Best Bank Account Bonuses – July 2026
Banking is a competitive business. To lure new customers, some banks will pay you hundreds of dollars as a cash bonus to open a checking or savings account. These are the banks offering some of the largest bonuses.
- BMO: Make qualifying direct deposits of at least $4,000 within the first 90 days of opening a Smart Advantage, Smart Money or Relationship checking account to earn a $400 bonus. To redeem the offer, you’ll need to open your account by September 8, 2026 and use the link on the offer page and the promo code will be automatically added to your application.
- Capital One: Open a 360 Checking account and set up at least two direct deposits of at least $500 each within 75 days of opening to receive a $250 bonus. Use the code CHECKING250 when opening the account or sign up through the promo webpage. The bonus does not have an expiration date.
- Chase: Open a Total Checking account and make direct deposits totaling at least $1,000 within 90 days to receive a $400 bonus. Open a Secure Banking checking account and complete 10 qualifying transactions within 60 days to receive a $125 bonus. The offers expire on July 15, 2026.
- Huntington National Bank: Open a Perks Checking account and earn a $400 bonus by receiving $500 in qualifying ACH direct deposits within 90 days. You can also earn a $600 bonus if you open a Platinum Perks Checking account and make at least $25,000 of deposits within 90 days. All offers require the account to be open for at least 90 days and expire on Sept. 30, 2026.
- KeyBank: Open a Key Smart Checking account and make a total of $2,000 in eligible direct deposits within 90 days to earn a $300 bonus. You can earn a $500 bonus by opening a Key Select Checking account and making a total of $5,000 in eligible direct deposits within 90 days. If you don’t apply through the promotional page, you will need to add the promo code “KDMA0526” for Smart Checking or “KDMB0526” for Select Checking to your application to receive the offer. The bonus is available for accounts opened by Dec. 11, 2026.
- M&T Bank: Earn bonuses of $100, $150 or $200 when you open an eligible checking account by Sept. 30, 2026 using the promo code. To qualify, make at least $500 in direct deposits within 90 days of opening your account. The account must still be open when the bonus is rewarded. There is a $50 early close-out fee if the account is closed within 180 days of opening.
- Old National Bank: Earn a $300 or $600 bonus by making qualifying direct deposits totaling $3,500 or $12,000 over four consecutive months after opening a Preferred or Everyday checking account. You must keep your account open for a minimum of 120 days. The account has a minimum opening deposit of $50, and must be opened before Oct. 30, 2026 to qualify.
- PNC Bank: Earn a bonus of $100, $200 or $400 for new PNC Virtual Wallet accounts opened before Aug. 31, 2026. The Wallet package must be opened online via links on the bonus offer page. Bonuses require direct deposits into the Spend account that total $500, $2,000 or $5,000, respectively, within the first 60 days.
- Republic Bank of Chicago: Open a new Choice Checking account online and add direct deposit to get a $150 bonus. You can also earn up to $100 when you open a student checking and savings account. Earn $50 by setting up and completing a direct deposit or performing 10 debit card transactions within 60 days of opening the account. You can receive another $50 if you open a statement savings account at the same time as a student checking account. These offers don’t expire.
- TD Bank: Open either a TD Complete Checking or TD Beyond Checking account through July 30, 2026, and earn up to $300 with qualifying direct deposits. Make $500 in qualifying deposits within 60 days to your TD Complete Checking account for $200, or make $2,500 in qualifying direct deposits within 60 days to your TD Beyond Checking account for $300. You won’t qualify if you received a previous personal checking account bonus.
- Truist: Earn a $400 bonus when you open a Truist One Checking account online through July 9, 2026 with the promo code DC400TR1Q226 and qualifying activity. You must receive at least two qualifying direct deposits totalling $1,000 within 120 days of opening the account to receive the bonus. The account must be open and have a balance when the bonus is rewarded.
- Wells Fargo: Earn a $325 bonus if you open an Everyday Checking account and receive $1,000 in qualifying electronic deposits within 90 days of opening your account. Make sure you open your account from the offer webpage or provide the bonus offer code to a banker in person. Open your account by July 14, 2026.
