Just when you thought the banking industry couldn't get any more competitive, it has. Interest rates are down, which means profits are down. This also means banks are hungry for cash-in-hand…which means the hunt for new customers (and competitors' customers) is on. You can cash in—literally—on banking's hard times. When you open an account with any one of these banks, they will pay you for the privilege of serving you.
1. Chase Bank
- Account: Chase Premier Plus checking account
- Reward: $250 in cash (When you open your account online, you get a coupon you redeem in your local branch.)
- Requirements: Open account, set up direct deposit.
- Fees: No fees if your account maintains a minimum balance of $15,000 or you use auto drafts to pay a Chase mortgage from your Chase checking account.
- Offer expiration: October 15, 2014
- Learn more and apply.
2. Capital One 360
- Account: 360 checking account
- Reward: $50 on day 50 (If requirements are met, the money will be automatically be deposited into your account.)
- Requirements: Open account, make either three debit card purchases or Person2Person payments within 45 days.
- Fees: No fees
- Offer expiration: No expiration
- Learn more and apply.
3. Citizens Bank
- Account: CollegeSaver account
- Reward: $1,000 (The amount is deposited into your account, with interest, when your child turns 18.)
- Requirements: Open account before your child's 12th birthday, make the minimum contributions monthly until your child turns 18 ($25 for children under age 6, $50 for children ages 12-17).
- Fees: No fees
- Offer expiration: No expiration
- Learn more and apply.
4. Bank of America
- Account: Personal checking account
- Reward: $100 (The amount is deposited into your account after you meet the requirements.)
- Requirements: Open account, set up direct deposit, make direct deposits of $2,000 per month for 3 months.
- Fees: No fees stated
- Offer expiration: December 31, 2014
- Learn more and apply.
5. Salem Five Bank
- Account: Salem Five checking account.
- Reward: $100 Visa card (The reward is given after registering and qualifying your account.)
- Requirements: Open account, then make two direct deposits (each over $250), or six online bill payments (each over $25) or 20 debit card purchases (each over $5) within 60 days.
- Fees: No fees stated
- Offer expiration: No expiration
- Learn more and apply.
6. U.S. Bank
- Account: S.T.A.R.T. savings account
- Reward: $50 Visa card after you save $1,000 and a second $50 Visa card after keeping that $1,000 in your account for 12 additional months.
- Requirements: Open account, start saving per your own goals.
- Fees: No fees stated
- Offer expiration: No expiration
- Learn more and apply.
7. BBVA Compass Bank
- Account: NBA checking account
- Reward: Various (Rewards include a $100 NBA store gift card, $15 Amazon gift card, and $10 iTunes gift card.)
- Requirements: Open account, make three bill payments each of $50+ within 90 days (for $100 gift card); receive two direct deposits of $300+ within 90 days (for $15 gift card); use NBA check card 40 times in 30 days (for $10 gift card).
- Fees: No fees
- Offer expiration: No expiration
- Learn more and apply.
8. First Trade Union Bank
- Account: First Trade checking account
- Reward: $50 (direct deposit), $50 (app use)
- Requirements: Open account with at least a $100 deposit and direct deposit, and earn $10 per month for the next five months as long as your account receives at least one direct deposit in each of those months ($50). Use the FT Pay app with your new checking account and earn $25, then earn another $25 when you open a savings account and deposit your FT Pay credits into it (total $50).
- Fees: No fees
- Offer expiration: No expiration
- Learn more and apply.
9. Santander Bank
- Account: extra20 checking account, extra20 savings account
- Reward: $240 possible per year
- Requirements: Open a checking account with at least $25, open a savings account with at least $10, receive one direct deposit per month of at least $1,500 ($10 bonus per month), and make at least two online bill payments per month ($10 bonus per month).
- Fees: A $10 fee is assessed per month if you don't meet the direct deposit minimum.
- Offer expiration: No expiration
- Learn more and apply.
10. Nationwide Bank
- Account: Bank E-checking account
- Reward: $200
- Requirements: Open account with at least $50, receive a direct deposit of $200 into your account within 60 days, and keep account open at least 90 days.
- Fees: $8 per month (This can be avoided if you use your debit card 8 times per month plus have one direct deposit of at least $25 per month or maintain a $10,000 balance.)
- Offer expiration: January 12, 2015
- Learn more and apply.
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