U.S. Bank Smartly^® Checking Review [2025]: Best for Bonuses

U.S. Bank Smartly^® Checking details

	U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking
Minimum deposit requirement	$25
Monthly maintenance fees	$12 (can be waived)2 <p>No Monthly Maintenance Fee for the U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking account with one of the following: Combined monthly direct deposit totaling $1,500+, an average account balance of $1,500 or greater, the owner of an eligible Small Business Checking account, the owner of a U.S. Bank Smartly VisaTM Signature® Card, are 24 and under, 65 and over, or a member of the military (must self-disclose), or qualify for Smart Rewards® Gold tier or above.</p>
Overdraft fees	$36 for each overdraft paid Fee is charged when the overdraft item is $5.01 or more and your negative balance is $50.01 or more
Number of branches	2,000+ branches in 27 states3 <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>
ATM access	40,000+ ATMs Fee for using a non-U.S. Bank ATM: $3.00
Annual percentage yield (APY)	0.001%-0.005% (as of 7/14/25)4 <p>Variable rate account – Interest rates are determined at the bank’s discretion and may change at any time. Speak to a banker for current deposit rates, disclosures on rates, compounding and crediting and other balance information.</p>
FDIC insured	Yes, U.S. Bank National Association is a member FDIC (Cert. #6548) Bank Smartly Checking is insured up to the standard limit of $250,000 per depositor
	Visit U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking

Who is U.S. Bank Smartly Checking best for?

We would recommend a Bank Smartly Checking account to you if: 

• You want other banking and financial benefits through Smart Rewards.
• You have kids or teens and would benefit from Greenlight access.
• You live near a branch and want the option to get in-person support.
• You can qualify for a promotional bonus (more details on qualifying below).

First, while I aim to never set foot in a bank, I know other folks need to deposit cash or otherwise value face-to-face interactions. So if one's convenient to you, I'd consider applying to open a checking account.

It's not a great account for earning interest, but checking accounts generally aren't. For example, I think the checking APY of 0.50% APY on SoFi Checking and Savings (if you have direct deposit) is a pretty good rate.⁵ <p>SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus with Eligible Direct Deposit or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days or SoFi members with $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Eligible Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. Members without either SoFi Plus or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.00% 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 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. If you have satisfied Eligible Direct Deposit requirements for our highest APY but do not see 3.80% APY on your APY Details page the day after your Eligible Direct Deposit arrives, please contact us at 855-456-7634. 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>. See the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at <a href="https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus">https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus</a>.</p>

Let's face it — it's a hassle to change banks, especially if you like to put bills on autopay. Which is why I needed a bonus to nudge me into taking action and moving my banking. U.S. Bank frequently offers bonuses for opening this account, though the amount and exact requirements vary.

Bank Smartly Checking account features and benefits

U.S. Bank Smart Rewards®

When you have a U.S. Bank Smartly Checking account, one of the top advantages it gives you is access to the U.S. Bank Smart Rewards® program. 

As the name indicates, the Smart Rewards Program rewards you for your account balances. U.S. Bank will consider more than just your checking account balance, though. It will also factor for checking, savings, money market, CD, and IRS accounts, along with U.S. Bancorp investments and certain personal trust accounts.

Here are some of the benefits Smart Rewards offers and the balances you need to qualify for each tier:

There are additional benefits in addition to these, such as complimentary consultations with wealth management professionals for members of any tier, IRA fee waivers, and exclusive cash back on qualifying U.S. Bank credit cards. If you're interested in relationship banking because you want perks for different account types and special treatment for sticking with a bank, the Smart Rewards program would probably appeal to you.

Greenlight access

All U.S. Bank Smartly Checking account holders get complimentary access to Greenlight kids' debit cards and banking services through a partnership between the companies. If you take advantage of this offer, and you should if you have kids and want to teach them money management and financial literacy skills, you'll be given a Greenlight Select plan. This isn't a membership tier available to the general public, but it most closely resembles the base Greenlight Core plan (which normally costs $5.99 a month).

You'll need to link a U.S. Bank checking account as your preferred account for funding. Greenlight Select supports up to five kids.

Overdraft options

Unfortunately, U.S. Bank charges overdraft paid fees when it covers overdrafts on your behalf. So, if you tend to run your checking account pretty low, you may want to opt out of overdraft coverage with U.S. Bank to have overdrawn transactions automatically declined. Alternatively, you can choose a different checking account that doesn't have overdraft fees at all. SoFi® and Discover both have checking accounts with no overdraft fees.⁶ <p>Overdraft Coverage is limited to $50 on debit card purchases only and is an account benefit available to customers with Eligible Direct Deposits of $1,000 or more during the current 30-day Evaluation Period as determined by SoFi Bank, N.A.&nbsp; The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the "Start Date" and "End Date" set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the "30-Day Evaluation Period"). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking &gt; Savings &gt; Current APY or (ii) Banking &gt; Checking &gt; Current APY.&nbsp; Members with a prior history of non-repayment of negative balances are ineligible for Overdraft Coverage.</p>

That said, U.S. Bank has an Overdraft Fee Forgiven program. If you deposit enough to bring your balance up to at least $0 by the end of the first day you're charged a fee, you won't pay the fee. This is fairly standard practice in banking today but better than no flexibility.

Welcome bonus

Smartly Checking may be known for its welcome bonuses, but be sure to read the fine print on any offer before you put in an account application.

In general, bonus offers are paid based on how much you direct deposit in a certain time period, the balance you have over a certain time period, or both. You may also need to open a savings account.

