Finding the best free banks in Missouri depends on your banking needs. Whether your priority is interest-bearing checking accounts, high-yield savings, a variety of banking products, digital banking or physical branches, there is a bank in Missouri that can meet your requirements.
However, if you’re unable to open a checking account due to ChexSystems or Early Warning Services (EWS) records, we also compiled a list of second chance banks in Missouri that offer an opportunity to build a new banking history. Keep in mind there will likely be a monthly service fee associated with second chance banking accounts.
10 Best Free Banks in Missouri
1. First Citizens Bank
First Citizens Bank was originally founded as the Bank of Smithfield in 1898. Headquartered in Raleigh, NC, First Citizens Bank has branches in 21 states. They offer a wide range of financial services to individuals, businesses, and organizations including checking, savings, trust services, mortgage loans, credit cards, investment services, insurance, and more. The Free Checking account has many features including the following:
- $50 Minimum opening deposit
- Pay your bills from any device, transfer funds to other accounts and send money with Zelle®
- Manage and monitor your funds with free online banking tools
- Link your debit card to digital wallets like Apple Pay® and Samsung Pay®
- Choose the right level of overdraft protection coverage for your account.
2. Upgrade Rewards Checking Plus
The Upgrade Rewards Checking Plus is best for debit card spending. Customers get up to 2% cash back on common everyday expenses for active accounts with a monthly $1,000 direct deposit 1 plus many features including the following:
- $0 Minimum Opening Deposit.
- Up to 2% cash back on common everyday expenses for active accounts with monthly $1,000 direct deposit, and up to 1% cash back for other purchases2.
- Optional savings account that earns 5.07% APY3.
- Customers with direct deposit can get paid up to two days early4.
- No monthly fees, no overdraft fees5, and get reimbursed for ATM fees with an active account.
- FDIC-Insured Up to $250,000.
Upgrade is a financial technology company, not a bank. Checking and savings accounts provided by Cross River Bank, Member FDIC.
3. Consumers Credit Union
Consumers Credit Union is a credit union based in Illinois with membership open to anyone regardless of where they live or work. Financial products and services include checking, savings, CDs, personal, auto and mortgage loans, small business banking, investments and financial education. The monthly free checking account is called Rewards Checking with the following features:
- Unlimited reimbursement for any and all ATM fees**
- Over 30,000 ATMs & over 5,000 shared branches
- Online & mobile banking plus bill pay
- Get paid as much as two days early with early direct deposit**
- No monthly maintenance fees, for anything
4. SoFi Bank
SoFi Bank is a bank headquartered in California with membership open to anyone regardless of where they live or work. Financial products and services include checking, savings, personal, student and mortgage loans, investments and retirement planning. The monthly free checking account is combined with savings account with the following features:
- $100 Minimum opening deposit.
- Welcome Bonus up to $250 when you set up direct deposit.
- Get paid up to 2 days early with direct deposit.
- 55,000+ fee-free ATMs within the Allpoint® Network.
- Members with direct deposit can earn 4.50% APY on their savings and Vaults balances, and 1.20% APY on their checking balances.
- Deposits are insured up to $2M through a network of participating banks.
5. OneUnited Bank
OneUnited Bank’s Online Checking Account is a free checking available to people in ALL STATES. OneUnited Bank is a Black-Owned Bank that offers the Black Wall Street Checking account with no monthly fee. If you’re looking for second chance banking options, OneUnited Bank’s U2 E-Checking Account is available but it has a monthly fee of $12. With OneUnited Bank customers can add cash to the OneUnited Bank Debit Card at over 90,000 locations across the country through a partnership with Green Dot®.
Here are the checking account features:
- $25 minimum opening deposit
- No monthly fee.
- Get paid up to 2 days early with early direct deposit.
- Free Online & Mobile Banking.
- Obtain Cash, Surcharge Free at Over 35,000 ATMs Nationwide.
- Deposit checks through the mobile app.
