14 Best Bank Account Bonus Offers for May 2026

What banks give you money for opening an account? Chase, BMO, TD Bank, PNC and many other banks give you money as a way to incentivize you to open an account. For the most part, bank account bonuses are offered for checking accounts, though some savings account promotions might also come with perks like a temporarily boosted APY.

Just keep in mind that bank account bonuses usually come with a few requirements, such as setting up direct deposit or depositing a specific amount of money.

Bonus highlight

Best bank account bonuses at a glance

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

• SoFi terms and conditions

  New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible Direct Deposit of $1 or more) OR $400 (with at least $5,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible Direct Deposit of $1 or more). Cash bonus amount will be based on the total amount of Eligible Direct Deposit received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible Direct Deposit of $1 or more. If you have satisfied the Eligible Direct Deposit requirements but have not received a cash bonus in your Checking account, please contact us at 855-456-7634 with the details of your Eligible Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 5/15/2026 and will be available through 12/31/26. See full bonus and annual percentage yield (APY) terms at sofi.com/banking/checking-offer/
  
  Annual percentage yield (APY) is variable and subject to change at any time. Rates are current as of 5/28/26. There is no minimum balance requirement. Fees may reduce earnings. Additional rates and information can be found at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet
  
  We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Bank Fee Sheet for details at sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/.
  
  SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per depositor per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations. Any additional FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $3M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms. See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks.
  
  We’ve partnered with Allpoint to provide you with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. You will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third-party fees may be incurred when using out-of-network ATMs. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at our discretion at any time.
  
  Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.
  
  Overdraft Coverage is a feature automatically offered to SoFi Checking and Savings account holders who receive at least $1,000 or more in Eligible Direct Deposits within a rolling 31 calendar day period on a recurring basis. Eligible Direct Deposit is defined on the SoFi Bank Rate Sheet, available at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. Members enrolled in Overdraft Coverage may be covered for up to $50 in negative balances on SoFi Bank debit card purchases only. Overdraft Coverage does not apply to P2P transfers, bill payments, checks, or other non-debit card transactions. Members with a prior history of unpaid negative balances are not eligible for Overdraft Coverage. Eligibility for Overdraft Coverage is determined by SoFi Bank in its sole discretion. Members can check their enrollment status, if eligible, at any time by logging into their account through the SoFi app or on the SoFi website.
  
  Earn up to 3.80% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on SoFi Savings with a 0.70% APY Boost (added to the 3.10% APY) for up to 6 months. Open a new SoFi Checking & Savings account with Eligible Direct Deposit by 12/31/26. Rates variable, subject to change. Terms apply at sofi.com/banking#2. SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

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.

• May 2026 snapshot: Best bank bonuses and promotions

  Here’s a roundup of the best kids, savings and checking account bonus offers, broken down by account type.

  Best checking account bonus offers

  • Chase Total Checking sign-up bonus: $400
  • BMO Smart Advantage Checkings sign-up bonus: $400

  Best app and bank bonuses for checking and savings

  • SoFi Checking and Savings sign-up bonus: $50 or $400 bonus and up to 3.80% APY on savings for up to 6 months on new accounts. Terms apply.
  • Current referral bonus: Up to $100
  • Varo: $100
  • TD Checking referral bonus: Up to $50
  • GO2bank referral bonus: Up to $50

  Best bank bonuses for savings

  • Suze Orman Ultimate Opportunity Savings sign-up bonus: $100
  • Marcus Online Savings referral bonus: 0.25% Bonus APY on savings for three months
  • Marcus Online CDs referral bonus: 0.25% Bonus APY on savings for three months

  Best bank bonuses for business checking

  • Chase Business Complete sign-up bonus: Up to $500
  • PNC Business Checking sign-up bonus: Up to $400

  Best bonuses for kids accounts

  • Busykid referral bonus: $20
  • Greenlight referral bonus: Give $30, Get $50

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

Are there banks with immediate sign-up bonuses?

No, immediate bank account bonuses are almost never offered. Most banks have requirements you need to meet to earn a bonus, such as depositing a certain amount or setting up direct deposit. On top of that, most bank bonuses are delivered anywhere from 7 to 60 days after you’ve met the requirements, so they are not instant.

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.

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 up to $400 within 25 days of account opening.

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.

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.

Compare bank account bonuses by bank

• Chime promotions and bonus offers
• Fifth Third Bank promotions and bonus offers
• PNC Bank promotions and bonus offers
• SoFi promotions and bonus offers
• Varo promotions and bonus offers

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

Written by

Bethany Hickey

Banking editor

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

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