Bank bonuses: what they are worth to you

A $1,500 bonus sounds like free money. Whether it beats leaving your cash where it is depends on how much you park, for how long, and the tax. Here is the math for your numbers, on 23 current offers, each checked in the last 30 days.

The offers that fit, together

$281

after tax, from 2 accounts opened at the same time. Left where it is, the same $10,000 earns about $19 in 6 months.

moomoo Brokerage (cash deposit welcome offer)$10,000 in · $200 bonus+$150
Chase Secure Banking$0 in · $175 bonus+$131

moomoo Brokerage (cash deposit welcome offer) · Brokerage
+$150 after tax
Move $10,000 in (cash or investments) and keep it there about 3 months: $200 bonus. It can stay invested meanwhile.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $30 at $500, $100 at $2,000, $200 at $10,000, $400 at $50,000, $1,000 at $100,000
- New cash deposit (ACH or wire), with average assets kept for 60 days (up to $10,000), 120 days ($50,000) or 180 days ($100,000).
- New moomoo users.
- Ends Dec 31, 2026.
- Paid in NVDA stock, not cash, and the hold is longer for bigger tiers. moomoo's page shows the tiers as images, so the numbers and end date come from Doctor of Credit.
- Checked Oct 25, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
Chase Secure Banking · Checking
+$131 after tax
$175 bonus, no deposit to park. 10 qualifying transactions (debit purchases, Zelle, ACH credits, mobile deposits, bill payments) within 60 days.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $175 at $0
- 10 qualifying transactions (debit purchases, Zelle, ACH credits, mobile deposits, bill payments) within 60 days.
- Monthly fee $5; waived: $0 with $250+ in electronic deposits each statement period, or an owner age 17 to 24..
- For new Chase checking customers; Chase's usual limit of one checking bonus every two years applies.
- Bonus usually posts about 15 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Jan 27, 2027.
- No deposit amount needed, only 10 transactions. It likely cannot be stacked with the Total Checking bonus because both count as Chase checking bonuses.
- Checked Oct 25, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
E*TRADE Brokerage account (non-retirement) · Brokerage
+$113 after tax
Move $5,000 in (cash or investments) and keep it there about 12 months: $150 bonus. It can stay invested meanwhile.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $50 at $1,000, $150 at $5,000, $300 at $20,000, $600 at $100,000, $1,000 at $200,000, $1,500 at $500,000, $3,000 at $1,000,000, $5,000 at $1,500,000, $6,000 at $2,000,000, $10,000 at $5,000,000
- New cash or securities from outside E*TRADE within 60 days, kept (minus trading losses) for 12 months after.
- Closing early (before 365 days) can forfeit the bonus.
- New E*TRADE clients only, one new account.
- Promo code: OFFER26
- Bonus usually posts about 10 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Oct 31, 2026.
- Ends Oct 31, 2026. Taking money out within the 12 months can cost you the bonus; a separate retirement version uses code RETIRE26.
- Checked Oct 25, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.

Offers that do not fit (20)

