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6 Banks With Early Direct Deposit

Review Updated
Steven Porrello
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Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page. APY = Annual Percentage Yield. APYs are subject to change at any time without notice.

If waiting for your biweekly or monthly paycheck to hit your bank account often feels like an infinite delay, you're in luck. Many banks now offer early direct deposit features that can pay you up to two days in advance.

The feature is often free and automatic with certain eligible deposit accounts. Although not every bank offers this feature, it has become increasingly more popular, as it's relatively easy for financial institutions to pay you before your normal payday.

Below, we'll take a deeper look at why banks offer early direct deposit and turn to six banks currently offering this service.

What is early direct deposit?

Early direct deposit is an account feature that lets you access your paycheck one to two days in advance of your normal payday. For example, if you normally get paid on Friday, this feature would pay you on Wednesday.

How's that possible? Banks typically know in advance when your checking account will receive a direct deposit. When your employer is getting ready to pay you, it submits payroll information to both your bank and Nacha, the organization that runs the ACH Network, one to two days before your payday.

Once your bank receives this information, it can trust that your account will receive the payment. Instead of making you wait a few days before Nacha moves the funds into your account, your bank can just make it available to you instantly.

Of course, there's a slight chance that the payment won't clear the ACH network, which is why banks haven't always offered this service. But since these chances are slim, many big banks are willing to take on the risk to offer this perk to their clients.

Banks with early direct deposit

Not all banks offer early direct deposit. Even those that do generally won't offer it for all their deposit accounts. With that in mind, let's take a look at a selection of banks that are offering this perk and which of their accounts sport the feature.

SoFi Checking and Savings
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings

On SoFi's Secure Website.

Member FDIC.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Jan 02, 2025

SoFi Checking and Savings

Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings

On SoFi's Secure Website.

Member FDIC.
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
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Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings

On SoFi's Secure Website.

offer alert
Cash bonus up to $300 with direct deposit set up (see details when you click 'Open Account')
APY
0.50% Rate info Circle with letter I in it. You can earn the maximum savings APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
Min. To Earn APY
$0
  • Competitive APY
  • FDIC insured (up to $2M with opt-in to SoFi Insured Deposit Program)⁴
  • Welcome bonus up to $300¹
  • No monthly service or overdraft fees³
  • Early access to direct deposits⁶
  • Savings and investing tools
  • Wide range of financial products
  • Cash back on debit card purchases at select retailers
  • Combo account only; no stand-alone savings or checking
  • Overdraft protection⁷ tied to monthly deposit minimum
  • No local branches or in-person support

With no fees or minimums and tools designed to maximize your savings, the combo account is a good fit for individuals who want to do most of their banking in one place online. The account offers flexibility to access or move funds, especially if your employer's payroll system allows you to access the bank's early direct deposit benefit.



SoFi disclosure:

¹ New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) OR $300 (with at least $5,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 12/7/2023 and will be available through 1/31/2026. Full terms at sofi.com/banking. SoFi Checking and Savings is offered through SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC.

SoFi members with Direct Deposit can earn 4.00% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the 4.00% APY for savings (including Vaults). Members without Direct Deposit will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 12/3/2024. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.

² SoFi members with Direct Deposit or $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 4.00% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. Members without either Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Only SoFi members with direct deposit are eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 12/3/24. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.

³ We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Checking & Savings Fee Sheet for details at sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/.

⁴ SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations. Any additional

FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $2M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/terms

See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/receivingbanks

⁵ We’ve partnered with Allpoint to provide you with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. You will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third-party fees incurred when using out-of-network ATMs are not subject to reimbursement. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at our discretion at any time.

⁶ Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.

⁷ Overdraft Coverage is limited to $50 on debit card purchases only and is an account benefit available to customers with direct deposits of $1,000 or more during the current 30-day Evaluation Period as determined by SoFi Bank, N.A. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the“30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Members with a prior history of non-repayment of negative balances are ineligible for Overdraft Coverage.

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SoFi Checking and Savings (member FDIC) account holders can get paid up to two days in advance. This free checking account also offers an attractive APY when you set up direct deposit and receive $1,000 in direct deposits every 30 days.

SoFi Checking and Savings
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings

On SoFi's Secure Website.

Member FDIC.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Jan 02, 2025

Capital One 360 Checking

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Member FDIC.
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Read Review
APY
0.10%
Min. To Earn APY
$0
  • Branches and Capital One Cafes in some states
  • Variety of accounts
  • Robust digital platform and app
  • Great customer service
  • Higher APY available at other financial institutions

Capital One boasts a top-rated mobile app and has over 70,000 fee-free Capital One, MoneyPass, and Allpoint ATM locations. For those looking for face-to-face interaction, Capital One has over 450 locations and 50 Capital One Cafes, where customers can bank, get a cup of coffee, and ask for advice from a certified money coach. However the APY is lower than other online banks.

Account holders of the Capital One 360 Checking can get paid up to two days in advance. This account is free, has no minimums, and earns some interest on your balance.

SoFi Checking and Savings
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings

On SoFi's Secure Website.

