What Counts as Direct Deposit for Bank Account Bonuses

Bank bonuses are an easy way to make money, usually from the comfort of your home. Requirements for each bonus vary, but many of them require you to complete direct deposits. This is a list that will help you figure out what counts as direct deposit for bank account bonuses. 

Direct Deposit Requirement for Bank Bonuses

Direct deposit is the electronic transfer of money from one bank account to another without the use of a paper check or cash. Direct deposits are most commonly used by businesses to pay employees and suppliers.

When a direct deposit is part of the requirements to get a new account bonus, a regular direct deposit from your employer will always work. That is also the safest choice, especially if a bank does a manual review, which is quite rare. But switching your direct deposit with your employer every time you go for a new bonus, might not be feasible. Thankfully, in most cases a simple ACH transfer from another bank account will also do the trick. 

Let me know in the comments of any recent data points of what counts as direct deposit for bank bonuses you have done yourself, or if any of the listed options that no longer work.

And now let’s get into the the full list below to find out what counts as direct deposit for bank account bonuses that I often write about here on the site.

Affinity FCU

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit:

Albert

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 4/14/22):

Axos Bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 1/7/23):

  • Capital One
  • Charles Schwab
  • SoFi

Bank of America

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit:

Bank of the West

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit:

  • Capital One
  • Chase
  • Discover
  • PayPal

BB&T Bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 1/20/21):

  • Alliant
  • Charles Schwab Brokerage
  • Chase

BMO Harris

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 6/13/23):

  • Ally
  • Robinhood
  • Schwab
  • TransferWise

Capital One 360

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 08/03/23):

Cash App

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 10/26/21):

  • Schwab

Chase

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit:

Chime

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit:

  • Ally
  • Cash App
  • Charles Schwab
  • Chase
  • Discover
  • Wells Fargo

Citizens Bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 4/7/22):

Clearview FCU

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 4/14/22):

  • PNC

Comerica

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 11/12/20):

  • Capital One
  • Wells Fargo

Fidelity

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 4/7/22):

Fifth Third Bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 3/16/22):

These ACH transfer DO NOT work:

  • Chase  X

Hancock Whitney

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 4/10/23):

HomeTrust Bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 3/10/22):

Huntington Bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 9/10/21):

  • Ally
  • Chase
  • PNC

Key Bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 5/2/22):

Monifi

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 11/21/21):

  • Alliant
  • Ally
  • Capital One
  • Charles Schwab
  • Robinhood
  • Wells Fargo

mph.bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 10/14/22):

Old National Bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 4/5/23):

People’s United Bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit:

  • Alliant

PNC

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 4/9/23):

Royal Credit Union

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 9/26/23):

SAFE Credit Union

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit:

  • Discover

Santander Bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit:

  • Alliant
  • Ally Bank
  • Chase  ✓
  • Fidelity
  • Wells Fargo

Service Credit Union

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit:

SoFi Checking & Savings

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 4/6/22):

  • Astra app  âœ“
  • PNC
  • Wells Fargo

These transfers DON”T WORK:

  • Alliant  X
  • Chase  X
  • Fidelity  X
  • PenFed  X
  • Robinhod  X
  • U.S. Bank  X

Spiral

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit:

Stoneham Bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 10/29/21):

  • Capital One 360
  • Wells Fargo

TBK Bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 3/24/22):

Teachers FCU

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 5/31/22):

Truist Financial

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 4/9/23):

US Bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 8/11/22):

Wells Fargo

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 5/2/22):

WesBanco

An ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 5/2/23):

  • KeyBank

15 responses to “What Counts as Direct Deposit for Bank Account Bonuses”

  1. JD Avatar
    JD

    You may want to take Chase off of the Fifth Third Bank list. Or put an X next to it. I just found out after the fact that 5th 3rd doesn’t count a transfer from Chase as DD. You have their name but no checkmark. I chatted them up when my bonus failed to hit. It shows as a personal transfer.

    Reply
    1. DDG Avatar
      DDG

      That must have changed recently. Those without checkmarks are mostly older DPs. Thanks for the update. Were you able to get the bonus with another ACH?

      Reply
      1. JD Avatar
        JD

        I didn’t try from any other banks. I just had my payroll DD split off and set up for $500+ to 5/3 to be certain. Seeing as it would take over a week to move money to one of my other accounts then to 5/3 and then wait 10 days to see if the bonus would come. Too much work when I had the Ace up my sleeve. Truth is when I pushed the finds from Chase back to them, Chase calls it a DD. Maybe that data will help someone to get a Chase bonus.

        Reply
  2. JUST GUY Avatar
    JUST GUY

    Did anyone tried to do ACH from Chase business to Capital One 360, was it working?

    Reply
    1. Alex Moskalenko Avatar
      Alex Moskalenko

      worked

      Reply
  3. Lisa Avatar
    Lisa

    Would a transfer from my Chase checking account count as an ACH transfer to get the bonus

    Reply
    1. DDG Avatar
      DDG

      for which bonus?

      Reply
      1. Lisa Avatar
        Lisa

        For opening a U.S. Bank Smartly checking account.

        Reply
        1. DDG Avatar
          DDG

          It worked based on data points from last year. I would think it still does.

          Reply
  4. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    When setting up an ACH to trigger a bonus for a bank that requires an ACH.

    Example: If I set up an ACH within in USAA account to auto push x $’s monthly into a USB bank, would this work to trigger the ACH requirements to trigger the bonus?

    or does the ACH need to be setup opposite, through USB (bonus bank) to pull x $’s monthly from a USAA account?

    Reply
    1. DDG Avatar
      DDG

      Usually you need to push from your current bank (USAA in your case).

      Reply
  5. Bank Guy Avatar
    Bank Guy

    Push from Capital One 360 works for Truist (from last year’s bonus)

    Reply
    1. DDG Avatar
      DDG

      Thanks!

      Reply
  6. zzz Avatar
    zzz

    PNC Bank $400

    push from Fidelity worked in February. Bonus posted.

    Reply
  7. Bank Guy Avatar
    Bank Guy

    Venmo worked for Citizens Bank bonus. Bonus posted after about 2 months.

    Reply

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