Why online-only checking accounts: They usually have no maintenance fees, allow you to withdraw cash from any bank's ATM, and have much higher interest rates than standard accounts. An excellent option unless you need to deposit cash.
Why this account: We like the Ally checking account because it has zero fees, excellent interest rates, and most importantly, 24-7 customer service where you can get a real human on the line in less than 10 minutes. At the end of the day, most online-only banks are quite similar, so you simply want one that is reliable and just works. Ally is that bank!