Best Bank Promotions That Don't Require Direct Deposit [May 2025]

Banks often offer promotions that pay you to open a new account. However, there's usually a catch — to take advantage of sign-up bonuses and bank account offers, you often need to have a certain amount of money directly deposited into your account.

I've tracked down some of the best bank promotions that don't require direct deposit for anyone who doesn't receive a paycheck this way or doesn't want to route their money to a new account. For each of these, I evaluated the amount of the bank bonus, the reach of the financial institution offering the promotion, and the steps you need to take to qualify for the promotion.

Each account caters to a different audience. For example, you'll find accounts with high APYs and some that don't pay interest. Explore some of the best checking account offers and sign-up bonuses currently available. We've even included savings promotions, which are more rare.

Featured checking accounts

How we evaluate products

The banks chosen for this list were carefully selected based on many factors, including:

• Wide availability: The banks on this list cater to a large audience, and some options will appeal to those just starting, while others will appeal more to people farther along in their financial journeys. All can be opened online.
• Minimum deposit requirements: Each bank has different minimum requirements for the opening deposit, and this list contains products with low and high requirements to suit many different needs.
• Ongoing requirements: Some banks have long-term requirements, such as maintaining a specific balance or completing a certain number of transactions. These are weighed against the bonuses available to help you make an informed decision about whether the requirements are worth the promotion.

Best bank promotions without direct deposit compared

Bank	Bonus	Expiration date
TD Signature Savings and TD Simple Savings	$200	10/31/2025
Chase Secure Banking	$100	7/16/2025
Alliant Credit Union The Ultimate Opportunity Savings Account	$100	12/31/2025
Chase Business Complete Checking	Up to $500	7/17/2025
Citi® Checking Account	Up to $325	7/7/2025

TD Bank

TD Signature Savings and TD Simple Savings — $200

Expires 10/31/2025

Most bank promotions are available for checking accounts, but some banks, like TD Bank, offer them on savings accounts, too. In fact, TD has bonuses for two of its savings accounts. TD Signature Savings and TD Simple Savings require a $10,000 deposit to earn a $200 bonus.

To qualify for the bonus, you must:

• Deposit $10,000+ within 20 days of opening the account.
• Maintain the balance for 90 additional days.

Bonuses are paid out within 180 days of opening an account. It's worth noting that TD has renewed this offer a few times, but I still don't recommend waiting if you like what you see and want to sign up.

Both accounts include money-saving features I like to see in a savings account, such as overdraft protection and waived fees for incoming wire transfers.

However, these aren't free, and they aren't even especially competitive accounts. You'll pay $15 for TD Signature Savings and $5 a month for Simple Savings, and the interest rates are really poor unless you've got six figures to deposit. Simple Savings earns just 0.02% (as of 04/25/25) APY, and Signature Savings earns a standard rate of 0.01% to 0.05% and bump-rate APY up to 3.25% (as of 04/25/25) with qualifying linked accounts and a balance of at least $100,000. For comparison, some of the best high-yield savings accounts have no minimums and beat this rate.

Chase

Secure Banking Checking — $100

Expires 07/16/2025

If you're looking for a checking account with no minimum opening deposit requirement, check out the Chase Secure Banking account, which frequently offers sign-up promotions. You must make 10 qualifying transactions in 60 days to earn the bonus. Qualifying transactions include:

• Transferring funds with Zelle
• Making purchases with your debit card
• Receiving ACH credits
• Using online bill pay
• Using Chase QuickDeposit

To get the bonus, you must:

1. Apply for a Chase Secure Banking checking account online or enter your email address to receive a physical coupon and take this to your local Chase branch.
2. If approved, make 10 qualifying transactions within 60 days of enrollment.
3. Your bonus will appear in your account within 15 days of completing the qualifying activities.

Honestly, this Chase Bank promotion is probably the easiest to qualify for on our list since all you need to do is open an account and make enough qualifying transactions, and multiple types of activity count. But a monthly fee for such a stripped-down bank account is annoying, and the best free checking accounts offer far more ongoing perks than this one will after you've earned the bonus.

Why we also recommend Chase Total Checking®

Bonus up to $300 — expires 07/16/2025⁵ <p>Offer ends Jul. 24, 2024.</p>

This Chase Secure Banking isn't the only checking account bonus you can qualify for with the bank — or the best.

