the dinosaur, so if everyone has to use a checking account, why not find one with some perks?
The good news is that many banks and financial institutions are now offering a high-yield or rewards checking option, which means a checking account with high interest rates or cash back. Great rates and rewards are not just for credit cards anymore.
10 Best Rewards Checking Accounts
- American Express Rewards Checking
- Axos Bank Rewards Checking
- Connexus Credit Union Xtraordinary Checking
- Consumers Credit Union Free Rewards Checking
- Discover Cashback Debit Account
- Lake Michigan Credit Union Max Checking
- LendingClub Rewards Checking
- Quontic Bitcoin Rewards Checking
- SoFi Checking and Savings
- Upgrade Rewards Checking Plus
1. American Express® Rewards Checking
American Express, Member FDIC, is known for rewards when it comes to credit cards. However, members can now apply for a checking account that has no monthly fees, a solid annual percentage yield and rewards on some purchases. Earned rewards can be redeemed as a deposit into your checking account, or you can redeem them in the same way you redeem points for any Membership Rewards cards you currently have.
Monthly Fee | APY | Rewards |
---|---|---|
$0 | 1 Membership Rewards point for every $2 spent on eligible debit card purchase |
2. Axos Bank Rewards Checking
To open an Axos Bank Rewards Checking account you just need $50. There is no requirement to keep a minimum balance, and there are no overdraft fees.
Monthly Fee | APY | Rewards |
---|---|---|
$0 | Up to | $100 welcome bonus, plus unlimited fee reimbursements from any domestic ATM |
3. Connexus Credit Union Xtraordinary Checking
The Connexus Credit Union Xtraordinary Checking account comes with a free Visa debit card and free digital banking. To earn the yield, you must spend $400 on the debit card or have at least 15 debit card purchases per cycle.
Monthly Fee | APY | Rewards |
---|---|---|
$0 | Up to | Higher APY than the national average and $25 rebates on ATM provider surcharges per month |
4. Consumers Credit Union Free Rewards Checking
Consumers Credit Union Free Rewards Checking offers conveniences such as mobile banking and a large network of ATMs. There is also never a minimum balance requirement. Tiered rates increase with larger balances when you meet minimum account activity requirements.
Monthly Fee | APY | Rewards |
---|---|---|
$0 | Up to | Higher APY than the national average and get paid as much as two days early with early direct deposit |
5. Discover Cashback Debit Account
Discover, Member FDIC’s Cashback Debit Account provides a free checking account with no-fee overdraft-protection transfers. In fact, it has no fees whatsoever. It is FDIC-insured and offers such security measures as fraud protection and online privacy protection.
Monthly Fee | APY | Rewards |
---|---|---|
$0 | N/A | Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 of debit card purchases per month |
6. Lake Michigan Credit Union Max Checking
There are no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements for the Lake Michigan Credit Union Max Checking Account. It comes with a $10-per-month reimbursement for any non-Lake Credit Union or non-Allpoint ATM transactions.
Monthly Fee | APY | Rewards |
---|---|---|
$0 | $450 estimated interest earned per year — on a $15,000 balance — and ATM fee reimbursements |
7. LendingClub Rewards Checking
LendingClub Rewards Checking has no overdraft fees and no minimum balance or transaction requirements. The account provides unlimited ATM fee rebates and early access to direct deposited paychecks.
Monthly Fee | APY | Rewards |
---|---|---|
$0 | Up to | Earn unlimited 1% cash back on qualified purchases |
8. Quontic Cash Rewards Checking
With Quontic Bank’s Cash Rewards Checking, you can get 1% cash back each month on eligible purchases. Rewards will be posted to your account at the start of every statement cycle. The minimum to open an account is $100, but there are no monthly or overdraft fees.
Monthly Fee | APY | Rewards |
---|---|---|
$0 | N/A | Earn 1% on eligible purchases each month |
Quontic Bank once offered a bitcoin rewards account, called the Quontic Bitcoin Rewards Checking. It featured no overdraft or insufficient funds fees, and the exclusive Quontic Pay Ring also eliminated the need to carry a debit card. The account was not available Hawaii or North Carolina.
9. SoFi Checking and Savings Account
The SoFi Checking and Savings account has overdraft protection and automatic saving features.
Monthly Fee | APY | Rewards |
---|---|---|
$0 | 1 | Between $50 to $250 sign-up bonus when you set up direct deposit and up to 15% cash back at qualifying local businesses |
10. Upgrade Rewards Checking Plus
Upgrade Rewards Checking Plus accounts get up to 20% lower rates on loans and cards. It also has no overdraft fees, transfer fees or ATM fees.
Monthly Fee | APY | Rewards |
---|---|---|
$0 | N/A | 2% cash back on common expenses and unlimited 1% back on all other debit card charges |
Final Take
You use your checking account every day, so it may be time to switch to a high-yield or rewards checking account to make sure you are getting the most for your money. There are several banks and financial institutions that now offer a bit more incentive to bank with them, so be sure to take advantage of one of them.
Best of Checking Accounts
- Best Checking Accounts
- Free Checking Accounts With No Minimum Deposit
- Best Free Checking Accounts With No Minimum Balance
- Best Online Checking Accounts
- Best Student Checking Accounts
- Best Checking Accounts for Seniors
FAQ
Here are the answers to some common questions about rewards checking accounts.- What is a rewards checking account?
- A rewards checking account is a checking account that comes with added benefits, such as cash back or high interest rates.
- Can you get rewards from a checking account?
- Not all checking accounts come with a rewards program, but several do. Banks and financial institutions now try to entice future customers with such rewards as sign-up bonuses, cash back percentages on qualifying purchases, interest rates that are higher than the national average and reimbursements on ATM fees.
- What is a free rewards checking account?
- A free rewards checking account is typically a checking account that doesn't charge monthly maintenance fees or other types of fees, such as overdraft fees, transaction fees or ATM fees.
- Which bank offers the most rewards?
- There are several banks and financial institutions that now offer rewards checking accounts. Examples of banks that offer rewards include:
- American Express Rewards Checking
- Axos Bank Rewards Checking
- Connexus Credit Union Xtraordinary Checking
- Consumers Credit Union Free Rewards Checking
- Discover Cashback Debit Account
- Lake Michigan Credit Union Max Checking
- LendingClub Rewards Checking
- Quontic Cash Rewards Checking
- SoFi Checking and Savings
- Upgrade Rewards Checking
- There are several banks and financial institutions that now offer rewards checking accounts. Examples of banks that offer rewards include:
Daria Uhlig and Cynthia Measom 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 Nov. 6, 2023.
1SoFi members with direct deposit can earn up to 3.75% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 2.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum direct deposit amount required to qualify for the 3.75% APY for savings and 2.50% APY for checking balances. Members without direct deposit will earn 1.20% APY on all account balances in checking and savings (including Vaults). Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of March 7, 2023. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
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Lending Club: Rates from 5.99% to 35.96%* APR. Best APR is available to borrowers with excellent credit.