5 Bank Fees You Should Never Pay Again

By: Team Stash

Published: Jan 24, 2020
• Updated: Jun 09, 2026

Banking fees can add up, but you can avoid them.

No matter how you slice it, nobody likes bank fees.

We’ve all been there—when you take a look at our bank statement or account balance, only to find that you have less money than you thought. Where did it go?

Then you see it: Your bank has hit you with fees that you never anticipated. It could be for simply accessing your money, having too low a balance, or even receiving your paper bank statement. It’s enough to make you want to keep your money in your mattress.

A dollar here, $20 there—these bank fees can really add up. In 2022, the average overdraft fee was $33.58—and that’s just one of many kinds of fees banks typically charge.

Here are five of the most common fees banks like to charge, and ways to avoid them.

1. ATM fees

• What it is: A fee for withdrawing money from an ATM machine.
• Average fee: $4.59, according to recent industry data

How to avoid it: Banks typically charge ATM fees when you’re withdrawing money from an out-of-network machine—or, an ATM that’s owned or operated by another institution.

To avoid ATM fees, get cash from your own bank’s machines, or go inside and do it the old-fashioned way: Speak with a teller. (Just make sure your bank doesn’t charge a teller fee, see below.) You can also get cash back when you make a purchase with your debit card to get cash or switch to a bank that refunds ATM fees.

2. Account maintenance fees

• What it is: A fee levied to service your account, typically your checking account. Maintenance fees are sometimes called minimum-balance fees.
• Average fee: Variable (Bank of America and Chase, for example, charges $12 per statement cycle for balances under $1,500; Wells Fargo charges $10.

How to avoid it: If your bank charges custodial and maintenance fees, ask if they have a different kind of checking account option that doesn’t have minimum balance fees. If not, the easiest way to dodge them is to switch to a bank that doesn’t charge them in the first place.

3. Overdraft, and/or non-sufficient fund (NSF) fees

• What it is: A charge for overdrawing your account, and for the bank covering the difference.
• Average fee: $33.58

How to avoid it: One of the biggest money-makers for banks, overdraft fees are also the hardest to swallow. If you overdraw your account, you’re basically borrowing money from your bank—and your bank is happy to lend it to you at an incredible markup.

4. Paper statement fees

• What it is: A fee incurred for receiving a paper statement from your financial institution
• Average fee: Varies, but usually around $2

How to avoid it: It’s simple: Sign up for electronic statements, delivered via email. This is as easy as it gets, and while it may only save you a buck or two a month, it’s another dollar that can go toward your investment portfolio or retirement savings.

5. Teller fees

• What it is: A charge for talking to a live person—be it a teller or another bank representative
• Average fee: $3-$5, depending on account type

How to avoid it: Teller fees aren’t new, and the concept has been around since at least the mid-90s. They’re generally associated with online-only accounts, which typically don’t include in-branch services.

Bank with Stash

Stash banking can help you avoid excessive bank fees. It won’t cost you anything to set up, there are no minimum balance requirements, and we won’t charge you any monthly or annual fees to maintain the account.

Here’s a rundown of what we have to offer:

• No overdraft fees.
• No monthly maintenance fees.
• No minimum balance fees.
• Access to thousands of fee-free ATMs.
• Early payday—get paid up to two days early.
• Stash Stock-Back®—Why not earn stock when you spend? If you enroll in the program, every time you make a qualifying purchase at your favorite stores using your Stash debit card, you’ll earn a percentage back as stock.