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.
| Bank account | Bonus amount | Expiration date | Requirements | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SoFi Checking and Savings | $50 or $400 bonus and up to 4.00% APY on savings for up to 6 months | December 31, 2026 | Hybrid account, no monthly fees, high APYs on Savings and Checking, and Vaults for sorting goals. | |
| Chase Business Complete | up to $300 or $500 | May 14, 2026 | Unlimited electronic transactions, unlimited debit cards for employees, and no minimum opening deposit. | |
| Chase Total Checking | $400 | July 15, 2026 | Simple checking account with no opening deposit requirements. | |
| BMO Smart Advantage Checking | $400 | May 04, 2026 | No monthly fees, overdraft protection by linking savings and a large ATM network. | |
| Suze Orman Ultimate Opportunity Savings | $100 | June 30, 2026 | Encourages and rewards regular savings contributions, and high APY. | |
| PNC Business Checking | up to $400 | June 30, 2026 | Ways to avoid the monthly fee, online bill pay, cashback offers and up to 150 transactions per month. |
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 account | Bonus amount | Expiration date | Requirement | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Up to $100 | N/A | No monthly fees, savings pods to sort goals, a credit-building card option, and paycheck advances. | |
| Greenlight | Give $30, Get $50 | N/A | Up to 5 kids per plan, custom spending controls, quickly reload kids’ cards with linked account, investing platform, chore charts and savings rewards | |
| Varo | $100 | N/A | No monthly fees, optional savings with high rate, a credit-building card, early direct deposit and no foreign transaction fees. | |
| BusyKid | $20 | N/A | Chore tracking, investing, various reload options and parent-led savings match. | |
| Marcus Online Savings Account or CD | 0.25% Bonus APY on savings for three months | N/A | High rates across savings accounts, no monthly fees, same-day transfers and 24/7 customer support. | |
| Go2Bank | Up to $50 | N/A | Near-instant mobile check deposits, cashback offers, high savings rates and waiveable monthly fee. | |
| TD Bank | Up to $50 | N/A | Large branch network, personal and business account options. |
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 31 days of opening your account to earn a $50 bonus, or $5,000 in direct deposit to earn up to $300 within 31 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
Ask a question
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