Capital One 360 Performance Savings · Savings
Does not fit
Needs at least $20,000.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $300 at $20,000, $750 at $50,000, $1,500 at $100,000
- New money from outside Capital One deposited within 15 days of opening, then held for 90 days after that.
- Account rate: 3.2% APY (rates change).
- Not if you had an open 360 Performance Savings, 360 Savings, 360 Money Market, Savings Now or Confidence Savings account on or after Jan 1, 2024.
- Promo code: BONUS1500
- Bonus usually posts about 60 days after you meet the terms.
- Taxed as income (1099-INT).
- A $20,000 deposit earns $300, not $1,500; the $1,500 tier needs $100,000. If the balance drops into a lower tier during the 90 days you get the lower bonus, and the APY is 3.20% (variable, as of 10/24/2026).
- Checked Oct 24, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
Chase Total Checking · Checking
Does not fit
Needs a direct deposit (a paycheck sent to the account). Needs $2,500 of direct deposits.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $425 at $2,500, $600 at $5,000, $900 at $10,000
- Direct deposits of pay, pension or government benefits totaling the tier amount within 90 days of enrolling.
- Direct deposit needed: $2,500 total.
- Monthly fee $15; waived: $0 with $500+ in electronic deposits, a $1,500 daily balance, or $5,000 average balance across linked accounts each statement period. No fee for the first two statements..
- Not for current Chase checking customers or anyone who closed one within 90 days; one checking bonus every two years.
- Bonus usually posts about 15 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Jan 27, 2027.
- Taxed as income (1099-INT).
- Zelle and other person-to-person payments do not count as direct deposit. The offer code is applied through the offer link, or you can email it to yourself for a branch visit.
- Checked Oct 24, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
Chase Chase Savings · Savings
Does not fit
Needs at least $15,000.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $200 at $15,000
- $15,000 in new money (not already at Chase) within 30 days of enrolling, kept for 90 days from enrollment.
- Account rate: 0.01% APY (rates change).
- Monthly fee $5; waived: $0 with a $300 daily balance, $25+ in monthly automatic transfers from Chase checking, a linked checking account, or an owner under 25..
- Not for current Chase savings customers; one savings bonus every two years.
- Bonus usually posts about 15 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Jan 27, 2027.
- Taxed as income (1099-INT).
- The account pays 0.01% APY, so the $15,000 earns almost nothing beyond the bonus. Doctor of Credit files this page as targeted, but it loaded without signing in.
- Checked Oct 24, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
Chase Total Checking + Chase Savings (opened together) · Checking
Does not fit
Needs a direct deposit (a paycheck sent to the account). Needs $15,000 of direct deposits.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $900 at $15,000
- Any direct deposit to checking within 90 days, plus $15,000 new money in savings within 30 days, kept 90 days.
- Direct deposit needed.
- Account rate: 0.01% APY (rates change).
- Monthly fee $15; waived: Checking $15 and savings $5, each waivable (see the Total Checking and Chase Savings entries)..
- Not for current Chase checking or savings customers; one checking and one savings bonus every two years.
- Bonus usually posts about 15 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Jan 27, 2027.
- Taxed as income (1099-INT).
- $900 is $300 for checking (any direct deposit amount), $200 for savings, and $400 extra for doing both. Both accounts must be opened at the same time; Doctor of Credit calls this page targeted.
- Checked Oct 24, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
Citi Regular Checking (direct deposit offer) · Checking
Does not fit
Needs a direct deposit (a paycheck sent to the account). Needs $3,000 of direct deposits.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $325 at $3,000
- At least 2 ACH direct deposits totaling $3,000+ within 90 days of opening; ACH Zelle, Venmo or PayPal transfers count.
- Direct deposit needed: $3,000 total.
- Monthly fee $12; waived: Waived for the opening month and the next 3 months, or with $250+ in monthly direct deposits (rises to $1,000 on Jan 1, 2027)..
- Not if you had a Citi checking account in the last 365 days.
- Bonus usually posts about 30 days after you meet the terms.
- Taxed as income (1099-INT).
- Bonus posts between day 90 and 120 after opening. Citi's page shows no end date and Doctor of Credit says the link runs to about 10/26/26, so check it before you open; fee and eligibility details come from Doctor of Credit.
- Checked Oct 25, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
Citi Regular Checking (new money offer) · Checking
Does not fit
Needs at least $30,000.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $500 at $30,000, $1,500 at $200,000
- New-to-Citi money deposited within 45 days of opening, with the balance kept for 45 more days.
- Monthly fee $12; waived: Waived for the opening month and the next 3 months, or with $250+ in monthly direct deposits (rises to $1,000 on Jan 1, 2027)..
- Not if you had a Citi checking account in the last 365 days; you pick this offer or the direct deposit offer, not both.
- Bonus usually posts about 30 days after you meet the terms.
- Taxed as income (1099-INT).
- The money sits in checking that pays almost no interest for about 90 days. No end date is shown; Doctor of Credit says the link runs to about 10/26/26.
- Checked Oct 25, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
Bank of America Advantage Banking (Plus, SafeBalance or Relationship) · Checking
Does not fit
Needs a direct deposit (a paycheck sent to the account). Needs $2,000 of direct deposits.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $100 at $2,000, $300 at $5,000, $500 at $10,000
