Bank customers are finding out the hard way that even doing the “right” thing with their money can cost them. A new wave of “remote” fees to deposit checks, on top of the usual account charges, is turning basic banking into a slow drip on household budgets. The headline shock is the fee to put money into an account, but the real story is how many of these charges are baked in and how few of them people can truly dodge.
Instead of rewarding customers for going digital, some institutions are quietly tacking on costs for the very tools that were sold as convenient and low friction. Layer that on top of monthly maintenance fees, ATM surcharges, and rising check costs, and the result is a system where even rule followers feel like they are paying a cover charge just to access their own cash.
How the new “remote” check fee actually works
The latest flashpoint is a “remote” fee that hits customers when they deposit checks without walking into a branch. Bank users at one major regional Bank have reported a specific charge tied to remote deposits, essentially a penalty for using the very technology the bank promotes as modern and efficient. Another report describes how Bank customers are discovering a new fee line on their statements when they deposit checks remotely, even when they otherwise play by the rules. For people who rely on paychecks, child support, or side-gig income that still arrives on paper, that is not a small annoyance, it is a direct cut of their take-home pay.
On the business side, the pricing is even more explicit. One large institution spells out that, Yes, there is a monthly fee for using its Remote Deposit Online service, and that Your cost can differ from other clients enrolled in the Service. That kind of structure turns a basic back-office task into a recurring bill. For small firms that deposit a lot of checks, the math can quickly shift from “convenience tool” to “yet another overhead line item,” especially when the alternative is standing in line at a branch that keeps trimming its hours.
Digital deposits: free for some, a trap for others
For everyday consumers, the picture is more mixed, which is part of what makes these fees so confusing. Mobile check deposit is marketed as a simple feature inside a banking app, where customers open the app, snap photos of the front and back of a check, and send it in. One major bank describes Frequently asked questions about the process, including What mobile check deposit actually is and which checks are accepted with Mobile Check Deposit. The pitch is all about speed and convenience, not cost, which is why customers are so surprised when a “remote” line item shows up later.
Other banks take a very different tack and lean on “no fee” as a selling point. One major institution spells it out in plain language, telling customers “Great news” and confirming that it does not charge a fee to use its mobile check deposit service for either business or personal accounts. That contrast matters. It means two people can do the exact same thing, deposit a paycheck with their phone, and one pays nothing while the other quietly loses a few dollars every month. For consumers, the only way to avoid being the second person is to read the fine print and, if necessary, move their money.
The quiet rise of other unavoidable fees
Remote deposit charges are landing on top of a fee structure that was already getting heavier. A national Survey of checking accounts, described as the Checking Account Fee 2026 and framed around How to Avoid Higher Bank, finds that bank fees are climbing even for customers with relatively modest balances. The same research, labeled the Checking Account Fee, underscores that the cost of simply keeping a checking account open is drifting higher year after year. That is before anyone writes a check, uses an ATM, or deposits a dime.
Some of the most stubborn charges are the ones that feel like table stakes. A breakdown of Common Bank Fees to Avoid Paying Them lists Monthly Maintenance Fees as one of the most common costs, along with Minim balance penalties and overdraft charges. Another analysis notes that Dec data show Monthly maintenance fees at big banks often run from $4 to $25 per month, and that Many customers pay them without realizing there might be a way out. When a bank then adds a remote deposit fee on top, the total cost of “free checking” starts to look anything but free.
Why the fee pressure is building behind the scenes
Behind the front-line charges, the plumbing of the payment system is also getting more expensive, and that cost tends to roll downhill. The Dec announcement from the Federal Reserve Board laid out new pricing, effective at the start of 2026, for payment services the Federal Reserve Banks provide to financial institutions. A separate summary of 2026 price and product changes notes that Check Services will see higher Monthly check participation fees, paper check fees, and premium delivery fees. When the backbone of check processing gets pricier, banks have a choice: absorb the hit or pass it along. The new “remote” fees suggest many are choosing the latter.
At the same time, banks are still collecting record amounts from other corners of the system. One analysis finds that Sep data show ATM fees at a record high, with the average total cost of using an out-of-network machine now at $4.86. That figure combines the surcharge from the ATM owner and the fee from the customer’s own bank. When a consumer pays $4.86 to grab cash and then gets nicked again to deposit a check, it is hard to argue that the system is designed with their budget in mind.
What customers can actually control
Even in a fee-heavy environment, customers are not completely powerless, but the options require more homework than they used to. Some banks still offer accounts with no monthly charge, and one analysis notes that Dec survey data show a meaningful share of checking accounts with a $0 monthly fee. The catch is that customers often have to meet direct deposit requirements, maintain a minimum balance, or limit certain transactions. Guidance aimed at Consumers and people looking for ways to cut costs emphasizes that Here is where reading the account disclosures pays off, because the difference between a $0 account and one with a $15 monthly fee is $180 a year back in the customer’s pocket.
Beyond switching accounts, customers can also be strategic about which services they use. For businesses, that might mean comparing the cost of What a bank calls Remote Deposit Online, which lets them Just scan checks with a dedicated device, against the old-fashioned routine of dropping deposits at a branch. For consumers, it might mean using a bank’s own ATM network, or even its app, to avoid extra charges when they need records. One large institution’s online banking fee schedule lists a Description of how to Obtain loan payment history, notes any Wells Fargo Fee, and tells customers to Refer to their lending account Terms and Conditions for details. That kind of transparency is not exciting reading, but it is often the only way to spot which fees are truly unavoidable and which can be sidestepped with a different choice.
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