Banking

Best Checking Account Bonuses Of January 2024


The U.S Bank offer mentioned below is no longer available.

To attract new customers, many banks will often offer a sign-up bonus when opening a new account. For checking accounts specifically, these bonuses can be at least $100.

Qualification is usually easy, with new account holders tending to just need to set up a direct deposit and transfer cash within a certain amount of days, like 30 to 90 days from account opening, to earn the bonus. Sometimes, there’s a minimum deposit you have to make to earn the bonus.

CNBC Select analyzed and compared dozens of consumer checking accounts offered by online, brick-and-mortar banks and credit unions that offer sign-up bonuses for new account holders. To rank the best checking account bonuses, we focused on the following criteria: reasonable bonus requirements, available nationwide, physical branch locations, online and mobile accessibility, large ATM network and NCUA- or FDIC-insured up to $250,000. The accounts on our list had to meet all of these requirements to be considered one of the best. (See our methodology below for more information on how we created this list.)

Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking®

  • Monthly maintenance fee

    $0 for eligible students under 25

  • Minimum deposit to open

  • Minimum balance

  • Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

  • Free ATM network

  • ATM fee reimbursement

  • Overdraft fee

  • Mobile check deposit

See our methodology, terms apply. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC.

  • Top-rated mobile app
  • No overdraft fees
  • Savings program that rounds up debit card purchases and transfers the difference to your savings account

  • $25 minimum deposit to open an account
  • No APY
  • No reimbursement for out-of-network ATM fees

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Chase College Checking℠

  • Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

  • Minimum balance

    $5,000 to waive monthly service fee

  • Monthly fee

    $6 monthly service fee; no monthly service fee for up to 5 years if you’re a student between the ages of 17 to 24 at account opening with proof of student status

  • Free ATM network

    More than 15,000 Chase ATMs

  • ATM fee reimbursement

  • Overdraft fee

    With Chase Overdraft Assist℠, Chase doesn’t charge an Overdraft Fee if you’re overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the business day OR if you’re overdrawn by more than $50 and you bring your account balance to overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the next business day (you have until 11 PM ET, 8 PM PT, to make a deposit or transfer). Chase Overdraft Assist does not require enrollment and comes with eligible Chase checking accounts

  • Mobile check deposit

See our methodology, terms apply.

  • No minimum deposit to open an account
  • Overdraft assistance
  • Top-rated mobile app
  • Chase is no. 2 on J.D. Power’s 2019 U.S. National Banking Satisfaction Study
  • Send and receive money with Zelle®

  • No APY
  • Monthly fees, but there are options to waive
  • No reimbursement for out-of-network ATM fees

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Bonus: $100

Expiration: January 24, 2024

How to earn the bonus: Complete 10 qualifying transactions within 60 days of coupon enrollment. Qualifying transactions include:

  • Debit card purchases
  • Online bill payments
  • Chase QuickDeposit℠
  • Zelle®
  • ACH credits

Chase Total Checking®

  • Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

  • Minimum balance

    $1,500 daily balance to avoid monthly maintenance fee

  • Monthly fee

    $12, with options to waive

  • Free ATM network

    More than 15,000 Chase ATMs

  • ATM fee reimbursement

  • Overdraft fee

    *Chase Overdraft Assist℠, – no overdraft fees if you’re overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the business day or if you’re overdrawn by more than $50 and bring your account balance to overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the next business day*

  • Mobile check deposit

See our methodology, terms apply.

  • No minimum deposit to open an account
  • Overdraft assistance
  • Top-rated mobile app
  • Chase is no. 2 on J.D. Power’s 2019 U.S. National Banking Satisfaction Study
  • Send and receive money with Zelle®

  • No APY
  • No reimbursement for out-of-network ATM fees

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How to avoid the monthly fee:

  • Electronic deposits made into this account totaling $500 or more,
  • or a balance at the beginning of each day of $1,500 or more in this account
  • or an average beginning day balance of $5,000 or more in any combination of this account and linked qualifying Chase checking, savings and other balances

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Bonus: $200

Expiration: January 24, 2024

How to earn the bonus: Set up direct deposit within 90 days of coupon enrollment.

Citi® Simple Checking

  • Monthly maintenance fee

    $12, with options to waive

  • Minimum deposit to open

  • Minimum balance

    $1,500 daily balance to avoid monthly maintenance fee

  • Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

  • Free ATM network

    Access to more than 2,300 Citibank ATMs and over 60,000 other surcharge-free ATMs in the U.S.

  • ATM fee reimbursement

  • Overdraft fee

  • Mobile check deposit

See our methodology. You may be eligible for a cash bonus when you complete required activities – click here for details.

  • No overdraft fees
  • Top-rated mobile app
  • No minimum deposit to open an account
  • Send and receive money with Zelle®

  • No APY
  • No reimbursement for out-of-network ATM fees

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How to avoid the monthly fee:

  • Make one enhanced direct deposit and one qualifying bill payment per statement periodor maintain a combined average monthly balance $1,500 or more in any combination of this account and eligible linked accounts

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Bonus: $200 to $2,000

Expiration: January 9, 2024

How to earn the bonus:

  • Earn $200 when you deposit $10,000
  • Earn $500 when you deposit $30,000
  • Earn $1,000 when you deposit $75,000
  • Earn $1,500 when you deposit $200,000
  • Earn $2,000 when you deposit $300,000

Deposit qualifying funds within 20 days of account opening and maintain your balance for an additional 60 days starting on the 21st day.

