Bank Bonuses

Banks pay you to open accounts. The table ranks every bonus we track by payout, with the requirements, fees, pull type and repeatability rules that decide whether it is worth your time.

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.

Best Bank Account Bonuses

All Checking Savings Business Brokerage

Bonus	Account	Requirements	Fee	Pull	Repeatable?
$5,000 $50 at $2k, $200 at $25k, $500 at $100k, $2,000 at $250k, $5,000 at $1M	tastytrade Individual Brokerage brokerage	· Open with the referral or promo code on the offer page · Fund within 30 days at the tier you want · Maintain the funded balance for the stated holding period Expires: Ongoing · Nationwide	$0, no account fees	Soft	Once per account holder per promotion cycle. New money requirement blocks quick repeats.	Open
$2,000 Fractional free shares on deposit plus tiered transfer match up to roughly 2 percent of assets moved	Webull Individual Brokerage brokerage	· Open and make any deposit for the free share promo · ACAT transfer in assets for the match tier, commonly 2 percent paid monthly over 12 months · Keep transferred assets at Webull for the full vesting period Expires: 2026-09-30 · Nationwide	$0, no account fees	Soft	Deposit promos repeat seasonally and can be re-triggered with new money. Transfer match is once per transferred account and claws back if assets leave early.	Open
$1,000 $100 at $25k, $300 at $50k, $500 at $100k, $1,000 at $500k via referral code	Charles Schwab Schwab Starter Kit / Referral Offer brokerage	· Open with a referral code from an existing Schwab client · Fund within 45 days: $25,000+ for $100 up to $500,000+ for $1,000 · Maintain the net deposit for one year Expires: Ongoing · Nationwide	$0, no account fees	Soft	Once per household under the referral program. Not stackable with prior Schwab bonus awards.	Open
$100 $100 with a $50 deposit using the signup code	Fidelity Bloom / Starter Pack Brokerage brokerage	· Open with promo code FIDELITY100 or current equivalent · Deposit $50 or more within 15 days · Bonus deposits to the account within 25 days of opening Expires: Ongoing · Nationwide	$0, no account fees	Soft	Once per customer. The classic low-effort starter bonus and not repeatable.	Open

Best High-Yield Savings Rates

Where idle cash should sit between bonuses. Rates move; each row shows our last check.

APY	Bank	Minimum	Notes
4.30%	Openbank by Santander High Yield Savings	$500 to open	Current rate leader among large banks. Not available in states with Santander branches.	View
4.10%	Barclays Tiered Savings	None; top tier requires $250,000	Tiered structure pays more on higher balances; base tier still competitive. Rate moves with the Fed.	View
4.00%	Wealthfront Cash Account	$1	Cash management account, not a bank; FDIC coverage through partner banks. Referral adds a temporary boost.	View
4.00%	CIT Bank Platinum Savings	$100 to open; $5,000 balance for the top rate	Balances under $5,000 earn a much lower rate. Rate moves with the market.	View
3.80%	SoFi Checking and Savings	None	Top rate requires direct deposit or $5,000 in monthly deposits; drops near 1 percent without it.	View
3.75%	Marcus by Goldman Sachs Online Savings	None	Rate moves with the Fed. Referral links add a temporary rate boost.	View
3.60%	Ally Online Savings	None	Buckets and round-ups included. Rate adjusts with the market.	View
3.60%	Discover Online Savings	None	Periodic cash bonus offers with promo codes. Rate moves with the Fed.	View
3.50%	American Express High Yield Savings	None	No checking pairing required. Typically lags rate leaders slightly.	View
3.50%	Capital One 360 Performance Savings	None	Same rate on all balances. Periodic deposit-tiered bonus promos.	View

Bonus amounts and rates verified on the date shown in our data layer and re-checked by the tracker. Bank bonuses are taxable interest income; expect a 1099. Read the churning rules before you start stacking.