Not all bank accounts are the same, especially when it comes to promotions. While the basic process of opening a bank account remains similar across the board, sometimes eligibility for corresponding promotions requires a direct deposit.
For anyone who doesn’t have access to this, it can be difficult to find a bank account that doesn't require direct deposit to earn a bank bonus.
If you’re stuck wondering which banks will reward you even when you don’t have direct deposit, you’re not alone.
This is especially true for a time like the present when more and more people are choosing self-employment over traditional employment.
Perhaps you’ve got a traditional job, but you’re paid in cash or by check instead of direct deposit. Whether or not your employer offers direct deposit capabilities, you should (and do) have access to bank accounts that don’t require this.
In fact, our list below includes 24 banks that don’t require you to have direct deposit in order to (a) open an account and (b) earn promotional rewards.
All you have to do is meet the guidelines, and the promotional bonus is yours to claim. You won’t have to worry about not having direct deposit to enjoy the benefits of a bank account either.
Are you ready to see which banks reward you without requiring direct deposit? Let’s get started!
20 Bank Promotions Without Direct Deposit Requirements
The list of banks below offers both accounts and promotions without requiring you to deposit funds on a regular basis.
There are plenty of other benefits to banking with these financial institutions, depending on which one you choose.
1. Acorns – $20 bonus
Expires: Limited Time
About:
Acorns is a fintech company that offers a micro-investing platform. It's designed to make investing accessible to everyday Americans. In under 3 minutes, anyone can start investing spare change, saving for retirement, earning more, spending smarter, and more.
How to earn:
First on our list is Acorns, a bank and investing app that will reward you with a $20 bonus if you sign up and set up recurring investments. Here's how:
- Set up your Acorns account in under 3 minutes
- Set up Recurring Investments
- Make your first successful Recurring Investment (min $5) – get your $20 bonus within 10 days of following month
Additionally, they offer great referral bonuses. Create an account, share your referral link with others, and you could earn over $1,000 weekly!
Our verdict:
The $20 Acorns bonus for setting up an account and a recurring investment is an easy and encouraging incentive, especially for those looking to start investing. With a low minimum investment requirement and no need for a direct deposit, it's easy bonus to take advantage of.
Learn more at Acorns
About:
Acorns is a fintech company that offers a micro-investing platform. It's designed to make investing accessible to everyday Americans. In under 3 minutes, anyone can start investing spare change, saving for retirement, earning more, spending smarter, and more.
How to earn:
First on our list is Acorns, a bank and investing app that will reward you with a $20 bonus if you sign up and set up recurring investments. Here's how:
- Set up your Acorns account in under 3 minutes
- Set up Recurring Investments
- Make your first successful Recurring Investment (min $5) – get your $20 bonus within 10 days of following month
Additionally, they offer great referral bonuses. Create an account, share your referral link with others, and you could earn over $1,000 weekly!
Our verdict:
The $20 Acorns bonus for setting up an account and a recurring investment is an easy and encouraging incentive, especially for those looking to start investing. With a low minimum investment requirement and no need for a direct deposit, it's easy bonus to take advantage of.
Learn more at AcornsRelated: How to Get Free Stocks for Signing Up [We're Serious]
2. Chase Bank – $300 bonus
Expires: January 16th, 2025
About:
Chase Bank, the consumer banking division of JPMorgan Chase, the largest U.S. national bank, offers a range of products including business accounts, travel credit cards, checking and savings accounts, and mortgages.
How to earn:
- Open a new Chase Business Complete Checking® account online through this link
- Fund a minimum deposit of new money within 30 days of offer enrollment and maintain that balance for 60 days from offer enrollment
- You’ll also need to make 5 qualifying transactions within the first 90 days and maintain that balance within the first month
Once you complete the requirements for the bonus, your $300 bonus will be credited to your account within 15 days.
Our verdict:
This is the best business checking promotion currently available from Chase. Chase makes it easy to save for your business with the Chase Business Complete Checking® account. This bonus stands out as Chase now allows customers to open business checking accounts online, unlike many other business checking offers.
Learn more at Chase Bank
About:
Chase Bank, the consumer banking division of JPMorgan Chase, the largest U.S. national bank, offers a range of products including business accounts, travel credit cards, checking and savings accounts, and mortgages.
