In October, many banks are offering generous new-account bonuses. Some are easy to earn through fake deposits, with no funds tied up, adding up to $2,000+ in rewards! Others require deposits; by moving money between banks, you can earn $10,000+ in bonuses in just a few months. Here are the details:

  • Through DD: US Bank offers $450, Citi $325, Chase $400, and KeyBank $500, with relatively easy requirements. Wells Fargo also offers up to $400. These add up to $2,000+ in rewards!
  • Through deposits: Some other offers require you to deposit funds, such as HSBC’s $3,000 bonus, Citi Checking’s $1,500, and Chase CPC’s $3,000 bonus. By moving money between banks, you can earn $10,000+ in various bonuses in just a few months.
  • If you’re a typical salaried worker, I’d prioritize Truist, US Bank, Chase, and Wells Fargo: they offer high bonuses while tying up relatively little money. If you already have a larger amount of idle cash or securities, consider Citi, Chase Private Client, and HSBC.

2026 Bank Account Bonuses at a Glance

Bank Current Bonus Key Requirements Expiration Apply
Truist $500 $2,000 in DD + 20 debit card purchases 2027/2/2 Apply
US Bank $450 2 DDs totaling $8,000 2026/11/10 Apply
Chase $400 $1,000 DD within 90 days 2026/10/14 Apply
Wells Fargo $400 $1,000 DD within 90 days 2026/11/9 Apply
Bank of America $500 $10,000 DD within 90 days 2027/1/31 Apply
BMO $600 $1,000 DD in each of six consecutive months 2026/12/15 Apply
KeyBank $500 $5,000 DD within 90 days 2026/12/11 Apply
Capital One $300 2 DDs of $500 each within 75 days Not specified Apply
Citi $1,500 Deposit $30,000-$200,000+ 2026/10/26 Apply
Chase Private Client $3,000 Transfer in $150,000-$500,000+ 2026/10/14 Apply
HSBC Premier $3,000 Deposit $50,000-$500,000+ 2026/12/31 Apply

Note that bank account bonus deadlines may be extended, so click the offer link to check whether it has expired. Some bonuses have specific requirements; see the detailed offer information for more.

US Bank $450 Bonus

The US Bank Checking $450 new-account bonus is back! The direct deposit requirement is very easy to meet, and I’ve also put together the latest fake DD methods. You can complete the requirements and earn the bonus, which may also help with future credit card applications. You can earn the bonus again 12 months after closing the account, so time it right and collect it more than once. The offer expires November 10.

The checking account bonus requirements are:

  • Complete at least 2 direct deposits within 90 days of opening the account. The bonus depends on the total amount: $2,000-$4,999 earns $250; $5,000-$7,999 earns $350; $8,000 or more earns $450.
  • Enroll in US Bank online banking within 90 days of opening the account by signing in online or in the app.
  • Deposit $25 within 30 days of opening the account (a regular deposit is fine; no direct deposit is required).

If you don’t want to use direct deposit or don’t have a paycheck to direct deposit, you can try the following unofficial methods of transferring funds via ACH or withdrawing funds. Add US Bank as an external account at another bank, then initiate an ACH transfer from that bank. Alternatively, link US Bank to an investment or PayPal account and withdraw funds directly. US Bank is the most lenient of these banks about what counts as a direct deposit; almost any transfer may qualify. US Bank also has a bonus checker, so you can see for yourself whether you’ve met the requirements. Remember: don’t use an instant transfer, and you need two direct deposits, not one!

  • Bank ACH transfers: Ally Bank, Alliant Credit Union, American Express, Axos Bank, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Charles Schwab Bank, Discover Bank, PNC Bank, SoFi Bank, T-Mobile Money, Tech CU, Wells Fargo, and others
  • Investment platform withdrawals: Charles Schwab, E*Trade, Fidelity, Robinhood, TreasuryDirect, Vanguard, Wealthfront
  • P2P payment app withdrawals: Apple Cash, Cash App, Novo, PayPal, Relay, Square Cash, Venmo

This account has become especially important after the Smartly 4% cash back credit card was revamped, so it’s still worth applying for alongside the card.

Truist Checking $500 Bonus

Truist Checking has increased its new-account bonus. The requirements aren’t too complicated: make direct deposits totaling $2,000 and complete 20 debit card purchases. If you already have direct deposit or can arrange a fake direct deposit, don’t miss this easy $500 bonus. The offer ends February 2, 2027.

Here’s the timeline for earning the bonus, along with a direct deposit method. A Chase checking account can be used for a fake direct deposit, which is handy. Use a personal Chase account and initiate an ACH transfer from Chase (just make sure not to select an instant transfer). Note that there are two requirements: $2,000 in direct deposits (two deposits are required, totaling $2,000) and 20 debit card purchases. Details:

  • Opened the account on January 20 and deposited $50
  • Jan. 22: $1,150 transfer into Chase via ACH
  • Jan. 23: $650 transfer into Chase via ACH
  • Jan. 27–29: 20 debit card purchases of $1.xx each
  • Feb. 3: Another $267 direct deposit
  • Feb. 5: Bonus pending
  • Feb. 6: $400 bonus posted~

Here’s a summary of the methods that can qualify as fake direct deposits. They’re all initiated from a bank or investment platform: use an ACH transfer from a bank or a withdrawal from an investment platform, and send the funds to Truist.

