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18 best bank account bonus offers for October 2024

Earn up to $500 cash for switching bank accounts and meeting requirements.

Banks offer signup or welcome bonuses as a way to incentivize you to open an account. For the most part, bank account bonuses are offered for checking accounts, but you’re also likely to find referral bonuses. You might even get lucky and find a savings account welcome bonus.

While many banks offer signup bonuses, be prepared to fulfill certain requirements to earn the extra cash, such as setting up direct deposit or depositing a specific amount of money.

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Best bank account bonuses at a glance

Compare the best account bonuses for checking, savings and business accounts.

Bank accountBonus amountEasy, somewhat difficult, or very difficult to earnLearn more
Chase Total Checking®$300EasyGo to site
Chase College Checking$100EasyGo to site
SoFi® Checking and Savings$50 or up to $300Somewhat difficultGo to site
Chase Business Complete Banking$300Very difficultGo to site
TD Beyond Checking$300EasyRead Review
PNC Business Checking$200Very difficultRead Review
BMO Smart Advantage Checking$250Somewhat difficult
Laurel Road Loyalty Checking$300Easy
Suze Orman Ultimate Opportunity Savings$100Somewhat difficult

Best referral bonuses at a glance

If you already have one of these accounts, you can refer friends or family to earn some extra cash.

Bank accountBonus amountEasy, somewhat difficult, or very difficult to earnLearn more
CurrentUp to $50Somewhat difficultGo to site
ChaseUp to $50EasyGo to site
Varo$25EasyGo to site
Step$1 per referralEasyGo to site
Axos BankUp to $50EasyRead Review
BusyKid$20EasyRead Review
Marcus by Goldman SachsBonus 0.25% APY on savings for three monthsEasyRead Review
GO2bankUp to $50Somewhat difficultRead Review
TD BankUp to $50Very difficultRead Review

Methodology

Finder’s banking experts analyze more than 200 accounts in the market to narrow down the best accounts with signup and referral bonuses. We consider the bonus value, the eligibility requirements, how many accounts are available under the same bonus and the account itself based on these criteria:

  • No requirements to open an additional account
  • Direct deposit requirements of no more than $2,000 within a 30-day period

We also look at the features of the account itself, such as:

  • $0 monthly fee or easy ways to void it, with the exception of prepaid cards
  • Nationwide availability
  • Low minimum opening deposits, depending on the type of account:
    • Max $100 for personal checking accounts
    • Max $1,000 for personal savings accounts
    • Max $1,000 for business checking and savings

Best bank account bonus requirements

You’d be hard-pressed to find a bank bonus with no requirements. To earn a bank welcome or signup bonus, you’ll likely need to set up direct deposit, meet balance requirements, fulfill activity requirements or deposit a certain amount of cash to earn that sweet cash. For referral bonuses, most banks require you to send a unique link to a friend or family member, who may then need to deposit cash or meet activity requirements.

Here’s the nitty-gritty on how to earn each of the best bank account bonuses.

Chase Total Checking® $300 bonus requirements

Expiration date: January 22, 2025

Chase College Checking $100 bonus requirements

Expiration date: January 22, 2025

SoFi Checking $50 or up to $300 bonus requirements

Expiration date: December 31, 2024

BMO Smart Advantage Checking $250 bonus requirements

Expiration date: October 31, 2024

TD Beyond Checking $300 bonus requirements

Expiration date: October 31, 2024

Laurel Road Loyalty Checking $300 bonus requirements

Expiration date: October 15, 2024

Suze Orman Ultimate Opportunity Savings $100 bonus requirements

Expiration date: December 31, 2024

Chase Business Complete Banking $300 bonus requirements

Expiration date: January 16, 2025

PNC Business Checking $200 bonus requirements

Expiration date: September 30, 2024

Current $50 referral bonus requirements

Chase Bank $50 referral bonus requirements

Varo $25 referral bonus requirements

Step Visa Card $1 referral bonus requirements

Axos Bank $50 referral bonus requirements

BusyKid $20 referral bonus requirements

Marcus Online Savings bonus 0.25% APY requirements

GO2bank $50 referral bonus requirements

TD Bank $50 referral bonus requirements

Back to top

Compare bank account bonuses by bank

Bottom line

Most bank account welcome bonuses or referral bonuses have some sort of requirements you’ll need to meet. Typically, bonuses are awarded within 30 to 90 days after you’ve met the requirements.

However, a great bonus offer doesn’t necessarily mean that bank account is best for you. Compare the best checking accounts and the best savings accounts to get the most bang for your buck.

Frequently asked questions

Are there banks with immediate sign up bonuses?

No, immediate bank account bonuses are not common, and most banks don’t offer them. This is because nearly every bank has requirements to earn a bonus. For example, setting up direct deposit and depositing $1,000 within 30 days of account opening. On top of that, a lot of bank bonuses are delivered anywhere from 7 to 60 days after you’ve met the requirements.

Are there signup bonuses with no deposit requirements?

It’s rare to find an instant signup bonus with no deposit requirements. Nearly all bank account bonuses require you to set up direct deposit or deposit a certain amount of cash after opening. A few banks claim to have instant signup bonuses that you’ll earn immediately after opening, but the reality is that there are really no “instant” bonuses, and most take a month or two to earn.

However, a few signup bonuses have easier requirements, such as Upgrade Rewards Checking and the Marcus Online Savings Account. With Upgrade, all you have to do to earn the $200 is make three debit card transactions, and Marcus’ bonus is a referral program that offers an APY boost without any deposit requirements.

Is it worth opening a bank account for the bonus?

Sometimes, it can be, but make sure the account is worth your time in the long term. If the bonus comes with a bank account that has a high monthly fee, you’ll end up in the red eventually. Compare the best free checking accounts if you want to avoid monthly maintenance fees.

What bank gives you money for setting up direct deposit?

Banks like SoFi, Chase, Axos and BMO frequently offer bank account bonuses for setting up direct deposit. However, make sure you double-check the direct deposit amount requirements. For example, SoFi’s direct deposit bonus requires direct deposit of at least $1,000 within 25 days of opening your account to earn a $50 bonus, or $5,000 in direct deposit to earn $300 within 25 days of account opening.

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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Holly Jennings as part of our fact-checking process.
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Written by

Editor, Banking

Bethany Hickey is the banking editor and personal finance expert at Finder, specializing in banking, lending, insurance, and crypto. Bethany’s expertise in personal finance has garnered recognition from esteemed media outlets, such as Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo Finance, GOBankingRates, SuperMoney, AOL and Newsweek. Her articles offer practical financial strategies to Americans, empowering them to make decisions that meet their financial goals. Her past work includes articles on generational spending and saving habits, lending, budgeting and managing debt. Before joining Finder, she was a content manager where she wrote hundreds of articles and news pieces on auto financing and credit repair for CarsDirect, Auto Credit Express and The Car Connection, among others. Bethany holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan-Flint, and was poetry editor for the university’s Qua Literary and Fine Arts Magazine. See full bio

Bethany's expertise
Bethany has written 430 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Personal finance
  • Banking
  • Auto loans
  • Insurance
  • Cryptocurrency and NFTs

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