How to earn:
- Open a new Chase Business Complete Checking® account online through this link
- Fund a minimum deposit of new money within 30 days of offer enrollment and maintain that balance for 60 days from offer enrollment
- You’ll also need to make 5 qualifying transactions within the first 90 days and maintain that balance within the first month
Once you complete the requirements for the bonus, your $300 bonus will be credited to your account within 15 days.
Our verdict:
This is the best business checking promotion currently available from Chase. Chase makes it easy to save for your business with the Chase Business Complete Checking® account. This bonus stands out as Chase now allows customers to open business checking accounts online, unlike many other business checking offers.
Learn more at Chase BankRelated: Chase Bank Promotions and Bonus Offers
3. Upgrade – $200 welcome bonus
Expires: Limited Time
About:
Upgrade is a financial technology company that offers credit services to consumers. Upgrade's services help customers manage and access credit. The Upgrade card is a blend of a credit card and a line of credit that you can use for daily purchases.
How to earn:
- Apply for any Upgrade card (for example, the Triple Cash Card)
- Within 60 days, open and fund a new Rewards Checking Plus account
- Within those same 60 days, make 3 debit card transactions
Your $200 bonus should post only within 1-2 billing cycles after your third debit transaction.
Our verdict:
This is pretty rare to get a bank bonus this high that doesn't require a direct deposit or minimum balance to open a new account. Plus, if you choose the Triple Cash Rewards Visa card it also offers 3% cash back on Home, Auto, and Health purchases, 1% on others, with no annual or late fees.
Learn more at Upgrade
About:
Upgrade is a financial technology company that offers credit services to consumers. Upgrade's services help customers manage and access credit. The Upgrade card is a blend of a credit card and a line of credit that you can use for daily purchases.
How to earn:
- Apply for any Upgrade card (for example, the Triple Cash Card)
- Within 60 days, open and fund a new Rewards Checking Plus account
- Within those same 60 days, make 3 debit card transactions
Your $200 bonus should post only within 1-2 billing cycles after your third debit transaction.
Our verdict:
This is pretty rare to get a bank bonus this high that doesn't require a direct deposit or minimum balance to open a new account. Plus, if you choose the Triple Cash Rewards Visa card it also offers 3% cash back on Home, Auto, and Health purchases, 1% on others, with no annual or late fees.
Learn more at UpgradeRelated: Axos Bank Promotions and Promo Codes
4. NorthOne – $20 bonus
Expires: Limited Time
About:
NorthOne is a financial services company that offers business accounts for small businesses, freelancers, and startups. NorthOne's banking platform is designed to help business owners manage their finances.
How to earn:
- Fund and open a new NorthOne account
Sign up now and receive a $20 welcome bonus, credited as two months of waived monthly fees. After two months, the regular monthly fee of $10.00 will resume but you can cancel at any time.
Our verdict:
If you are looking for a business banking account — then NorthOne is worth a look and has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, and Fortune. You won’t pay for ACH payments, purchases, deposits, app integrations, or transfers. Although $20 isn't as high as Chase's business checking offer, this account doesn't have any commitments, no minimum balance requirements, and you can cancel anytime.
Learn more at NorthOne
5. Public – Earn 5.1% APY
Expires: Limited Time
About:
Public lets you dive deep into the world of investing without juggling multiple platforms or tools. It offers a single platform where you can invest in stocks, treasuries, ETFs, crypto, and even alternative assets.
How to earn:
- Sign up for a Public account
Public members can earn 5.1% APY on their cash in Public's High-Yield Cash Account, which has no subscription fees and no minimum balance requirements.
Our verdict:
Public offers a seamless experience that caters to both newbies and seasoned investors alike. But it's not just about diversity in assets. With Public, you also get a high yield cash account where you can earn an industry leading 5.1% APY with no fees, no subscriptions, and no maximums. You can get all of your investing, all in one place plus with a 5.1% APY of a high-yield cash account.
Learn more at Public
Best Bank Bonus Now Without Direct Deposit Requirement
About:
NorthOne is a financial services company that offers business accounts for small businesses, freelancers, and startups. NorthOne's banking platform is designed to help business owners manage their finances.
