OnJuno review: Digital high-yield checking account with cash back rewards

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• OnJuno is a digital banking platform with a high APY and cash back rewards on its checking account.
• The premium version is free for the first six months; you can downgrade to the free version later.
• Immigrants can open an OnJuno account with just a Social Security number and passport.
• See Insider’s picks for the best rewards checking accounts »

Is OnJuno a good match for you?

The bottom line: OnJuno is a good high-yield checking account option, as long as you’re happy banking online.

OnJuno Basic review

OnJuno Basic Checking Account

OnJuno Basic is a solid high-yield checking account. There’s no minimum opening deposit or monthly maintenance fees. You’ll earn 2.15% APY on balances up to $5,000, then 0.25% on balances up to $100,000. Even 0.25% APY is higher than what you’ll earn with most checking accounts — or even savings accounts.

OnJuno has a long list of companies you can earn cash back with. Choose five, and you’ll earn 5% cash back on up to $500 of spending with those businesses each year.

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OnJuno Metal review

OnJuno Metal Checking Account

The downside is that OnJuno Metal costs $9.99 per month. But the first six months are free, then you’ll automatically be downgraded to the free Basic account unless you opt into paying for Metal. So there really isn’t a reason to choose Basic over Metal for the first six months.

OnJuno features

OnJuno is a digital banking platform with two checking options. OnJuno Basic is its free version, and OnJuno Metal is its premium version that is free for six months, then costs $9.99 per month.

OnJuno does not provide joint checking accounts.

The website specifies that OnJuno makes it easy for immigrants to qualify. All you need to open an account is a Social Security number and passport.

Choose five businesses to earn 5% cash back with in industries like subscriptions, groceries, and travel. OnJuno also pays a high interest rate. But it only compounds monthly, while many online banks compound daily.

You can use 85,000 Allpoint and MoneyPass ATMs nationwide for free. OnJuno doesn’t charge you for using an out-of-network ATM, but the ATM provider might. In this case, OnJuno refunds one fee per month on a Basic account and three per month for a Metal account.

There are no overdraft fees, but you also don’t have the option to overdraw. If a purchase would overdraw your account, OnJuno denies the transaction.

Call customer support Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT. Or chat online seven days per week, 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT. A customer service agent told Insider the company tries to have someone online 24/7, so you can still chat online outside of regular hours. The response time just may not be as fast.

Your deposits are FDIC insured for up to $250,000 through OnJuno’s partner bank, Evolve Bank & Trust.

Is OnJuno trustworthy?

The Better Business Bureau gives OnJuno’s partner bank, Evolve Bank & Trust, an A+ in trustworthiness. The BBB measures trustworthiness by assessing a company’s responses to customer complaints, honesty in advertising, and transparency about business practices.

Neither Evolve Bank & Trust nor OnJuno have any recent public scandals. Between the clear history and strong BBB rating, you may decide you feel comfortable banking with OnJuno.

How OnJuno compares to similar companies

We’ve compared OnJuno to two other digital platforms with high interest rates and cash back rewards: Cheese and Porte.

Onjuno	Cheese	Porte
Accounts Checking	Accounts Checking	Accounts Checking and savings
APY 0% to 2.15% APY	APY 0.30% APY	APY 0.50% to 3.00% APY
Cash back 5%	Cash back Up to 10%	Cash back Varies
Open an account	Open an account	Open an account

OnJuno review vs. Cheese review

OnJuno and Cheese both offer high-yield checking accounts. Both companies make it easy for immigrants to sign up. Cheese is specifically for immigrants and Asian Americans; it donates money to Asian American nonprofits and offers cash back at certain Asian American-owned businesses.

Cheese’s rate is comparable with OnJuno’s lower-tier rate. But you’ll probably still earn more interest with OnJuno, thanks to its higher rate on lower balances.

Cheese’s cash back rewards are stronger, though. It lets you earn up to 10% cash back with numerous retailers on an unlimited amount of purchases. Meanwhile, OnJuno pays you 5% cash back on a limited amount of purchases, and you can only choose five companies to earn rewards with.

So your choice between the two could come down to which would benefit you more — a high interest rate or cash back.

OnJuno review vs. Porte Review

You may prefer Porte if you want to open both a checking and savings account. Porte doesn’t pay interest on checking balances, but it does pay 0.50% to 3.00% APY on savings.

Porte offers good cash back perks, but the offers change every 30 to 45 days. If you want to know what you’re getting ahead of time, you may want to go with OnJuno.

Porte is a good option if you want to support a charity, though. Select to help the Humane Society of the United States, Save the Children, or GLAAD (an LGTBQ+ advocacy group). Supporting a charity won’t cost you anything. Porte matches 0.05% of every purchase you make and gives that money to the organization. You can track how much has gone to the cause in your app.

Laura Grace Tarpley is the associate editor of banking and mortgages at Personal Finance Insider, covering mortgages, refinancing, bank accounts, and bank reviews. She is also a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF). Over her four years of covering personal finance, she has written extensively about ways to save, invest, and navigate loans.

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