Update 9/9/26: Back through Nov 10. $250 bonus now has a lower direct deposit requirement of $2,000 (was $3,000)
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: $450
- Availability: Nationwide (excludes NY & FL and any other state without a branch unless you have an existing relationship)
- Direct deposit required: Yes
- Additional requirements: None
- Hard/soft pull: Soft
- ChexSystems: Mixed data points
- Credit card funding: Can fund up to $275 with a credit card
- Monthly fees: $12, avoidable
- Early account termination fee: None
- Household limit: None
- Expiration date:
January 28, 2026April 6, 2026September 8, 2026
The Offer
Direct link to offer | New link | New link
- U.S. Bank is offering a $450 bonus when you open a new Smartly checking account. Requirements are as follows:
- Checking 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 more.
- Checking bonus:
You must complete two or more direct deposits within 90 days totaling the above-mentioned amount.
The Fine Print
- U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking bonus: To be eligible, you or any owner(s) on your new Bank Smartly Checking account cannot have an existing U.S. Bank consumer checking account, had a U.S. Bank consumer checking account in the last 12 months or received other U.S. Bank consumer checking bonus offers within the past 12 months.
- You must also use the promo code 2024JUL at account opening. To receive the bonus, you must open a new U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking account with a minimum deposit of $25 either online, in a branch or over the phone from July 9, 2024 through and including September 26, 2024.
- Additionally, you must enroll in the U.S. Bank Mobile App or online banking within 90 days of opening your account.
- You must also complete two or more direct deposits within 90 days of opening your account that total: $2,000 to $4,999.99 to earn the $250 bonus, $5,000 to $7,999.99 to earn the $350 bonus, or $8,000 or more to earn the $450 bonus.
- A direct deposit is an electronic deposit of your paycheck made through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network or an electronic deposit of your government benefits, such as Social Security, from your employer or the government.
- Other electronic deposits or person-to-person payments are not considered a direct deposit. Your checking bonus (“adjusted interest”) will be credited to your new checking account within 60 days following the end of the calendar month during which you completed all the offer requirements.
- Account must be open and have a positive balance to receive the bonus. Bonus will be reported as interest earned on IRS form 1099-INT, and recipient is responsible for any applicable taxes. Offer may not be combined with any other checking account bonus offers.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
Monthly Fees
U.S. Bank Smartly has a $12 monthly fee, this is waived if you do any of the following:
- Have at least $1,500 in monthly direct deposits.
- Hold a minimum average account balance of $1,500.
- Be an owner on an eligible small business checking account.
- Belong to an eligible customer group2 such as youth, young adult, senior or military.
- Qualify for Smart Rewards Gold Tier or above.
- Be an owner on a Bank Smartly™️ Visa Signature® Card or personal State Farm credit card for Alliance clients.
Early Account Termination Fee
There is no early account termination fee to worry about
Our Verdict
Not as good as the recent $500 bonus unfortunately. That being said this bonus is churnable (can’t have had an account within the past 12 months) meaning it’s probably worth resetting that clock as soon as possible rather than waiting for a marginally bigger bonus to potentially return. Because of that we will add this to our list of the best bank account bonuses.
Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
- A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
- Bank Account Quick Reference Table (Spreadsheet) (very useful for sorting bonuses by different parameters)
- PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
- Introduction To ChexSystems
- Banks & Credit Unions That Are ChexSystems Inquiry Sensitive
- What Banks & Credit Unions Do/Don’t Pull ChexSystems?
- How To Use Our Direct Deposit Page For Bank Bonuses Page
- Common Bank Bonus Misconceptions + Why You Should Give Them A Go
- How Many Bank Accounts Can I Safely Open Within A Year For Bank Bonus Purposes?
- Affiliate Links & Bank Bonuses – We Won’t Be Using Them
- Complete List Of Ways To Close Bank Accounts At Each Bank
- Banks That Allow/Don’t Allow Out Of State Checking Applications
- Bank Bonus Posting Times
F.A.Q’s
I’m getting the following error ‘we weren’t able to add this offer to your application.’
This is likely because it hasn’t been long enough since you closed your account. The terms say it needs to be a 12 months since your account was closed/since you received a reward, but it seems like the system actually requires one year + two or so weeks.
Where can I find the bonus tracker?
To find the bonus progress tracker:
- From the desktop login, click on: The checking account > Account tab > Look on the right side of the screen, and scroll down to and click New account bonus progress > “My Progress” page appears.
- In the mobile app, tap: On your checking account > Look for “💳 Track your rewards progress.” and tap the blue rectangular icon to the right with a white letter “G”.
However, not everyone sees this tracker, and it’s not instant to update, or appear instantly after opening the account. Hat tip to reader Gadget
I was denied, what should I do?
- If you were denied due to your ChexSystems being frozen you need to call in (866–268–7231, Monday – Friday 7am – 9PM CT) they will request your application ID and then they should be able to get your account approved.
The above also applies if you received the following message:
‘Thank you for your interest in a U.S. Bank account. Based on the information you provided, we’re unable to approve your request for the following account. U.S. Bank Smartly Checking.
In reviewing your application, we noticed inconsistencies in the information provided. Although we tried to verify the information, an account cannot be opened for you at this time.’
Can I close my account as soon as I receive the bonus?
There is no early account termination fee so you can close it after receiving the bonus. Some people like to keep the account open for a little longer although you do need a balance of $1,500 to keep the account fee free.
There is no branch in my state, am I still eligible?
Yes, but you need an existing relationship with U.S. Bank (e.g consumer credit card). If there is a branch in your state no existing relationship is required. Discussed here.
Am I eligible if I’ve closed a business account/received a business bonus in the last 12 months?
The terms state:
- ‘cannot have an existing U.S. Bank consumer checking account, had a U.S. Bank consumer checking account in the last 12 months or received other U.S. Bank consumer checking bonus offers within the past 12 months’
When you opened/received a business checking bonus has no bearing on this consumer bonus. Confirmation here.
Can I stack this with a referral bonus?
Unfortunately, no. The referral link you use also contains an ID & offer code meaning it won’t stack. For example:
- ?offerId=2026RAFCHK
- &promoCode=2026RAF
Usually the referral bonus is only for $100 for the person referring and $100 for the person being referred so even in two player mode it’s better to use the above offer.
