
$300 Cash Bonus with American Express Checking Account - Direct Deposit Required
Earn $300 Cash Bonus
American Express is back with an enhanced checking account welcome bonus! Open a new personal Rewards Checking account and earn a $300 cash bonus when you complete qualifying direct deposits.
Key Requirements:
- Complete $7,500 in direct deposits within 90 days of opening
- Available nationwide for personal accounts only
- No monthly maintenance fees
- Soft credit pull only
Account Benefits:
- Zero monthly fees
- FDIC insured
- Integration with Amex rewards ecosystem
- Mobile banking and digital tools
This offer represents a $50 increase from the previous $250 bonus, making it one of the more competitive checking account promotions available from major financial institutions.
Note:
- •Prices and availability may change without prior notice
- •Check the retailer's website for the most current pricing
Shopping guides
- How to Spot a Fake Store Before You PayShopping scams now start with an ad in your feed, not a suspicious email. Here's the 60-second check that still works, the old advice that stopped working in 2026, and what to do if you already paid.
- Buying Refurbished and Open-Box Without Getting Burned"Refurbished" covers everything from a factory rebuild with a new battery and a one-year warranty to someone wiping a device down and giving you 30 days. Here's how to tell them apart, what each grade really means, and which categories to never buy used.
Related Deals

Amazon: Save Up to $80 with 50% Off Using $3 American Express Reward Dollars
American Express Blue Cash cardholders can unlock massive savings on Amazon! This exclusive targeted offer gives you up to 50% off your purchase when you use just $3 in Reward Dollars at checkout. Key Details: Maximum discount of $80 per account Valid through December 31, 2026 Requires activation before shopping Works on products sold and shipped by Amazon only Multiple transaction usage allowed How to Activate: Link your American Express Blue Cash card to your Amazon account Activate the offer when prompted Add eligible items to cart Use at least $3 in Reward Dollars at checkout Enjoy automatic 50% discount applied Eligible Cards: Blue Cash Everyday, Blue Cash Preferred, Blue Cash for Business, and Cash Magnet cards. Note that gift card purchases may be excluded from this promotion.

Up to 30,000 Points Amex Gold Referral Bonus - Higher Rewards Available
American Express Gold cardholders can now earn significantly more points for referring friends! Recent updates show some cardholders earning up to 30,000 points per referral, a major increase from the standard 10,000-15,000 point offers. Key Benefits: Enhanced referral bonuses up to 30,000 points (varies by cardholder) Annual maximum remains at 55,000 points for Gold card Universal referral system works across all Amex cards Pro tip: Save high-value referral links when available for future use How It Works: Refer from your highest bonus card regardless of which new card your friend applies for. Some Business cards offer even higher rates, with certain cards reaching up to 100,000 annual maximums. Availability varies by cardholder and timing.

First Commonwealth Bank: Earn Up to $400 Bonus with New Checking Account
First Commonwealth Bank is offering a cash bonus of up to $400 when you open a new personal checking account. No direct deposit is required, and the account can be opened online, by phone, or in person. How to Earn the Bonus Open a new personal checking account using promo code FCB400 and order a debit card. Make 10 debit card transactions within 60 days of opening to earn $200. Also deposit $2,000 or more within 60 days to earn an additional $200, for a total bonus of $400. Eligibility Requirements Must reside in a First Commonwealth Bank market: PA, OH, IN, KY, or WV. Limited to one checking bonus per customer. Not eligible if you had an existing First Commonwealth personal checking account before this one, or if you received a promotional credit from First Commonwealth in the past 12 months. Account Fees Hometown Checking carries a $2/month service fee, which is waived when you enroll in eStatements. No early account closing fee. This is a two-tier bonus with straightforward requirements. The first $200 only requires 10 debit card transactions — no minimum deposit needed. Adding $2,000 in deposits unlocks the full $400. The account is low-cost and easy to manage, making this a solid regional bank bonus for residents of the eligible states. Offer expires November 30, 2026. View Offer Page

