A free checking account means you don’t pay monthly fees or have a required minimum balance.
Things are a little different with an ALEC Rewards Checking account. While there is no required minimum balance, there may be a $5 monthly fee if certain requirements are not met. In return, you can receive monthly ATM rebates of up to $10, dividends on balances, and 10 free transactions at non-ALEC ATMs per month.