The Top 3 Personal Checking Accounts in Pennsylvania

Opening a personal checking account is the first step toward responsible financial management. Pennsylvanians have access to reputable institutions offering feature-rich banking solutions. These three are the best personal checking accounts in Pennsylvania.

Evaluating the Best Personal Checking Accounts

Pennsylvania’s top personal checking accounts offer attractive incentives for new customers. However, look beyond the initial perks to determine which financial institution and product fits your needs. Consider these factors:

• Intended user: Note whether an account is for individuals, couples, teens, students, or high-net-worth individuals to ensure it aligns with your lifestyle and needs.
• Account features: Find out how it helps you do common tasks, such as depositing and withdrawing funds, planning your budget, paying bills, and tracking expenses.
• Interest: Check how much interest you can earn from your deposits.
• Fees: Review all of the account’s associated fees to see if they’re reasonable and a good fit for your budget.
• Type of institution: Understand whether a financial institution is for-profit or not-for-profit, brick-and-mortar or digital-only, or a community or a subsidiary of a multibank holding company.
• Service areas: Verify if your prospective financial institution is licensed or authorized to operate in your area for convenience and legal protection.
• Locations: Look for an institution with an extensive network of branches and ATMs statewide or in your region, allowing you to easily withdraw cash and speak with representatives in person.
• Customer service: Check if a financial institution offers support through various channels and has reps online to assist you with personal checking account concerns 24/7.

1. First Commonwealth Bank’s Hometown Checking Premium

First Commonwealth Bank offers Hometown Checking Premium, a top-tier personal checking option. It supports digital banking via desktop and mobile, lets you send money on Zelle for free, settle bills, and schedule payments. It comes with the World Debit Mastercard® debit card, which offers theft protection to safeguard your account and alerts you when your email addresses are involved in data breaches.

Hometown Checking Premium can save you a considerable amount on ATM fees. It allows you to withdraw your funds at no cost and as many times as you want, even when using ATMs outside of its network. This personal checking account comes with free Overdraft Protection, which applies to transfers made through a linked Hometown Savings account.

This online personal checking account is interest-bearing, and rates vary by ZIP code. If you open a Relationship Money Market account with First Commonwealth Bank, you’ll earn relationship interest rates. Hometown Checking Premium automatically qualifies you for a rate discount when you take out a personal or home equity loan.

First Commonwealth Bank requires a minimum deposit of only $50 to open an account. You can have its $15 monthly service charge waived if you deposit at least $2,000 per statement cycle or show proof that you’re an active military service member or a veteran.

2. PNC’s Virtual Wallet with Performance Select

Virtual Wallet with Performance Select from PNC is a hybrid of personal checking and savings accounts. It consists of three accounts — primary checking, secondary checking, and long-term savings. The funds in your primary checking account are for everyday expenses, while the money in your secondary checking account is for emergencies. The cash kept in your long-term savings account grows over time, allowing you to capitalize on the power of compounding interest.

This hybrid account lets you avoid fees on PNC and partner ATMs. In addition, PNC reimburses some of the fees other banks may charge you. You can customize the design of its companion debit card and lock it to prevent unauthorized transactions.

This product’s budgeting tools complement PNC’s mobile app. Virtual Wallet’s Calendar shows your daily activity and upcoming financial obligations, and its Money Bar visually breaks down your finances to show you whether you have excess funds you can set aside for savings. You can effortlessly sort your spending with automatic categories and track your expenses through dynamic bar graphs. This account makes building a savings plan straightforward by helping you set goals and automatically transferring funds on a schedule.

PNC charges a $25 monthly service fee for Virtual Wallet with Performance Select. However, you can avoid it by making qualified direct deposits of at least $5,000 per month to your spending account or maintaining an average balance of $5,000 between your spending account and up to seven linked checking accounts.

3. Connexus’ Xtraordinary Checking

Xtraordinary Checking from Connexus lets you make a wide range of direct deposits, including payroll, retirement benefits, and government benefits, transfer funds as you please, and pay utility bills and loans.

The beauty of Xtraordinary Checking is that it has no monthly fees. Connexus has zero maintenance charges and minimum balance requirements. This credit union gives you access to thousands of fee-free ATMs nationwide. Its members also enjoy ATM surcharge rebates in the United States.

This personal checking account can preserve your wealth by growing your funds passively. Connexus pays up to 5% annual percentage yield on account balances up to $25,000, which is high enough to offset inflation and preserve your purchasing power while parking your money in an accessible account.

You can unlock Xtraordinary Checking’s high yield potential by making a purchase using your free contactless Visa debit card 15 times or spending a total of at least $500 by the month’s end. You should also enroll in electronic billing and make a direct deposit or an automated clearing house deposit from a non-Connexus account of at least $500.

Choosing the Right PA Personal Checking Account for You

The best personal checking accounts in Pennsylvania strike a balance between introductory offers and long-term value. Contact First Commonwealth Bank, PNC, and Connexus to learn more about their products, know what they have in store for new customers, and discuss your financial goals to pick the right account for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to the most common questions about personal checking accounts.

Ankita Sharma

Ankita is the Senior SEO Analyst as well as Content Marketing enthusiast at The Next Tech. She uses her experience to guide the team and follow best practices in marketing and advertising space. She received a Bachelor's Degree in Science (Mathematics). She’s taken quite a few online certificate courses in digital marketing and pursuing more.

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