Chequing account · Alterna Savings
Chequing (Student Life Package): fees and true cost
Alterna Savings’s Chequing (Student Life Package) charges no monthly fee, with unlimited transactions. For our “Everyday” example that comes to $24 a year, #12 of 107 chequing accounts offered in Ontario.
Provincial insurerStudentsOffered in ON
Fees retrieved November 1, 2026
What it would cost you in a year
| Usage | Fees a year | Why | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Mostly card and app, small balance | $0 | No monthly fee | 9 of 107 |
| Everyday Household account, a few e-Transfers | $24 | No monthly fee | 12 of 107 |
| Heavy Lots of card, bill and e-Transfer payments | $48 | No monthly fee | 13 of 107 |
| Branch and cheques Teller visits, cheques, paper statement | $27 | No monthly fee | 4 of 95 |
Try your own numbers in the true-cost finder.
Every fee FCAC lists for this account
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Monthly fee | No monthly fee |
| Included transactions | Unlimited |
| Debit purchase in Canada (beyond included) | No extra fee |
| Online or mobile bill payment | No extra fee |
| Interac e-Transfer | No extra fee |
| Online transfer between your accounts | No extra fee |
| Own-bank ATM withdrawal | No extra fee |
| Withdrawal at another institution’s ATM | $2.00 |
| ATM withdrawal in the United States | $3.00 |
| ATM withdrawal in other countries | $5.00 |
| Debit purchase in the United States | $1.20 |
| In-branch withdrawal | No extra fee |
| Bill payment in branch | No extra fee |
| Cheque (as a payment) | No extra fee |
| Mailed monthly statement | $2.25 |
| Non-sufficient funds (NSF) | $50.00 |
| Overdraft protection, monthly | $5.00 |
| Overdraft protection, per use | $5.00 |
| Overdraft interest | 19.99% a year |
Notes from the institution
A free banking package for post-secondary students
Is the money protected?
FSRA (Ontario credit union). Credit union deposits are insured by the province, with limits that vary — see credit union insurance by province.
Cheaper for everyday use, at other institutions
- Wealthsimple Chequing (Wealthsimple) — $0 a year
- Personal Account (EQ Bank) — $0 a year
- 1Q Chequing Account (KEB Hana Bank Canada) — $0 a year
Other chequing accounts at Alterna Savings
- Chequing (Basic Package) — $4.00/mo, or $0 with a $1,000 minimum balance
- Chequing (Pay As You Go Package) — No monthly fee
- Chequing (Unlimited Package) — $14.00/mo, no balance waiver
- Chequing (Value Package) — $10.00/mo, no balance waiver
- Simply Chequing — No monthly fee
Source: FCAC Account Comparison Tool (data submitted by the institution), retrieved November 1, 2026 · Alterna Savings’s product page
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