- Qualifying direct deposits totaling the tier amount within 90 days of opening.
- Direct deposit needed: $2,000 total.
- Monthly fee $12; waived: Advantage Plus is $12 with several ways to waive, including direct deposit; SafeBalance is $4.95 ($0 under 25); Relationship is $25..
- Not if you owned or co-owned a Bank of America personal checking account in the last 12 months.
- Promo code: CHUDEPCIS
- Bonus usually posts about 60 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Jan 31, 2027.
- The account must stay open until the bonus pays. The bank says it may issue a 1099 but does not name the form.
- Checked Oct 24, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
U.S. Bank Smartly Checking · Checking
Does not fit
Needs a direct deposit (a paycheck sent to the account). Needs $2,000 of direct deposits.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $250 at $2,000, $350 at $5,000, $450 at $8,000
- Two or more direct deposits totaling the tier amount within 90 days; also fund $25 within 60 days and enroll in online or mobile banking.
- Direct deposit needed: $2,000 total.
- Monthly fee $12; waived: Waived the first 2 statements; then $0 with a $1,500 average balance, $1,500+ monthly direct deposits, or a qualifying Smart Rewards tier..
- Not if any owner has, or had in the last 12 months, a U.S. Bank checking account or checking bonus.
- Bonus usually posts about 30 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Nov 10, 2026.
- Taxed as income (1099-INT).
- The bank says it may not be available outside the U.S. Bank footprint, but lists no states. Open by Nov 10, 2026.
- Checked Oct 24, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
PNC Virtual Wallet / Virtual Wallet with Performance Select · Checking
Does not fit
Needs a direct deposit (a paycheck sent to the account). Needs $500 of direct deposits.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $100 at $500, $400 at $5,000
- Recurring direct deposits (pay, pension, Social Security) totaling the tier amount to the Spend account within 60 days.
- Direct deposit needed: $500 total.
- Monthly fee $7; waived: Virtual Wallet is $7 or $0 and Performance Select is $25 or $0; PNC lists the ways to avoid it on its fee page..
- Not if you have a PNC checking account, closed one in the past 12 months, or got a PNC checking bonus in the past 24 months.
- Bonus usually posts about 90 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Jan 7, 2027.
- $100 is for basic Virtual Wallet and $400 needs Performance Select, which has a $25 fee. The offer varies by market, and Doctor of Credit reports $200 rather than $100 in some areas.
- Checked Oct 24, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
SoFi Checking and Savings · Checking
Does not fit
Needs a direct deposit (a paycheck sent to the account). Needs $1,000 of direct deposits.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $50 at $1,000, $400 at $5,000
- Employer, payroll or benefits direct deposits totaling the tier amount within 25 days of the first one.
- Direct deposit needed: $1,000 total.
- Account rate: 3.3% APY (rates change).
- New members, or members who have never set up direct deposit to the account.
- Bonus usually posts about 14 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Dec 31, 2027.
- The 3.30% savings APY needs direct deposit; new members can get a 1.10% boost (4.40%) for up to 6 months with ongoing deposits. Cashback sites sometimes add more on top, but that is separate from SoFi.
- Checked Oct 24, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
Huntington Perks Checking · Checking
Does not fit
Only in AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, WV, WI: pick your state to check. Needs a direct deposit (a paycheck sent to the account). Needs $500 of direct deposits.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $400 at $500
- Direct deposits totaling $500+ within 90 days; keep the account open 90 days.
- Direct deposit needed: $500 total.
- Monthly fee $10; waived: $0 with $1,000 in total monthly deposits or $5,000 in relationship balances..
- Closing early (before 90 days) can forfeit the bonus.
- Not for current Huntington checking customers or anyone who closed one in the last 12 months; Huntington may limit you to one account bonus per 24 months.
- Bonus usually posts about 14 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Jan 15, 2027.
- Taxed as income (1099-INT).
- The bonus pays only after the account has been open 90 days. You get a unique promo code when you apply from the offer page.
- Checked Oct 25, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
Huntington Platinum Perks Checking · Checking
Does not fit
Only in AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, WV, WI: pick your state to check. Needs at least $25,000.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $600 at $25,000
- $25,000 in new money (not already at Huntington) within 90 days; keep the account open 90 days.
- Monthly fee $25; waived: $0 with $25,000 in relationship balances..
- Closing early (before 90 days) can forfeit the bonus.
- Not for current Huntington checking customers or anyone who closed one in the last 12 months; Huntington may limit you to one account bonus per 24 months.
- Bonus usually posts about 14 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Jan 15, 2027.
- Taxed as income (1099-INT).
- The terms do not say the $25,000 must stay for the full 90 days, only that the account stays open, but the $25 fee applies if balances drop below $25,000.
- Checked Oct 25, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
Truist Truist One Checking (or Marquee Checking) · Checking
Does not fit
Only in AL, AR, FL, GA, IN, KY, MD, MS, NC, NJ, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV, DC: pick your state to check. Needs a direct deposit (a paycheck sent to the account). Needs $2,000 of direct deposits.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $500 at $2,000
- Two or more ACH direct deposits totaling $2,000+ and 20 debit card purchases, all within 120 days of opening.
