When reviewing checking accounts, there are several key things that you should look for. These include:

- Creditor interest rate - i.e. how much are they going to pay you for lodging your money with them.
- Debtor interest rates - i.e. how much are they going to charge you if you exceed your agreed limit.
- Additional charges.
- Additional 'value-added' features. Many banks now offer additional benefits, over and above the standard features that you would expect from a checking account. Some of these may be financial in nature (e.g. preferential savings or loans rates), and some may be non-financial (e.g. discounts on meals at selected restaurants). Often the downside to accounts that offer these features, is that you have to pay a monthly subscription charge in return.

So, what does Bank of America offer its checking account customers? Well, they offer a choice of 4 checking accounts.

1. Standard Checking Account
Catchily titled, the Standard Checking Account offers the following features:
- They state that there's no monthly service charge, provided that you meet certain balance requirements. These are that you must either maintain a minimum of $1,000 in your account, or keep an average of $5,000 in a combination of your checking, savings, and Investment CD accounts. If you fail to meet those criteria, you will pay $6.50 or $8.50 depending on whether you've set up a direct deposit facility on the account.
- Visa Check card available
- Overdraft available (subject to status)
- Ability to trade shares online for $10 per trade, with Bank of America's sharedealing service.
- Minimum deposit of 100 required.

The other 'benefits' that Bank of America list on their website are all general features that all banking customers have access to, like the ability to use their Internet, telephone, and ATM services. The Standard Checking Account is very much a no frills account, although the ability to trade shares for $10 per trade is quite appealing.

2. My Access Checking Account
- $25 minimum balance required
- Monthly service charge of $5.95, which you can avoid if you have at least one qualifying direct deposit made to your account during each statement period.
- Check card with photo security (i.e. your photo appears on the card, with the premise being that this reduces the prospect of your card being used fraudulently)
- Overdraft available (subject to status)
- Ability to write checks with no per check fees
- They mention

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