If you’ve faced difficulties opening a traditional bank account due to past financial setbacks, second chance banks in Pennsylvania offer a valuable opportunity to rebuild your banking history and regain financial stability.
There are banks that provide specialized accounts such as Fresh Start Checking that don’t rely heavily on ChexSystems.
These accounts come with features like debit card access, online banking, and low fees, designed to help you reestablish a healthy financial relationship and eventually qualify for standard checking accounts.
Whether you live in rural counties or urban areas, Pennsylvania’s second chance banking options are tailored to give you a fresh financial start.
Online Second Chance Banks in Pennsylvania
Upgrade Rewards Checking
$0 minimum to open
Up to 2% cash back on purchases
Get paid up to two days early
More than 55,000 free ATMs
SoFi Bank
$50 minimum deposit
Welcome bonus up to $300
No monthly maintenance fees
Get paid up to two days early
55,000+ fee-free ATMs
Acorns
$25 minimum deposit
Earn 2.57% APY on Checking and 4.05% APY on Emergency Fund
Get paid up to 2 days early
Tungsten metal debit card
55,000+ fee-free ATMs
Current Banking
$0 minimum to open
4% APY on savings up to $6,000
Get paid up to two days early
Up to $750 cash advance
Credit building secured card
mph.Bank - Second Chance Fresh Account
$9.00 a month service fee
Zelle® Integration
Get paid up to two days earlier
55,000+ free AllPoint ATMs
Second Chance Banks in Pennsylvania
Atlantic Union Bank
The PRISM 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.
Fulton Bank
The Xpress Account requires a $25 opening deposit and a $4.95 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts but check writing is unavailable.
Mars Bank
The Perfect Fit Deposit 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 but check writing is unavailable.
M&T Bank
The MyWay Banking account is a checkless account that requires a $25 opening deposit and a $4.95 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
NBT Bank
The iSelect Account offers customers basic banking services, while providing safeguards to help customers manage their accounts to develop sound banking practices.
People First Bank
The People First Checking Account offers customers basic banking services, while providing safeguards to help customers manage their accounts to develop sound banking practices.
PNC Bank
The Foundations Checking account is 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.
QNB Bank
The Opportunity Account is 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.
S&T Bank
The Easy Banking Account is 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.
The Dime Bank
The Opportunity Account is 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.
Sandy Spring Bank
The Direct Banking account requires a $25 opening deposit and a $4.95 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
TD Bank
The TD Essential Banking account requires a $0 opening deposit and a $4.95 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
Tidemark Federal Credit Union
The Encore Checking account requires a $5 opening deposit and a $5 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
Tompkins Bank
The Smart Spending Checking Account is requires a $0 opening deposit and a $5 monthly service fee. You’ll have free access to online banking, mobile deposit, bill pay and account alerts.
Truist Bank
The Truist Confidence 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.
United Bank
The Essential Checking 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.
Pennsylvania Unbanked Numbers
According a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) 2023 Survey, 3.0% of Pennsylvania’s residents were unbanked. Pennsylvania ranks among the lowest 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 5.21% 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.
