Chase Business Checking Accounts Have No Minimum Balance Requirement

Chase business checking accounts do not require you to maintain a minimum balance. You can open an account and keep it open with $0 in it. There is no monthly fee tied to how much money you have on deposit.

What matters instead is whether you meet the conditions to waive the monthly service fee itself. Chase offers several business checking products, and each one has different fee structures and different ways to avoid the fee. The account you choose determines what you actually pay.

Key Takeaways

  • Chase business checking accounts have no minimum balance requirement, but most charge a monthly service fee unless you meet specific conditions.
  • The Chase Business Basic Checking account charges $15 per month unless you maintain a $2,500 average daily balance or set up direct deposit.
  • The Chase Business Platinum Checking account charges $25 per month and requires either a $25,000 average daily balance or a combination of linked accounts and services.
  • You can avoid monthly fees by using direct deposit, maintaining the required balance, or bundling accounts and services depending on which account type you choose.
  • Fee waivers and balance requirements change, so confirm the current terms before opening an account or switching products.

How Chase Business Checking Fees Work

Chase charges a monthly service fee on most business checking accounts. The fee applies whether your balance is high or low — the minimum balance requirement does not exist, but the monthly fee does. You avoid the fee by meeting one of the conditions Chase sets for that specific account.

The two most common Chase business checking products are Business Basic Checking and Business Platinum Checking. Each has its own fee structure and its own paths to waive the fee. A third option, Chase Business Complete Banking, bundles checking with other services and has different requirements altogether.

The conditions to waive fees usually involve either maintaining a certain average daily balance, setting up direct deposit, or linking multiple accounts and services. Direct deposit is often the easiest route because it does not require you to keep a large balance sitting idle.

Business Basic Checking: Fee and Balance Options

Chase Business Basic Checking charges $15 per month. You can waive this fee in two ways: maintain an average daily balance of $2,500 or more, or set up direct deposit to the account.

The $2,500 balance requirement is an average across the entire month, not a minimum you must never fall below. If your balance dips below $2,500 on some days but averages $2,500 or higher over the month, the fee is waived. Direct deposit does not require any balance at all — if payroll or other recurring deposits hit the account, the fee disappears.

This account includes unlimited transactions, a debit card, and online banking. There are no limits on how many checks you can write or how many transfers you can make.

Business Platinum Checking: Higher Fee and Balance Threshold

Chase Business Platinum Checking charges $25 per month. The balance requirement is higher: you need an average daily balance of $25,000 to waive the fee.

Alternatively, you can waive the fee by meeting a combination of conditions. For example, maintaining a lower balance while also linking a savings account, a credit card, or a loan to your checking account may waive the fee. Chase calls this bundling, and the exact combination that works changes based on current promotions.

This account includes unlimited transactions, a debit card, online banking, and access to Chase's business payment tools. The higher fee reflects the additional features and the expectation that larger businesses will use the account.

What Average Daily Balance Actually Means

When Chase says you need an average daily balance of $2,500 or $25,000, it means the total of your balance on each day of the month, divided by the number of days. If you have $5,000 on day one and $0 on day two, your two-day average is $2,500.

Chase calculates this automatically. You do not have to do anything except maintain the balance. The bank tracks it and either charges the fee or waives it based on whether you hit the threshold.

The balance counts money in the checking account only, not in linked savings accounts or other products. If you have $20,000 in a business savings account and $5,000 in checking, only the $5,000 counts toward the checking account's balance requirement.

Direct Deposit as an Alternative to Balance Requirements

Direct deposit is often the simplest way to waive the monthly fee because it requires no balance at all. If your business receives payroll deposits, vendor payments, or customer payments via ACH transfer, those count as direct deposit.

The deposit must be recurring and must hit the account automatically. A one-time transfer does not count. Chase does not publish a minimum deposit amount, but the deposit must be genuine business activity, not a transfer you set up just to waive the fee.

If your business does not have regular direct deposits, maintaining the balance or bundling accounts may be your only option. Some businesses use a combination — they maintain a modest balance and also set up a small direct deposit to may support the fee stays waived.

When Chase Changes Fees and Requirements

Chase updates its fee structures and balance requirements periodically. The amounts and conditions described here reflect current information, but they can change. If you opened an account several years ago, the terms may no longer match what new customers see.

If you already have a business checking account with Chase, your current terms usually stay in place unless you close the account and reopen it, or unless Chase notifies you of a change to your specific account. New accounts opened today will follow today's terms.

Before opening a new account or switching to a different product, contact Chase directly or check the current terms on their website. The fee structure and balance requirements are public information, and Chase customer service can confirm what applies to the account you are considering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I open a Chase business checking account with no money?

Yes. Chase has no minimum opening deposit. You can open the account with $0 and fund it later. However, you will owe the monthly service fee unless you meet one of the conditions to waive it — such as maintaining the required balance or setting up direct deposit.

What happens if my balance drops below the required amount for one day?

A single day below the threshold does not trigger the fee. Chase looks at your average daily balance for the entire month. As long as your average across all days meets the requirement, the fee is waived. You can dip below the threshold on some days without penalty.

Does a linked savings account count toward the checking balance requirement?

No. Only money in the checking account itself counts toward the balance requirement. Savings accounts, money market accounts, and other linked products are separate and do not contribute to the checking account's balance threshold.

If I set up direct deposit, do I still need to maintain a balance?

No. Direct deposit alone waives the monthly fee on Business Basic Checking. You do not need to maintain any balance if you have recurring direct deposits. On Business Platinum Checking, direct deposit is one of several options, but it does not waive the fee by itself — you would need to bundle it with other accounts or services.

What counts as direct deposit for fee waiver purposes?

Any recurring ACH transfer into the account counts — payroll, vendor payments, customer invoices paid electronically, or government benefits. It must be automatic and recurring, not a one-time transfer. Chase does not publish a minimum amount, but the deposit should reflect genuine business activity.