{"id":6461,"date":"2025-11-21T01:53:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T07:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/?p=6461"},"modified":"2026-02-02T13:00:44","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T19:00:44","slug":"reasons-millennials-still-need-a-checking-account","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/reasons-millennials-still-need-a-checking-account\/","title":{"rendered":"All about apps? Great, but there are reasons millennials still need a checking account"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Millennials are glued to their mobile devices for more than just scrolling through social media and snapping selfies. Many millennials use apps and mobile tools to pay their bills and mobile payment services to send and receive money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Aside from the convenience of sending money with the tap of a finger, virtual wallets are free to use and offer quick transfers,&#8221; says Jennifer McDermott, consumer advocate for a personal finance site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Virtual wallets\u2014also called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/checking-account\/digital-wallets\/?src=S00001CUE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">digital wallets<\/a>\u2014offer a way to store different payment information and passwords from multiple accounts in one place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They even &#8220;allow millennials to charge friends in real time, making splitting the costs of meals, gifts and housing easier than ever,&#8221; McDermott adds.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"mx-auto block-quote block-quote--5front bg-fixed bg-center bg-no-repeat bg-cover z-0\">\n    <div class=\"block-quote__glow\"><\/div>\n    <blockquote class=\"post--constrain-large\">\n        <p>One reason millennials need a checking account is that you can deposit checks and pay bills from your account.<\/p>\n                    <footer class=\"block-quote__source\">Jennifer McDermott, consumer advocate for a personal finance site<\/footer>\n            <\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    <div class=\"post__content\">\n\n\n\n\n<p>Since financial apps and tools are all the rage, do millennials need a checking account? The answer is still a resounding yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While there are financial\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/banking-your-way\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">apps to help you manage your money<\/a>, there are good reasons millennials need a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capitalone.com\/bank\/checking-accounts\/online-checking-account\/?src=dfsmm-check&amp;art=reasons-millennials-still-need-a-checking-account\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">checking account<\/a> as part of their financial strategy. The challenge is figuring out what millennials want from a checking account that apps simply can\u2019t provide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-checking-accounts-do-that-apps-can-t\">What checking accounts do that apps can&#8217;t<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Checking accounts offer some benefits that digital wallets lack, McDermott says. One reason millennials need a checking account is that you can deposit checks and pay bills from your account. Digital wallets are not necessarily designed for this\u2014they are simply for making purchases or sending money, McDermott adds. With Capital One, it\u2019s just as fast to deposit a check from your phone as it is at an ATM, and you don\u2019t even have to leave the house.<sup>1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having a checking account also allows you to utilize direct deposit and skip the hassle of manually depositing each paycheck from your employer. You can get paid sooner with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capitalone.com\/bank\/early-paycheck\/?src=dfsmm-earlypaycheck&amp;art=reasons-millennials-still-need-a-checking-account\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">early paycheck<\/a> feature from Capital One.<sup>2<\/sup> If your bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), your money is safeguarded, too\u2014if your bank fails, your deposits are insured up to up to $250,000 per depositor, per account ownership category. And while often overlooked, you can even\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/how-to-budget-with-a-checking-account\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">use your checking account as a budgeting tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2121\" height=\"869\" src=\"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_2-INARTICLE-688027605-e1531945059104.jpg\" alt=\"A young woman balances her checking account while enjoying a cup of coffee.\" class=\"wp-image-6474\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_2-INARTICLE-688027605-e1531945059104.jpg 2121w, https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_2-INARTICLE-688027605-e1531945059104-300x123.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_2-INARTICLE-688027605-e1531945059104-780x320.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_2-INARTICLE-688027605-e1531945059104-768x315.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_2-INARTICLE-688027605-e1531945059104-1536x629.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_2-INARTICLE-688027605-e1531945059104-2048x839.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_2-INARTICLE-688027605-e1531945059104-730x299.jpg 730w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2121px) 100vw, 2121px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Checking accounts help you track your spending by reporting debit transactions in real time,&#8221; McDermott says.