Best Checking Account Bonuses: 11 Offers Checked

A checking account bonus is cash a bank pays you for opening a new account and moving your paycheck to it. The money is real: a $400 bonus is more than most people earn in a year of interest on a few thousand dollars. The catch is in the rules: how much direct deposit you need, how fast it has to arrive, which fees you might pay and where you have to live.

Checking account bonuses compared

Account	Bonus	What you need to do	Time to qualify	Monthly fee	Deadline
BMO Relationship Checking	$600 to $1,000	$10,000 to $20,000+ in direct deposits	90 days	$25, or $0 with a $10,000 balance	Open by Mar 2, 2027
U.S. Bank Smartly Checking	$300 or $600	$4,000 or $8,000 in direct deposits (2 or more)	90 days	$12, waivable	Apply by Dec 30, 2026
Huntington Perks or Platinum Perks	$400 or $600	$500 in direct deposits, or $25,000 in new money	90 days	$10 or $25, waivable	Apply by Jan 15, 2027; 21 states only
Truist One Checking	$500	$2,000 in direct deposits (2 or more) plus 20 debit card purchases	120 days	$12, waivable	Open by Feb 2, 2027
KeyBank Smart or Select Checking	$300 or $500	$2,000 or $5,000 in direct deposits	90 days	Smart $0; Select $25, waivable	No end date shown
Bank of America Advantage Banking	$100, $300 or $500	$2,000, $5,000 or $10,000 in direct deposits	90 days	$4.95 to $12, waivable	Jan 31, 2027
Chase Total Checking	$400	$1,000 in direct deposits	90 days	$15, waivable	Jan 27, 2027
SoFi Checking and Savings	$50 or $400	$1,000 or $5,000 in direct deposits	25 days from the first deposit	$0	First deposit by Dec 31, 2027
PNC Virtual Wallet	$100 or $400	$500, or $5,000 with Performance Select	60 days	$7, waivable	Jan 7, 2027
Wells Fargo Everyday Checking	$325	$1,000 in direct deposits	90 days	$15, waivable	Jan 13, 2027
TD Beyond or Complete Checking	$300 or $200	$2,500 or $500 in direct deposits	60 days	Beyond $25, waivable	Nov 30, 2026

Sorted by the largest checking bonus, then by the smaller deposit needed. Every offer checked on the bank’s own offer page on Oct 27, 2026. Bonuses can change or end early; confirm the terms on the bank’s page before you open. TD’s up to $500 headline includes a separate savings bonus.

Our picks

• Best for most people: Chase, $400. $1,000 in direct deposits within 90 days of enrolling is a low bar for a $400 bonus. The $15 monthly fee is waived with $500 or more in electronic deposits each statement period, so a regular paycheck covers it. See the Chase offer.
• Biggest bonus: BMO, up to $1,000. BMO Relationship Checking pays $600 for $10,000 to $14,999.99 in direct deposits within 90 days, $800 for $15,000 to $19,999.99 and $1,000 for $20,000 or more. You also need to log in to BMO Digital Banking once. The fee is $25 unless you keep $10,000 in the account. See the BMO offer.
• Easiest to qualify: Huntington, $400. Huntington Perks Checking pays $400 for $500 in direct deposits of new money within 90 days, and you must keep the account open 90 days. It is only for residents of Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin. See the Huntington offer.
• Best with no monthly fee: SoFi, up to $400. SoFi charges no account fees and pays $400 when $5,000 or more in direct deposits arrives within 25 days of your first one ($50 for $1,000 to $4,999.99). See our SoFi review.
• Best for a large paycheck: U.S. Bank, $600. U.S. Bank pays $600 for $8,000 or more in direct deposits (at least two) within 90 days, or $300 for $4,000 to $7,999.99. Apply by Dec 30, 2026, and make a $25 opening deposit within 60 days. U.S. Bank says the offer is only for the person it was sent to, so open through its own pages. See our U.S. Bank Smartly review.

