The rise of online banking has opened up a whole new world of competition among financial institutions. That’s good news for consumers, since banks are working harder than ever to win new business. One emerging industry trend has seen financial institutions offer attractive checking account sign-up bonuses in an effort to earn customers. Many banks now offer rewards valued in the hundreds of dollars.
If you’re looking to take advantage of these opportunities, it’s a good idea to start by putting together a clear picture of what’s available. Jumping at the first enticing opportunity you find could lead to missing out on an even better deal. Start your research by familiarizing yourself with some of the best checking account sign-up bonuses on the market. We’ve done the leg work for you in rounding up these generous offers.
HSBC Checking: Earn Up To $750
London-based HSBC is one of the world’s banking giants. In 2019, the institution unveiled three new checking account sign-up bonuses. First, customers opening new Choice Checking accounts qualify for a $200 bonus. They just have to make at least $1,500 in new money deposits over 90 days. Next, Advance Checking account holders enjoy the opportunity to earn $350 by making $10,000 in initial deposits.
Got an extra $100,000 laying around? If so, it’s your lucky day. You can qualify for the biggest bonus we were able to find. Depositing that $100k in eligible HSBC checking accounts nets you a whopping $750 gift.
Citibank: Enjoy Up To $600 In Bonuses
The Citibank program delivers a healthy $600 bonus to qualified depositors who sign up to the Citi Priority Account Package. To earn it, you’ll have to commit $50,000 to your new account. Customers must meet monthly minimum direct deposit requirements two months in a row and do so within 60 days of launching the account.
Another thing to keep in mind: you’ll have to leave the money deposited for the entirety of the 60-day period to avoid monthly account fees ranging from $12 to $30. However, even with those terms and conditions attached, this was still the most lucrative bonus we could find from a nationwide American bank.
Citibank also offers bonuses of $200 or $400 to customers who join its Basic Banking or Priority Account programs, respectively. The Basic Banking checking account hands a handsome $200 to anyone who deposits $5,000 within 30 days of opening the account. Again, you’ll have to leave it on deposit for at least 60 consecutive days. Similarly, you can earn the $400 bonus by launching a new Priority Account checking and savings package and plunking down $15,000 within 30 days. Then, maintain that balance for 60 days to collect your reward.
Cash In For Up To $500 With TD Bank
Toronto-based TD Bank recently introduced appealing new terms for its Premier Checking account. Customers who make at least $2,500 in direct deposits within 60 days of opening the account automatically enjoy a handsome $300 bonus.
You can up the ante to an even nicer $500 if you combine that offer with TD’s Preferred Savings program. Simply open a Preferred Savings account, deposit $20,000 or more within the first 20 calendar days. Then maintain $20,000 as your minimum balance for the next 90 consecutive days to qualify for the extra bonus.
If that sets the bar a little too high for you, consider the bank’s Convenience Checking account. Direct deposits totaling $500 over the first 60 days will land you a $150 gift. However, you’ll need to maintain a $100 daily balance to avoid monthly fees. The Premier Checking requires a daily balance of $2,500. Both minimums are well worth the reward if you can swing it.
Chase Premier Plus Checking: Earn $300
The Chase Premier Plus checking account reward delivers a rare chance for new customers to earn a sizable welcome bonus with a $0 minimum deposit. To qualify, you need to open a Chase Premier Plus checking account. It can be in person, or through the institution’s online banking platform. Then, you simply need to make a qualifying direct deposit sometime in the next 60 days to collect your gift. You can also avoid the $25 monthly fee by maintaining a minimum balance of $15,000 between linked Chase checking and retail investing accounts, or by setting up automatic monthly payments of your Chase mortgage.
You can take advantage of a similar offer with the Chase Total Checking account, which offers a $200 bonus. Terms and conditions are comparable, except that your daily balance requirement for avoiding a $12 monthly account fee is $1,500. You can also avoid the monthly charge by direct depositing an average of $500 per month or keeping $5,000 or more in your linked Chase accounts.
These particular offers won’t last forever, but if you’ve missed the deadline, don’t worry. Chase routinely offers healthy checking account sign-up bonuses to new customers. Chances are good the bank will have similar or even better deals in the works.
Wrapping It Up
As a final thought: look before you leap. These and other checking account sign-up bonuses invariably carry terms and conditions that must be precisely met in order for you to qualify. If you don’t adhere to them to the letter, you risk not getting your bonus. You could also find yourself on the hook for monthly account fees that you weren’t expecting. Get all your questions answered by a bank representative before signing on the dotted line.
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