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At a Glance
Requirements
Direct deposit: $3,000 in qualifying direct deposits
Deposit window: 90 days
Eligibility
Availability: Nationwide
No stated lifetime limit
ChexSystems sensitivity: Low
Credit pull: soft pull only
Fees
Monthly fee: $15/mo — Citi Regular Checking, the account this offer opens, carries a $15 monthly service fee. Citi waives it for any month the account receives $250 or more in Enhanced Direct Deposits or other qualifying transactions, and it is re-tested every month rather than settled once. Citi Priority, Citigold and Citigold Private Client customers pay no checking service fee while they hold that relationship tier. The bonus itself only asks for two Enhanced Direct Deposits inside 90 days, so if you move your payroll away as soon as the bonus qualifies, expect the $15 to start again for the cycles between the 90-day window closing and the bonus landing around day 92. Keeping $250 a month flowing in until you are paid avoids it entirely.
No early-closure rule listed
Payout & closure
Bonus posts: ~92 days
Account hold: Keep open until the bonus posts — expected around week 14. Closing is safe once the payment lands. The bank allows itself until week 18, but recent customers are paid around day 92.
Bank bonuses are taxable interest — expect a 1099-INT. See our bank bonus tax guide.
What Counts as Direct Deposit
401 reports across 2 sources. Last report Jun 14, 2026. Doctor of Credit comments 397, Reddit 4.
Employer payroll is always the safest method. "Maybe" means some people report it working and it is not guaranteed. Open a row to see the individual reports.
YESFidelity Cash Management ACH push68 reports · 59 worked · 9 failed · last report Mar 4, 2026How it posts: "interest adj"The #1 workaround pusher; codes payroll-like at most banks. 59 member reports of it working, 9 of it failing, last confirmed Mar 2026. Members report it posting as "interest adj".
YESAlly ACH push47 reports · 45 worked · 2 failed · last report Jan 13, 2026General note: Good but softening; fails at Chase. 45 member reports of it working, 2 of it failing, last confirmed Jan 2026.
YESSoFi ACH push28 reports · 24 worked · 4 failed · last report Jan 22, 2026Good as a sender, but STRICT as a receiver in 2026. 24 member reports of it working, 4 of it failing, last confirmed Jan 2026.
YESDiscover ACH push17 reports · 15 worked · 2 failed · last report Apr 15, 2026How it posts: "Instant Payment Credit"General note: Discover Savings ACH; inconsistent, recent failures trending up. 15 member reports of it working, 2 of it failing, last confirmed Apr 2026. Members report it posting as "Instant Payment Credit".
YESWells Fargo ACH push15 reports · 13 worked · 2 failed · last report Aug 27, 202513 member reports of it working, 2 of it failing, last confirmed Aug 2025.
YESCharles Schwab ACH push13 reports · 12 worked · 1 failed · last report Jan 9, 2026General note: Historically strong; deteriorating at Chase/Huntington in early 2026. 12 member reports of it working, 1 of it failing, last confirmed Jan 2026.
YESEmployer payroll or government benefit deposit11 reports · 8 worked · 3 failed · last report Mar 7, 2025The only near-universal trigger — real payroll or SSA/pension/tax-refund, PPD-coded. 8 member reports of it working, 3 of it failing, last confirmed Mar 2025.
YESBluevineFrom the bank published terms and our own checks
YESPayPal ACH (standard transfer)From the bank published terms and our own checksCiti explicitly counts P2P ACH from PayPal. 6+ data points. Must use standard transfer.
YESRobinhoodFrom the bank published terms and our own checks
YESTax refund (IRS)From the bank published terms and our own checks
YESTruist ACH pushFrom the bank published terms and our own checks
YESUSAAFrom the bank published terms and our own checksMultiple data points confirm this works.
YESVenmo ACH (standard transfer)From the bank published terms and our own checksCiti explicitly counts P2P ACH transfers from Venmo. 7+ data points. Must be standard transfer, not instant.
MAYBEZelle ACH push100 reports · 83 worked · 17 failed · last report Jan 5, 2026Codes as P2P at nearly every bank; the rare exception is Citi. 83 member reports of it working, 17 of it failing, last confirmed Jan 2026. Members report it posting as "INTEREST ADJ". named in Citi EDD terms ('all deposits via Zelle'); 6W/0F ledger, lastW 2026-06-01; instant rails excluded — standard ACH speed only.
MAYBEChase (personal) ACH push61 reports · 45 worked · 16 failed · last report Jun 14, 2026Personal-checking ACH pushes only. 45 member reports of it working, 16 of it failing, last confirmed Jun 2026.
MAYBECapital One 360 ACH push33 reports · 25 worked · 8 failed · last report Oct 6, 2025General note: Good; fails at Chase. 25 member reports of it working, 8 of it failing, last confirmed Oct 2025.