How to earn:
- Fund and open a new NorthOne account
Sign up now and receive a $20 welcome bonus, credited as two months of waived monthly fees. After two months, the regular monthly fee of $10.00 will resume but you can cancel at any time.
Our verdict:
If you are looking for a business banking account — then NorthOne is worth a look and has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, and Fortune. You won’t pay for ACH payments, purchases, deposits, app integrations, or transfers. Although $20 isn't as high as Chase's business checking offer, this account doesn't have any commitments, no minimum balance requirements, and you can cancel anytime.
Learn more at NorthOneAbout:
Public lets you dive deep into the world of investing without juggling multiple platforms or tools. It offers a single platform where you can invest in stocks, treasuries, ETFs, crypto, and even alternative assets.
How to earn:
- Sign up for a Public account
Public members can earn 5.1% APY on their cash in Public's High-Yield Cash Account, which has no subscription fees and no minimum balance requirements.
Our verdict:
Public offers a seamless experience that caters to both newbies and seasoned investors alike. But it's not just about diversity in assets. With Public, you also get a high yield cash account where you can earn an industry leading 5.1% APY with no fees, no subscriptions, and no maximums. You can get all of your investing, all in one place plus with a 5.1% APY of a high-yield cash account.
Learn more at PublicBest Bank Bonus Now Without Direct Deposit Requirement
Here are more bank bonuses without direct deposit:
6. TD Bank
TD Bank offers a $300 welcome bonus to new customers in several states. As long as you deposit $2,500 into your new account within the first 60 days and maintain that balance for 90 days thereafter, you can earn the full $300. This reward is credited to your account within 140 days after you open your account.
7. Truliant Federal Credit Union
Open a Truly Free Checking account to earn $400. All you have to do is complete two qualifying direct deposits of $500 or more within 75 days and use your new debit card to make 10 qualifying purchases within the first 60 days. We know that our list highlights promotions that don’t require direct deposit, but you can use your pension or Social Security to make electronic deposits and qualify for this promotion.
If you’d like to take advantage of this offer, enter your email for specific instructions and to receive a redeemable certificate for $400 in gift cards. You’ll receive your reward within 60 days of completing the requirements.
8. Weokie Credit Union
Residents of major counties in Oklahoma can earn up to $200 for opening a Personal Checking account. This tiered bonus allows you to earn $100 just for opening the account with promo code GETPAID22. Residents who make 20 qualifying transactions within the first 45 days with their Weokie debit card can earn an additional $50, but if in those same 45 days you’re able to make a $250 deposit, you can earn $50 more.
9. BMO Harris
If you own a business and you’ve got $10,000 you want to deposit into your new bank account, give BMO Harris a try. They’ll reward you with a $500 welcome bonus when you open a new Business Checking account. Plus, the bonus is tiered, so even if you don’t have $10,000, you can still earn some extra cash.
Besides depositing $10,000 into your account within the first 30 days, you’ll need to maintain that balance for 90 days and complete 10 qualifying transactions. If you maintain a balance of $5,000, you can earn up to $300. Once you’ve completed the requirements for your chosen tier, you’ll receive your bonus within 14 days.
10. Capital One
Open a 360 Performance Savings account with promo code FALL22 to jumpstart your savings. This tiered bonus system rewards you for how much you deposit into your new online savings account, as long as you keep that money in the account for 90 days. When you deposit at least $10,000 in the first 15 days, you’re eligible for $100 in rewards. To earn the full $1,000 bonus, you’ll need to deposit at least $100,000. After that, it only takes about 60 days for the bonus to be deposited into your account.
11. Citi
Citi’s bank account promotions are available in most states, but be sure to check the fine print to see if your state’s on the list. If it is, you’re eligible for up to $2,000 when you open a new Citi Priority Account. In fact, this bonus is tiered, so even if you can’t make the requirements for the $2,000 reward, you might still be able to earn extra cash for this bank account.
Depending on how much cash you have available on hand, you’ll need to deposit those funds by the 20th day after opening your new account. Those funds must remain there for 60 days after you’ve passed that 20th-day mark in order to earn Citi’s promotional bonus. Once you complete these requirements, however, your bonus should arrive within 30 calendar days.
