The Chime Spending Account is a checking account that you can open through the Chime online banking app or website.
What is Chime?
Chime is a financial technology company (or fintech) that provides an online banking experience for those looking to manage their banking entirely online or as an alternative from traditional banks. The banking services, such as the bank accounts you can open through Chime, are provided by one of their partner banks. At the moment of writing, these include either Bancorp Bank or Stride Bank. Since both are FDIC members, this means your deposits held at bank accounts open through Chime are FDIC insured up to the legal limits.
Chime online banking experience brings you simplicity, low fees, and minimum restrictions to manage your banking through the latest technology or receive a credit card.
Should You Use Chime?
If you are looking for an easy-to-use, well-organized banking application that requires no minimum balance in your bank account, Chime may be a good fit for you. A Chime Spending Account can also benefit you if you are looking at managing all your banking online and access featured such as:
- Require access to a large network of fee-free ATMs.
- Don’t need to deposit cash regularly.
- Want to handle their banking from their phones.
- Looking for a company that does its best to help customers.
- Find it difficult to open an account with other fintechs or banks.
- Want a bank with no minimum monthly requirements.
- Access automatic savings features.
Chime Spending Account Review
Everything you need to know about the Chime Spending Account can be found below to help you understand the use and features of your account.
What is Chime Spending Account?
Chime Spending Account is the name for the app’s checking account. You can only have one checking account and one savings account, which can easily be set up using Chime’s mobile app.
Chime Spending Account Features
The benefits of opening a Chime Spending Account include:
- Fee-free ATM withdrawals: Chime offers free withdrawals at over 60,000+ ATMs nationwide at accessible places like 7-Eleven, Walgreens, or CVS. There’s a charge for out-of-network withdrawals, but Chime will reimburse one if you’ve received a Direct Deposit above $1.
- No Overdraft Fee and SpotMe: Any charge that would cause the account to go negative will be declined at no cost to you. Additionally, after receiving a sufficient amount of deposits, Chime offers SpotMe. It allows you to overdraw the account up to $200. Since Chime does not offer overdraft protection, you will need to sign up to SpotMe as an optional extra service.
- Chime Checkbook: Chime doesn’t send physical checks to your house, but they will send them nationwide on your behalf through the Chime Checkbook feature.
- Mobile Banking App: Chime gives you control over your financial future through a high-rated Android and iOS mobile app.
- Send Money: You can send money directly to friends & family who have the app.
- Early Direct Deposit: Receive your direct deposits up to 2 days early, including your paycheck.
- FDIC Insured: All funds deposited are insured by FDIC.
Chime Visa Debit Card
You will automatically receive a free online debit card ready to be used immediately during your account set-up. The physical card will be mailed to you at the address that you provide within 10 business days. This debit card may be used anywhere that Visa cards are accepted. And it can be added to your mobile wallets like Google Pay and Apple Pay as well. If you lose your card, you can send a notification through the app and stop transactions on your account and order a new card if needed.
Chime Spending Account Costs and Fees
With a Chime Spending Account, you will pay no monthly maintenance fees or annual fees. There is also no minimum balance requirement. If you want to open an account, there is also no minimum deposit. There is, though, a fee of $2.50 for using an out-of-network ATM for your cash withdrawals. However, Chime will reimburse a single ATM fee if you’ve received a direct deposit of over $1.
Requirements to Open a Chime Spending Account
All you will need is about two minutes and a computer or phone with internet access. The only requirement is that you need to be an over 18 year old U.S. citizen and have an address to receive the debit card.
How to Open a Chime Spending Account
Opening a Chime Spending Account is simple and straightforward. The following steps will provide a brief overview of how to open a Chime account:
- Go to the website or download the app for either Android or iOS.
- Then provide your personal details such as your name, address, phone number, email, SSN, and DOB.
- Wait for verification, which should be only a matter of minutes.
- Once approved, you now have a Chime Spending Account.
What Other Accounts Does Chime Offer?
Chime Savings Account
Chime provides users with the option of opening a savings account. That may be low compared to some in-person banks, but it’s still a great option because of the lack of fees and the other money-saving options available to you.
The first of these is an option called Save While You Spend, which allows you to round up your purchases to the nearest dollar and automatically deposit the excess change from that transaction into your savings account. This can quickly build sizeable savings, especially if you use your debit card often for transactions. The second feature is Save When You Get Paid, which is your opportunity to deposit a pre-set percentage of money from your direct deposits into the savings account.
You can, of course, also transfer money from your spending account into your savings account apart from these automatic saving tools available to you.
Chime Credit Builder Card
The Chime Credit Builder is a secured Visa credit card that gives you the opportunity to build your credit score if your score is low or you have little or no credit. You can get your own Chime Credit Builder Card with no credit check or fees at all. Money that you transfer onto the card from your spending account forms your spending limit, and you use the card much like a debit card. Then, money spent with the card will be paid from the funds you transferred. Chime will report the bill as paid to the credit bureaus to be reflected as part of your credit history, giving you an incredible opportunity to build your credit score at no extra cost.