NOCash/check depositsFrom the bank published terms and our own checks
NOInternal Citi transferFrom the bank published terms and our own checks
NOPayPal instant transferFrom the bank published terms and our own checksSame — only standard ACH transfers count.
NOVenmo instant transferFrom the bank published terms and our own checksInstant (debit card) transfers do not qualify — only ACH.
NOWire transfersFrom the bank published terms and our own checks
YESAmex Savings / Rewards Checking ACH push2 reports · 2 worked · last report Apr 27, 2026General note: A real Amex HYSA / Rewards Checking account (what an owned_accounts 'American Express' entry usually is). 2 member reports of it working, none of it failing, last confirmed Apr 2026.
Enrol by applying from the offer page, then make at least two Enhanced Direct Deposits into the new checking account within 90 calendar days of opening, totalling $3,000 or more for the $325. An Enhanced Direct Deposit is an ACH deposit of payroll, pension, Social Security, other government benefit or investment... Source
The reports come from Doctor of Credit comment threads, public Reddit posts, and members who told us what happened to their own deposit. Each one is dated where the person gave a date. Read how we check offers.
Reports are attached to the offer, never to your name. Members can log one from their account instead.
Source: our guide to what counts as direct deposit, verified per-bank against official terms and community data points (originally compiled with help from Doctor of Credit). Data points change, so always verify with the bank.
Overview
Citi is currently offering a $325 checking bonus. The core requirement is $3,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days. The account has a $15 monthly fee; review the waiver terms before applying.
Pros
+$325 cash bonus
+No documented hard credit pull
+Available nationwide, subject to the bank's eligibility rules
+90-day qualification window
Cons
-$15 monthly fee unless waived
Notes
Receive $3,000+ in direct deposits within 90 days. Allow approximately 92 days for the bonus to post after qualification.
How This Compares to Other Bonuses
Citi's $325 offer is closest in headline value to PSECU's $300 checking bonus. Compare the direct-deposit requirement, geographic eligibility, fees, approval sensitivity, and payout timing, not only the advertised amount.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current Citi checking bonus?
Citi currently advertises $325. The principal requirement is $3,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days.
Does the Citi bonus require direct deposit?
Yes. The catalog currently records $3,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days. Confirm the bank's exact definition before applying.
When should the Citi bonus post?
The tracked estimate is about 92 days after you satisfy the requirements.
Enrol by applying from the offer page, then make at least two Enhanced Direct Deposits into the new checking account within 90 calendar days of opening, totalling $3,000 or more for the $325. An Enhanced Direct Deposit is an ACH deposit of payroll, pension, Social Security, other government benefit or investment income. Teller deposits, cash, check deposits, wires, transfers between Citi accounts, ATM deposits, mobile check deposits and person to person payments made with a debit card do not count. Some readers report that an ACH push from a service like Venmo or PayPal codes as an Enhanced Direct Deposit, but Citi's own terms do not promise that, so plan around a real payroll ACH. Higher rungs exist on the same family of links: $6,000 or more pays $425, and there is a separate $475 version that asks for a $5,000 deposit alongside the two direct deposits. Expect the bonus around week 14. Keep the account open and keep at least $250 a month of Enhanced Direct Deposits flowing until the $325 posts, which both satisfies Citi and keeps the $15 monthly service fee waived. Citi allows itself until week 18, but recent customers are usually paid around days 90 to 93. Once the payment lands you can close if you want to; there is no holding period afterwards and no early closure fee.
Fees
Monthly Fee$15/mo
Citi Regular Checking, the account this offer opens, carries a $15 monthly service fee. Citi waives it for any month the account receives $250 or more in Enhanced Direct Deposits or other qualifying transactions, and it is re-tested every month rather than settled once. Citi Priority, Citigold and Citigold Private Client customers pay no checking service fee while they hold that relationship tier. The bonus itself only asks for two Enhanced Direct Deposits inside 90 days, so if you move your payroll away as soon as the bonus qualifies, expect the $15 to start again for the cycles between the 90-day window closing and the bonus landing around day 92. Keeping $250 a month flowing in until you are paid avoids it entirely.
ChexSystems & Credit Pull
Chex SensitivityLow
Hard PullNo
Soft PullYes
Wire transfers, cash, checks, and Citi-to-Citi transfers do not count as Enhanced Direct Deposits. Person-to-person payments made with a debit card do not count either. Readers report that an ACH push from Venmo or PayPal can code as an Enhanced Direct Deposit, but the offer's own terms do not promise it, so plan around a real payroll ACH.
Eligibility
AvailabilityNationwide
Lifetime LimitNo
New Citi checking customers only. Must be US citizen or resident alien, 18+, with US physical address.
Fat Stacks Academy may earn a commission when you open an account through links on this page, at no additional cost to you. Commissions do not influence our reviews — we verify offer terms directly with each bank before publishing and do not accept paid placement in our rankings. Bonus offers, requirements, and fees are determined by each financial institution and may change at any time. Always verify the current terms directly with the bank before applying. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