One key factor to consider is the type of direct deposits you receive. Typically, only employer and government benefit direct deposits count, but some banks may allow other deposits to qualify.

You'll also have a specific timeframe to meet the bonus qualifications, so be sure to note that as well.

Here's the fine print on U.S. Bank's offer, for example:

• Earn up to $450 when you open a new U.S. Bank Smartly^® Checking account and complete qualifying activities.
• To qualify, you need to enroll in the U.S. Bank Mobile App or online banking within 90 days of opening your account.
• You also need to make two or more direct deposits totaling $2,000 to $4,999.99 to earn $250, $5,000 to $7,999.99 to earn $350, or $8,000 or more to earn $450.
• Paychecks and deposits of government benefits count.
• Fund your new account within 30 days to start qualifying activities.
• Other electronic deposits or person-to-person payments don't count.
• You must open an account by November 5, 2025, with a minimum deposit of $25 online to qualify .
• It's not available if you live outside of the U.S. Bank footprint (see states served by U.S. Bank below). 
• May not be available if you're a current U.S. Bank or State Farm customer.

Moving money

I've been able to move money into and out of my Bank Smartly Checking Account with no problems. I've done external transfers, but U.S. Bank also offers Zelle transfers and mobile check deposits using U.S. Bank's mobile app. And the mobile app is pretty user-friendly and has some useful features like tracking your spending.

Drawbacks

Monthly maintenance fees

There's a $12 monthly service fee. It's possible to waive this fee if you meet certain criteria, but it would be better if you didn't have to worry about a service charge at all. Especially since many banks and fintech companies have gotten away from service fees altogether.² <p>No Monthly Maintenance Fee for the U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking account with one of the following: Combined monthly direct deposit totaling $1,500+, an average account balance of $1,500 or greater, the owner of an eligible Small Business Checking account, the owner of a U.S. Bank Smartly VisaTM Signature® Card, are 24 and under, 65 and over, or a member of the military (must self-disclose), or qualify for Smart Rewards® Gold tier or above.</p>

U.S. Bank branches

You can apply for a Bank Smartly Checking account if you live in U.S. Bank's branch network. States with U.S. Bank branches include:

Mobile access

The U.S. Bank Mobile Banking app has a rating of 4.8 out of 5, with over 1.8 million reviews in the App Store. On Google Play, the U.S. Bank mobile app has a 4.7 out of 5 rating with over 450,000 ratings. I agree with that assessment. It's a solid app, but it hasn't changed my life or anything.

Featured checking offer

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5.0

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

2025 award winner Best Checking and Savings Combo

SoFi Checking and Savings Benefits

• Limited-Time Offer: Earn up to a $300 bonus and up to 4.50% APY on Savings (3.80% APY⁷ <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 Eligible Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) OR $300 (with at least $5,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Eligible Direct Deposit. 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 12/7/2023 and will be available through 1/31/2026. Full terms at <a href="https://www.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 Eligible Direct Deposit can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Eligible Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the 3.80% APY for savings (including Vaults). Members without Eligible Direct Deposit will earn 1.00% 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 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement.&nbsp;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 +0.70% APY Boost) for 6 Months on new accounts with eligible direct deposit. Terms Apply.⁸ <p>Earn up to 4.50% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on SoFi Savings with a 0.70% APY Boost (added to the 3.80% APY as of 8/5/25) for up to 6 months. Open a new SoFi Checking &amp; Savings account with Eligible Direct Deposit by 1/31/26. Rates variable, subject to change. Terms apply at <a href="https://www.sofi.com/banking/#2">sofi.com/banking#2</a>. SoFi Bank, N.A. Member&nbsp;FDIC.</p>
• No account, overdraft, or monthly fees⁹ <p>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 Checking & Savings Fee Sheet for details at <a href="http://sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/">sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/</a></p>
• Get your paycheck up to two days early¹⁰ <p>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.</p>
• Access additional FDIC insurance up to $3 million¹¹ <p><b style="font-family: Rubik, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;">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.&nbsp;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&nbsp;<a href="http://sofi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms">SoFi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms</a>. See list of participating banks at <a href="http://sofi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks">SoFi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks</a>.</b></p>

5.0

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

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FAQs

Bottom line

I have no complaints about my U.S. Bank Smartly^® Checking account. It does its job. And the bonus I earned when I qualified definitely came in handy. If you see a bonus for opening a U.S. Bank account, review the criteria carefully, and if you meet them, I'd consider submitting an application.

If this account doesn't seem like the right fit for you, though, check out our list of the best banks to find an account that makes more sense for you.

Learn More

4.6

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

2025 award winner Best for Bonuses

Multiple overdraft protection options¹ <p>If you have linked eligible accounts and the negative Available Balance in your checking account is $5.01 or more, the advance amount will transfer in multiples of $50. If, however, the negative Available Balance is $5 or less, the amount advanced will be $5. The Overdraft Protection Transfer Fee is waived if the negative Available Balance in your checking account is $50 or less.</p> <p>Note: If you have Overdraft Protection and your account becomes overdrawn, Overdraft Protection funds will be accessed before the account is eligible for U.S. Bank Overdraft Fee Forgiven.</p> <p>Refer to <a href="https://www.usbank.com/dam/documents/pdf/Deposit-Account-Agreement.pdf">Your Deposit Account Agreement</a> (PDF) section titled Overdraft Protection Plans for additional information.</p>

Branches in 27 states

Banking and borrowing perks for higher balances

Free Greenlight subscription