Exchange Bank Checking Accounts: Fee-Free and Interest-Bearing Options for Sonoma County

Q: What is the minimum to open an Exchange Bank checking account?

Simple Checking opens with $50. Interest Checking and Premier Checking open with $100. Student Checking (under 24) and 65+ Senior Checking open with $25. All tiers receive a Visa debit card, mobile deposit and free online banking. Applications can be started in any of the 17 Sonoma, Marin or Napa county branches or by calling 1-800-995-4066.

Q: Does Simple Checking have a monthly fee?

No. Simple Checking carries no monthly maintenance fee and no minimum-balance requirement after the $50 opening deposit. The account includes a Visa debit card, mobile and online banking, bill payment and unlimited in-branch transactions. Paper statement delivery adds a modest fee; paperless statements remain free for the life of the account.

Q: How do I earn interest on Interest Checking?

Interest Checking earns a variable APY once the account maintains a $1,500 average daily collected balance. Interest compounds daily and credits monthly. Below the threshold the account still functions but accrues no interest. The current rate sheet is available at any branch or by calling customer care. Rates follow Regulation DD disclosure standards and change with broader deposit-market conditions.

Q: What comes with Premier Checking?

Premier Checking is a relationship account with tiered interest above $2,500, full refunds on non-network ATM surcharges (up to $25 per cycle), discounted wire fees, a free small safe-deposit box where available, and preferred pricing on home-equity lines and vehicle loans. The $15 monthly service fee is waived with a $10,000 combined deposit or lending relationship.

Q: Does Exchange Bank offer overdraft protection?

Yes. Overdraft protection can link a Statement Savings, Money Market or home-equity line as the funding source — transfers are made in $100 increments with a modest transfer fee. Opt-in courtesy-pay coverage for everyday debit-card transactions follows Regulation E consumer choice rules. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau publishes guidance on overdraft options at consumerfinance.gov.

Five checking tiers built for different stages of life — fee-free Simple for everyday spenders, Interest Checking for balance-holders, Premier for relationship banking, Student for under-24 account holders, and 65+ Senior Checking for retirees. Every tier at Exchange Bank includes a Visa debit card, mobile deposit, free online banking and access to 17 Sonoma, Marin and Napa county branches.

All deposits are FDIC-insured up to the standard $250,000 per depositor per category. Overdraft options follow Regulation E opt-in rules. Account disclosures follow Regulation DD (Truth in Savings).

Open at a Branch Sign In to Online Banking

Exchange Bank checking account dashboard showing Simple, Interest, Premier and Senior tiers with debit card preview

Tier	Min Open	Monthly Fee	Interest	Best For
Simple Checking	$50	$0	None	Everyday spenders, no balance requirements
Interest Checking	$100	$8 (waived at $1,500 avg daily)	Variable APY above $1,500	Balance-holders wanting interest on primary account
Premier Checking	$100	$15 (waived at $10,000 combined)	Tiered, higher above $2,500	Relationship customers wanting ATM rebates & loan pricing
Student Checking	$25	$0 (under age 24)	None	High-school, college and early-career customers
65+ Senior Checking	$25	$0 (age 65+)	Variable APY above $500	Retirees wanting free cheques and paper statements

Simple Checking

The no-frills starter account. $50 opens it, no monthly maintenance fee and no minimum-balance requirement thereafter. Comes with a contactless Visa debit card, mobile and online banking, free bill payment, mobile cheque deposit and unlimited in-branch transactions. Courtesy-pay coverage is opt-in under Regulation E. Paperless statements keep the account entirely cost-free. Ideal for renters, young professionals and anyone who wants predictable zero-fee banking.

Interest Checking

An interest-bearing everyday account that starts paying a variable APY once the average daily collected balance reaches $1,500. The $8 monthly service fee is waived at the same threshold, so most interest-earning households pay nothing. Same debit Visa, mobile deposit and free bill payment as Simple — plus interest credited monthly. Rate sheet is updated with broader deposit-market conditions and disclosed under Regulation DD.

Premier Checking

The relationship tier. Tiered interest begins above $2,500, up to $25 in monthly non-network ATM-surcharge refunds, discounted wire fees, a complimentary small safe-deposit box (availability varies by branch), and preferred pricing on home-equity lines, vehicle loans and personal credit. The $15 monthly service fee is waived with a $10,000 combined deposit or lending relationship. Ideal for mortgage customers, investors and Sonoma County families consolidating household banking.

