Best Bank Bonuses and Promotions of September 2025 (up to $3,000)
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Additional information about bank bonuses: checking account bonuses, savings account bonuses, and more
What does the Fed rate announcement mean for bank account bonuses?
In September, the Federal Reserve announced it would lower the federal funds rate. That’s the rate which commercial banks use to borrow and lend money to one another.
This is the first time in 2025 that the rate has changed. The Fed lowered the rate three times in late 2024 after increasing the rate four times in 2023 and seven times in 2022.
The changes haven’t directly affected bank bonuses, but it could still be a good time to open a new bank account in case savings account interest rates fall. So you could take advantage of both a bank bonus and current APYs in a new savings account.
» MORE: See what the Fed rate means for savings accounts
Are bank account bonuses worth it?
Bank promotions can be worth the effort if the reward is substantial enough and the requirements aren’t difficult to meet. It’s important to understand the full details before signing up for a new account to earn a bank bonus. That includes what fees might be incurred and how long you might have to wait for the bonus to be paid.
If earning a bank sign-up bonus requires depositing more than $250,000 (which is the standard amount that’s insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.), you’ll need to employ certain strategies to make sure that all your money — including funds over $250,000 — is protected.
Our Nerds say:
“A cash bonus is appealing, but many checking accounts don’t earn interest, so you could miss out on thousands of dollars (much more than the maximum bonus) — which you could earn by putting that money in a high-yield savings account instead.
“Earning the highest bonus amount offered on this list requires at least $500,000. Depositing more than $250,000 would put you over Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. coverage limits, so you’d need to consider a strategy to protect all your money.”
– Ruth Sarreal, NerdWallet banking editor
Check out more things to look out for when considering a bank sign-up bonus.
» Prefer an account that offers rewards beyond a sign-up bonus? Check out our favorite rewards checking accounts
What do the best bank bonuses have in common?
The best bank promotions offer a significant cash bonus in exchange for signing up for a new account with no fees or easily avoided fees. The best bank bonuses for you are ones that have requirements you’re comfortable with, including the amount of time you’ll have to keep your money in the account to earn the bonus.
Are bank bonuses taxable?
If you’ve earned a cash bonus for opening a new bank account, it’s usually taxable. You are responsible for covering any tax liability. Learn more about taxes on bank bonuses.
» Churning through accounts to get bonuses? Find out whether closing a bank account hurts your credit
Should I have more than one checking or savings account?
It can be helpful to have multiple bank accounts. Just be sure you can meet the requirements and minimums in order to avoid fees.
The number of checking and/or savings accounts you should have will depend on a few factors. Married or partnered people might each want to have their own accounts in addition to one or more shared accounts. You might want to consider having accounts at different financial institutions for different purposes — such as having an account with a bank that works well for international travel if you’re frequently abroad, or with the bank that handles your mortgage or other loans for more seamless payment transfers. (Learn the pros and cons of keeping multiple bank accounts at different banks.)
» Looking for the right place to keep your savings? Check out NerdWallet’s picks for the best savings accounts
Why don’t you feature other bank account bonuses?
You may find other banks and new account sign-up offers that are not featured on this page. Associated Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Huntington Bank and other financial institutions offer checking account bonuses and promotions but aren’t included in our roundup, for example. That’s because we curate a list that’s limited to what our experts think are the very best options for our readers. We don’t make recommendations for bank accounts that don’t earn fair or better ratings from us, no matter how big the bonus may be. And we don’t make recommendations for bonuses in amounts that wouldn’t be worth the effort.
Consider our other bank account roundups:
Best high-interest accounts
Best rewards checking accounts
Best high-yield savings accounts
Best CD rates
Best free checking accounts
Best banks for overdrafts
Frequently asked questions about bank promotions and sign-up bonuses
Keep reading to find out answers to commonly asked questions about checking account bonuses and other bank promotions.
What bank gives you a bonus for opening an account?
Various banks and credit unions offer cash sign-up bonuses for opening a new account. You can find the best opportunities available by checking out our list of the best bank bonuses and promotions, updated monthly.
What bank gives you money for opening a checking account?
Banks that offer a checking account bonus to new account holders include Bank of America, BMO, Capital One, Chase, Chime (a nonbank), Citibank, E*TRADE, KeyBank, PNC Bank, SoFi Bank, N.A., U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo. See this page each month to find the best checking account promotions available.
$450 checking account bonus: What is it?
U.S. Bank previously offered a $450 checking bonus for opening a new account. Once the bank has a new account bonus on offer, this page will be updated with the details.
