Wells Fargo offers four personal checking accounts with monthly fees ranging from $5 to $35. Each account has specific minimum balance requirements and other conditions that waive the fee. Wells Fargo uses the minimum daily balance method — your balance must stay at or above the threshold on every single day of the statement period, not just on average.
Wells Fargo Checking Accounts at a Glance
| Account | Monthly Fee | Minimum Balance to Waive | Other Ways to Waive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Access Banking | $5 | None | Ages 13–24; $250 qualifying electronic deposits; military direct deposit |
| Everyday Checking | $15 | $1,500 daily | $500 qualifying electronic deposits; $5,000 in combined balances; ages 17–24; military direct deposit |
| Prime Checking | $25 | $20,000 linked | No other waiver options |
| Premier Checking | $35 | $250,000 linked | Wells Fargo may waive at discretion |
How Wells Fargo Calculates Your Balance
Wells Fargo uses the minimum daily balance method for all personal checking accounts. This means your balance must be at or above the required threshold on every single day of the statement period. A one-day dip below the minimum triggers the full monthly fee for the entire period.
This is stricter than the average daily balance method used by some other banks. A large recurring payment — rent, insurance, a car payment — that temporarily drops your account below the threshold for even a single day results in the fee. Customers relying on the balance waiver should keep a comfortable buffer above the stated minimum.
Clear Access Banking
Monthly fee: $5 or $0
Clear Access Banking is Wells Fargo’s entry-level checkless account. It has no check writing and no overdraft fees. The $5 monthly fee is waived if any one of the following applies each fee period:
- The primary account owner is 13–24 years old
- $250 or more in total qualifying electronic deposits post to the account
- A qualifying monthly non-civilian military direct deposit is received through the Wells Fargo Worldwide Military Banking program
Minimum age to open: 13. Account holders aged 13–17 must open at a branch. Those aged 13–16 must have an adult co-owner. Customers must be 18 to open online.
When the primary account owner turns 25, the age waiver ends and one of the other conditions must be met to avoid the fee.
Everyday Checking
Monthly fee: $15 or $0
Everyday Checking is Wells Fargo’s standard personal checking account with check writing, debit card access, and full digital banking. The $15 monthly fee is waived if any one of the following applies each fee period:
- $500 or more in total qualifying electronic deposits
- $1,500 minimum daily balance maintained every day of the fee period
- $5,000 or more in qualifying deposit balances, investment balances, or both
- The primary account owner is 17–24 years old
- A qualifying monthly non-civilian military direct deposit through the Wells Fargo Worldwide Military Banking program
What counts as a qualifying electronic deposit: salary, government benefits, or other income posted via ACH direct deposit, the RTP network (real-time payment system), FedNow, or an electronic credit from Visa or Mastercard (such as an Original Credit Transaction). The following do not count: transfers between your own accounts, Zelle, mobile deposits, and deposits made at a branch or ATM.
Minimum age to open: 17. Account holders aged 17 must open at a branch. Customers must be 18 to open online.
When the primary account owner turns 25, the age waiver ends.
Prime Checking
Monthly fee: $25 or $0
Prime Checking is Wells Fargo’s mid-tier relationship account with benefits such as ATM fee discounts and interest rate discounts on select new loans. The $25 monthly fee is waived when you maintain:
- $20,000 or more in statement-ending qualifying linked balances, which include:
- Consumer bank deposit account balances (checking, savings, CDs, FDIC-insured IRAs)
- Investment account balances available through Wells Fargo Advisors
- Applicable bank fiduciary and custody accounts
There is no direct deposit waiver or age waiver for Prime Checking — the $20,000 linked balance is the only waiver condition.
Minimum age to open: 18 (19 in Alabama). Can be opened online or at a branch.
Premier Checking
Monthly fee: $35 or $0
Premier Checking is Wells Fargo’s top-tier relationship account. It includes access to Premier Client Service and 24/7 dedicated phone support, along with relationship banking benefits and discounts. The $35 monthly fee is waived when you maintain:
- $250,000 or more in statement-ending qualifying linked balances, which include:
- Consumer bank deposit account balances (checking, savings, time accounts/CDs, FDIC-insured IRAs)
- Investment account balances available through Wells Fargo Advisors
- Applicable bank fiduciary and custody accounts
Wells Fargo may also waive the fee at its discretion for promotional or other purposes.
Minimum age to open: 18 (19 in Alabama). Can be opened online or at a branch.
How to Avoid Wells Fargo Monthly Fees
For most customers, qualifying electronic deposits are the most reliable path to waiving the Everyday Checking fee. A regular paycheck from an employer or a government benefit payment deposited via direct deposit meets the $500 threshold without any ongoing effort.
If direct deposit is not an option, the $1,500 minimum daily balance waiver requires discipline. Because Wells Fargo uses minimum daily balance, a single large payment that drops your account below $1,500 for even one day results in the $15 charge. Keep a buffer above the stated minimum to absorb timing gaps between deposits and large outgoing payments.
For the $5,000 combined balance waiver, Wells Fargo counts balances across linked checking, savings, and qualifying investment accounts. This can be easier to meet if you already hold multiple accounts at Wells Fargo.
For a full breakdown of all Wells Fargo charges including overdraft fees, ATM fees, and wire transfer fees, see the Wells Fargo fees guide.
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