&nbsp;&#8220;With a digital wallet, it can be easy to get in the habit of spending money without keeping track of your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/how-much-money-should-you-keep-in-your-checking-account\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">[checking] account balance<\/a>.&nbsp;For someone who&#8217;s just learning how to take care of their money, that can be an unfortunate habit to fall into.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re trying to find\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/why-choosing-the-right-checking-account-for-your-lifestyle-matters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the right checking account for your lifestyle<\/a>, a simple checking account can be just what\u2019s needed when you\u2019re in the early stages of financial management, says Mark A. Ranta, senior manager of payments technology at a professional services platform. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capitalone.com\/bank\/checking-accounts\/teen-checking-account\/?src=dfsmm-teencheck&amp;art=reasons-millennials-still-need-a-checking-account\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Teaching your kids to manage money<\/a> is a lot easier when you don\u2019t have to worry about monthly fees or minimums eating into their progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traditional checking accounts have evolved to meet the need for easy access through\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/whats-the-difference-between-online-and-mobile-banking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">online and mobile banking<\/a>. \u201cWith today\u2019s financial tools, you can see where your money is going and when it\u2019s coming in, all in real time from your mobile device,\u201d Ranta says. Whether you\u2019re depositing a check or checking your balance, Capital One\u2019s top-rated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capitalone.com\/digital\/tools\/mobile\/?src=dfsmm-digitaltools&amp;art=reasons-millennials-still-need-a-checking-account\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mobile app<\/a> is built to be fast and secure.<sup>1,3<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"mx-auto block-quote block-quote--5back bg-fixed bg-center bg-no-repeat bg-cover z-0\">\n    <div class=\"block-quote__glow\"><\/div>\n    <blockquote class=\"post--constrain-large\">\n        <p>&#8220;With a digital wallet, it can be easy to get in the habit of spending money without keeping track of your [checking] account balance. For someone who&#8217;s just learning how to take care of their money, that can be an unfortunate habit to fall into.&#8221;<\/p>\n                    <footer class=\"block-quote__source\">Jennifer McDermott, consumer advocate for a personal finance site<\/footer>\n            <\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    <div class=\"post__content\">\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-choosing-a-checking-account\">Choosing a checking account<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>How millennials choose their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capitalone.com\/bank\/checking-accounts\/online-checking-account\/?src=dfsmm-check&amp;art=reasons-millennials-still-need-a-checking-account\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">checking account<\/a> ties in to what they want from a checking account. Millennials often go online with their finances top-of-mind to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>View statements and transactions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Set up automated, recurring payments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Transfer money electronically to friends and family<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Analyze your spending<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A good checking account should allow you to do all of these things from your computer or mobile device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While there might be some commonalities in what millennials want from a checking account, you also need to consider which features are most important to you personally. Easy access to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capitalone.com\/bank\/atm\/?src=dfsmm-atm&amp;art=reasons-millennials-still-need-a-checking-account\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">no-fee ATMs<\/a> may be a priority for millennials who like to have cash in their wallet at all times, for example. Just look for the Capital One, MoneyPass or Allpoint logo to enjoy fee-free withdrawals at over 70,000 locations.<sup>4<\/sup> For others, it might be\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/how-to-avoid-checking-account-fees\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">avoiding checking account fees<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;There are so many flavors and options out there that it&#8217;s essential to start with asking some simple questions about your individual preferences,&#8221; Ranta says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-making-checking-accounts-and-apps-work-together\">Making checking accounts and apps work together<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While there are reasons millennials need a checking account, it doesn&#8217;t mean they have to give up on the idea of using money management apps altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2119\" height=\"869\" src=\"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_4-INARTICLE-875053334-e1531945168732.jpg\" alt=\"A young man with a beard smiles as he looks at his smart phone.