$500 bonus to open an account: What banks are paying?
Currently, this is the best bank bonus that pays $500 or more:
Chase Private Client checking account bonus.
$200 checking account bonus from Chase: How can you get it?
A previous bonus offered new checking customers the opportunity to earn a $200 Chase checking account bonus by opening a Chase Total Checking® account and meeting requirements. The bank now offers a Chase Total Checking® bonus of $300.
$3,000 checking account bonus offer at Chase Bank: What is it?
Chase Private Client Checking offers a bonus of up to $3,000 for opening a new account. Read the promotion details above to understand all the rules and requirements to earn the checking account bonus, including a super steep minimum transfer amount that may not be worthwhile.
The information related to Citi checking accounts has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
Last updated on August 29, 2025
Methodology
We took a close look at over 100 financial institutions and financial service providers, including the largest U.S. banks based on assets, internet search traffic and other factors; the nation’s largest credit unions, based on assets and membership; and other notable and/or emerging players in the industry. We rated them on criteria including annual percentage yields, minimum balances, fees, digital experience and more.
Financial institutions and providers surveyed are: Affirm, All America Bank, Alliant Credit Union, Ally Bank, Amalgamated Bank, America First Credit Union, American Express National Bank, Andrews Federal Credit Union, Associated Bank, Axos Bank, Bank of America, Bank5 Connect, Barclays, Bask Bank, BMO, BMO Alto, Boeing Employees Credit Union, Bread Savings®, BrioDirect, Capital One, Carver Federal Savings Bank, CFG Bank, Charles Schwab Bank, Chase, Chime, CIBC U.S., CIT Bank, Citibank, Citizens, Citizens Bank, Climate First Bank, ConnectOne Bank, Connexus Credit Union, Consumers Credit Union, Current, Customers Bank, Delta Community Credit Union, Discover® Bank, E*TRADE, EverBank, Fifth Third Bank, First Foundation, First Internet Bank, First Tech Federal Credit Union, Flagstar Bank, FNBO Direct, Forbright Bank, FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, Global Credit Union, GO2bank, Golden 1 Credit Union, Greenwood, Hope Credit Union, Huntington Bank, Ivy Bank, Jenius Bank, KeyBank, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Laurel Road Bank, LendingClub Bank, Live Oak Bank, M&T Bank, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, My Banking Direct, NASA Federal Credit Union, Navy Federal Credit Union, NBKC, Newtek Bank, OMB Bank, One, OneUnited Bank, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, PNC, Poppy Bank, Popular Direct, Quontic Bank, Regions Bank, Revolut, Salem Five Direct, Sallie Mae Bank, Santander Bank, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Security Service Federal Credit Union, Securityplus Federal Credit Union, Self-Help Credit Union, Service Credit Union, SoFi, State Employees’ Credit Union of North Carolina, Suncoast Credit Union, Synchrony Bank, TAB Bank, TD Bank, Truist Bank, U.S. Bank, UFB Direct, Upgrade, USAA Bank, Varo, Vio Bank, Wells Fargo, Western Alliance Bank and Zynlo Bank.
How we rate banks and credit unions
To recap our selections…
NerdWallet’s Best Bank Bonuses and Promotions of September 2025 (up to $3,000)
SoFi Checking and Savings: Best for Combination rewards-checking-and-savings account bonus
Chase Business Complete Banking®: Best for Checking account bonus for business owners
Discover® Online Savings: Best for Overall savings account bonus
Chase Total Checking®: Best for Overall checking account bonus
Chase Private Client Checkingâ„ : Best for Checking account bonus for maintaining a large balance
Chase Secure Bankingâ„ : Best for Checking account bonus with no minimum deposit requirement
Wells Fargo Everyday Checking Account: Best for Checking account bonus for a medium-sized deposit at a large bank
Citi® Regular Checking Account: Best for Checking account bonus with a variety of deposit types accepted
Alliant Credit Union Ultimate Opportunity Savings Account: Best for Savings account bonus that helps build good financial habits
Capital One 360 Checking: Best for Checking account bonus from an online-only bank
BMO Smart Advantage Checking: Best for Checking account bonus from a Midwest-based bank
U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking: Best for Checking account bonus with flexible deposit requirement tiers
KeyBank Key Smart Checking: Best for Checking account bonus for an account with no monthly fee
Chime® Checking Account: Best for Checking account bonus from a nonbank fintech company
Bank of America Advantage Plus Banking®
E*TRADE Max-Rate Checking: Best for Checking bonus for an account with a strong APY