Finder's pick for an easy bonus: Chase Total Checking
$0
Deposit to Open
- $200 sign up bonus
- 24/7 customer service
- Access to 16,000 ATMs
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9 best checking account bonus offers for March 2021
These bank promotions offer perks just for signing up for a checking account.
This article was reviewed by Marguerita Cheng, a member of the Finder Editorial Review Board and award-winning advocate for ethical financial planning for over 20 years.
What’s changed in 2021?
We reviewed our list to ensure these are still the best checking account bonuses available today. We removed SunTrust from our list because its $200 bonus expired.
Best checking account bonus offers
Here’s a snapshot of the nine best checking account promotions:
| Account | Bonus total | Minimum deposit | Expiration | More info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Total Checking | $200 bonus | $0 | April 14, 2021 | Learn more |
| HSBC Premier Checking | Up to $600 bonus | $1 | March 31, 2021 | Learn more |
| Chase Business Complete Banking | $300 bonus | $0 | April 15, 2021 | Learn more |
| Axos Small Business Checking | $100 bonus | $100 to $1,000 | March 31, 2021 | Learn more |
| Huntington Bank Business Checking | Up to $750 bonus | $2,000 to $20,000 | April 7, 2021 | Learn more |
| PNC Virtual Wallet | Up to $400 bonus | $25 | March 1, 2021 | Learn more |
| Bank of America | $100 bonus | $25 or $100 | June 30, 2021 | Learn more |
| Associated Bank Checking | Up to $500 bonus | $25 to $100 | May 31, 2021 | Learn more |
| Fifth Third Bank Checking account | $250 bonus | $0 | March 31, 2021 | Learn more |
A closer look at the best checking account bonus offers
Compare the best bank account bonuses and their requirements to see which ones you qualify for.
Chase Total Checking: $200 bonus
- Bonus amount: $200
- Minimum deposit required: $0
- Monthly maintenance fee: $12
Offer rules
Earn $200 when you open a new Chase Total Checking account by April 14, 2021 and set up and receive at least one direct deposit within 90 days of opening. You’ll receive your bonus within 10 business days of receiving your first direct deposit.
Eligibility
You can receive only one new checking account-related bonus every two years from the last enrollment date and only one bonus per account.
Expiration
Bonus available until April 14, 2021
HSBC Premier Checking: Up to $600 cash back
- Bonus amount: Up to $600
- Minimum deposit required: $1
- Monthly maintenance fee: $50
Offer rules
Get a 3% cash bonus, up to $600 (max. $100 per month) during first six months after account opening. Must open HSBC Premier checking account through offer page by March 31, 2021, and set up qualifying direct deposits into the new account. Conditions apply. Deposit products are offered in the US by HSBC Bank USA, N.A. Member FDIC.
Eligibility
Eligible to new customers who open an HSBC Premier checking account. Offer not available to current HSBC customers.
Expiration
Bonus available until March 31, 2021
Chase Business Complete Banking: $300 bonus
- Bonus amount: $300
- Minimum opening deposit required: $0
- Monthly maintenance fee: $15
Offer rules
Earn $300 when you open a new Chase Business Complete Banking account by April 15, 2021 and deposit $2,000 within 20 days of opening your account, maintain $2,000 for 60 days and complete five transactions within 60 days. Transactions include: debit card purchases, QuickDeposit, ACH deposit and wires transfers.
Eligibility
You can receive only one new business checking account-related bonus every two years from the last enrollment date and only one bonus per account. Offer not available to existing Chase business checking customers, local, state or federal government entities or agencies, non-profit organizations, political action committees, or account holders with campaign accounts or accounts have been closed within 90 days or closed with a negative balance.
Expiration
Bonus available until April 15, 2021
Axos Small Business Checking: $100 bonus
- Bonus amount: $100
- Minimum deposit required: $100 to $1,000
- Monthly maintenance fee: $0 to $10
Offer rules
New businesses incorporated after June 1, 2020, can earn a $100 bonus when they open an Axos Bank Basic Business Checking or Axos Bank Business Interest Checking account before March 31, 2021, and maintain an average daily balance of at least $2,500 for the first two months. The bonus will be credited to your accounts within five business days of meeting these requirements. Must use the promo code NEWBIZ100 at the time of application.
Eligibility
Offer limited to new businesses incorporated after June 1, 2020. Account must be funded with new money.
Expiration
Bonus available until March 31, 2021
Huntington Bank Business Checking: Up to $750 bonus
- Bonus amount: $200, $400 or $750
- Minimum deposit required:$2,000 to $20,000
- Monthly maintenance fee:$0 to $25
Offer rules
Earn $200 when you open a Business Checking 100 account and deposit at least $2,000 within 60 days of account opening, $400 when you open an Unlimited Business Checking account and deposit at least $5,000 within 60 days of account opening, or $750 when you open an Unlimited Plus Checking account and deposit at least $20,000 within 60 days of account opening.
