What is Max Checking?

Max Checking serves as the central account that connects your existing checking, savings, and brokerage accounts to your Optimized Savings. All transfers, including deposits, withdrawals, and optimizations, are routed through Max Checking, so you can track all your activity on Max in one place.

With Max Checking, you can benefit from faster optimizations and earn more on all your cash no matter where you bank or invest. While not a full-service checking account designed to replace your brick-and-mortar bank account, it makes it easy to add to your savings, facilitate transfers between your high-yield savings, and receive interest income from your accounts.

With no minimums or monthly fees, you’ll earn 0.20% APY* on balances in your central account, and can receive Max Membership rebates if you hold higher balances. Transfers to/from Max Checking take 1-3 business days to process, or you can request a free domestic wire transfer to access funds same-day.**

Which checking account should I use?

Everyone manages cash differently. Some prefer to keep a constant balance in their checking account from month-to-month to meet monthly inflows/outflows. Others prefer to set aside a discrete amount of cash in savings, to save for the purchase of a home or as an emergency fund.

Max is inherently flexible, and can be configured in different ways to meet different needs.

Open a Max Checking account (Most Popular):

• If you want to manage a discrete amount of cash, Max Checking might be your best option. You can open a Max Checking account in as little as 60 seconds, and because it integrates seamlessly into Max, there are no separate logins or passwords to remember. 

• You can fund your Max Checking account by linking it to your existing checking, savings, and brokerage accounts at thousands of financial institutions nationwide.

• This is a good option if you wish to make a deliberate allocation to savings, such as for an emergency fund or to save for the purchase of a house, or if you don't want funds flowing in/out of your main checking account. Max Checking is also for members who don’t have an account at one of the banks that Max supports, but would like to start earning more with Max.

• Max Checking also includes additional benefits, such as free domestic wire transfers. Max members who use Max Checking and keep higher balances in their Max Checking account are also eligible for Max membership fee rebates of up to $200 per year.

Link your existing checking account:

• If you would like to link your existing checking account, Max will help you keep a constant balance in that account month-to-month. Click here for a full list of supported checking accounts.

• This is a good option if you view cash as fungible, and want to move your funds to/from savings to keep your checking account at a constant balance from month-to-month.

Max Checking is powered by Customers Bank, Member FDIC #34444.

*) Annual Percentage Yield (APY) accurate as of 3/3/2025. Minimum amount to open a Max Checking account is $0.00. Rate of 0.20% applies to entire balance. Rates may change after account is opened. Fees may reduce earnings. FDIC-insured up to at least $250,000 per depositor.

**) Fees will be waived for all domestic inbound and outbound wire transfers to/from Max Checking.