Chase Total Checking® is an everyday checking account that also routinely includes sign-up bonuses for new customers⁶ <p>Offer not available to existing Chase checking customers, or those whose accounts have been closed within 90 days or closed with a negative balance within the last 3 years. You can receive only one new checking account opening related bonus every two years from the last coupon enrollment date and only one bonus per account. Coupon is good for one-time use. To receive the bonus: 1) Open a new Chase Total Checking account, which is subject to approval; AND 2) Have your direct deposits totaling $500 or more made to this account within 90 days of coupon enrollment. Your direct deposit needs to be an electronic deposit of your paycheck, pension or government benefits (such as Social Security) from your employer or the government. Person to Person payments (such as Zelle®) are not considered a direct deposit. Micro-deposits do not qualify as a direct deposit for the bonus. Micro-deposits are small deposits, typically less than $1, that are sent to your account to verify it is the correct account. After you have completed all the above requirements, we'll deposit the bonus in your new account within 15 days. To receive this bonus, the enrolled account must not be closed or restricted at the time of payout. Eligibility may be limited based on account ownership. Bonus is considered interest and will be reported on IRS Form 1099-INT (or Form 1042-S, if applicable). Offer availability subject to change. Other Chase checking bonus offers may exist concurrently.</p> , and it has very low direct deposit requirements compared to other checking offers we've seen. Plus, you have a while to meet the minimum.

Right now, you can qualify for a bonus of up to $300 when you receive at least $500 in total direct deposits within 90 days of enrollment. This is even longer than Chase Secure Banking gives you to fulfill bonus requirements, and $500 is one of the lowest deposit minimums we've seen for what's always a strong bonus.

If you can swing some direct deposits, Chase Total Checking could be worth applying for instead. Receiving at least $500 in monthly deposits is also one way to waive the account's $12 monthly service fee.

Open an account or read our full Chase Bank review.

Alliant Credit Union

Ultimate Opportunity Savings — $100

Expires 12/31/25

If you want help saving, consider the Alliant Ultimate Opportunity Savings Account. While the bonus is only $100, lower than other options on this page, it'll benefit you more in the long run by encouraging you to make a habit of saving. You'll only get paid if you deposit at least $100 in your savings account for 12 consecutive months.

This account also earns a decent 3.10% (as of 12/19/24) APY and has no monthly fees when you enroll in digital statements.

To qualify for the bonus, you must:

• Open a new Ultimate Opportunity Savings Account.
• Transfer your first $100 within 30 days of opening the account.
• Deposit at least $100 per month for 12 consecutive months.

In my opinion, it's better to start small than not at all, and this account provides a little motivation to keep going. And don't let the fact that this is a credit union stop you from opening an account. We'll always recommend Alliant as one of the best credit unions anyone can join because it offers a variety of accounts with few pesky banking fees and great ATM access.

Chase

Business Complete Checking — up to $500

Expires 07/17/2025

Having a separate business checking account is crucial if you own a small business. Chase will pay you a $300 or $500 bonus for opening a new Business Complete Checking account and meeting deposit and balance requirements. To earn $300, you must deposit at least $2,000 in new money within 30 days and maintain this balance for at least 60 days. To earn $500, you must deposit and maintain at least $10,000 in new money. For both offers, you'll also need to complete five qualifying transactions — debit card purchases, ACH transfers, wires, Chase QuickAccept® and QuickDepositSM transactions, and bill pay — within 90 days of offer enrollment.

The monthly service fee is somewhat low for a business bank account at $15, and you can waive the fee by keeping a $2,000 average daily balance or linking another JP Mortgage checking account. The account also includes perks such as:

• Accepting major credit cards with Chase QuickAccept
• Same-day deposits from card payments
• Unlimited ATM transactions
• Up to 20 paper or teller transactions
• Up to $5,000 in no-fee cash deposits per statement cycle

Because of these perks, I recommend this account for small businesses that handle a lot of cash transactions, and it's not a bad option for businesses that rely on POS systems (like retailers and service businesses).

To get the bonus, you must:

• Deposit and maintain a $2,000 (for $300 bonus) or $10,000 (for $500 bonus) balance for 60 days.
• Complete five transactions, including debit card purchases, accepting credit card payments using Chase QuickAccept, ACH credits, wires, or using Chase Online Bill Pay, within 90 days of offer enrollment.
• Your bonus will appear in your account within 15 days of completing the qualifying activities.