- Free Bill Pay
6. BMO Harris Bank
BMO Harris Bank is a well-established financial institution with over 500 branches across U.S. and access to over 40,000 ATMs. As the 8th largest bank in North America by assets, BMO Harris Bank has $852 billion in total assets. Financial products and services include checking, savings, CDs, personal, auto and mortgage loans, HELOCs, small business banking, investment and retirement accounts. The monthly free checking account is called Smart Advantage Account with the following features:
- $25 Minimum Opening Deposit
- Unlimited Transactions at 40,000+ fee-free ATMs nationwide
- $0 Monthly maintenance fee
- BMO Digital Banking – pay bills, transfer money and more
7. Bank of Oklahoma
Bank of Oklahoma is a regional bank that was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma with 3 branches in Missouri. The full-service bank offers a wide range of financial products that include checking, savings, CDs, personal, auto and mortgage loans, HELOCs, wealth management and investment services. The monthly free checking account is called Access Checking with the following features:
- $50 Minimum Opening Deposit
- One complimentary overdraft fee refund per calendar year (upon request)
- $0 Monthly maintenance fee
- Free Online and Mobile Access with Bill Pay
8. Simmons Bank
Simmons Bank is a regional bank that is headquartered in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, with over 200 branches located throughout Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. The bank was founded in 1903 as a small community bank in Pine Bluff, and it has since grown to become one of the largest banks in the region. Simmons Bank offers a wide range of banking and financial services, including personal and business banking, lending, wealth management, and investment services. The monthly free checking account is called Simply Checking with the following features:
- $50 Minimum Opening Deposit
- Debit card, online and mobile banking, and online bill pay
- $0 Monthly maintenance fee
- 24-hour telephone banking
9. nbkc Bank
National Bank of Kansas City was established in 1999 and operates as a full-service online bank. nbkc Bank offers a range of personal and business banking services, including checking accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs), home loans, personal loans, and business loans. The monthly free checking account is called nbkc Everything Account with the following features:
- Checking account with customizable savings goals
- Get an account that goes where you go 24/7
- Free ATMs with MoneyPass and reimbursement up to $12/month in fees for out-of-network ATMs
- No monthly maintenance fees
10. First Bank
First Bank is an independent family-owned bank that focuses on clients’ long-term goals and objectives, as opposed to only focusing on our short-term gains. Financial products include checking, savings, personal, car and mortgage loans, investment and retirement services. The bank offers a free checking account called Thrive Checking with the following features:
- $25 Minimum Opening Deposit.
- Build up your funds with this interest-bearing account.
- Avoid check-cashing fees.
- Deposit checks in minutes using your smartphone camera and our mobile app.
- No monthly service charge.
Second Chance Banks in Missouri
Academy Bank
The Safe Spending Account requires a $25 opening deposit and has a $5 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to mobile budgeting apps plus no overdraft or non-sufficient funds fees and there’s no minimum balance requirement.
Carrollton Bank
The Basis Bank Account requires a $25 opening deposit and a $5 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
CIBC Bank
The EasyPath Access Account requires a $50 opening deposit and a $0 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
FIRST FEDERAL BANK of KANSAS CITY
The GO Account requires a $25 opening deposit and a $0 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
Focus Bank
The GO Account requires a $50 opening deposit and a $7.95 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
Horizon Bank
The Fresh Start Checking requires a $25 opening deposit and a $0 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
PNC Bank
The Foundation Checking requires a $25 opening deposit and a $5 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
Regions Bank
The Regions Now Checking Account requires a $10 opening deposit and has a $5 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
Security Bank of Kansas City
The New Leaf Checking Account requires a $25 opening deposit and has a $5 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
Second Chance Credit Unions in Missouri
Columbia Credit Union
The Fresh Start Checking Account requires a $50 opening deposit and has a $15 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
Electro Savings Credit Union
The Fresh Start Checking Account requires a $0 opening deposit and has a $10 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
Health Care Family Credit Union
The Fresh Start Checking Account requires a $50 opening deposit and has a $10 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
St. Louis Community Credit Union
The Freedom Checking Account is a second chance checking account that requires a $0 opening deposit and has a $0 monthly service fee. You’ll have overdraft protection after 60 days of Direct Deposit and good standing.