\" class=\"wp-image-6475\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_4-INARTICLE-875053334-e1531945168732.jpg 2119w, https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_4-INARTICLE-875053334-e1531945168732-300x123.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_4-INARTICLE-875053334-e1531945168732-780x320.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_4-INARTICLE-875053334-e1531945168732-768x315.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_4-INARTICLE-875053334-e1531945168732-1536x630.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_4-INARTICLE-875053334-e1531945168732-2048x840.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/All-About-Apps-Great-But-There-Are-Reasons-Millennials_4-INARTICLE-875053334-e1531945168732-730x299.jpg 730w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2119px) 100vw, 2119px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Using both a checking account and a financial app offers the security and digital benefits you seek when managing your finances,&#8221; McDermott says. &#8220;By hooking up a checking account to digital payment and budgeting apps, you can easily track your spending and ensure your money is secure, while enjoying the convenience of sending money online and splitting purchases.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How millennials choose their checking account comes down to personal preference. At the end of the day, the most important thing to consider may be how easily you can coordinate your choice of checking account with your favorite money apps to manage your financial life on the go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t spend your afternoon at a bank branch. Capital One\u2019s streamlined process lets you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capitalone.com\/bank\/checking-accounts\/online-checking-account\/?src=dfsmm-check&amp;art=reasons-millennials-still-need-a-checking-account\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">open an account<\/a> from your couch in about 5 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"disclaimer\">\n    <p><sup>1<\/sup>Mobile deposits are available only in the U.S. and U.S. territories.<\/p>\n<p>Deposit limits apply; you will be notified of the limit at the time you make a mobile deposit.<\/p>\n<p>You will be notified of when your funds will be available.<\/p>\n<p>Smartphone access is needed to use mobile banking and the mobile app. Check with your service provider for details on specific fees and charges.<\/p>\n<p>The site may be unavailable during normal maintenance or due to unforeseen circumstances.<\/p>\n<p><sup>2<\/sup>Early paycheck is available for 360 Checking customers that set up direct deposit with their employer or other payer to receive electronic deposits of regular periodic payments (such as salary, pension or government benefits). Certain non-payroll and tax payments are not eligible for early paycheck. Early direct deposits may be available to you up to 2 days earlier, however, we are dependent on the timing of your payer\u2019s payment instructions and therefore you may not always see your direct deposits arrive early. Early paycheck eligibility may vary between pay periods and daily\/transaction limits apply.<\/p>\n<p>It may take two cycles for your direct deposits to take effect.<\/p>\n<p><sup>3<\/sup>The Capital One Mobile app has a 4.9\/5-star customer rating on the App Store and is in the top 10% in the Finance App category as of 11\/10\/2025.<\/p>\n<p>The Capital One Mobile app has a 4.5\/5-star customer rating on Google Play and is in the top 10% in the Finance App category as of 11\/10\/2025.<\/p>\n<p><sup>4<\/sup>As of August 21, 2025, there are at least 1,260 Capital One ATMs, 35,000 MoneyPass\u00ae ATMs and 40,000 Allpoint\u00ae ATMs.<\/p>\n<p>The Capital One ATM network offers Capital One checking customers free access to Capital One, MoneyPass\u00ae and Allpoint\u00ae ATMs.<\/p>\n<p>Fee-free ATM access is limited to consumer and business checking accounts.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n \n\n<p class=\"disclaimer\">Articles may contain information from third parties. The inclusion of such information does not imply an affiliation with the bank or bank sponsorship, endorsement, or verification regarding the third party or information.<\/p>\n<p class=\"disclaimer\">The information provided herein is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as professional advice. Nothing contained in this article shall give rise to, or be construed to give rise to, any obligation or liability whatsoever on the part of Discover, a division of Capital One, N.A., or its affiliates.<\/p>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Even if you frequent the app store, you can&#8217;t leave a checking account out of the money picture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":6473,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[76,23],"tags":[3410,132,126,95,129,26,25,96,102,49,103],"class_list":["post-6461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-banking101","category-checking","tag-atm","tag-direct-deposit","tag-fees","tag-managing-your-account","tag-mobile-app","tag-mobile-banking","tag-online-banking","tag-online-bill-pay","tag-online-checking-account","tag-spending","tag-starting-out"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6461"}],"version-history":[{"count":57,"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23672,"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6461\/revisions\/23672"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6473"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}