Do banks charge for checking accounts?

It depends on your bank, and how much service you want. There are direct banks like ING Direct and Ally which charge nothing for their checking accounts, and they even pay interest on your average balance every month. As for the major banks where you deal with branch employees, a bank may offer different types of checking accounts: some cost money no matter what, others may waive monthly fees or be completely free.

Example: Bank of America offers an account called the eBanking Account. It usually costs $8.95 a month, but the fee is waived if you opt-in for electronic statements and you make deposits using ATMs or electronic transfers. Essentially, it is a self-service checking account where you deal with tellers only when you have a problem with your account.