Banks That Don’t Use ChexSystems in North Carolina

Features & Benefits

• Over 14.5 million downloads
• No credit check or ChexSystems
• No minimum opening deposit
• Over 60,000 fee-free¹ ATMs

With Chime®, bad banking history is not an issue. They offer an award-winning financial app, a debit card, and a credit builder Visa® credit card, all with no credit check.

The Chime Checking Account is 100% free and has no monthly fees:

• no monthly maintenance fees
• no foreign transaction fees
• no minimum balance fees

You can also start building your credit with the Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card. It’s a secured credit card with no annual fees, no credit checks, and no interest charges.

Chime has over 60,000¹ fee-free MoneyPass® and Visa® Plus Alliance ATMs. Plus, you can get your paycheck up to 2 days earlier with direct deposit². You can also deposit cash for free at over 8,500 Walgreens.

You can see why Chime is our #1 choice.

Features & Benefits

• No credit check or ChexSystems
• No minimum balance or hidden fees
• Fee-free overdraft up to $200 with Overdrive
• 40,000 fee-free Allpoint ATMs in the U.S.
• Get paid up to 2 days faster

Current is a financial technology company, not a bank. The company does not use ChexSystems or pull your credit report, and they have a lot to offer.

A Current mobile bank account includes fee-free overdraft protection of up to $200. Account holders also get access to over 40,000 fee-free Allpoint ATMs with your Current debit card, and there is no minimum balance or hidden fees.

You can also get paid up to two days early with direct deposit with a Current Premium account. Plus, Current offers up to 4.00% APY with Current Savings Pods.

Features & Benefits

• No minimum balance requirement
• No monthly fees
• No overdraft fees
• Visa debit card, iOS and Android mobile app
• Up to 2% cash back

Upgrade doesn’t pull your ChexSystems report, but they do look at your credit report.

The Upgrade Rewards Checking account has no monthly fees and no ATM fees. You’ll also get up to 2% cash back on everyday debit card purchases.

Upgrade reimburses up to five out-of-network ATM fees per month if you meet certain conditions.

Upgrade is partnered with Cross River Bank, Member FDIC, and your funds are FDIC-insured up to $250,000. With an Upgrade checking account, you can also get up to 20% lower rates on Upgrade loans and credit cards.

Alliance Federal offers a Fresh Start Checking account, but you’ll need to stop by a branch to find out if you qualify.

The monthly service fee is $10 and you’ll need a $50 opening deposit. There’s no minimum balance requirement. In addition to your Visa debit card, you’ll also get free online banking, bill pay, text, and mobile banking.

Before you apply for the account, you need to qualify for membership with Alliance Federal. They require that you live, work, worship, or attend school in one of the following counties: New Hanover, Pender, or Brunswick.

Alternatively, you can be employed by one of 400 partner companies to qualify for membership or have a family member who is an existing member.

Aspiration’s Spend & Save Account is a hybrid checking and savings account that is entirely online. There’s a $10 minimum opening deposit to get started.

With an Aspiration debit card, you get unlimited fee-free withdrawals at over 55,000 ATMs and one out-of-network ATM reimbursement per month. You can also get paid up to two days early with direct deposit.

You can earn up to 5.00% APY when you spend $1,000/month and deposits are FDIC insured.

Axos Bank doesn’t use ChexSystems or pull your credit report.

The Rewards Checking account from Axos Bank has no monthly maintenance fees, unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements, and it comes with cash back rewards.

You get unlimited free mobile deposits and your funds are FDIC insured up to $250,000. Plus, there are no overdraft fees or non-sufficient fund fees.

There are no minimum balance requirements, and you’ll only need a $50 deposit to open the account.

Bank OZK offers a second chance checking account called Pathway Checking. There’s a $50 minimum opening deposit, but no minimum balance requirement.

The monthly service fee is $10 and you won’t earn interest like some of Bank OZK’s other checking accounts.

Pathway Checking comes with a Visa debit card, plus unlimited check writing, online banking, and mobile banking. You also get bill pay, with 15 free payments a month and each one costing $0.50 after that. 

Carolinas Telco Federal does a credit check instead of ChexSystems, so you might be able to qualify for a checking account with them. There’s only one checking option available, but it doesn’t require any monthly fee or minimum balance requirement.

You can also qualify for Carolinas Telco’s checking rewards program and earn interest if you make 12 debit purchases each month, sign up for direct deposit or bill pay, and receive e-statements.

Who qualifies for membership at Carolinas Telco Federal? You or a family member must be employed in the telecommunications industry in either North Carolina or South Carolina.

It even counts if you’re self-employed or an independent contractor in the industry. Branch locations include Charlotte, Gastonia, Cornelius, and Raleigh.

Carter Bank & Trust also reportedly uses a credit check rather than ChexSystems. Their Lifetime Free Checking comes with no monthly service fee or minimum balance requirement. You also get unlimited check writing on top of your MasterCard debit card.

Branch locations throughout the state include Asheboro, Burlington, Eden, Fayetteville, Forest City, Greensboro, Greenville, Henderson, Hickory, Jonesville, Lincolnton, Louisburg, Lumberton, Mooresville, Morganton, Mount Airy, Reidsville, Roxboro, Sandford, Shelby, Siler City, Stoneville, Wilkesboro, and Wilson.

Instead of ChexSystems, Champion uses TeleCheck to evaluate new applicants. There are three checking options to choose from: Champion Checking with Rewards, Free Checking, and Senior Rewards Checking.

The most basic option is Free Checking, which gives you a Visa debit card with no monthly fee or minimum balance. Plus you get online banking with bill pay and mobile banking.

To qualify for membership, you must live, work, worship, or go to school in one of the following counties: Haywood, Buncombe, Henderson, Graham, Swain, Jackson, Madison, Macon, or Transylvania Counties. You must also keep at least $5 in your savings account.

Members of Corporate America Family Federal can apply for Fresh Start Checking. You’re required to keep $100 in your Regular Share Account and the monthly fee is $10.

You can also sign up to take an online class called Get In Balance. Use it to learn the most effective ways to become a successful account holder.

F&M Bank uses Telecheck instead of ChexSystems, which could help you qualify for a checking account. There are five checking options available, with the most basic option being Simply Yours.

The minimum opening balance is $50 and the $3 monthly charge can be eliminated if you choose e-statements. You also get all the typical amenities like a debit card, online banking, mobile banking, and text alerts.

There are branches located in China Grove, Concord, Faith, Granite Quarry, Kannapolis, Rockwell, and Salisbury.

FSNB doesn’t use ChexSystems or credit checks for new applicants. The minimum opening deposit is $5.

You’ll need to maintain a $75 balance to avoid paying the monthly $5.50 statement fee. Account holders get a Visa check card and free online banking.

Instead of ChexSystems, Members runs a credit report on new members. There’s only one checking option, but it offers everything you need, including a free Visa debit card, direct deposit, online and mobile banking, and online bill pay.

You also get unlimited check writing and overdraft protection if you choose. However, if you don’t have $25 in your account by the last day of the month, you’ll be charged a low balance fee.

To join, you must either work at a sponsor company or live, work, worship, or attend school in or around Hopes Mill, or in Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin, Sampson, or Duplin counties.

Located in and around Charlotte, Skyla Credit Union offers Fresh Start Checking. There is a monthly service fee of $10.95 but that drops to $7.95 if you sign up for direct deposit.

You get overdraft protection to go along with your free Visa debit card. Also, there’s no minimum balance requirement to worry about either.

To qualify for membership at Skyla Credit Union, you must live, work, worship, or attend school in Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, or Union Counties. There are 11 branches throughout the Charlotte area.