Checking Accounts - PerkStreet

I'm in the market for a new checking account. Looking at what's available locally is discouraging even when i live in a place with the largest concentration of banks. Citi and Chase still seem like the top choices due to ATM availability. However, their free checking accounts do not earn any significant interest and their debit cards are not even 1 point to a dollar. In addition to the low rewards, they have restrictions for free accounts such as direct deposit or a minimum balance.

A better checking account is one that can be found online. The one that came out on top for me is PerkStreet.

The Good:

• 1% cash back on all purchases
• 2% cash back on all purchases if your account balance is over $5,000
• free ATMs in places such as Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid
• refund of up to $10 per month for non-network ATMs
• easily transfer funds from any bank account online 
• monthly specials where you can receive up to 5% cash back - info should be on Facebook and Twitter
• online account that gives you checks

The Bad:

• limit of $1,500 transfer for a bank account per 30 days (if you want to deposit more you can through an ATM or by mail)
• if you want a refund for non-network ATMs you must email, fax, or mail the receipts from the ATMs that charged you
• apparently PerkStreet does not separate the rewards you earn per transaction, making rewards hard to track

As you can see, 'the good' outweighs 'the bad.'