Student & 65+ Senior Checking

Student Checking is free for customers under age 24 — $25 opens it, no monthly fee, free debit Visa, mobile deposit and Zelle person-to-person payments. 65+ Senior Checking is free for customers aged 65 and older, pays interest above $500, and includes free standard cheques on request, free official cheques and free domestic incoming wires. Both tiers include full access to 17 branches and in-person relationship service.

Visa Debit Card & Mobile Deposit

Contactless Visa debit card issued on account opening — tap-to-pay at retailers, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay compatible, and instant card lock/unlock in the mobile app. Mobile cheque deposit lets customers photograph cheques for next-business-day availability on most items; higher limits unlock after 90 days of account seasoning.

Lost or stolen cards can be reported 24/7 at 1-800-995-4066. Fraud monitoring flags unusual transactions in real time and notifies the cardholder via SMS and smart alerts. Card controls sit inside the mobile app, including travel-notice entry and per-channel spending limits.

Checking account dashboard with debit Visa, mobile deposit, bill payment and recent transactions

Mobile banking app with Face ID sign-in, account tiles, transfer shortcuts and card controls

Overdraft Options Built Under Regulation E

Three overdraft paths. Savings-linked transfer pulls from a linked Statement Savings or Money Market in $100 increments. Credit-linked transfer pulls from a home-equity line or personal line. Opt-in courtesy pay covers one-time debit-card transactions when neither linked source is available — per Regulation E, courtesy pay on debit transactions is active only when the customer explicitly opts in.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau publishes consumer-friendly overdraft guidance at consumerfinance.gov. All fee schedules are disclosed on the account-opening Truth in Savings document and on monthly statements.

Full Digital & In-Branch Access

Every checking account at Exchange Bank includes full digital banking with free bill payment, scheduled transfers, Zelle, eStatements and download to Quicken, QuickBooks and CSV. The iOS and Android mobile app supports biometric sign-in, mobile deposit, card controls and spending categorisation. For in-person service, 17 branches across Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties offer extended Saturday hours at most locations.

Paperless statements are the default at signup. Paper statement delivery is available on request and may carry a modest monthly fee depending on tier. Account notifications — low balance, large deposit, card-not-present transaction — are configured in the smart alerts centre.

Santa Rosa branch interior with personal banker greeting customer for checking account opening

Savings Accounts

Link Statement Savings or High-Yield Savings as overdraft protection and earn on idle cash.

Money Market

Tiered APY with limited cheque-writing — a natural pair for Premier Checking.

Certificates of Deposit

3-month to 60-month CD terms for emergency-fund or ladder strategies.

Personal Credit

Link a home-equity line as overdraft funding on Premier Checking.

Business Checking

Separate operating account for sole proprietors and LLC owners.

Digital Banking

Full online access with bill payment, transfers, Zelle and eStatements.

What is the minimum to open an Exchange Bank checking account?

Simple opens with $50. Interest and Premier open with $100. Student (under 24) and 65+ Senior open with $25. All tiers include a Visa debit card, mobile deposit and free online banking. Apply at any of the 17 Sonoma, Marin or Napa branches or call 1-800-995-4066.

Does Simple Checking have a monthly fee?

No — Simple Checking carries no monthly maintenance fee and no minimum-balance requirement after the $50 opening deposit. Visa debit, mobile/online banking, bill payment and unlimited in-branch transactions are included.

How do I earn interest on Interest Checking?

Maintain a $1,500 average daily collected balance. Interest compounds daily and credits monthly. Rates are disclosed under Regulation DD and adjust with deposit-market conditions.

What comes with Premier Checking?

Tiered interest above $2,500, up to $25 monthly in non-network ATM rebates, discounted wires, small safe-deposit box where available and preferred pricing on home-equity lines and vehicle loans. $15 service fee waived at $10,000 combined relationship.

Does Exchange Bank offer overdraft protection?

Yes — link Statement Savings, Money Market or a home-equity line. Opt-in courtesy pay for debit-card transactions follows Regulation E. CFPB guidance at consumerfinance.gov.