Citi®

Citi® Access or Regular Checking — $325

Expires 7/17/2025

Citi offers a sign-up bonus on two checking accounts: the Access Checking account and the Regular Checking account. Unlike other bank promotions with strict direct deposit requirements, this bonus requires Enhanced Direct Deposits. These are broader than typical direct deposits in that they include Zelle and peer-to-peer payments made via ACH transfer through Venmo or PayPal, so it could be an option for you if you don't fit the requirements for traditional direct deposits (that means you, freelancers).

To qualify for a checking bonus with Citi, you must:

• Be a new checking customer.
• Enroll in the offer.
• Receive at least two Enhanced Direct Deposits equalling $3,000 or more within 90 days.

After you meet the requirements, you should receive your bonus within 30 calendar days.

While we wish this was a free checking bonus, both the Access and Regular checking accounts have monthly fees ($5 and $15, respectively). However, these are waived for the first three months you have the account, and you can avoid them with at least $250 in Enhanced Direct Deposits each month.

How to choose the best bank promotions without direct deposit

It's never a good idea to open any type of financial account — whether that's a bank account, a credit card, or something else — just to get a bonus. You should always consider the ongoing perks and benefits of an account and make sure these align with your long-term goals (not just your short-term goal of getting a bit of extra money, tempting as this can be).

When trying to find the best bank bonuses that don't require direct deposit, there are several important factors to consider. These include:

• Size of the bonus
• Minimum opening deposit required for the new bank account
• The minimum balance required to receive a bonus
• How long you must maintain the minimum balance
• Whether there's a monthly maintenance fee
• When you receive the bonus
• The type of account (checking, savings, money market account, etc.)
• Whether the account pays interest and the annual percentage yield (APY) if it does
• Whether there are other qualifying activities you need to complete, like a certain number of debit card transactions
• How you'll be able to bank moving forward (in person, online, mobile app, etc.)

Most bank promotions without a direct deposit requirement are only offered on new accounts for money that's new to that bank. For example, you won't receive a bonus if you use funds from a TD Bank checking account to open a new TD Bank savings account. Existing customers usually aren't eligible.

Be sure to read the fine print of any bonus and note any enrollment requirements, like presenting a coupon or code to qualify.

The best banking sign-up bonuses with direct deposit requirements

Many of the best checking account bonuses and bank promotions for new customers require direct deposits to qualify, and these tend to be larger than bonuses that don't. They're also much easier to find. So if you can qualify for these, I recommend trying for them.

The following accounts have some of the most appealing and consistently competitive checking account sign-up bonuses:

Checking account	Bonus	Expiration date	Review
SoFi Checking and Savings	Up to $300 3 <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>	01/31/2026	Learn more
Bank of America Advantage Banking (three eligible checking accounts)	Up to $3007 <p>Additional terms and conditions apply. See <a href="https://promo.bankofamerica.com/">offer page</a> for more details.</p>	05/31/2025	Learn more
U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking	Up to $450	06/26/2025	Learn more

FAQs

Other ways to get cash from a bank

Bank bonuses are a great way to get "free money" from a bank, but if you don't want to jump through hoops and scramble to meet requirements after signing up for a new account, consider accounts that offer ongoing rewards. The Discover Cashback Debit account is one of our favorites because it's easy to earn no matter how you use it. And unlike many bank accounts with promotions, it doesn't have high monthly fees that'll kick in if you drop below a balance minimum or activity threshold.

Discover Cashback Debit is a free online checking account from Discover (which you probably know for its many credit cards). The account includes a debit card that pays 1.00% back on up to $3,000 in monthly spending— $30 a month and $360 a year — without balance minimums or direct deposit requirements.

This is better than a one-time bonus because you'll keep getting paid. The account has no fees, offers early paychecks, and provides free access to 60,000+ ATMs.

Read our full Discover Checking Review.

Bottom line

Not using direct deposit doesn't exclude you from all promotions where you can earn bonus money by opening a new account. Several institutions provide promotions to customers without this requirement, including HSBC, TD Bank, Chase, and Alliant.

That said, there are other considerations to keep in mind when choosing a bank. Monthly service fees and other fees, ATM access, interest rates, and more should also factor into your decision. As a rule, no account is worth opening just for a bonus.