7 annoying bank fees and how to avoid them

Banks add interest to loans but they also make money by charging customers fees, sometimes just for having an account.

A few dollars here and there doesn't seem like much, but it can add up. A 2024 banking survey by Ernst & Young found that bank fees have reached nearly $82 billion a year, or about $311 for every adult in the U.S.

The same survey found that one in three bank customers has changed banks or is ready to switch because they're fed up with account and card fees.

Here we show you how to avoid some of the most common fees.

Many big banks charge you a service fee to keep your money in a checking account. The charge can be anywhere from $4 to $25 per month.

How to avoid: Capital One 360 Checking and SoFi Checking and Savings* don't have monthly maintenance fees. Chase Total Checking and Citi will waive their service fee if you meet a minimum direct deposit requirement.

Using an out-of-network ATM is an easy way to rack up charges. The average ATM fees hit $4.86 in 2025, according to Bankrate. That includes a $1.64 average surcharge from your bank and $3.22 from the ATM operator.

How to avoid: Alliant Credit Union will reimburse up to $20 in ATM fees from other banks every statement cycle, while Ally Bank will return up to $10. Chase doesn't charge for using out-of-network ATMs, but you may be hit by a fee by the ATM owner.

The Federal Reserve previously required financial institutions to limit withdrawals and transfers from savings accounts to six per month. "Regulation D" was lifted at the start of the pandemic, but many banks still penalize customers for going over. Fees for exceeding six withdrawals per month range from $3 to $25 per transaction.

How to avoid: Neither U.S. Bank nor fintech company SoFi limits electronic transactions for savings account customers.

You miscalculate how much is in your account and spend more than you have. If your bank covers the transaction, the overdraft charge can be $35 or more, whether it's for a paper check, debit card purchase, ATM withdrawals or automatic bill payments.

How to avoid: Capital One, Discover® and Bank of America offer checking accounts without overdraft fees, although you may need to pay other fees or meet minimum balance requirements.

If your bank doesn't cover an overdraft, your payment will be declined and you'll usually be assessed a non-sufficient funds (NSF) fee of up to $35.

How to avoid: Many institutions that have done away with overdraft fees for some customers have also nixed NSF charges, including Ally Bank, Capital One, Chime and Discover.

Wire transfers let you send large sums of money without handling cash, but they can cost anywhere from $16 to $35.

How to avoid: If you're making a domestic transfer, use free peer-to-peer payment systems like Zelle or Venmo. There are limits to how much you can transfer, depending on the institution (Zelle) or whether your account is verified (Venmo).

If you have more time, ACH transfers take several business days to complete but are usually free or low-cost. For international transfers, Remitly waives the fee for your first payment.

Paper checks are falling out of favor, but roughly 11 billion are still written in the U.S. every year. Banks and third-party printers charge $20 to $60 for a box of 200 checks.

How to avoid: USAA Federal Savings Bank and Navy Federal Credit Union offer checks at no charge. Both institutions are focused on serving military clientele and limit membership to current and former service members and their families.

For civilians, the Ally Bank Spending Account comes with free checks.

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*New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) OR $300 (with at least $5,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Eligible Direct Deposit. If you have satisfied the Eligible Direct Deposit requirements but have not received a cash bonus in your Checking account, please contact us at 855-456-7634 with the details of your Eligible Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 12/7/2023 and will be available through 12/31/2026. Full terms at sofi.com/banking. SoFi Checking and Savings is offered through SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. SoFi members with Eligible Direct Deposit can earn 3.30% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Eligible Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the 3.30% APY for savings (including Vaults). Members without Eligible Direct Deposit will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 12/23/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Fees may reduce earnings. Additional information can be found at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet *SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per depositor per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC's regulations. Any additional FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $3M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms. See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks. *Earn up to 4.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on SoFi Savings with a 0.70% APY Boost (added to the 3.30% APY as of 12/23/25) for up to 6 months. Open a new SoFi Checking and Savings account and pay the $10 SoFi Plus subscription every 30 days OR receive eligible direct deposits OR qualifying deposits of $5,000 every 31 days by 3/30/2026. Rates variable, subject to change. Terms apply at sofi.com/banking. SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. *Annual percentage yield (APY) is variable and subject to change at any time. Rates are current as of 12/23/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Fees may reduce earnings. Additional rates and information can be found at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet