Top Checking Account Bonus Offers: December 2024

Switching bank accounts can be time-consuming, but many of the best banks and credit unions make the process more appealing to new customers by offering introductory bonuses. These bonuses typically come in the form of cold hard cash and may have some additional requirements you need to fulfill before you can earn them.

Those requirements can vary if you’re opening a checking vs. savings account. For instance, if you want to earn a bonus for opening a new checking account, you may need to set up direct deposit, make a certain number of debit card purchases, or deposit a predetermined amount of cash and then maintain a minimum balance for a few months.

It can be challenging to find financial institutions that are running checking offers if you don’t know where to look. To help you with your search, here are some of the top personal checking account bonus offers currently available.

Top checking account bonus offers from our partners for December 2024

As you shop around and compare checking accounts, the ongoing services a bank or credit union provides are a top priority. However, if you’re trying to decide between two similar options and one financial institution offers an upfront bonus, that could be the tie-breaker to help you make your decision.

1. SoFi Checking and Savings
2. U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking
3. Chase Total Checking®
4. Truist One Checking

Compare the top checking account bonus offers

Bank account	Bonus amount	Bonus eligibility requirements	Bonus offer expiration date
SoFi Checking and Savings	$50 or $300	Qualifying direct deposit within 25 days of $1,000 to $4,999.99 for a $50 cash bonus or $5,000 or more for a $300 cash bonus	Dec. 31, 2024
U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking	Up to $450	Online banking or mobile app enrollment and make two or more direct deposits totaling $3,000 to $4,999.99 to earn $200, or $5,000 or more to earn $450	Dec. 30, 2024
Chase Total Checking®	$300	Qualifying direct deposits totaling $500 or more within 90 days	Jan. 22, 2025
Truist One Checking	$4001 <p><b><u>Terms and Conditions for the $400 Truist One Checking Affiliate Offer 1: AFL2425TR1400</u></b></p> <p><b><u>Offer Information</u></b>: Open a new Truist One Checking account <b><u>online</u></b> from 10/31/24 through 4/30/25, receive at least 2 qualifying Direct Deposits* totaling $1,000 or more within 120 days of account opening and earn $400.</p> <p> Account must be opened online. Enrollment in the promotion is required at the time of account opening using promo code <b>AFL2425TR1400</b>. Please refer to the Account Opening and Enrollment section below for full instructions.</p> <p>*A qualifying Direct Deposit is an electronic credit (greater than $0.00) of your salary, pension, Social Security or other regular monthly income deposited into your new checking account by your employer or outside agency. Transfers made from one account to another, or deposits made via a branch, ATM, online transfer, mobile device, debit/prepaid card number or the mail are not eligible direct deposits.</p> <p><b><u>Offer Eligibility</u></b>: Clients that are the primary account holder on an existing personal checking account with Truist or who have closed a personal checking account with Truist on or after 10/31/23 are not eligible to participate. Offer valid for Truist One Checking accounts only. Primary account holder must be 18 or older at the time of account opening. Truist employees, Directors, Officers, and Local Boards/Advisors are not eligible. Offer available only to US residents with a valid US taxpayer identification number. The qualifying checking account must be opened online and have a mailing address in: AL, AR, FL, GA, IN, KY, MD, MS, NC, NJ, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV or DC.</p> <p><b><u>Reward Processing</u></b>: The reward will be deposited to the new checking account within 4 weeks after the qualification requirements have been met and verified. The new checking account must be open and in good standing with a balance of at least $0.01 at the time of Truist verification and until the reward is deposited to receive the reward. Truist verification will occur one time after the qualification requirements are initially met. Promotion is only applicable once per checking account and per client. Truist may report the value of any offer reward received to the IRS as required by law. Any applicable taxes are the responsibility of the recipient.</p> <p><b><u>Reward Forfeiture</u></b>: Reward forfeiture will occur if: (1) the checking account is changed to an account type not included in this client offer, (2) the checking account is closed prior to the reward being deposited, or (3) the new checking account has a $0.00 or negative available balance at the time Truist verifies the qualification requirements have been met.</p> <p><b><u>Other Terms</u></b>: Minimum opening deposit is $50. The offer is non-transferable, may not be combined with any other checking offers, is subject to change, and may be discontinued at any time. Truist reserves the right in our sole discretion to prohibit a reward payout to non-eligible individuals for any offers claimed through third-party websites with no affiliation or prior authorization from Truist. All promotional payouts will be processed no later than 1/31/26 at which point this promotion (and any related disbursements) will be considered final, and no further disbursements will be made.</p> <p><b><u>Account Opening & Enrollment Instructions</u></b>: To open and enroll your new account in the promotion, visit the offer website and click on “Open an account online.” Enter AFL2425TR1400 into the promo code field provided, review the offer Terms and Conditions, and then select “Accept Offer”. Accounts opened without the promo code applied will not be eligible to participate in the offer. Once enrolled in the promotion, clients may receive promotional updates via the email address provided or by calling 800.709.8700.</p> <p>Version 3 10022024 <b>AFL2425TR1400</b></p>	At least two qualifying direct deposits totaling $1,000 or more within 120 days of account opening (offer not available in all states)	Apr. 30, 2025

SoFi Checking and Savings² <p>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 Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) <b>OR</b> $300 (with at least $5,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 12/7/2023 and will be available through 1/31/2026. Full terms at <a href="http://sofi.com/banking">sofi.com/banking</a>. SoFi Checking and Savings is offered through SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC.</p> <p>SoFi members with Direct Deposit can earn 4.00% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the 4.00% APY for savings (including Vaults). Members without Direct Deposit will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of Dec. 3, 2024. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at <a href="http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet">http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet</a></p> : Up to $300

Here’s an offer you can’t miss. The SoFi Checking and Savings account can help you earn up to 4.00% APY³ <p>SoFi members with Direct Deposit or $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 4.00% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. Members without either Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Only SoFi members with direct deposit are eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of Dec. 3, 2024. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at <a href="http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet">http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet</a></p> with qualifying direct deposits while also getting a bonus of up to $300.

You simply need to open a SoFi® account, set up a direct deposit, and complete qualifying activities.⁴ <p>The following describes the terms that apply to participation in the SoFi Checking and Savings direct deposit promotion (the “Direct Deposit Promotion”) offered by SoFi Bank, N.A, Member FDIC (“SoFi”).</p> <p>Eligible Participants: All new and existing members without any history of direct deposit transactions into their SoFi Checking and Savings account are eligible for the Direct Deposit Promotion. Members who previously enrolled in direct deposit into either SoFi Money or SoFi Checking and Savings, whether currently still enrolled or not, do not qualify for this Direct Deposit Promotion. Bonuses are limited to one per SoFi Checking and Savings account. In the case of a joint account, only the primary account holder (the member who signed up first) is eligible for a bonus.</p> <p>Promotion Period: The Direct Deposit Promotion will begin on 12/7/2023 at 12:01AM ET and end on 12/31/24 at 11:59PM ET.</p> <p>Bonus Terms: In order to qualify for eligibility for a bonus, SoFi must receive at least one Direct Deposit (as defined below) from an Eligible Participant before the end of the Promotion Period. Direct Deposits are defined as deposits of $1,000.00 or greater from an enrolled member’s employer, payroll, benefits provider, or government agency via ACH deposit. Deposits that are not from an employer, payroll, benefits provider, or government agency (such as check deposits; P2P transfers such as from PayPal or Venmo, etc.; merchant transactions such as from PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.; and external bank ACH transfers not from employers) do not qualify for this Direct Deposit Promotion. The amount of the bonus, if any, will be calculated during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period as described and defined below.</p> <p>Direct Deposit Bonus Period: The Direct Deposit Bonus Period begins when SoFi receives a Direct Deposit within the Promotion Period and ends 25 calendar days later (the “Direct Deposit Bonus Period”). For the avoidance of doubt, the Direct Deposit Bonus Period shall not extend beyond the Promotion Period. The bonus amount will vary based on the total amount of Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period. Once the Direct Deposit Bonus Period has elapsed, SoFi will determine if you have met the offer requirements and will deposit any earned bonus into your checking account within seven (7) business days. For example, if SoFi receives between $1,000.00 and $4,999.99 in Direct Deposits during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period, you will receive a one-time cash bonus of $50. A member may only qualify for one bonus tier and will not be eligible for future bonus payments if Direct Deposits subsequently increase after the Direct Deposit Bonus Period.</p> <p>Total Direct Deposit Amount in Direct Deposit Bonus Period<br> Cash Bonus Tier<br> $1,000.00 - $4,999.99<br> $50<br> $5,000.00 or more<br> $300</p><br> <p>Bonus Payment Timeline: SoFi will credit members who meet qualification criteria within seven (7) business days of the end of the Direct Deposit Bonus Period.</p> <p>Bonuses are considered miscellaneous income and may be reportable to the IRS on Form 1099-MISC (or Form 1042-S, if applicable). SoFi reserves the right to exclude any Members from participating in the Direct Deposit Promotion for any reason, including suspected fraud, misuse, or if suspicious activities are observed. SoFi also reserves the right to stop or change the Direct Deposit Promotion at any time.</p> <p>SoFi members with Direct Deposit can earn 4.00% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the 4.00% APY for savings (including Vaults). Members without Direct Deposit will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of Dec. 3, 2024. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at <a href="http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet">http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet</a></p>

To earn $50: Receive at least one qualifying direct deposit of $1,000 to $4,999.99 from an employer, payroll, benefits provider, or government agency. Keep in mind that check deposits, PayPal, Venmo, and external bank ACH transfers not from employers, don’t count.

To earn $300: Receive a total of $5,000 or more in qualifying direct deposits from an employer, payroll, benefits provider, or government agency. Keep in mind that each direct deposit should be $1,000 or more to count toward the required activity for the bonus.

You have 25 days from the first direct deposit you receive to complete one of the activities above. Make sure to receive $5,000 or more within this period if you’re aiming for the $300 bonus.

This is a simple bonus to earn. To qualify for this offer, apply for an account and submit at least one direct deposit with SoFi® before Dec. 31, 2024. SoFi is a Member, FDIC.⁵ <p><b>SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance 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 $2M through participation in the program. See full terms at <a href="http://sofi.com/banking/fdic/terms">SoFi.com/banking/fdic/terms</a> See list of participating banks at <a href="http://sofi.com/banking/fdic/receivingbanks">SoFi.com/banking/fdic/receivingbanks</a></b></p>

Open a SoFi Checking and Savings account.

U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking⁸ <p>Applicant must reside in AZ, AR, CA, CO, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NC, ND, OH, OR, SD, TN, UT, WA, WI, WY to be eligible for Checking account</p> : Up to $450 bonus

The U.S. Bank Smartly Checking account gives you an opportunity to earn up to $450.

To get started, open a U.S. Bank Smartly Checking account with an initial deposit of $25 within 30 days of account opening, then enroll in online banking or the U.S. Bank mobile app within 90 days. (This step is crucial to qualify for the bonus.) You’ll also need to make two or more direct deposits totaling $3,000 to $4,999.99 to earn $200, or $5,000 or more to earn $450.

Just make sure that the direct deposits you receive are an electronic deposit of your paycheck or government benefits from your employer or the government. Other electronic deposits, check deposits, or person-to-person payments won't be considered qualifying direct deposits for this offer. Fund your new account within 30 days to start qualifying activities.

This offer is available until Dec. 30, 2024. (Offer may not be available if you live outside of the U.S. Bank footprint or are not an existing client of U.S. Bank or State Farm.)

Open a U.S. Bank Smartly Checking account.

Chase Total Checking®: $300 bonus

Chase is ready to pay you to give their Chase Total Checking account a try.

You can receive a $300 bonus when you open a new Chase Total Checking account with qualifying activities.

To earn $300: Make qualifying direct deposits totaling $500 or more within 90 days of coupon enrollment. This includes payments from payroll providers or government benefit providers. Other electronic and check deposits, as well as person-to-person payments, are not considered direct deposits.

You can expect to receive this bonus within 15 days of completing the requirements. This makes it an easy and simple bonus to earn.

Open a Chase Total Checking® account.

Truist One Checking: $400¹ <p><b><u>Terms and Conditions for the $400 Truist One Checking Affiliate Offer 1: AFL2425TR1400</u></b></p> <p><b><u>Offer Information</u></b>: Open a new Truist One Checking account <b><u>online</u></b> from 10/31/24 through 4/30/25, receive at least 2 qualifying Direct Deposits* totaling $1,000 or more within 120 days of account opening and earn $400.</p> <p> Account must be opened online. Enrollment in the promotion is required at the time of account opening using promo code <b>AFL2425TR1400</b>. Please refer to the Account Opening and Enrollment section below for full instructions.</p> <p>*A qualifying Direct Deposit is an electronic credit (greater than $0.00) of your salary, pension, Social Security or other regular monthly income deposited into your new checking account by your employer or outside agency. Transfers made from one account to another, or deposits made via a branch, ATM, online transfer, mobile device, debit/prepaid card number or the mail are not eligible direct deposits.</p> <p><b><u>Offer Eligibility</u></b>: Clients that are the primary account holder on an existing personal checking account with Truist or who have closed a personal checking account with Truist on or after 10/31/23 are not eligible to participate. Offer valid for Truist One Checking accounts only. Primary account holder must be 18 or older at the time of account opening. Truist employees, Directors, Officers, and Local Boards/Advisors are not eligible. Offer available only to US residents with a valid US taxpayer identification number. The qualifying checking account must be opened online and have a mailing address in: AL, AR, FL, GA, IN, KY, MD, MS, NC, NJ, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV or DC.</p> <p><b><u>Reward Processing</u></b>: The reward will be deposited to the new checking account within 4 weeks after the qualification requirements have been met and verified. The new checking account must be open and in good standing with a balance of at least $0.01 at the time of Truist verification and until the reward is deposited to receive the reward. Truist verification will occur one time after the qualification requirements are initially met. Promotion is only applicable once per checking account and per client. Truist may report the value of any offer reward received to the IRS as required by law. Any applicable taxes are the responsibility of the recipient.</p> <p><b><u>Reward Forfeiture</u></b>: Reward forfeiture will occur if: (1) the checking account is changed to an account type not included in this client offer, (2) the checking account is closed prior to the reward being deposited, or (3) the new checking account has a $0.00 or negative available balance at the time Truist verifies the qualification requirements have been met.</p> <p><b><u>Other Terms</u></b>: Minimum opening deposit is $50. The offer is non-transferable, may not be combined with any other checking offers, is subject to change, and may be discontinued at any time. Truist reserves the right in our sole discretion to prohibit a reward payout to non-eligible individuals for any offers claimed through third-party websites with no affiliation or prior authorization from Truist. All promotional payouts will be processed no later than 1/31/26 at which point this promotion (and any related disbursements) will be considered final, and no further disbursements will be made.</p> <p><b><u>Account Opening & Enrollment Instructions</u></b>: To open and enroll your new account in the promotion, visit the offer website and click on “Open an account online.” Enter AFL2425TR1400 into the promo code field provided, review the offer Terms and Conditions, and then select “Accept Offer”. Accounts opened without the promo code applied will not be eligible to participate in the offer. Once enrolled in the promotion, clients may receive promotional updates via the email address provided or by calling 800.709.8700.</p> <p>Version 3 10022024 <b>AFL2425TR1400</b></p>

Truist is offering new checking account owners a $400 bonus with qualifying activities. To earn this bonus, you must use the promo code "AFL2425TR1400" when you apply for a Truist One Checking account online and meet the following requirements.

To earn $400: Receive at least two qualifying direct deposits totaling $1,000 or more within 120 days of account opening. 

The reward will be deposited to your new checking account within four weeks after the qualification requirements have been met and verified. To receive the bonus, your new checking account must be open and in good standing with a balance of at least $0.01 at the time of Truist verification and until the reward is deposited.

Keep in mind that this limited-time offer is available only until Apr. 30, 2025. Offer not available in all states.

Open a Truist One Checking account

Other top checking accounts to consider

How to pick which checking account bonus offer is for you

There’s no single best checking account out there, and these are far from the only banks that provide checking bonus offers. You’ll want to also consider monthly maintenance fees, interest rates, balance requirements, FDIC insurance, and other factors before you decide on a particular consumer checking account. 

To determine which account is the best for you, think about the steps you need to take to earn the bonus:

• If you think you might have a hard time meeting a spending requirement or deposit requirement, that could make it challenging to earn some bonuses. Compare the requirements to what you can easily make happen.
• Think about what you want out of a checking account beyond the initial bonus. If one account can give you more long-term value based on your spending habits, it could be a better fit.
• Also, consider if you prefer online banking or if you want to do in-person banking on occasion. Online banks can offer a great deal if you don't feel a need to access a physical branch of your bank.

Additionally, some of these banks only operate in certain states, so make sure to read their terms and conditions to see if the account you're interested in is available to you.

Lastly, it’s important to understand that you don’t have to limit yourself to just one account. Depending on your spending habits and goals, you may be able to maximize your rewards by using multiple accounts to take advantage of their unique features.

Top checking account bonus offers: bottom line

Checking account bonuses aren’t exactly rare, but it’s not always easy to find them. If you’re looking for both upfront and long-term value, the checking accounts from the financial institutions listed above offer some incredible opportunities. However, it’s important to take your time to shop around and compare multiple options based on their sign-up bonuses and other features that could add value to your banking experience.

Methodology

To choose the top checking account bonus offers, we compared checking accounts offered by multiple banks. We assessed each product’s bonus offer, as well as features like minimum deposit requirements and fees. We did not include all available options.