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HSBC Premier Checking Account Review: Big Perks for Large Balances

Review Updated
Kailey Hagen
Author: Kailey Hagen
Kailey Hagen
Kailey Hagen
Writer

Kailey Hagen has been writing about small businesses and finance for almost 10 years. Articles she's written for The Motley Fool have been syndicated to USA Today, MSN, and Yahoo! Finance. She specializes in personal and business bank accounts and software for small to medium-size businesses. She lives on what's almost a farm in northern Wisconsin with her husband and three dogs.

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Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page. APY = Annual Percentage Yield. APYs are subject to change at any time without notice.

The HSBC Premier Checking Account has strong appeal for frequent travelers, with perks like free international ATM access and global bank transfers. But only those with large balances will be able to waive the account's high monthly maintenance fee. Read our full HSBC Premier Checking Account review below to learn if it's right for you.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Dec 20, 2024

HSBC Premier Checking

Member FDIC.
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
APY
0.01%
Min. To Earn APY
$5
  • Worldwide fee-free ATM access
  • Savings account included
  • Customers get special rates on home loans
  • Maintenance fee

The HSBC Premier Checking account has some unique features that are sure to gain the attention of frequent travelers. It also offers other perks, like preferential rates on home loans and fee-free ATM access, that should appeal to everyone. But those who don't think they'll be able to waive the maintenance fee may be able to do better elsewhere.

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Account APY Promotion Next Steps
0%
Min. to earn: N/A
Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month (see details when you click 'Open Account')
Open Account for Discover® Cashback Debit

On Discover Bank's Secure Website.

up to 1.10%
Min. to earn: $1
High APY when you complete 10 or more qualifying debit card purchases each month

Full HSBC Premier Checking Account review

Top perks

Ideal for travelers: If you travel overseas often, it's worth considering the HSBC Premier Checking Account. It includes worldwide access to surcharge-free HSBC ATMs and an HSBC Premier Debit World Mastercard (that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees). Plus, you can get fee-free transfers of up to $200,000 per day to linked international HSBC bank accounts and priority customer service anywhere in the world.

Premier Savings Account included: When you open an HSBC Premier Checking Account, you're also opening an HSBC Premier Savings Account at the same time. This makes it a good choice for those who are looking to move all of their money over to a new bank.

Preferential rates on home loans: HSBC Bank offers preferential rates on mortgages to its HSBC Premier Checking Account holders. This won't be relevant to everyone, but it's something to keep in mind if you plan to purchase a new home in the future.

FDIC insured: HSBC is an FDIC member, so your funds are protected -- up to $250,000 per depositor, per institution -- in the unlikely event of bank failure.

What could be improved

APY: The HSBC Premier Checking Account only offers 0.01% APY. This is a lower rate than what some online banks offer, but many checking accounts don't offer interest at all, so it's better than nothing. If you open a high-yield savings account and put the bulk of your money there, the low APY shouldn't bother you too much.

Fee waiver requirements: HSBC Bank charges a monthly maintenance fee to its Premier Checking Account holders unless they have a $75,000 minimum balance in combined personal deposit or investment accounts, recurring monthly deposits of at least $5,000, or an HSBC Bank mortgage with an original loan amount of at least $500,000. These requirements are pretty steep compared to many other checking accounts, and those who don't qualify could actually lose money over time as the monthly maintenance fees cost them more than they're earning in interest. If you don't meet any of the qualification requirements, look into one of the other checking accounts recommended below.

Fees

Fees Monthly Maintenance ATM Withdrawal Overdraft Stop Payment Insufficient Funds
HSBC Premier Checking Account $50 $0 $0 $0 $0

How to access your money

You have several options for depositing and withdrawing money from your HSBC Premier Checking Account.

Deposit options

Use any of the following methods to deposit money into your HSBC Premier Checking Account:

  • ACH transfer
  • Wire transfer
  • Mailed check
  • Mobile-deposited check
  • Visit an HSBC branch location

You can find the nearest HSBC Bank branch to you using the locator tool on HSBC Bank's website or in its mobile app.

You only need to deposit $1 to open your HSBC Premier Checking Account, although you need a minimum of $5 to earn interest.

Withdrawal options

You can withdraw money from your HSBC Premier Checking Account in any of these ways:

  • ACH transfer
  • Wire transfer
  • Request a mailed check
  • ATM withdrawal
  • Point-of-sale withdrawal
  • Visit an HSBC bank branch

HSBC Bank doesn't charge outgoing domestic or international wire transfer fees to Premier Checking Account holders. This is pretty rare and something to keep in mind if you need access to your funds quickly.

This checking account is right for you if:

The HSBC Premier Checking Account is an ideal option for frequent travelers who want easy and affordable access to their checking account funds anywhere in the world. Few other banks offer free international bank transfers and no foreign transaction fees on debit card purchases. If you're interested in these features, put the HSBC Premier Checking Account on your short list.

This account is also a smart choice for those with high balances who are interested in HSBC's other banking services, such as its Premier Savings Account or a home loan. The included savings account makes it easy to manage your money all in one place, and the option to score preferential rates on home loans could save you money when you find your dream home.

Our checking account methodology

At Motley Fool Money, we rate checking accounts on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). We evaluate all checking accounts across four main criteria: brand and reputation, APY and rewards, fees and minimum requirements, and perks.

Our scores are weighted as:

  • Brand and reputation: 40%
  • APY and rewards: 30%
  • Fees and minimums: 15%
  • Other perks: 15%

Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates bank accounts.