If you deposit $10,000 into your new Citi Priority Account, you’ll earn $200. If you deposit $300,000 or more into this new account, you’ll be rewarded with $2,000.
12. Comerica
Comerica is offering new customers up to $500 in rewards for opening a Comerica Platinum Circle Checking account. You’ll need at least $50,000 to deposit into the account to earn $500, which will be credited to your account within 30 days. However, you must maintain that balance for at least 90 days to fully qualify.
In contrast to some of the other banks on our list, Comerica does count balances beyond your checking account to add up to that $50,000. If you have/open a linked money market, business checking, CD, or IRA account, you can use those funds as well to earn that Citi bonus.
13. Discover
Open a new Discover Online Savings account to earn up to $200 from Discover. This bank requires you to deposit at least $25,000 to earn that $200, but you can deposit and withdraw the money right away. Discover doesn’t require that you keep the money in the account to earn their bonus.
However, to fulfill the requirements for the $200, you will need to use the promo code GBP922 and make your $25,000 deposit within the first 30 days. Your bonus, once eligibility requirements are fulfilled, should arrive within 30 days.
14. Huntington
Huntington’s Unlimited Business Checking allows you to earn up to $400 for $5,000 total in deposits made within 60 days of opening your new account. You’ll have to keep your business checking account open for 90 days but your bonus should credit to your account within 2 weeks of meeting these requirements. In addition, if you only deposit $2,000 into your new account, you can still earn $100. And if you have $20,000 to deposit, you can earn up to $2,000 in bonus cash.
15. Partner Colorado Credit Union
Available to Colorado residents only, Partner Colorado Credit Union offers a $250 welcome bonus for opening a new personal checking account and setting up a personal Visa debit card. You can also take advantage of their auto loan bonus to earn up to $500 as well.
When you open a new Elevate or Elevate High-Interest Checking account and deposit at least $500 into it, activate your Visa debit card, and enroll in mobile/online banking, you’ve completed the necessary requirements for earning your $250 welcome bonus. This bonus shows up on your account within 10 days of meeting these requirements.
16. Redstone Federal Credit Union
This bank promotion is only available to Alabama and Tennessee residents who use the code YOUTH to open a new Redstone Federal Credit Union Youth Savings account for their child. This credit union will reward your child with $100 to match your deposit/average daily balance as long as you maintain it for the first 30 days. Your bonus will be deposited 60 days thereafter.
17. Rockland Trust Bank
A Rockland Trust Bank Personal Checking account can earn you up to $250 when you open your account at the Belmont Branch and make 15 debit card purchases totaling at least $10 each within the first 60 days of ownership. Once you complete these requirements, your bonus will be delivered to your account by the end of February 2023.
18. Technology Credit Union
Tech Credit Union rewards new and existing customers with $3,000 when they deposit $1 million into their accounts. However, you don’t have to deposit the full amount into your online savings account. Instead, you can have it spread out across all your Technology Credit Union accounts.
If you have $20,000 to deposit instead of $1 million, you can earn $200 with this tiered offer. Regardless of which tier you qualify for, your bonus will be credited to your account no later than the end of March 2023.
FAQs
All of the banks above reward you for opening a new account without the need for direct deposit. While the amounts vary from one bank to another, it’s easy to get free money from a bank for opening a new account.
Truliant offers customers a $400 bonus, which is matched by Huntington when you deposit at least $5,000 into your account. You can earn up to $2,000 for depositing $300,000 or more into your Citi account, and Technology Credit Union will pay you $3,000 in bonuses if you deposit $1 million or more.
Yes, you can use the majority of the 24 banks above to open an account without a direct deposit. Be sure to read the fine print before you sign up to ensure you’re getting a bank account that fits your needs.
Bank on Your Future
We hope you’ve found this article helpful in terms of finding bank promotions you can take advantage of without having to set up direct deposit. In this day and age, banking continues to evolve and successful financial institutions work to change with those times. With the two dozen banks above, the limits of what banks can do for you expand to fit your lifestyle. What you do with those benefits, however, is up to you. Good luck choosing bank promotions without direct deposit requirements!