Chime review

The debit account has a monthly fee of $0, so there is no recurring account charge to budget for. Spending the card in another currency carries a currency conversion fee of 0%. Both figures sit at the bottom of the debit card range, and the card that comes with the account is a debit card.

Chime is aimed at customers with poor credit, and its bundle of Visa Zero Liability fraud protection, Autopay feature and SpotMe overdraft protection includes no credit check. It also reports to the major credit bureaus, so paying the account on time builds a record. That makes it a practical option for anyone turned away elsewhere.

The rewards come as cashback. The higher rate is for Chime Prime members who meet the monthly direct deposit requirement, on a selected spending category, and Chime Plus members earn a lower rate. The tier you hold sets the rate, not the card.

Fraud cover is part of the bundle: Visa Zero Liability fraud protection, Autopay feature and SpotMe overdraft protection includes Visa Zero Liability fraud protection, SpotMe overdraft protection and autopay. The overdraft feature covers short term overdraws through the app, and the same list points to a wide fee free ATM network for cash withdrawals.

Support runs on chat and help centre, so questions go through in app chat or the help centre. That is the whole support mix, with no phone line or email address offered for the account. For a card used for everyday spending, help sits inside the app.

Yes, the credit side is a credit card with an annual fee of $0, and its listed features are rewards and secured. Chime reports to the major credit bureaus, so the card is aimed at building a credit record for customers with poor credit.

Chime is a US provider, run by Chime Financial, Inc. and founded in 2012, so it serves a single market rather than the UK and Europe. The card is a debit card on the visa network, and the monthly fee of $0 keeps holding it low cost.

Chime's monthly fee of $0 sits alongside bunq at €0, Wise at £0 and Starling Personal Account Debit Card at £0. Account fees are the same story across all of them, so the difference comes down to conversion costs and the card rewards.