United Consumers Credit Union
The Second Chance Checking Account requires a $100 opening deposit and has a $10 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
United Consumers Credit Union
The Second Chance Checking Account requires a $100 opening deposit and has a $10 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
Missouri Unbanked Numbers
According a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) 2021 Survey, 7.4% of Missouri’s residents were unbanked. Missouri ranks among the highest in unbanked households in America. It’s estimated that unbanked people pay up to 10% of their salary for check cashing services. Being unbanked makes it almost impossible to perform common financial transactions without paying some type of fee unlike people with free checking accounts.
ChexSystems Resources
- Banks That Don’t Use ChexSystems – Take a look at our list of banks that do not use ChexSystems for a new checking account.
- EWS (Early Warning Services) – EWS is similar to ChexSystems and can prevent you from opening a checking account.
- Check your ChexSystems Report – Unsure what information exists in your ChexSystems report? Learn how to find out.
- ChexSystems Scores – Did you know that you have a ChexSystems score similar to a credit score? Find out how to get yours.
- Account Abuse – Find out why ChexSystems often reports customers for account abuse with no real explanation of what that notation means.
Upgrade Disclaimers
1 Active Accounts with a monthly direct deposit of $1000 are eligible for additional benefits on Rewards Checking Plus such as additional cash back rewards, ATM fee reimbursement, and more. See the Active Account page for more information.
2 Rewards Checking Plus customers who set-up monthly direct deposits of $1,000 or more earn 2% cash back on common everyday expenses at convenience stores, drugstores, restaurants and bars – including deliveries – and gas stations, as well as recurring payments on utilities and monthly subscriptions including phone, cable, TV and other streaming services, and 1% cash back on all other debit card purchases. 2% cash back is limited to $500 in rewards per calendar year; after $500, customers earn 1% cash back on all eligible debit card purchases for the remainder of the year. Rewards Checking Plus accounts with less than $1,000 in monthly direct deposits 60 days after account opening will earn 1% cash back on common everyday expenses and 0.50% cash back on all other eligible debit card purchases. Some limitations apply. Please refer to the applicable Upgrade VISA® Debit Card Agreement and Disclosures for more information.
3 The 1.5% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) for the Performance Savings account is effective as of June 1, 2023. The APY for the Performance Savings account is variable and may change at any time. Active Accounts qualify for 5.07% APY with monthly $1000 direct deposit. The APY for Active Accounts is effective as of September 1, 2023, is variable, and may change at any time. Please refer to the applicable Cross River Bank Performance Savings Deposit Account Agreement and Truth in Savings Disclosure. To earn APY, you must open and fund a Performance Savings account. Rewards Checking Plus accounts do not earn APY.
4 Early direct deposit requires set up of recurring electronic direct deposit from your employer, payroll, or benefits provider and is limited to direct deposits under $5000. Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing in which we receive notice of impending direct deposit, which is generally up to two days before the scheduled deposit date.
5 There are no overdraft fees or annual fees associated with Rewards Checking Plus accounts. Rewards Checking Plus charges no ATM fees, but third-party institutions may charge you a fee if you use their ATM/network or if you use your Upgrade VISA® Debit Card internationally. For Active Accounts, Upgrade will rebate ATM fees charged by another institution for debit card withdrawals in the United States, up to five times per calendar month. To be eligible to receive third-party ATM fee rebates in any calendar month for eligible ATM withdrawals made during that month on a Rewards Checking Plus account, the account must be an Active Account in the prior calendar month. See the Active Account page for more information. As a courtesy to new customers, Upgrade will provide third-party ATM fee rebates for 60 days after account opening regardless of account user status. Some limitations apply. Please refer to the applicable Cross River Bank Checking Deposit Account Agreement and Upgrade VISA® Debit Card Agreement and Disclosures for more information.