$400 Bonus When You Open a Wells Fargo Everyday Checking Account
Wells Fargo is offering a $400 cash bonus to new customers who open an Everyday Checking account and meet a straightforward direct deposit requirement. The promotion is available nationwide and runs through October 6, 2026. How to Earn the Bonus Open a new Wells Fargo Everyday Checking account with a minimum deposit of $25 using your bonus offer code. Within 90 calendar days of opening, receive $1,000 or more in qualifying direct deposits (e.g., payroll, Social Security, pension). The $400 bonus will be deposited into your account within 30 days after the qualification period ends. Key Details Availability: Nationwide (online application) Direct deposit required: $1,000+ via ACH within 90 days Credit pull: Soft pull only Monthly fee: $15, but waivable with a $1,500 daily balance, $500+ in monthly electronic deposits, or other qualifying criteria Early termination fee: None Household limit: None Who Is Eligible? New Wells Fargo checking customers only Must not currently hold a Wells Fargo consumer checking account Must not have received a Wells Fargo checking bonus in the past 12 months Wells Fargo employees are not eligible What Counts as a Qualifying Direct Deposit? Only ACH electronic deposits of regular income qualify — such as payroll, Social Security, or pension payments. Transfers between accounts, mobile check deposits, and ATM or branch deposits do not count. Avoiding the Monthly Fee The $15 monthly fee can be waived by: Maintaining a $1,500 minimum daily balance Having $5,000+ in qualifying deposit or investment balances Receiving $500+ in monthly qualifying electronic deposits Being a primary account holder aged 17–24 Linking a Wells Fargo Campus ATM or Debit Card Qualifying military direct deposit through the Wells Fargo Worldwide Military Banking program Note: The bonus is considered taxable income and will be reported to tax authorities if required by law.

SoFi Checking & Savings: Earn Up to $735 Bonus With New Account
New SoFi Checking & Savings account holders can earn up to $735 in combined signup bonuses — $400 directly from SoFi plus $335 from Swagbucks. How the Bonus Breaks Down SoFi direct bonus: Up to $400 when you set up qualifying direct deposits within 45 days Swagbucks bonus: $335 for opening a new account through Swagbucks Combined total: Up to $735 SoFi Direct Deposit Bonus Tiers | Direct Deposit Amount (30-day window) | Cash Bonus | |---|---| | $1,000 – $4,999 | $50 | | $5,000 or more | $400 | Key Requirements Must be a new SoFi Checking & Savings customer First deposit must be a qualifying direct deposit of $400 or more Complete the offer within 45 days of account opening Cannot be combined with other enrollment or referral bonuses Swagbucks reward pends for 31 days; SoFi credits within 14 days after the evaluation period Account Highlights Earn up to 3.80% APY with qualifying direct deposit activity Members without direct deposit earn 1.00% APY No monthly maintenance fees Nationwide availability; soft credit pull only The SoFi bonus offer expires 12/31/2026. Be sure to follow the Swagbucks tracking steps carefully to ensure both bonuses are credited.

SoFi Checking & Savings: Up to $735 in Signup Bonuses ($400 from SoFi + $335 via Swagbucks)
New SoFi Checking & Savings account holders can earn up to $400 directly from SoFi, plus an additional $335 through Swagbucks — for a combined total of up to $735 in signup bonuses. This offer is available nationwide and requires a qualifying direct deposit. How the SoFi bonus tiers work: $50 bonus with direct deposits totaling $1,000–$1,999 $100 bonus with direct deposits totaling $2,000–$4,999 $300–$400 bonus with direct deposits of $5,000+ Cashback portal bonuses (as of 7/21/26): Swagbucks:$335 !image.png Rakuten: $250 TopCashBack: $200 Key account details: No monthly fees Soft credit pull only (no hard inquiry) No credit card funding No household limit listed Bonus paid within 14 days after the 25-day evaluation period ends How to qualify: Open a new SoFi Checking & Savings account through a cashback portal (e.g., Swagbucks) to stack bonuses Set up qualifying direct deposit (must be from an employer, payroll, or benefits provider via ACH — P2P transfers and personal bank transfers do not count) Receive at least $5,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 25 days of your first deposit to earn the maximum SoFi bonus SoFi will credit the bonus within 14 days after the evaluation period closes Things to keep in mind: SoFi is known to be strict about what qualifies as a direct deposit — employer/payroll ACH only The bonus may be reported as miscellaneous income (Form 1099-MISC) if it meets the IRS threshold Existing SoFi customers who have never set up direct deposit may also be eligible