Eligibility
Offer available to new business checking customers only. Must apply through the banking promotions offer page on Huntington’s website to qualify. Account must be funded with new money.
Expiration
Bonus available until April 7, 2021
PNC Virtual Wallet: Up to $400 bonus
- Bonus amount: $50, $200 or $400
- Minimum deposit required: $25
- Monthly maintenance fee: $7 to $25
Offer rules
Earn $400 when you open a new Virtual Wallet with Performance Select and make at least $5,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 60 days, $200 when you open a new Virtual Wallet with Performance Spend and make at least $2,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 60 days or $50 when you open a new Virtual Wallet account and make at least $500 in qualifying direct deposits within 60 days.
Eligibility
The new account must be opened online at pnc.com/virtualwallet or at a branch between 2/2/21 to 3/1/21. Your bonus will be credited to your account 60 to 90 days after all conditions are met.
Expiration
Bonus available until March 1, 2021
Bank of America: $100 bonus
- Bonus amount: $100
- Minimum deposit required: $25 or $100
- Monthly maintenance fee: $4.95 to $25
Offer rules
Earn $100 when you open any Bank of America Advantage Banking account and set up and receive at least two qualifying direct deposits of $250 or more within 90 days of opening. Must use offer code DOC100CIS when opening your account to qualify.
Eligibility
For new personal checking customers only. You’re not eligible if you’ve been an owner or co-owner of a Bank of America personal checking account within the last six months.
Expiration
Bonus available until June 30, 2021
Associated Bank Checking: up to $500 bonus
- Bonus amount: $200, $300 or $500
- Minimum deposit required: $25 to $100
- Monthly maintenance fee: $0 to $25
Offer rules
Open a new Associated Bank checking account and make at least $500 in direct deposits within the first 90 days of opening. Once your account has been open for 90 days, Associated Bank will calculate the average daily balance of all your deposit accounts for days 61 to 90. You’ll earn a $200 bonus for balances between $1,000 and $4,999.99, $300 for balances between $5,000 and $9,999.99 and $500 for balances over $10,000 The bonus will be credited to your account within 120 days of account opening.
Eligibility
Offer limited to a new personal Associated Bank checking account. Must be funded with new money.
Expiration
Bonus available until May 31, 2021
Fifth Third Bank Checking: $250 signup bonus
- Bonus amount: $250
- Minimum deposit required: $0
- Monthly maintenance fee: $0
Offer rules
Open any personal Fifth Third checking account and receive a $250 bonus when you deposit $2,000 within 60 days of account opening. You must grab a unique offer code from Fifth Third Bank’s website before you open your account. You won’t get the bonus unless you provide that code with your application.
Eligibility
Not available to existing Fifth Third checking customers or those who closed an account within the last 12 months. If you meet the requirements, your bonus will be deposited into your account within 10 business days.
Expiration
Bonus available until March 31, 2021
How to choose the best checking account bonus
When choosing a checking account based on its bonus, consider the following criteria before making your decision:
- Bonus amount and conditions. Make sure you can comfortably meet the requirements needed to earn the bonus.
- Consider if the bonus is worth it. Even if the bonus is good, the account may not be worth it if it comes with high fees and strict requirements.
- Account fees. See which fees are tied to the account and if there are easy ways to avoid them.
- Opening deposit or minimum balance. Calculate that you can afford the opening deposit and meet the minimum balance requirements to avoid fees.
Checking account bonus pros and cons
Checking account bonus offers are great for several reasons, but they also have their downsides.
Pros
- Free money. You can get rewarded with hundreds of dollars for simply switching banks or spending money you were going to spend anyway.
- Spend on anything. Once the bonus arrives in your account, you can use the funds to go on a shopping spree, pay off debt or anything you want.
- Easier to earn. Compared to credit card bonuses, checking account bonuses are easier to earn because you’re typically not required to spend thousands of dollars within just a few months.
Cons
- Must meet requirements. Some checking accounts require you to live in a certain state, maintain a minimum balance or receive regular direct deposits to qualify for the bonus. Read the fine print before signing up.
- Might not be a good bank. Just because a bank offers a generous bonus doesn’t make it a good financial institution. Consider other factors and ask yourself if you’d switch to that bank even if it didn’t offer a bonus.
- Bonuses are taxable. The IRS considers checking account bonuses as taxable income. This reduces the amount of money you get to keep and can complicate things when tax-time rolls around.
Do I have to report my checking bonus on my taxes?
Yes. Under IRS rules, checking account bonuses are considered taxable income. If you receive a bonus, your bank will typically send you a 1099-INT form, instructing you to include the amount as part of your income when you file. Bonuses from savings accounts are also taxable, but rewards from credit cards are considered non-taxable rebates.
Bottom line
Finding a checking account with a bonus is easy money in your hand. Get a head start on growing your account balance and compare your options to find an account that suits your needs.
Compare other top checking account bonuses
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