Every offer, in detail

BMO Relationship Checking: up to $1,000

Open a new BMO Relationship Checking account between Sep 9, 2026 and Mar 2, 2027 with BMO’s promo code, log in to BMO Digital Banking at least once and get qualifying direct deposits within 90 days. $10,000 to $14,999.99 earns $600; $15,000 to $19,999.99 earns $800; $20,000 or more earns $1,000. Monthly fee: $25, or $0 with a $10,000 minimum balance. BMO’s offer page.

U.S. Bank Smartly Checking: $300 or $600

Apply by Dec 30, 2026, make a $25 opening deposit within 60 days, then get at least two direct deposits totaling $4,000 to $7,999.99 ($300) or $8,000 or more ($600) within 90 days. The $12 monthly fee is waived for two statement periods, then with a $1,500 average balance, $1,500 a month in direct deposits or a few other ways. Full details in our U.S. Bank Smartly review.

Huntington Perks Checking: $400, or $600 with Platinum Perks

Perks Checking pays $400 when you get $500 or more in qualifying direct deposits of new money within 90 days and keep the account open 90 days. Its fee is $10 unless you have $1,000 in monthly deposits or $5,000 in relationship balances. Platinum Perks pays $600 when you deposit $25,000 or more in new money within 90 days; its fee is $25 unless you keep $25,000 in relationship balances. Apply by Jan 15, 2027. Huntington pays the bonus within 14 days of qualifying. Only for residents of its 21 states. Huntington’s offer page.

Truist One Checking: $500

New Truist personal checking clients who open Truist One or Truist Marquee Checking from Jul 14, 2026 through Feb 2, 2027 with Truist’s promo code earn $500 after at least two direct deposits totaling $2,000 or more and at least 20 debit card purchases within 120 days. Truist One needs $50 to open and charges $12 a month unless you meet a waiver; Marquee charges $35. Truist’s offer page.

KeyBank Smart or Select Checking: $300 or $500

Key Smart Checking pays $300 for $2,000 or more in direct deposits within 90 days, with a $10 opening deposit and no monthly maintenance fee. Key Select Checking pays $500 for $5,000 or more within 90 days, with a $50 opening deposit and a $25 fee unless you meet a waiver. KeyBank pays within 60 days of qualifying. Its offer page did not show an end date on Oct 27, 2026. KeyBank’s offer page.

Bank of America Advantage Banking: up to $500

Open a new eligible Advantage checking account and get qualifying direct deposits within 90 days: $2,000 to $4,999 earns $100, $5,000 to $9,999 earns $300 and $10,000 or more earns $500. Bank of America pays within 60 days after the 90 days end. Advantage SafeBalance costs $4.95 a month and Advantage Plus $12, each with ways to pay $0. Offer ends Jan 31, 2027. Bank of America’s offer page.

Chase Total Checking: $400

New Chase checking customers who open Total Checking with the offer code and get $1,000 or more in direct deposits within 90 days of enrolling earn $400, paid within 15 days. The fee is $15, or $0 with $500 or more in electronic deposits or a minimum average daily balance. Offer expires Jan 27, 2027. Chase’s offer page.

SoFi Checking and Savings: $50 or $400

SoFi adds up your eligible direct deposits over 25 days starting with your first one: $1,000 to $4,999.99 earns $50 and $5,000 or more earns $400. Your first direct deposit must arrive by Dec 31, 2027. SoFi charges no account, service or maintenance fees, and its savings pays up to 3.30% APY with direct deposit (as of Oct 20, 2026). See our SoFi review.

PNC Virtual Wallet: $100 or $400

Virtual Wallet pays $100 for $500 or more in qualifying direct deposits to the Spend account within 60 days; Virtual Wallet with Performance Select pays $400 for $5,000 or more. PNC credits the bonus 60 to 90 days after you qualify. Virtual Wallet’s fee is $7 or $0 with a waiver. The offer runs through Jan 7, 2027 and PNC says it may vary by market. PNC’s offer page.

