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:

• Brex  ✓

Albert

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

• Brex  ✓
• Chase Business ACH  ✓
• DoorDash  ✓
• Square  ✓

Axos Bank

Doing a ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 4/30/24):

• Capital One
• Charles Schwab
• SoFi
• Wise (add PAYROLL to memo)  ✓

Bank of America

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

• Astra app  ✓
• Serve
• Transferwise
• Treasury Direct
• Wealthfront

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):

• Discover  ✓
• Charles Schwab
• Fidelity
• Goldman Sachs
• TD Bank
• US Bank
• Vanguard  ✓

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:

• Astra app  ✓
• Brex  ✓
• Goldman Sachs
• PenFed

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):

• Alliant
• Ally  ✓
• Capital One 360
• Chase  ✓
• Discover  ✓
• HSBC
• Venmo  ✓
• Wells Fargo  ✓

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):

• Astra app  ✓

Fifth Third Bank

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

• Ally  ✓
• Bank of America  ✓
• Capital One  ✓ ✓
• Charles Schwab
• Discover  ✓
• Paypal

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):

• Chase  ✓
• Wells Fargo  ✓

HomeTrust Bank

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

• Chase  ✓

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):

• Wells Fargo  ✓

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):

• Amex Business Checking  ✓
• Chase  ✓
• Fidelity  ✓

NASA FCU

ACH transfer from the following accounts will count as a direct deposit (last updated 5/3/24):

• Wise (add PAYROLL to memo)  ✓

Old National Bank

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

• Fidelity  ✓
• PNC
• Wells Fargo  ✓

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):

• Fidelity  ✓
• Wells Fargo  ✓

Royal Credit Union

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

• Amex Business Checking  ✓

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:

• Alliant
• Discover
• Wise (add PAYROLL to memo)

SoFi Checking & Savings

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

• Astra app  ✓
• 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:

• Brex  ✓

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):

• Alliant  ✓

Teachers FCU

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

• Santander  ✓

Truist Financial

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

• Capital One  ✓
• Capital One 360  ✓
• Charles Schwab  ✓
• Chase  ✓ ✓

US Bank

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

• Alliant
• Ally  ✓  ✓
• Brex  ✓
• Capital One
• Charles Schwab
• Chase  ✓  ✓ 
• Discover Savings  ✓ 
• PayPal
• PNC
• Tech CU
• USAA  ✓ 
• Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo

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

• Astra app  ✓
• Bank of America
• Chase ✓
• Citi
• HSBC
• Kabbage Bank  ✓
• PNC
• Santander

WesBanco

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

• KeyBank