How to open a bank account online

You can open many checking and savings accounts without walking into a branch. The application is short. The part that matters is knowing which account you are opening, who holds the money, and what the bank has to verify before it says yes.

Decide checking, savings, or both

Checking is the account most people use for pay and bills. Savings is where money sits. If you are not sure which job you need, read checking vs savings before you apply. Opening both at the same provider is common. Opening the wrong one means a second application later.

Write down what the account has to do: direct deposit, cash deposits, ATM access, a debit card, and whether you want interest. Fees and rates change. On this site we only show a number after we copy it from the provider's page and date it.

What the application is required to collect

Banks must collect and verify identifying information when you open an account. The customer identification rule is in 31 CFR 1020.220. In practice, expect:

• Legal name, date of birth, and address
• Social Security number or another taxpayer identification number
• A government photo ID
• Sometimes a funding step, such as a transfer from an existing account

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau publishes a plain overview of bank accounts if you want the consumer-side version of this (CFPB).

Apply on the provider's own site

Use the website or app that belongs to the bank or fintech. Do not send a photo of your ID through a link in a text, email, or ad you did not open yourself. If something feels off, stop and call the number printed on the provider's official site. Report identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov.

A fintech is not always the bank that holds the deposit. Read the line that says who provides the banking services, then read how FDIC insurance works.

Fund the account and move your pay

Approval is not the same as "your paycheck will arrive here on Friday." After you are approved:

1. Fund the account the way the provider asks. Some accounts are not usable until that first transfer posts.
2. Set up direct deposit with payroll or the agency that pays you, and ask how many pay cycles the change takes.
3. Move automatic bills only after you can see the new account number and routing number.
4. Keep the old account open until those payments have actually landed. The switching checklist is the order that keeps a bill from hitting a closed account.

If you are comparing accounts before you apply, start with no-fee checking or students and young adults. Those lists are alphabetical review sets, not rankings, and a blank fee means we have not verified it yet.