- Direct deposit needed: $2,000 total.
- Monthly fee $12; waived: $0 with $500+ in monthly direct deposits, a $500 combined balance, a linked Truist loan or card, or age under 25 or 62+..
- Not if you are primary on a Truist personal checking account or closed one on or after 7/14/2025.
- Bonus usually posts about 14 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Feb 2, 2027.
- It needs 20 debit card purchases on top of the direct deposits. The offer page generates a single-use promo code.
- Checked Oct 24, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
BMO Smart Advantage, Smart Money or Relationship Checking · Checking
Does not fit
Only in AZ, CA, CO, FL, IA, IL, IN, MN, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WI: pick your state to check. Needs a direct deposit (a paycheck sent to the account). Needs $1,000 of direct deposits.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $100 at $1,000, $600 at $6,000
- $1,000+ in direct deposits each month; $100 paid for each qualifying month, up to 6 months.
- Direct deposit needed: $1,000 total.
- Closing early (before 90 days) costs $50.
- Not for current BMO personal checking customers or anyone who closed one in the past 12 months.
- Bonus usually posts about 10 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Dec 15, 2026.
- Tracking starts the month after opening, and a missed month does not end the offer. The $50 early close fee comes from Doctor of Credit, not the offer page.
- Checked Oct 25, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
E*TRADE (Morgan Stanley Private Bank) Max-Rate Checking · Checking
Does not fit
Needs a direct deposit (a paycheck sent to the account). Needs $3,000 of direct deposits.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $400 at $3,000
- At least 2 ACH direct deposits of $1,500 or more each within 90 days of opening.
- Direct deposit needed: $3,000 total.
- Not if you owned a Max-Rate Checking or Checking account in the last 12 months; opened online only.
- Promo code: MAXRATE26
- Bonus usually posts about 30 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Jan 10, 2027.
- Each of the two deposits must be $1,500+, so $3,000 total; Doctor of Credit's summary says $1,500 total, which is wrong. Expect the bonus around day 120; the account pays up to 2.00% APY by balance tier.
- Checked Oct 25, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
E*TRADE (Morgan Stanley Private Bank) Premium Savings · Savings
Does not fit
Needs at least $20,000.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $400 at $20,000, $800 at $100,000
- Net new money from outside the bank within 30 days of opening, then that average daily balance kept for 45 days.
- Account rate: 3.75% APY (rates change).
- New Premium Savings accounts only; one savings cash bonus at a time.
- Promo code: SAVE800
- Bonus usually posts about 30 days after you meet the terms.
- Ends Jan 10, 2027.
- Taxed as income (1099-INT).
- New accounts also get 4.25% APY for the first 6 months, then 3.75% (base, as of 10/25/2026). The bonus pays by about day 105.
- Checked Oct 25, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
Charles Schwab Investor Checking (with Schwab One brokerage) · Checking
Does not fit
Needs at least $25,000.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $250 at $25,000, $500 at $50,000, $1,000 at $100,000
- Net new-to-Schwab money in Investor Checking by Nov 10, 2026, kept at that tier every day through Dec 25, 2026.
- One cash bonus per client; needs a Schwab One brokerage account (new or existing).
- Ends Nov 10, 2026.
- Dropping below a tier for even one day lowers the bonus. The checking pays 0.01% APY, and the bonus posts within 1 to 2 statement cycles.
- Checked Oct 25, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
Merrill Cash Management Account or IRA (self-directed) · Brokerage
Does not fit
Needs investments to transfer in.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: $100 at $20,000, $200 at $50,000, $400 at $100,000, $1,000 at $250,000
- Net new assets from outside Merrill and Bank of America within 45 days, kept for 90 days.
- Enroll with the code when opening; transfers from other Merrill or BofA accounts do not count.
- Promo code: 1000BR
- These amounts need BofA Rewards enrollment (needs a BofA checking account) at day 90; without it you get $100, $150, $250 or $600. No end date is shown.
- Checked Oct 25, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
Robinhood IRA transfer and 401(k) rollover match · Brokerage
Does not fit
Needs investments to transfer in.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: 1% match
- IRA transfers and old 401(k) rollovers into a Robinhood self-directed IRA; matched assets kept 5 years.
- Closing early (before 1825 days) can forfeit the bonus.
- Self-directed IRAs only.
- 1% of the transferred amount with no cap; moving matched money out within 5 years can bring an early removal fee. Gold's 3% applies only to new yearly contributions, and the last 2% transfer promo ended Oct 9, 2026.
- Checked Oct 25, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.
Public Brokerage or IRA account transfer (ACATS) match · Brokerage
Does not fit
Needs investments to transfer in.
Terms and fine print
- Tiers: 1% match
- Transfer a brokerage or IRA account from another firm; 1% of the transferred value with no cap.
- Public says the match is paid in monthly pieces with no clawback on paid amounts, and it covers up to $100 in transfer-out fees. How many months it is paid over isn't stated, and its help pages mention a 5-year hold, so check the match terms PDF.
- Checked Oct 25, 2026 on the bank’s page. Terms change; confirm before you open.

Math on public offers, not advice. Each bank sets its own rules on who qualifies, and most limit a bonus to once in a few years. Opening checking accounts can bring a soft credit check or a ChexSystems look; savings accounts rarely do. A bank bonus never needs a credit card, and it has nothing to do with the card bonuses in your bill plan.