Key Smart Checking®
Free checking for easy banking.
Earn $300* with Key Smart Checking, our most popular, no-monthly-fee checking account. Here’s how to qualify:
- Open your account by 3/21/25, using offer code KDSA1224.
- Make the minimum opening deposit and one single eligible direct deposit* of at least $1,000 within 60 days of account opening.
- Check offer details.
Free Checking Account Overview
| Monthly Maintenance Fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum Balance Requirement | $0 |
| Transaction Minimum | No transaction requirements |
| Overdraft Protection Transfer Fee | $0 automatic overdraft protection transfers from a linked savings or credit account1 |
| Minimum Opening Deposit |
$10 |
| Paper Checks | Yes. Order checks now. |
| No Fee ATMs |
$0 KeyBank and Allpoint® ATM access nationwide with your KeyBank Debit Mastercard® |
NOW FEATURING EARLY PAY
With Early Pay, payday could be just that. Early.
Add direct deposits to your checking account and you could get paid up to two days sooner.2
Features and Benefits
Free Checking
There’s no monthly fee or minimum balance requirement for having Key Smart Checking.
Great with Savings
Pair with Key Active Saver® to easily transfer money, save with EasyUp, and avoid extra fees. The monthly fee for Key Active Saver is waived when you also have a KeyBank consumer checking account.3
Start with $10
Easily open our free checking account with an opening deposit of at least $10.
Checking that puts you in control of your money.
See the rewarding benefits of banking with Key.
Use EasyUp to build up savings or pay down debt without even thinking about it.
If your account’s overdrawn by $20 or less at the end of the day, you won’t see an overdraft fee1 from KeyBank.
Set custom account alerts so you can receive text or email updates about the account information that's important to you.4
Easy, everyday banking with everything you need.
Get all the convenient features of KeyBank checking accounts.
- Secure Online and Mobile Banking4,6
Deposit checks in the mobile app with the option to get your money immediately,5 pay bills, send money to friends and family, and more.
- Convenient Branches and ATMs
Visit us at any of our branches and 40,000 KeyBank and Allpoint ATMs nationwide. Find a location.
- Overdraft Protection1
Link your checking account to an eligible credit or savings account to automatically cover overdrafts without a transfer fee.
- KeyBank Debit Mastercard®
Enjoy chip security, Tap & Go technology, and all the benefits of Mastercard.
- Relationship Rates and Benefits
Earn higher interest rates, more cashback, loan discounts, and more — it all starts with a KeyBank checking account. Learn more about relationship benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions About Key Smart Checking
To apply for a KeyBank Smart Checking account, you'll need the following:
- Your Social Security number
- One valid form of primary identification (such as a driver’s license, valid passport, or government-issued ID with photo and signature)
- Minimum opening deposit required (this amount varies depending on the account)
Yes, Key Smart Checking is a free checking account with no monthly maintenance fee, no minimum balance requirement, and no minimum transaction amount. There is a $10 minimum deposit required to open this account.
Once your KeyBank Smart Checking account application is submitted and approved, you’ll receive a confirmation message that includes your account number. You can use your account number to immediately enroll in online and mobile banking.
If you chose to receive a debit card, it will arrive 5 – 7 days after you make the initial deposit in your checking account. If you chose to receive checks, they’ll arrive in 10 – 14 days.
It’s fast and easy to order checks from KeyBank online and mobile banking, in any KeyBank branch, or with your routing and account number, directly from our preferred vender, Harland Clarke,7 online or at 1-800-355-8123, or dial 711 for TTY/TRS.
Yes, our Key Smart Checking account is great for student banking because it’s a free checking account with no monthly maintenance fees and no minimum balance. Plus, KeyBank’s secure online and mobile banking, 1,000+ branches, and 40,000+ KeyBank and Allpoint ATMs nationwide make banking convenient.
Open your free Key Smart Checking account in about 5 minutes!
Overdraft Item Charges are $20 per item. Charges apply to transactions created by check, in-person withdrawal, recurring debit card transactions, or other electronic means. Overdraft charges will not be imposed on ATM withdrawals or one-time debit card items unless the customer has opted in authorizing Key to pay these items into overdraft and assess a charge. You agree to pay us the full amount of any overdraft on your Account immediately upon demand, together with any additional charges we assess. KeyBank’s approval of overdrafts is a discretionary courtesy. For Consumer accounts: No charges will be assessed when the account is overdrawn twenty ($20) dollars or less at the end of the day. Overdraft charges are assessed on up to three (3) items per day, with the maximum not to exceed $60 per day per account. Overdraft charges may not post on the same day as the transaction which triggers the fee(s). There is a cap of 20 assessed overdraft charges within a monthly statement period. If at the end of the day, your account’s overdrawn available balance is more than $20 for 5 consecutive business days, an additional $20 Recurring Overdraft Service Charge will be assessed. See your accounts Personal Checking Account Fees and Disclosures for additional information and Personal Savings Overdraft Protection Agreement for further information on linking savings account for protection.
Early Pay is a service included with your KeyBank consumer deposit account in which KeyBank makes your eligible direct deposits available up to two business days early. Eligible direct deposits include certain transactions such as payroll, government benefits, or similar types of payments. The Early Pay service is dependent on when KeyBank receives information from the payer that the funds are on the way, this could vary, and you may not always receive your funds early. You cannot opt out of Early Pay.
Monthly Maintenance fee is waived if you are an owner on a KeyBank Consumer Checking Account (including KeyBank Hassle-Free Account), otherwise the fee will be $4.00.
Message and Data rates may apply from your wireless carrier.
Immediate Funds℠ is available in the KeyBank mobile app and will only appear as an option for eligible mobile check deposits. You will also have the option for a standard deposit at no charge. The Immediate Funds fee is 2% of the deposit amount, with a minimum fee of $2.
Immediate Funds requests made after 11:00 p.m. ET will have immediate funds availability for ATM withdrawal and point-of-sale transactions. However, it will take until the next business day for the funds to be available to cover overdrafts or other transaction types. For more information, review our Funds Availability Policy.
Subject to terms and conditions in Service Agreement.
KeyCorp is not affiliated with, maintained by, or in any way officially connected with Harland Clarke or any of its business units.
The issuer of this debit card is KeyBank N.A. pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Incorporated. Mastercard and Tap & Go are registered trademarks, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.