Big banks love quiet fees, and checking is where they usually hide. A Santander Bank checking account can cost you $0 or $300 a year depending on which of its three accounts you pick and whether you clear the fee waiver each month.
Santander Bank, N.A. is the US arm of Spain's Banco Santander. It runs branches across the Northeast and in Miami, Florida, plus more than 2,000 ATMs, and every deposit account is FDIC insured up to $250,000 per depositor.
Here is what each account costs, how to skip the fees, and who should look elsewhere. All figures come from Santander's website and are current as of July 2026.
Santander Bank Checking Account Options at a Glance
| Account | Monthly fee | How to waive it | Minimum opening deposit | Earns interest? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santander Select Checking | $25 | Keep a $25,000 combined balance in eligible deposits and investments | $25 | Yes |
| Simply Right Checking | $10 | Make any one transaction per month, or have an account owner under 26 | $25 | No |
| Santander Essential Checking | $4 | Have an account owner under 26, or 65 and older | $10 | No |
Santander Select Checking: The Premium Tier
Select Checking is Santander's relationship account. The $25 monthly fee disappears only if you keep a combined $25,000 across eligible Santander deposits and investments, so this account really targets higher-balance customers.
In exchange, you get a Santander Select World Debit Mastercard, interest on your balance, and rebates of up to $30 per service fee period for ATM surcharges other banks charge you. Santander does not publish the Select Checking interest rate online; it is disclosed when you open the account, and big-bank checking rates typically run well below online savings rates.
Simply Right Checking: The Everyday Account
Simply Right Checking charges $10 a month, but the waiver is about as easy as they come. Any single transaction posted during the month, a deposit, withdrawal, transfer, or payment, wipes the fee. The fee is also waived if any owner on the account is under 26.
You need $25 to open it, and it does not pay interest. One nice side benefit: having this account waives the monthly fee on a Santander Savings or Santander Money Market Savings account.
Santander Essential Checking: The Low-Cost Option
Essential Checking runs $4 a month with a $10 minimum opening deposit. Unlike Simply Right, activity does not waive the fee. It is only waived when an account owner is under 26 or is 65 or older.
The pitch here is predictability. It is a simple account with a low, flat monthly cost for people who want no surprises.
Other Fees to Watch
The monthly fee is not the only line item. Keep an eye on these:
- ATM fees. All three accounts waive or reduce Santander's own fee for using a domestic non-Santander ATM, but the ATM's owner can still charge you separately. Only Select rebates those surcharges, up to $30 per service fee period.
- Overdraft-related fees. Amounts vary by account type and have changed in recent years, so check Santander's current Personal Deposit Account Fee Schedule before you rely on overdraft coverage.
- Paper statements. Paperless statements are free on all three accounts; paper copies may cost extra depending on your account terms.
Who a Santander Bank Checking Account Fits
Geography decides this one first. Santander's branch footprint covers the Northeast plus Miami, so if you live in Texas or Oregon, in-person service is off the table.
Santander is also one of the more accessible big banks for immigrants and non-residents. Per its own account-opening FAQ, non-residents can apply without a Social Security number or can use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) at a branch.
The pros:
- Simply Right's fee waiver is one of the easiest among traditional banks
- Essential Checking's $4 fee is low and predictable
- Branch and banker access across the Northeast and Miami
- ITIN applicants accepted in branches
The cons:
- Select's $25,000 waiver threshold is steep
- Two of the three accounts pay no interest, and the one that does keeps its rate quiet
- Limited branch footprint outside the Northeast
- Opening an account generally pushes you toward a branch visit
Fee-Free Alternatives Worth Comparing
If your goal is simply checking with no monthly fee math, online options remove the waiver game entirely.
Current is a mobile banking app with no monthly maintenance fees and no minimum balance requirements, and qualifying direct deposits can arrive up to two days early. For someone who would otherwise pay Santander $10 a month for missing a single transaction, Current takes that risk off the table.
Current Banking
Current Banking
Current is a mobile-first banking app with no monthly fee and no minimum balance. Members can earn up to 4.00% APY with a qualifying direct deposit of $200, receive direct-deposit paychecks up to 2 days early, and overdraft up to $200 fee-free.
Standout feature
4.00% APY on Savings Pods (with a $200+ qualifying direct deposit) plus paycheck up to 2 days early — both included on the standard account for free
Fees
Free
Pros
$0 monthly fee; up to 4.00% APY on Savings Pods with qualifying direct deposit; paycheck up to 2 days early;
Cons
No physical branches
Chime takes a similar no-fee approach, with no monthly fees, no minimums, access to a large fee-free ATM network, and fee-free overdraft up to set limits through SpotMe for eligible members. Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank; banking services are provided by its partner banks, and eligibility requirements apply.
Chime
Chime
- Fee-free banking plus early pay access - Overdraft up to $200 without fees - 5% cash back and build credit everyday. - 3.75% APY on your savings.
Standout feature
No credit check, no interest, no annual fee, and no minimum deposit required.
Fees
$0
Pros
Fee-Free Banking and Get paid up to 2 days early
Cons
App/online-only support, no branches
Neither offers branches, which is the honest trade-off. If you deposit cash weekly or want a banker across a desk, Santander's model still earns its place.
Next Steps
Match the account to your habits, not the marketing. If you keep $25,000 across accounts, Select's perks may be worth it. If you just need a workhorse account and will make at least one transaction a month, Simply Right is effectively free. If you want a flat, low fee, Essential keeps things simple, and if you want no fee at all, compare an online option like Current or Chime before you decide. Terms and conditions apply to every account here, so confirm current fees on Santander's fee schedule before opening.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Santander Bank FDIC insured?
Yes. Santander Bank, N.A. is a Member FDIC institution, so deposits are insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category. That covers all three checking accounts as well as its savings products.
Can I open a Santander checking account without a Social Security number?
Yes, in many cases. Santander's account-opening FAQ says non-residents can apply without an SSN or can use an ITIN, along with a government-issued photo ID and a secondary form of identification, at a branch.
Does Simply Right Checking pay interest?
No. Simply Right and Essential Checking are non-interest accounts. Select Checking is Santander's only interest-bearing consumer checking account, and the rate is disclosed at account opening rather than published online.
What is the cheapest Santander Bank checking account?
Essential Checking has the lowest sticker price at $4 a month with a $10 opening deposit. But Simply Right can be cheaper in practice, since one transaction per month drops its $10 fee to $0.
