If you’ve had trouble opening a checking account because of past financial mistakes, you may feel roadblocked by the lack of options. Not having a bank account can be extremely limiting in the way you manage your money. You constantly need to carry cash around, locate expensive ATMs, and pay hefty fees for prepaid cards if you ever want to make an online purchase.
However, living in a small state gives you the opportunity to work with quite a few community financial institutions that offer second chance checking accounts and other flexible approval requirements. There are also online checking options available to residents in the state of Rhode Island. Even if you have a ChexSystems record, you can still get access to the banking system and start improving your financial history day after day.
Non-ChexSystems & Second Chance Banks in Rhode Island
Here’s the comprehensive list of banks in Rhode Island that don’t use ChexSystems and second chance checking accounts. Read through each one to find out which is the most convenient option for your personal situation.
Chime
on Chime's secure website
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 Spending Account is 100% free and has no monthly fees:
- no overdraft fees
- no monthly maintenance fees
- no foreign transaction fees
- no minimum balance fees
They’ll even spot you up to $200 on debit card purchases with no overdraft 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 60,000 fee-free MoneyPass® and Visa® Plus Alliance ATMs. Plus, you can get your paycheck up to 2 days earlier with direct deposit. You can also deposit cash for free at over 8,500 Walgreens.
You can see why Chime is our #1 choice.
Rhode Island Credit Union
on Rhode Island CU's secure website
You could get approved for an account with RICU even if you have a history in ChexSystems. The two key requirements you must meet are that any debts on there are paid and there is no history of fraud. If you get approved, consider starting off with Basic Checking.
The monthly fee is $5 but you can get that waived if you keep a daily balance of at least $300. The account also comes with a debit card, unlimited check writing, and free online banking and bill pay.
Membership requirements are broad. You simply must live or work in Rhode Island, or do so within 50 miles of the state’s border. There are several branch locations, including Providence, Cranston, Bristol, Pascoag, and Kingston. They also participate in shared branching throughout the country.
Rockland Trust
on Rockland Trust's secure website
Rockland Trust also approves account holders in ChexSystems, as long as you meet certain requirements. Your debt in ChexSystems must be paid and you can’t have any records on there that are related to fraud.
Once approved, there is a Free Checking option from Rockland Trust. As the name implies, there’s no monthly fee and you don’t need to maintain a certain minimum balance in your account.
You’ll receive a MasterCard debit card in addition to one free order of checks when you open your account. There’s also online and mobile banking available through Rockland Trust. While primarily located in Massachusetts, they do have one branch in Providence.
Wells Fargo
on Wells Fargo's secure website
Wells Fargo
As a national bank with a physical presence in Rhode Island, Wells Fargo offers Opportunity Checking to those who can’t get approved for one of their traditional accounts. It comes with quite a few benefits to take advantage of.
You get access to a debit card, check writing, and online bill pay. You can also receive account alerts to track your finances and stay protected with liability protection against unauthorized purchases from your account.
It requires a $25 deposit and there’s a $10 monthly fee you have to pay unless you meet one of three requirements that will waive that expense. The first option is to use your debit card for at least 10 purchases each month.
You can also sign up for direct deposit, which must amount to least $500 monthly. The last option to get your fee waived is to maintain a daily balance of at least $1,500.