New U.S. Bank Customers Have Until September 26th to Get a $450 Bonus. Here's How

With the prominence of online checking accounts, brick-and-mortar banks are getting less attention than they used to. So they've had to get more creative about how they draw in new customers. One popular strategy has been to offer sign-up bonuses to new customers who complete certain qualifying activities.

Right now, U.S. Bank is offering a pretty competitive one worth up to $450. Here's what you have to do to earn it.

How to get the U.S. Bank checking account bonus worth up to $450

To get the bonus, customers must open a new Bank Smartly® Checking account by Sept. 26, 2024 from this page or using promo code 2024JUL. You must make a minimum opening deposit of at least $25 within 30 days of account opening.

Then, within 90 days of account opening, you must enroll in the U.S. Bank Mobile App and make at least two direct deposits.

Our Picks for the Best High-Yield Savings Accounts of 2024

Product	APY	Min. to Earn
American Express® High Yield Savings Member FDIC. APY 3.80% Rate info 3.80% annual percentage yield as of January 9, 2025. Terms apply. Min. to earn $0 Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings On American Express's Secure Website. Member FDIC.	3.80% Rate info 3.80% annual percentage yield as of January 9, 2025. Terms apply.	$0	Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings On American Express's Secure Website.
Capital One 360 Performance Savings Member FDIC. APY 3.80% Rate info See Capital One website for most up-to-date rates. Advertised Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is variable and accurate as of Dec. 6, 2024. Rates are subject to change at any time before or after account opening. Min. to earn $0 Open Account for Capital One 360 Performance Savings On Capital One's Secure Website. Member FDIC.	3.80% Rate info See Capital One website for most up-to-date rates. Advertised Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is variable and accurate as of Dec. 6, 2024. Rates are subject to change at any time before or after account opening.	$0	Open Account for Capital One 360 Performance Savings On Capital One's Secure Website.
Western Alliance Bank High-Yield Savings Premier Member FDIC. APY 4.40% Rate info The annual percentage yield (APY) is accurate as of Jan. 2, 2025, and subject to change at the Bank’s discretion. Refer to product’s website for latest APY rate. Minimum deposit required to open an account is $500 and a minimum balance of $0.01 is required to earn the advertised APY. Min. to earn $500 to open, $0.01 for max APY Open Account for Western Alliance Bank High-Yield Savings Premier On Western Alliance Bank's Secure Website. Member FDIC.	4.40% Rate info The annual percentage yield (APY) is accurate as of Jan. 2, 2025, and subject to change at the Bank’s discretion. Refer to product’s website for latest APY rate. Minimum deposit required to open an account is $500 and a minimum balance of $0.01 is required to earn the advertised APY.	$500 to open, $0.01 for max APY	Open Account for Western Alliance Bank High-Yield Savings Premier On Western Alliance Bank's Secure Website.

The total value of the direct deposits you receive during the 90-day window determines the size of the bonus:

• Earn $250 when the combined total of your direct deposits is between $2,000 and $4,999.99.
• Earn $350 when the combined total of your direct deposits is between $5,000 and $7,999.99.
• Earn $450 when the combined total of your direct deposits is $8,000 or greater.

Qualifying direct deposits are electronic deposits of your paycheck made through an Automated Clearing House (ACH) network or an electronic deposit of government benefits. Person-to-person payments do not count.

Those who complete all qualifying activities will receive the applicable bonus within 60 days of the end of the calendar month during which they completed all requirements. For example, if you completed all requirements on Sept. 1, 2024, you'd get your bonus no later than Nov. 29, 2024.

Should you go for it?

The Bank Smartly® Checking bonus offer is tempting, but it's not the right choice for everyone. First, to get the full $450 bonus, you'll need some pretty large direct deposits. Those who can't qualify for this may want to seek out another, more achievable bank account bonus.

You also want to make sure you actually like the Bank Smartly® Checking account's features. You'll still have the account even after earning the bonus. If you decide you don't want to keep it, you'll have to go through the hassle of switching all your automatic bill payments and direct deposits elsewhere.

If you don't think it's a good fit for you, consider a different bank account instead. You might even prefer to go with a high-yield savings account. These accounts pay you interest on your balance each month, and the best accounts today offer close to 5.00% APY. If you earned that rate for a full year, you'd earn $500 on a $10,000 initial balance. That's even more than what you could get with U.S. Bank's bonus.

Compare offers from a few banks to see which one best fits your needs right now. Pay attention to interest rates, fees, how easy it is to access your funds, and customer service. Then, choose the account that checks most of your boxes.