Bank bonuses are taxable interest — expect a 1099-INT. See our bank bonus tax guide.
What Counts as Direct Deposit
112 reports across 3 sources. Last report Jul 17, 2026. members 1, Doctor of Credit comments 109, Reddit 2.
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.
YESEmployer payroll or government benefit deposit12 reports · 9 worked · 3 failed · last report Jun 6, 2026How it posts: "payroll"The only near-universal trigger — real payroll or SSA/pension/tax-refund, PPD-coded. 9 member reports of it working, 3 of it failing, last confirmed Jun 2026. Members report it posting as "payroll".
YESSplit direct deposit from your employerFrom the bank published terms and our own checksRoute $1,500 of your paycheck to Current and keep the rest at your main bank. Cleanest way to qualify without moving your whole paycheck.
MAYBEChase Business (payroll ACH)29 reports · 21 worked · 8 failed · last report Jul 14, 2026How it posts: "Payroll"General note: Payroll-coded ACH run from Chase Business checking — a sole prop does this legitimately as a Gusto owner's draw (never a fake W-2). 21 member reports of it working, 8 of it failing, last confirmed Apr 2026. Members report it posting as "Payroll".
MAYBEWise ACH push15 reports · 10 worked · 5 failed · last report Jul 17, 2026General note: Mixed; stopped counting at SoFi ~03/2026. 10 member reports of it working, 5 of it failing, last confirmed Jul 2026.
MAYBECharles Schwab ACH push13 reports · 10 worked · 3 failed · last report Feb 22, 2026General note: Historically strong; deteriorating at Chase/Huntington in early 2026. 10 member reports of it working, 3 of it failing, last confirmed Aug 2025.
MAYBEWells Fargo ACH push11 reports · 8 worked · 3 failed · last report Dec 6, 20258 member reports of it working, 3 of it failing, last confirmed Nov 2025.
MAYBEChase (personal) ACH push9 reports · 5 worked · 4 failed · last report Jul 17, 2026Personal-checking ACH pushes only. 5 member reports of it working, 4 of it failing, last confirmed Jul 2026.
MAYBECapital One Business (payroll ACH)5 reports · 2 worked · 3 failed · last report Jul 14, 2026How it posts: "Payroll Direct Deposit"Business-account ACH, tracker-labeled separately from 360 pushes. 2 member reports of it working, 3 of it failing, last confirmed Apr 2026. Members report it posting as "Payroll Direct Deposit".
MAYBERevolut ACH push5 reports · 3 worked · 2 failed · last report Dec 16, 20253 member reports of it working, 2 of it failing, last confirmed Dec 2025.
MAYBEAlliant Credit Union ACH push4 reports · 3 worked · 1 failed · last report Aug 25, 2025General note: Strong at PNC/US Bank; fails at Chase. 3 member reports of it working, 1 of it failing, last confirmed Aug 2025.
MAYBECapital One 360 ACH push4 reports · 3 worked · 1 failed · last report Oct 20, 2025General note: Good; fails at Chase. 3 member reports of it working, 1 of it failing, last confirmed Oct 2025.
MAYBEU.S. Bank Business (payroll ACH)3 reports · 1 worked · 2 failed · last report Sep 21, 2025Business-account ACH, tracker-labeled separately from personal pushes. 1 member report of it working, 2 of it failing, last confirmed Aug 2025.
MAYBEFidelity ACH pushFrom the bank published terms and our own checksCurrent's terms only count wages or government payments, so a plain brokerage push is a gamble here. This differs from most banks where Fidelity is reliable. If you try it, treat it as a maybe and have real payroll as a backup.
NOBank-to-bank ACH transferFrom the bank published terms and our own checksExplicitly excluded. Moving your own money in from another bank does not qualify.
NOMobile check depositFrom the bank published terms and our own checks
NOPayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Cash AppFrom the bank published terms and our own checksP2P transfers are excluded by name in the terms.
NOTax refund or one-time depositFrom the bank published terms and our own checksOne-time deposits are excluded even though a tax refund is technically a government payment.
YESDiscover ACH push2 reports · 2 worked · last report Apr 28, 2022General note: Discover Savings ACH; inconsistent, recent failures trending up. 2 member reports of it working, none of it failing, last confirmed Apr 2022.
Then receive Eligible Payroll Deposits totaling $1,500 or more within 35 days of opening. An Eligible Payroll Deposit is actual wages or compensation from an employer, payroll provider, or government payer sent by ACH. 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
Current is currently offering a $100 checking bonus. The core requirement is $1,500 in qualifying direct deposits within 35 days. The eligible account has no monthly maintenance fee documented in the catalog.
Pros
+$100 cash bonus
+No monthly maintenance fee
+No documented hard credit pull
+Available nationwide, subject to the bank's eligibility rules
Cons
-Lifetime or one-bonus-per-customer language applies
-No published end date; terms can change without notice
Notes
Receive $1,500+ in direct deposits within 35 days. Allow approximately 14 days for the bonus to post after qualification.
How This Compares to Other Bonuses
Current's $100 offer is closest in headline value to Affinity Federal Credit Union's $100 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 Current checking bonus?
Current currently advertises $100. The principal requirement is $1,500 in qualifying direct deposits within 35 days.
Does the Current bonus require direct deposit?
Yes. The catalog currently records $1,500 in qualifying direct deposits within 35 days. Confirm the bank's exact definition before applying.
When should the Current bonus post?
The tracked estimate is about 14 days after you satisfy the requirements.
Open a new Current account through the referral link (the creator code is applied automatically, or enter it in-app under Account, Rewards, Add Code). Then receive Eligible Payroll Deposits totaling $1,500 or more within 35 days of opening. An Eligible Payroll Deposit is actual wages or compensation from an employer, payroll provider, or government payer sent by ACH. Standard bank-to-bank ACH transfers, P2P transfers (Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, PayPal), mobile check deposits, cash deposits, and one-time deposits like tax refunds do not qualify. Current retains full discretion to determine qualification. A public no-referral path pays a lower $75; see this offer's eligibility notes for that alternative code. WHY TO KEEP THE ACCOUNT AFTER YOU ARE PAID, WHICH IS THE REAL REASON THIS ONE IS FIRST. Current is useful in both directions. Getting the $100 needs a deposit coming IN from your employer. But once the account is open, money you send OUT of Current often arrives at the next bank looking like a direct deposit, which is how a lot of people satisfy a direct-deposit requirement somewhere else without asking payroll to change anything. What our members have actually reported, so you can judge it yourself: at SoFi, 30 reports of it working against 9 of it not, with the most recent success in July 2026, so it works for most people there but not all of them. At Chime it is 46 working against 1. It is not universal: members report it failing at PNC, Regions and Navy Federal. Treat it as the first thing to try at a new bank and keep a real paycheck in reserve as the backup.
Fees
Monthly Fee$0
No monthly maintenance fee. Out-of-network ATM fees and certain other fees may apply.
ChexSystems & Credit Pull
Chex SensitivityLow
Hard PullNo
Soft PullNo
Current is a fintech neobank (banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Member FDIC). No hard credit pull and no ChexSystems denial reported, only identity verification. One of the most approval-friendly accounts available for people with a rocky banking history.
Eligibility
AvailabilityNationwide
Lifetime LimitYes
New Current users only, one welcome bonus per customer. Must be a U.S. resident 18 or older. The $100 is earned by signing up through a Current referral link; the deposit requirement is Eligible Payroll Deposits totaling $1,500 or more within the first 35 days (raised by Current from $200/45d on ~2026-08-22). A public no-referral alternative pays $75 with promo code WELCOME75 on the same deposit bar.
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.