[Expired] [CO, NE, KS, OK, IA, MO, AR, IL, KY, AND TN] OakStar Bank $300 Checking Bonus

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Offer at a glance

  • Maximum bonus amount: $300
  • Availability: CO, NE, KS, OK, IA, MO, AR, IL, KY, AND TN
  • Direct deposit required: Yes, two totaling $500+
  • Additional requirements: Use promo code, have $3,500 in daily balances.
  • Hard/soft pull: Unknown
  • ChexSystems: Unknown
  • Credit card funding: Unknown
  • Monthly fees: None
  • Early account termination fee: $25, 12 months
  • Household limit: None
  • Expiration date: 1/31/25

The Offer

Direct link to offer

  • OakStar Bank is offering a $300 bonus when you open a new checking account and complete the following requirements:
    • Use promo code 2025WELCOME300
    • Requires two recurring qualifying direct deposit transactions for a cumulative total of $500+ each statement cycle
    • A daily balance of $3,500+ throughout the 90 day timeframe

The Fine Print

  • Disclosures: New Customer Cash Offer Terms & Conditions. Must achieve the qualifiers listed below and keep the account open for 90 calendar days from the date of account opening.
  • Cash offer will post automatically to the subject account within 30 calendar days of achieving all qualifiers.
  • Requires 2 recurring qualifying direct deposit transactions** for a cumulative total of $500 for each statement cycle. Requires a daily balance of $3,500 throughout the 90-day timeframe.
  • Requires the account to be enrolled in and receive eStatements for the entire 90-day time frame to qualify.
  • Only new account holders are eligible for this promotion. Current account holders are not eligible.
  • OakStar Bank associates do not qualify.
  • Checking account promotion ends 1/31/25.
  • Account must be opened online and by 1/31/25.
  • **Qualifying direct deposit transactions include payroll, Social Security, or government benefits. Person-to-person transactions do not qualify.
  • All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fees

E-Star checking has no monthly fees as long as you opt for eStatements.

Early Account Termination Fee

$25 fee if closed within 12 months according to the fee schedule.

Our Verdict

Seems like a good bonus, annoying you need to keep the account open for 12 months but at least there are no monthly fees. Please share if it’s a hard/soft pull in the comments below.

Hat tip to reader p

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
    William Charles
  • On January 19, 2025, 19:20
Tags: ar bank bonusesco bank bonusesdirect deposit requiredia bank bonusesIL bank bonusesks bank bonusesky bank bonusesmo bank bonusesne bank bonusesok bank bonusestn bank bonuses

View Comments (92)

  • I live within the footprint in CO... a 10 minute walk away from a branch.

    1/30/25 - Application Submitted
    1/31/25 - Bank reached out for proof of address, I responded same day
    2/5/25 - Bank account opened
    2/7/25 - $3505 initial deposit opened

    Then I just setup a $500 real employer DD every 2 weeks, starting 2/14/25 and ending 6/20/25 (I didn't want to take the chance by removing it early, and their transfers are fast)

    6/27/25 - $300 "Online Account Opening Rewards Posted"

    Will close in 12 months even though it is literally my local bank - had issues getting SMs responded to over the past week and change, unhappy with the bank's communication.

  • OakStar Bank $300 Checking
    01/21/25 application
    01/27/25 account opened (close 02/01/2026 to avoid ETF)
    01/29/25 $3500 opening deposit from SoFi
    02/14/25 $500 DD
    02/28/25 $500 DD
    03/14/25 $250 DD
    03/28/25 $250 DD
    04/11/25 $250 DD
    04/25/25 $250 DD
    05/08/25 Received $300 bonus

  • 1/28/25 - applied, had to send in utility bill
    1/31/25 - approved
    2/3/25 - $3500 Fidelity ACH, $501 chase biz payroll
    2/4/25 - $501 chase biz payroll
    2/21/25 to 5/2/25 - $275 real DD every 2 weeks
    5/6/25 - $300 bonus posted

  • 1/27 account opened with $3500
    Used Chase Business checking to push $250+ twice a month for 3 months.
    5/6 $300 bonus posted

  • Opened 1/28 with $3500, performed 2 transfers per month from Chase Biz. Bonus posted 5/6, or 98 days since opening.

  • 1/29 – Account Opened with $3750 deposit
    2/14 – $251 Real DD
    2/28 – $251 Real DD (repeat every 2 weeks)
    05/6 - $300 ONLINE ACCOUNT OPENING REWARDS

  • Followed up with CS after reading here that it may not be "average" daily balance. CS confirmed, 5 day cushion after opening then $3,500 min required every day. My deposit didn't hit until day 10, so they say I'm already disqualified. Terms seem pretty muddy to me, but with the CFPB dead now, fighting it seems like a waste of time. Will be pulling money today.

  • I did a small push from Relay Financial business checking to OakStar with memo of "Payroll".
    One it cleared at OakStar, it coded as CCD.

    "PAYROLL FIRSTNAME LASTNAME CCD"

    Thoughts?

    • I've never seen the code "CCD" be used before. I searched online, and CCD is used to code business payments to vendors. I'm not sure if that will qualify as a DD.

      FWIW, I used real DD, and it coded as "PAYROLL COMPANY NAME PPD"

  • Like @guest_1989790 I’m concerned about the $3,500 daily balance requirement vs. a more typical avg. daily balance. I messaged CS for clarification and they just copy-pasted the terms (which make it sound like you needed to have opened the account with $3,500+). I’m hoping this is just a case of the terms being poorly written.

    • @guest_1993615 posted a copy of the message he got from CS. You can see what it says if you scroll down in the comments. They start the clock after day 5 for the $3,500 balance. So, you should be set if you opened the account with $3,500.

    • I selected to fund via a connected bank account during the application, but the actual transfer still took 1-2 business days before posting to OakStar. That means I have a few days of $0 balance. The only possible way to have a $3500 balance beginning on day 1 is to open in-branch with cash or check. I'm pretty confident that they will look at the average daily balance over the first 90 days, so I plan to just add a bit more $$ to compensate for the $0 days.

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