Virtual Wallet® from PNC Bank

  • Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    Up to 4.00% APY on select Virtual Wallet Growth accounts with relationship rates

  • Minimum balance

    Varies depending on Virtual Wallet account

  • Monthly fee

    Ranges from $7 to $25 depending on Virtual Wallet account, with options to waive

  • Maximum transactions

    Up to 6 free withdrawals or transfers per statement cycle

  • Excessive transactions fee

  • Overdraft fee

    Overdraft protection offered by your Reserve and Growth accounts

  • Offer checking account?

  • Offer ATM card?

    Yes, if have a PNC Bank checking account

See our methodology, terms apply.

  • New account holders can earn a welcome bonus of up to $400
  • Virtual Wallet includes individual checking and savings accounts that work together
  • Earn cash or points through PNC Purchase Payback® program
  • Reimbursable non-network ATM fees
  • Account holders can choose the Virtual Wallet best for them 
  • Options to waive monthly maintenance fee 
  • Higher APY relationship rates are available

  • Has monthly maintenance fees
  • Have to call PNC Bank to find out APY offered in your area

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Bonus: $100 to $400

Expiration: January 1, 2024

How to earn the bonus:

  • Earn $100 when you open and use a new Virtual Wallet (minimum $500 direct deposit)
  • Earn $200 when you open and use a new Virtual Wallet with Performance Spend (minimum $2,000 direct deposit)
  • Earn $400 when you open and use a new Virtual Wallet with Performance Select (minimum $5,000 direct deposit)

Bonus: Up to $500

Expiration: October 31, 2023

How to earn the bonus: Enroll in the U.S. Bank Mobile App or online banking and complete two or more direct deposits totaling $5,000 to $9,999.99 to earn $300 or $10,000 or more to earn $500, all within 90 days of opening the account.

Wells Fargo Everyday Checking

  • Monthly maintenance fee

    $10, with options to waive

  • Minimum deposit to open

  • Minimum balance

    $500 daily deposit balance to avoid monthly maintenance fee

  • Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

  • Free ATM network

  • ATM fee reimbursement

  • Overdraft fee

    $35 (max of 3 overdraft fees per day)

  • Mobile check deposit

See our methodology, terms apply.

  • Four ways to waive the monthly maintenance fee
  • Send and receive money with Zelle
  • Easy-to-use mobile app

  • $25 minimum deposit to open an account
  • $35 overdraft fee
  • No APY
  • No reimbursement for out-of-network ATM fees

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How to avoid the monthly fee:

  • Maintain $500 in combined minimum deposit balances,
  • or make qualifying direct deposits totaling $500 or more,
  • or be between 17 – 24 years old
  • or have a linked Wells Fargo Campus ATM Card or Campus Debit Card (for college students)

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Bonus: $300

Expiration: January 9, 2024

How to earn the bonus: Open a new Everyday Checking account with a minimum opening deposit of $25 and receive a total of $1,000 or more in qualifying direct deposits to your new checking account within 90 calendar days of account opening (the qualification period).

FAQs

Should I open a bank account just for the bonus?

While a sign-up offer is an incentivizing reason to open a new bank account, before taking advantage of a bonus you should figure out how much money you have available to transfer to a new account. Then, select the bonus that best fits your budget. Bonus offer amounts can range, and higher-end bonuses tend to require a higher deposit of cash.

Do you get taxed on bank bonuses?

Because the IRS considers bank sign-up bonuses additional income — similar to prize winnings or jury duty pay — you do have to pay taxes on this extra cash. Bank bonuses are usually taxed at the same rate as your income. Tax filing software will often ask about additional income and will inform you how much you owe.

Keep in mind that this differs from credit card bonuses, where cardholders usually have to meet a spending requirement to earn the bonus — therefore qualifying this extra cash as rebates on purchases, not income.

What is bank account churning?

Bank account churning is basically opening new bank accounts to earn their sign-up offers and then often moving your money or closing the account. Yet opening many bank accounts in a short period of time can backfire and raise suspicion among banks. You may be denied an offer from a bank you’ve applied to multiple times, have the bonus deducted if your account is closed within a certain time frame after account opening or closure fees could eat away at any bonus you do receive.

Virtually everyone has a checking account, but it might be worth switching yours to easily score some extra cash. These checking accounts offering welcome bonuses up to $400 are a good place to start.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every checking account review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of banking products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best checking accounts.

To determine which consumer checking accounts provide the best place to deposit your money and earn a bonus, CNBC Select analyzed dozens of U.S. checking accounts offered by the largest national banks and credit unions. We narrowed down our ranking by only considering consumer checking accounts that have bonuses available to new applicants and that come from brick-and-mortar banks with broad availability, offering access to at least 700 physical branches and over 4,000 fee-free ATMs in the U.S.

While the accounts we chose in this article all have bonus offers, we also compared each checking account on a range of features, including:

  • Reasonable bonus requirements
  • Available nationwide
  • Physical branch locations and/or online accessibility
  • Large ATM network
  • NCUA- or FDIC-insured up to $250,000

All of the accounts included on this list are NCUA or FDIC-insured up to $250,000. This insurance protects and reimburses you up to your balance and the legal limit in the event your bank or credit union fails.

Product and feature availability vary by market so these accounts may not be offered depending on where you live. Most brick-and-mortar banks require you to enter your zip code online for the correct account offerings. The rates and fee structures for checking accounts are subject to change without notice. Any return on your checking depends on any associated fees and the balance you have in your checking account. To open a checking account, some banks and institutions may require a deposit of new money, meaning you can’t transfer money you already had in an account at that bank.

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Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.





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