Free. Secure. Easy banking at your fingertips.
The Patelco Free Checking account is a no frills, no strings attached, truly free checking account.
You can save more with no monthly fees, no monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements. If only everything in life was as straightforward as the Patelco free checking account.
Plus, payday can come even sooner when you set up direct deposit for your account. Get paid up to two days early —without an additional fee.
It takes minutes to open a Patelco Free Checking account. To join Patelco, you'll need A Social Security number (or acceptable government-issued document showing your Tax Identification Number), driver’s license or government ID and your current home address.
Free Checking. Always free, always easy.
Get Paid Early with Direct Deposit1
Set up Direct Deposit and access your funds up to 2 days early
Debit Mastercard® Card
Pay with confidence with Digital Wallets and Zero Liability Protection
Top-rated Mobile App
Access your accounts on the go
30,000+ Fee-free ATMs
Find one near you on our Mobile App
Set Up Alerts
Automate alerts such as direct deposits or low balances to stay on top of your finances
Frequently Asked Questions
Your Patelco checking account comes with a free Debit Mastercard® that lets you make purchases easily and securely:
- Secure, contactless purchases with Debit Mastercard
- Load your card to Apple Pay®, Google Pay®, or Samsung Pay®
- Zero Liability and Extended Warranty on purchases
- Mastercard Global Service™ emergency card replacement
- Overdraft protection link to a credit line or a Patelco account
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October 29, 2019
Are you considering using automatic bill payments? Find out the benefits and disadvantages of automating your bills to decide what is best for your finances.

1 Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing of the receipt of the payment file from the payer. We generally make these funds available on the day the payment file is received, which may be up to 2 days earlier than the scheduled payment date.
Mastercard and Mastercard Global Service are registered trademarks, and the circles design is a trademark, of Mastercard International Incorporated.
Zelle and the Zelle-related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license.