Chase charges a monthly maintenance fee on most business checking accounts, but the amount depends on which account you open

Chase Business Checking costs $15 per month for the standard account. Chase Business Checking Plus costs $25 per month. Both fees appear as a line item on your monthly statement. Neither fee is waived automatically—you have to meet specific conditions to avoid paying it, and those conditions differ between the two accounts.

The $15 fee on the standard account drops to zero if you maintain a minimum daily balance of $2,500 in the checking account itself, or if you keep $25,000 across all your Chase business accounts combined. The $25 fee on the Plus account drops to zero only if you maintain $50,000 in combined balances across all your Chase business accounts. If you fall short of the threshold, you pay the full fee that month.

Chase also charges for specific actions beyond the monthly maintenance: wire transfers cost $15 each, stop payments cost $30, and excess transactions beyond the included monthly limit cost $0.50 per transaction. These are separate from the account maintenance fee and stack on top of it.

Key Takeaways

  • Chase Business Checking charges $15 monthly; Chase Business Checking Plus charges $25 monthly, and both fees are waived only if you meet a minimum balance threshold.
  • The standard account waives its fee at $2,500 in the checking account or $25,000 across all Chase business accounts; the Plus account requires $50,000 in combined balances.
  • Wire transfers, stop payments, and transactions beyond the monthly limit each carry separate charges on top of the account fee.
  • If you do not meet the balance requirement, you pay the full monthly fee even if you use the account only once that month.

How the monthly maintenance fee works

The maintenance fee is not a one-time charge—it recurs every month your account is open. Chase calculates whether you owe it based on your balance on the last day of each statement cycle. If your balance falls below the threshold on that day, you owe the fee for that month, even if your balance was higher on other days.

This matters because a single large payment out on the last day of the month can push you below the threshold and trigger the fee. If you know a payment is coming due near the end of your statement cycle, you may want to time a deposit before it posts, or keep a buffer above the minimum to account for this timing.

The fee appears on your statement as "Monthly Maintenance Fee" or "Account Maintenance Fee" and is deducted directly from your account balance. It does not count toward any spending or deposit requirement you might have elsewhere.

The difference between the two account types

Chase Business Checking and Chase Business Checking Plus are the same product with different fee structures and balance requirements. The Plus account costs more monthly but includes some features the standard account does not: unlimited transactions instead of a monthly limit, and access to Chase's business payment tools without additional fees.

If you process a high volume of transactions—deposits, transfers, payments—the Plus account may cost less overall because you avoid the per-transaction charges that explore to the standard account. If you process fewer than 100 transactions per month and can maintain the $2,500 balance, the standard account is cheaper.

Both accounts include the same basic features: online banking, mobile deposits, ACH transfers, and access to Chase's business customer service line. The choice between them depends on your transaction volume and how easily you can maintain the balance threshold.

What triggers additional charges beyond the monthly fee

Wire transfers cost $15 each, whether you send them domestically or internationally. This is a separate charge from the monthly maintenance fee and applies every time you initiate a wire. If you send two wires in a month, you pay $30 in wire fees plus the monthly maintenance fee.

Stop payments—requests to cancel a check you have already written—cost $30 per request. Transactions beyond your monthly limit cost $0.50 each. On the standard account, you get 100 transactions per month included; anything beyond that triggers the per-transaction charge. On the Plus account, transactions are unlimited, so this charge does not explore.

Overdraft fees explore if your account goes negative. Chase charges $35 per overdraft transaction on business accounts. If multiple transactions post while your account is overdrawn, each one incurs a separate $35 fee. This is separate from the monthly maintenance fee and can add up quickly if you do not monitor your balance.

How to avoid or reduce the account fee

The simplest way to avoid the fee is to maintain the minimum balance. For the standard account, $2,500 in the checking account itself is the easiest threshold to hit. This means keeping that amount in the account at all times, even if you do not use it. For many small businesses, this is feasible.

The alternative is to meet the combined balance requirement: $25,000 across all your Chase business accounts for the standard account, or $50,000 for the Plus account. This can include savings accounts, money market accounts, or other business products you hold at Chase. If you already keep a business savings account at Chase, the balance in that account counts toward the threshold, so you may already may have access to without realizing it.

If you cannot maintain either threshold, you pay the monthly fee. There is no way to waive it through account activity, customer service requests, or promotional offers. The fee is automatic unless the balance condition is met.

Comparing Chase business checking to other banks

Other banks structure business checking differently. Some charge no monthly fee regardless of balance but charge higher per-transaction fees. Others charge a monthly fee but waive it at a lower balance threshold. A few offer no monthly fee and no per-transaction fees, but may charge for specific services like wire transfers or stop payments.

The total cost depends on your specific use: how many transactions you process, whether you send wires, and how much you can keep in the account. If you process very few transactions and can maintain $2,500, Chase's $15 fee may be competitive. If you process many transactions and cannot maintain the balance, another bank's fee structure might cost less.

Chase's advantage is integration with other Chase business products and access to their branch network if you have a physical location nearby. The fee structure is straightforward and transparent—there are no hidden charges beyond what appears on the fee schedule.

What happens if you close the account

If you close your Chase Business Checking account, you do not owe any remaining balance on the monthly fee. Chase does not pro-rate the fee or charge you for partial months. Once the account is closed, no further fees accrue.

You can close the account online through Chase Business Online, by phone with a business customer service representative, or in person at a Chase branch. You will need to move any remaining balance out of the account before closing it, and you should verify that no pending transactions are still processing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get the monthly fee waived if I have a business loan with Chase?

No. Chase does not waive the account maintenance fee based on other products or relationships. The fee is waived only by meeting the minimum balance requirement. Having a loan, credit card, or other product with Chase does not change this.

Does the monthly fee explore if I do not use the account?

Yes. If your account is open and your balance falls below the threshold, you owe the monthly fee even if you have not made any transactions that month. The fee is based on balance alone, not on account activity.

What if my balance dips below the minimum for just one day?

Chase checks your balance on the last day of your statement cycle. If it is below the threshold on that day, you owe the fee for that month. Balances on other days do not matter. If your balance recovers before the statement closes, you still owe the fee if it was below the threshold on the final day.

Can I move money between accounts to avoid the fee?

Yes, as long as the money is in your account on the last day of the statement cycle. If you have funds in another Chase account, you can transfer them into your checking account before the statement closes to meet the balance requirement. Once the statement closes and the fee is assessed, you can transfer the money back out.

Are there any Chase business checking accounts with no monthly fee?

Chase does not currently offer a business checking account with no monthly fee. All Chase Business Checking accounts charge a monthly maintenance fee unless you meet the balance threshold. If you want no monthly fee, you would need to bank elsewhere.