Member FDIC.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Jan 02, 2025

LendingClub Rewards Checking

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Member FDIC.
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Read Review
APY
up to 0.15% Rate info Circle with letter I in it. Balances of $0 to $2,499.99 earn 0% APY, balances of $2,500 to $99,999.99 earn 0.10% APY, and balances of $100,000 and greater earn 0.15% APY.
Min. To Earn APY
$2,500
  • Unlimited cash back on debit card purchases
  • Unlimited ATM fee reimbursements worldwide
  • Get your paycheck up to two days early
  • No monthly maintenance or overdraft fees
  • Low balances won't earn interest
  • Most customers won't qualify for the highest APY
  • Higher APY available at other financial institutions
  • Must have at least $2,500 to earn cash back rewards

LendingClub offers early direct deposit up to two days in advance. This is a feature of the LendingClub Rewards Checking account, a free checking account that earns an unlimited 1% cash back on debit card purchases.

SoFi Checking and Savings
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings

On SoFi's Secure Website.

Member FDIC.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Jan 02, 2025

Ally Spending Account

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Member FDIC.
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Read Review
APY
up to 0.25%
Min. To Earn APY
$1
  • Strong online and mobile tools
  • No monthly maintenance or overdraft fees
  • Monthly ATM fee reimbursements
  • Competitive APY
  • Early direct deposit
  • Higher APY available at other financial institutions
  • No physical locations
  • No cash deposits

The Ally Spending Account is an appealing option for those who are comfortable managing their money online. Its monthly ATM fee reimbursements give you the freedom to access your cash wherever you need to. That, plus its APY, means you should only make money with this account.

Early direct deposit at Ally Bank pays you up to two days in advance as an automatic, free service. This feature comes with the Ally Spending Account, and you can receive up to eight direct deposits per account per statement cycle with a maximum of $10,000 per deposit.

SoFi Checking and Savings
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings

On SoFi's Secure Website.

Member FDIC.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Jan 02, 2025

Wells Fargo Everyday Checking

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Member FDIC.
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
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= Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Read Review
APY
0%
Min. To Earn APY
N/A
  • New account $300 cash bonus
  • Large network of physical branches 
  • Large network of free ATMs
  • No minimum daily balance required
  • Overdraft protection available
  • Need to meet certain requirements to avoid $10 monthly fee
  • $25 minimum opening deposit
  • Does not earn interest
  • Fee for out-of-network ATM withdrawals

Wells Fargo offers convenient banking solutions with a widespread network of approximately 4,700 branches and 12,000 ATMs. You can earn a generous $300 bonus by simply opening a new checking account with a minimum deposit of $25 and receive a total of $1,000 or more in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of opening the account. To avoid the $10 monthly fee, you will need to do one of the following: receive $500 in direct deposits per month, maintain a minimum balance of $500, link your account to a Wells Fargo Campus ATM or Campus Debit Card, or be age 17-24.

Early Pay Day at Wells Fargo can pay you up to two days in advance. The feature is available on any of its checking accounts, such as its Wells Fargo Everyday Checking (which has a waivable monthly service fee: $10).

SoFi Checking and Savings
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings

On SoFi's Secure Website.

Member FDIC.

Ratings Methodology
Rates as of Jan 02, 2025

Chase Secure Banking℠

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Member FDIC.
Read Review
APY
0%
Min. To Earn APY
N/A
  • Early direct deposit
  • Free money orders and cashier's checks
  • Potential new account bonus
  • Not interest bearing
  • Monthly service fee of $4.95 applies
  • No overdraft services
  • No check writing privileges
  • No wire transfers

Chase Secure Banking℠ is a checking account offered by Chase that advertises no minimum deposit and the ability to get your money up to two business days early with early direct deposit, all for a $4.95 monthly account fee. This account falls short on other features, however, so you may be better off looking elsewhere for a checking account you plan to use often.

Chase's early direct deposit feature will pay account holders of a Chase Secure Banking℠ (waivable monthly service fee: $4.95) account up to two days in advance.

Pros and cons of early direct deposit

Early direct deposit is a banking feature with several pros, but it has a couple notable cons as well.

Pros

  • It's usually free. There's often no additional checking account fee to use early direct deposit. As long as your bank offers the service, you're typically enrolled automatically at no charge.
  • Could help you avoid late payments. If you pay your bills on the same day that you're normally paid, having a few extra days to manage your cash could help you avoid late payments. At any rate, it can give you peace of mind knowing that you'll get your money before your bills are due.
  • More interest. Cash in your checking or savings account could earn slightly more interest when it's deposited early. Having a few extra days each month to let your money grow could lead to increased earnings over time, especially if you have a high-yield savings account.

Cons

  • It's not guaranteed. Your bank will release funds early so long as it receives payroll information in a timely manner. If your employer changes its payroll scheduling, however, it could affect this service.
  • Not all checking accounts offer early direct deposit. This feature is not available everywhere -- you might have to search for banks that pay two days early, for example. Although many of the best checking accounts offer early direct deposit, bracketing out those that don't could lead you to overlook banks that might better serve your other needs.

As you can see from above, a decent number of banks offer early direct deposit as a free banking perk to account holders. Our list is not exhaustive. Although early direct deposit is only one of several features to consider when comparing banks, it can be a sweet perk when your bank checks all the other necessary boxes.