Wells Fargo Everyday Checking: $325

New Wells Fargo checking customers earn $325 with $1,000 or more in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of opening Everyday Checking. It needs $25 to open and charges $15 a month unless you avoid it. Offer ends Jan 13, 2027. Wells Fargo’s offer page.

TD Beyond or Complete Checking: $300 or $200

TD Beyond Checking pays $300 for $2,500 in qualifying direct deposits within 60 days; TD Complete Checking pays $200 for $500. Each direct deposit must be a payroll, pension or government benefit payment of at least $250. You must open online through TD’s offer page by Nov 30, 2026, and you do not qualify if you already have TD personal checking, closed one in the last 12 months or ever got a TD checking bonus. TD also has a separate savings bonus. TD’s offer page.

Capital One 360 Checking: no public bonus right now

Capital One’s $250 offer (code CHECKING250) did not appear on its 360 Checking page when we checked on Oct 27, 2026. 360 Checking still has no monthly fee and pays 0.10% APY. See our Capital One 360 Checking review.

What counts as a direct deposit?

Almost every offer means an electronic deposit of your paycheck, pension or government benefits, such as Social Security. Transfers from your own accounts at other banks, Zelle or Venmo payments and mobile check deposits usually do not count. TD also requires each direct deposit to be at least $250, and Huntington requires new money. If you are not sure your employer’s deposit will count, ask the bank before you open.

Are checking account bonuses taxed?

Yes. Banks usually report a bonus as interest income. Huntington says it may send you a Form 1099 for the bonus, and PNC says the bonus may be reported to the IRS and taxed as income. Plan for it at your normal income tax rate.

Is a bonus worth more than a high yield savings account?

It can match it. $10,000 in the top savings account we track with no monthly rules (Pibank Savings) earns about $440 in a year, compared with $38 at the FDIC national average. A $400 bonus for moving a $1,000 paycheck pays about the same as a year of interest on $10,000, and you do not have to tie up any savings to get it. The two work best together: take the checking bonus, and keep your savings in a high yield account. Compare the best high yield savings accounts.

How to get the bonus without losing it

• Open through the bank’s own offer page or use its promo code. Several banks only pay when the code is applied at opening.
• Set up the direct deposit early. Your first paycheck can take one or two pay cycles to switch.
• Know the fee waiver before you open, so the bonus is not eaten by monthly fees.
• Keep the account open until the bonus posts. Huntington requires 90 days, and PNC says the account must stay open to receive the reward.
• Check you are a new customer. These offers are for new checking customers, and TD and Huntington also exclude anyone who closed a checking account in the last 12 months.

See every checking account we review on our checking accounts page.

Bonus amounts, requirements and deadlines are from each bank’s offer page, checked Oct 27, 2026. Offers are listed by bonus size, not by any business relationship.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best checking account bonus right now?

For most people, Chase’s $400 for $1,000 in direct deposits within 90 days (offer ends Jan 27, 2027). The largest is BMO Relationship Checking at up to $1,000 for $20,000 or more in direct deposits. Checked Oct 27, 2026.

Which checking bonus is easiest to get?

Huntington Perks Checking pays $400 for $500 in direct deposits within 90 days, but only in 21 states. Nationwide, Chase’s $400 for $1,000 and Wells Fargo’s $325 for $1,000 have the lowest direct deposit bars among the offers we checked.

Which checking bonus has no monthly fee?

SoFi pays up to $400 and charges no account fees. Key Smart Checking pays $300 for $2,000 in direct deposits and has no monthly maintenance fee.

Are checking account bonuses taxable?

Yes. Banks usually report bonuses as interest income on a Form 1099, so you owe income tax on them.

Do transfers count as direct deposits for a bonus?

Usually not. Most banks only count electronic deposits of a paycheck, pension or government benefits. Transfers between your own accounts, Zelle and mobile check deposits generally do not qualify.

Can I get a bonus if I already bank there?

Usually not. These offers are for new checking customers. TD and Huntington also exclude anyone who closed a checking account in the last 12 months, and TD excludes anyone who ever got a TD checking bonus.