  • Banks: Affinity, Ally, Axos, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Discover, Fulton, SoFi, Wells Fargo, Wise
  • Investment platforms: Charles Schwab, E*Trade, Fidelity

For the 20 debit card purchases, see this article. They’re easy to complete.

Chase: Bonuses of up to $300–$3,000

Checking

Open a Chase checking account now and earn a $400 account-opening bonus by completing $1,000 in direct deposits within 90 days. Enter your email through the link below to receive a promo code. Offer ends October 14, 2026.

Add “payroll” as the memo on a LemFi transfer to have it count directly as a DD. This is more convenient and reliable than a bank ACH transfer, and there have been recent data points confirming it works. Robinhood, Discover, SoFi, Chime, and others can also be used to simulate a DD. See:

Checking and Saving

If you plan to open a savings account too and can meet the $15,000 deposit requirement, consider the offer bundle below. The savings account earns a $200 bonus, and opening checking and savings accounts together earns an additional $400. Enter your email through the link below to receive a promo code. Offer ends October 14, 2026. The savings account’s interest rate is average, so it’s mainly worth opening for the account bonus.

Bonus requirements:

  • Checking account, $300: Complete one direct deposit within 90 days.
  • Savings account, $200: Deposit $15,000 within 30 days (the funds must come from another bank; avoid depositing cash directly if possible) and maintain the balance for 90 days.
  • Open both, $400: Open both accounts at the same time and complete the requirements above for each.

You’re ineligible for the account-opening bonus if you closed an account within the past 90 days or had a negative balance (money owed) within the past 3 years.

Private Client

Open a Chase Private Client account now and earn a bonus of up to $3,000. Get a promo code through the link below. Expires October 14.

Requirements:

  • Deposit $150,000–$250,000 within 45 days of opening and keep it there for 90 days to earn a $1,000 bonus.
  • Deposit $250,000–$500,000 within 45 days of opening and keep it there for 90 days to earn a $2,000 bonus.
  • Deposit more than $500,000 within 45 days of opening and keep it there for 90 days to earn a $3,000 bonus.

You’re ineligible for the account-opening bonus if you opened this type of account within the past 12 months or closed one within the past 90 days.

HSBC Premier Checking: $3,000

HSBC has updated its Premier Checking account-opening offer. New customers can now earn up to $3,000, with a $1,000 bonus for depositing as little as $50,000. The offer does not require a Direct Deposit; you only need to transfer in new funds from outside HSBC or eligible investment assets and maintain them for the required period. The offer ends December 31, 2026.

The best value is the $1,000 bonus for depositing $50,000. Based on keeping the funds in the account for 3 months, the bonus alone has an annualized equivalent return of about 8%, making this the most attractive tier in this promotion. Here are the bonus tiers, calculated using the minimum deposit for each tier and a holding period of 3 full calendar months:

  • $1,000 bonus: Deposit or invest $50,000–$99,999. The bonus is equivalent to a 2% return, or an annualized equivalent return of about 8%; including the savings account’s current 3.00% APY, the combined annualized equivalent return is about 11%.
  • $1,500 bonus: Deposit or invest $100,000–$249,999. The bonus is equivalent to a 1.5% return, or an annualized equivalent return of about 6%; including the savings account’s current 3.00% APY, the combined annualized equivalent return is about 9%.
  • $2,000 bonus: Deposit or invest $250,000–$499,999. The bonus is equivalent to a 0.8% return, or an annualized equivalent return of about 3.2%; including the savings account’s current 3.00% APY, the combined annualized equivalent return is about 6.2%.
  • $3,000 bonus: Deposit or invest $500,000 or more. The bonus is equivalent to a 0.6% return, or an annualized equivalent return of about 2.4%; including the savings account’s current 3.00% APY, the combined annualized equivalent return is about 5.4%.

If you also want to open an investment account, you may be able to stack additional bonuses. See:

According to data points shared by readers, it may also be possible to apply for U.S. HSBC Premier from China. You can select China as your current location and apply using a Chinese address, passport, ID card, and proof of address. However, you must be an HSBC Premier customer in China.

Citi: $325–$1,500

Citi has updated its account-opening bonuses. You can earn up to $1,500 on a Checking account by depositing funds, or earn $325 through Direct Deposits. Choose based on how much you can deposit. Citi’s DD requirement is also very easy to meet, so it may be worth considering.

The deposit offer is straightforward: deposit $30,000–$200,000 within 45 days to earn $500, or deposit more than $200,000 to earn $1,500. To earn the $325 account-opening bonus, complete two Direct Deposits totaling more than $3,000. Citi has also made some changes to what counts as a DD. In addition to payroll and government benefits previously sent via ACH, payments and benefits received through Venmo, Zelle, and PayPal now count as well.

