Look at your account statement or online banking login
The fastest way to know your account type is to check what your bank calls it. Open your online banking app or website, log in, and look at your account list. Your bank will label each account as "Checking" or "Savings" right there. If you have paper statements, the account type appears near the top, usually next to your account number.
If you cannot access online banking, call your bank's customer service number on the back of your debit card or on your most recent statement. Tell them your account number, and they will tell you the account type in under a minute. You do not need to know anything else — just the account number.
Key Takeaways
- Your bank labels the account type directly in online banking, on paper statements, and in customer service calls — it is never hidden.
- Checking accounts come with a debit card and checks; savings accounts typically do not.
- Checking accounts allow unlimited deposits and withdrawals; savings accounts limit how many times per month you can withdraw.
- If you opened the account years ago and forgot which type it is, your statement or a quick call to the bank will settle it immediately.
Check what comes with your account
The physical signs of a checking account are a debit card and a checkbook. If your bank sent you both when you opened the account, you almost certainly have a checking account. Savings accounts rarely come with either.
Look in your wallet or your mail. If you have a card from this bank with your name on it that you can swipe at stores or ATMs, that is a checking account debit card. If you received a booklet of checks with your account number printed on them, that is also a checking account feature. Savings accounts do not use checks.
Review your account restrictions on withdrawals
Savings accounts have a federal limit on how many times you can withdraw money per month — usually six times, though some banks set it lower. Checking accounts have no withdrawal limit. If you have never hit a withdrawal limit or been warned about one, your account is probably checking.
You can test this by looking at your recent statement. Count how many times you withdrew money in the last month — either through ATM, debit card, online transfer, or in-person at a teller. If you did this more than six times and the bank did not charge you a fee or block a transaction, you have a checking account. If you have a savings account and try to withdraw more than the limit, the bank will either charge you a fee or refuse the transaction.
Look at your interest rate
Savings accounts earn interest on your balance — the bank pays you a small percentage of your money each month. Checking accounts rarely earn interest, or earn so little that it rounds to zero. If your statement shows a line item for "interest earned" with any amount above a few cents per month, you have a savings account.
This is not a foolproof test, because some checking accounts do earn interest and some savings accounts earn nothing. But if you see regular interest payments, your account is savings. If you see no interest line at all, it is almost certainly checking.
Ask yourself how you use the account
Think about what you do with this account. Do you use a debit card to buy groceries or gas? Do you pay bills from it? Do you get your paycheck deposited into it? Those are all checking account behaviors. Checking accounts are built for frequent spending and bill payments.
Do you put money in and leave it there for months? Do you rarely touch it except to move money to another account? Do you opened it specifically to save for something? Those are savings account behaviors. Savings accounts are built for holding money and earning interest, not for daily spending.
Check your account opening paperwork
If you still have the paperwork from when you opened the account, the account type will be written on it. Look for the account agreement or the welcome letter the bank sent you. The account type is usually on the first page, sometimes in a box or highlighted section.
If you opened the account online, check your email for a confirmation message from the bank. That message will say "Your new checking account" or "Your new savings account" in the subject line or body. If you cannot find the email, log into your bank's website and look for a "Documents" or "Account History" section — many banks keep copies of your original paperwork there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have both a checking and savings account at the same bank?
Yes, most people do. You can open both at the same time or add one later. They are separate accounts with separate account numbers, so you can move money between them but they are tracked separately. Your online banking will list both, labeled clearly.
What if my bank calls it something other than checking or savings?
Some banks use different names — "transaction account" instead of checking, or "money market account" instead of savings. Call your bank and ask what type of account you have. They will translate their name into the standard term so you know how it works.
Does it matter which type I have?
Yes. Checking accounts are for spending and paying bills; savings accounts are for holding money and earning interest. If you need to write checks or use a debit card frequently, you need checking. If you want to save money and earn interest, you need savings. Many people have both.
Can I change my account from checking to savings or vice versa?
Some banks allow you to convert an existing account; others require you to open a new one. Call your bank and ask. If conversion is not possible, opening a new account takes a few minutes online or in person, and you can close the old one once you move your money.