None of the checking accounts reviewed here charge any monthly maintenance fee, so they’re free to use. That said, many banks do require you to make a minimum opening deposit (often between $5 and $100), so you should plan for that initial expense. Also, many banks charge transaction fees, deposit fees, and overdraft fees. And if you use your debit card to withdraw cash from ATMs, you might also end up with ATM fees. Depending on how you use your account, you might also have to pay fees for incoming and outgoing wire transfers.