Bank Bonuses
Banks pay you to open accounts. The table ranks recently source-checked bonuses by payout, with the requirements, fees, pull type and repeatability rules that decide whether it is worth your time. Looking for the account itself rather than the payout? Browse the full bank accounts database — every checking, savings and business account with fees, APYs and plan tiers.
What Counts as a Direct Deposit?
Almost every bank bonus asks for a direct deposit. Very few banks define one the same way. This page explains how banks decide what counts, which transfer methods tend to work, and how to test a bank without burning your bonus.
Soft Pull vs Hard Pull: Does Opening a Bank Account Hit Your Credit?
Opening a checking or savings account almost never touches your credit score. But almost never is not never, and the exceptions can sting. This page explains what banks actually check, which situations trigger a hard inquiry, and what to do if ChexSystems gets in your way.
Funding Bank Accounts With a Credit Card
Some banks let you make your opening deposit with a credit card. When the charge codes as a purchase, you just bought credit card spend for free. This is one of the oldest tricks in the bank bonus game, and it still works, but it demands one safety step before you try it.
Hub Accounts: The Churner's Home Base
Bonus accounts come and go. Your hub account stays. A hub is the one stable account that moves money in and out of everything else, and picking a good one is the single biggest quality-of-life upgrade in bank bonus churning.
Bank Bonus Churning: The Meta-Game
Individual bonuses are easy. The meta-game is everything around them: when you can repeat a bank, when you can close an account, what the IRS takes, and how fast you can move without tripping alarms. Learn these rules once and every bonus after that gets simpler.
| Bonus | Account | Requirements | Fee | Pull | Repeatable? | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $500 $500 after at least two qualifying direct deposits totaling $2,000 and 20 qualifying debit-card purchases within 120 days | Truist One Checking checkingDD required |
| $12, waived through qualifying deposits, balances, relationships, student status, or age | Unverified | Once per client under the current offer. Not available to current primary owners of a Truist personal checking account or anyone who closed one on or after July 14, 2025. | 2026-09-04 | HistoryOpen |
| $400 $400 flat with $1,000+ in direct deposits within 90 days | Chase Total Checking checkingDD required |
| $15, waived with $500 monthly DD or $1,500 daily balance | Soft | Once per 2 years per product, measured from last bonus payout. Keep the account 6 months or Chase claws back the bonus. | 2026-09-01 | HistoryOpen |
Best High-Yield Savings Rates
Where idle cash should sit between bonuses. Rates move; each row shows our last check.
| APY | Bank | Minimum | Notes | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.80% | Openbank by Santander High Yield Savings | $500 to open | 3.80% APY with a $500 opening minimum. Availability restrictions apply; confirm eligibility on the official opening flow. | 2026-09-04 | |
| 3.65% | Barclays Tiered Savings | None; top tier requires $250,000 | Tiered Savings advertises up to 3.65% APY; the top tier requires $250,000. Lower balances earn a lower variable rate. | 2026-09-04 | |
| 3.35% | Robinhood Gold High-Yield Cash Sweep | None | Requires Robinhood Gold, $5 per month or $50 per year. Uninvested brokerage cash sweeps to partner banks for FDIC coverage. Rate moves with the Fed; 3.35% effective February 2026. | 2026-09-04 | |
| 3.30% | Wealthfront Cash Account | $1 | Cash management account, not a bank. Base rate is 3.30%; a 0.65% three-month new-client boost and 0.25% direct-deposit increase can raise it to 4.20%. FDIC coverage is through program banks. | 2026-09-04 | |
| 3.10% | SoFi Checking and Savings | None | 3.10% standard savings APY requires eligible direct deposit or $5,000 in qualifying monthly deposits. New members can earn up to 4.00% for six months with a 0.90% promotional boost. | 2026-09-04 | |
| 3.00% | Capital One 360 Performance Savings | None | Same rate on all balances. Periodic deposit-tiered bonus promos. | 2026-09-04 | |
| 1.30% | Bluevine Business Checking | None | Business checking, not a consumer HYSA. Standard tier pays 1.3% on balances up to $250,000 when monthly activity goals are met; Plus pays 1.75% and Premier pays 3.0% on all balances with waivable monthly fees. | 2026-09-04 |
Only bonus amounts and rates checked within the last 45 days appear here. Older records are withheld until a new official-source review. Bank bonuses are taxable interest income; expect a 1099. Read the churning rules before you start stacking.