Key Bank Checking: $300–$500

KeyBank has updated its product lineup and now offers three checking products with bonuses of up to $500. The requirements are fairly easy to meet, and you can choose which bonus to pursue based on how much you can direct deposit. The offer expires December 11, 2026.

The three checking accounts have different bonuses:

  • Key Smart Checking: Get $300 after completing a total of $2,000 in eligible direct deposits within 90 days.
  • Key Select Checking: Get $500 after completing a total of $5,000 in eligible direct deposits within 90 days.

Meeting the direct deposit requirement is straightforward. Besides switching your paycheck to this account, you can withdraw funds from PayPal directly into the checking account. You can also transfer money via ACH from banks such as Discover and Wells Fargo. Withdrawals from brokerages may also qualify. So the Select Checking account is probably the best choice. Select has a monthly fee (waived for the first three months); after that, you need to direct deposit $3,000 each month to avoid the fee. However, KeyBank has eliminated its early termination fee, so you could consider closing the account after receiving the bonus. Alternatively, you can make monthly direct deposits totaling $60,000 over a year and earn an additional $100 bonus.

BofA Checking ($500)

BofA has updated its checking account bonus. You can now earn up to $500 by making direct deposits. The new expiration date is January 31, 2027.

The bonus tiers are as follows (see the article for ways to meet the direct deposit requirement):

  • $100: Make a total of $2,000 in direct deposits within 90 days
  • $300: Make a total of $5,000 in direct deposits within 90 days
  • $500: Make a total of $10,000 or more in direct deposits within 90 days

Etrade Checking $400

The Etrade Checking account bonus is back! You only need to make two direct deposits of $1,500 or more within 90 days. The bonus will be paid after 120 days. The 2% APY is just an extra perk; since you only need to make direct deposits, there’s no need to deposit money to meet that requirement. The offer expires January 10, 2027.

Besides paychecks, there are other ways to make deposits count as direct deposits. According to data points on DOC, the following have qualified. I expect withdrawals from brokerages should work too.

  • Chase:Business: 1, 2,
  • Current: 1, 2,
  • Fidelity: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
  • ING Direct/Capital One 360 (1, 2)
  • Relay: 1, 2, A,
  • TreasuryDirect: 1,

Wells Fargo $400

The $400 bonus for opening a standard checking account is back! The direct deposit requirement is modest: just $1,000 total over three months. You can meet it with a transfer from LemFi. The offer ends November 9.

Bonus requirements:

  • Deposit at least $25 when opening the account;
  • Make direct deposits totaling at least $1,000 within 90 days of opening the account (you can meet this requirement with a LemFi transfer; it works reliably);
  • Keep the checking account balance above $0 until the bonus is credited;
  • You cannot currently have a Wells Fargo checking account, and you must not have closed one of their checking accounts within the past 12 months.

BMO Checking $600

BMO has launched a new account-opening offer. The checking account bonus is worth up to $600, and opening a Savings Builder account can earn you up to an additional $60, for a total of up to $660. This offer works differently from previous ones. You don’t earn the full checking bonus with a single direct deposit. Instead, you can earn $100 for making at least $1,000 in direct deposits each month, for up to six months, for a maximum of $600. The account-opening deadline is December 15, 2026.

Also, if you open a Savings Builder account and increase your balance by at least $200 each month, you can earn a $5 monthly bonus for up to 12 months, for a total of $60.

AMEX Checking $300

This account currently offers a pretty good $300 sign-up bonus. To qualify, you need a total of $7,500 in direct deposits within 90 days. Offer ends February 1, 2027.

Readers report that LemFi successfully triggered the bonus, which posted the same day.

Capital One $300

The $300 bonus for the Capital One checking account is here! Apply directly using the link below. To trigger the bonus, you need two $500 direct deposits within 75 days. Withdrawals from many brokerages can qualify.

Other Banks

If you’re new to bank account bonuses, consider starting with major banks such as Chase, US Bank, and Citi. Large banks are generally more reliable and are less likely to withhold a bonus or shut down. Their bonuses may not be as high, but the overall experience is often much better. Once you’ve worked through the major banks, there are still plenty of worthwhile offers from other banks!

Also, if you have a substantial amount of money available to meet deposit requirements, consider the ranking below:

Business bank accounts generally require an EIN to apply (though an SSN may work in some cases), so they’re usually not the best place for beginners to start. If you’re interested, see:

About This Ranking

In addition to credit cards, savings and checking accounts can also offer substantial sign-up bonuses. Opening these bank accounts generally does not affect your personal credit history, so it’s essentially free money. Unlike credit cards, which require you to meet a spending requirement, bank account bonuses can be earned in a variety of ways, such as depositing money, setting up direct deposits, meeting transaction requirements, or enrolling in online banking. Be sure to meet each bank’s specific requirements. For more details, see:

You can choose banks with generous bonuses and direct deposit requirements you can meet. Opening a few accounts each year can add up to a nice amount of extra earnings.

Complete List of Sign-Up Bonuses

The accounts below all have very solid sign-up bonuses. Pick the ones you like and earn some extra cash. Over time, those small amounts add up, and in a year you can earn a good amount of money and travel funds from these financial accounts.