As of June 15, 2026, the national average rate for checking accounts was 0.07%, according to the FDIC. The best credit unions typically offer higher APYs.
- Alliant Credit Union: Apply for an Ultimate Opportunity Savings account and deposit at least $100 a month for 12 consecutive months to earn a $100 bonus. The offer is for new Alliant Credit Union members only and it expires on Dec. 31, 2026.
- Bask Bank: First-time Bask Mileage savings customers who open an account before Aug. 31, 2026 can earn 20,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles. You’ll need to fund your account within 15 business days of opening, and your average daily balance must be at least $50,000 for 90 consecutive days out of the first 120 days following the opening of your account.
- SoFi: Earn bonuses of $50 or $400 by signing up for a new account and connecting a payroll or benefits direct deposit to the account. The promotion ends on Dec. 31, 2026. Earn a $50 bonus for a direct deposit between $1,000 and $4,999.99 and earn a $400 bonus for a direct deposit of $5,000 or more. To qualify, the required amount of your direct deposits must be made within the first 25 days.
- TD Bank: Earn a bonus of $200 by signing up for a TD Signature Savings or TD Simple account, making qualifying deposits and keeping an eligible balance before July 30, 2026. To earn the bonus you need to deposit at least $10,000 within 20 days of opening the account, then maintain a minimum balance of $10,000 for an additional 90 days after the 20th day.
What Is a Sign-up Bonus?
To encourage potential customers to open a bank account, some financial institutions will offer a cash bonus if certain conditions are met. These include:
- Making a minimum initial deposit.
- Keeping the account open for a minimum period of time.
- Completing a minimum amount of direct deposits each month.
- Maintaining a minimum balance.
- Waiting weeks or months to receive the bonus.
- Opening the account online or at a branch.
- Using a promo code.
These bonuses typically only apply to new customers. Be sure to read the terms and conditions of the offer before you start the sign-up process.
You want a financial institution that offers the best bank accounts and meets your needs while not making things harder for you. Think about what is most important to you when choosing a bank. Do you prefer online or in-branch banking? Do you prefer a regional bank specializing in your area, or a national bank with branches and ATMs across the country? Other factors to consider include:
Monthly maintenance fee. This is a charge customers may need to pay for just having a checking or savings account, but it can sometimes be waived if specific requirements are met.
Minimum account balance. Usually ranging between $25 to $100, this is a requirement so customers can keep their account open or receive interest.
Minimum opening deposit. This is the amount of money required to open an account with a financial institution.
Annual percentage yield. This is the interest you earn on the money in an account. Mostly all savings accounts have an APY. You could also find checking accounts offering interest. The higher the interest, the faster your money grows.
There’s no need to talk yourself into signing up for a new account just to get the bonus. Instead, confirm the account aligns with how you bank. Even if the bank has a really good bonus, if you can’t maintain any of its financial requirements or it lacks the high interest rates you want, it might not be worth it.
One key factor to consider is whether you’ll get more than you would earn in interest if you leave your funds where they are.
“Add up the bonus and interest earned for the required period, and divide (that) by the required balance to get an idea of the percentage rate of return,” says David Wattenbarger, president of DRW Financial in Chattanooga, Tennessee. “If it’s not meaningfully better than the rate in (your) current account, it may not be worth the effort.”
The effort involved could include opening the account, depositing funds, setting up new direct deposits and withdrawals, and remembering your new login and password.
Best Bank Account Bonuses
Bank account churning involves repeatedly opening new bank accounts to claim sign-up bonuses and then withdrawing your funds from those accounts. While it’s not prohibited by law, it’s frowned upon by banks and could impede your ability to open future accounts.
Yes, bank bonuses are taxed. They are typically taxed like the interest earnings you will get for the money you keep in the account. You will get a Form 1099-INT or Form 1099-MISC from the bank to report your bonus to the IRS.
It can be helpful to to have multiple checking accounts if you need to keep your finances divided. For example, if you own a small business, you definitely want to keep it separate from your personal finances. Having multiple savings accounts is a good practice, too, because you can set up accounts for different savings goals. Label one account “European vacation” and one account “bathroom remodel” and then make regular monthly transfers to reinforce your future goals.