[Expired] E*Trade $300 Checking Bonus

Deal has ended, view more bank account bonuses by clicking here. There is a $400 savings bonus currently.

Extended to 6/3/26

Bonus extended to 5/31/26

extended to 3/31/26.

Offer at a glance

• Maximum bonus amount: $300
• Availability: Nationwide
• Direct deposit required: Yes, two direct deposits of $1,500+
• Additional requirements: See below
• Hard/soft pull: Unknown 
• ChexSystems:  Yes, but approves if frozen
• Credit card funding: Unknown
• Monthly fees: None
• Early account termination fee: Unknown
• Household limit: None
• Expiration date: December 31, 2025

The Offer

Direct link to offer

• E*Trade is offering a $300 bonus when you open a new checking account with promo code CHECKING25 and complete the following requirements:
  • Set up and receive at least two Direct Deposits each of $1,500 or more to your Checking or Max-Rate Checking Account within 90 days from account opening.

The Fine Print

• To be eligible for this offer, you must apply a valid promotional code obtained through one of our authorized affiliate marketing partners at the time of account opening. This promotional code is intended for single use only and is non-transferable.
• Offer is valid only for individual and jointly owned Checking or Max-Rate Checking accounts opened online. You are not eligible if you have or had owned or co-owned (joint) a Checking or Max-Rate Checking Account within the last 12 months from when you enroll in this offer. In the case of a joint account, only the primary account holder (the account holder who signed up first) is eligible for a bonus. Offer excludes non-U.S. residents, at time of account opening or post account opening address changes.
• This offer is only eligible to one newly opened Bank Checking OR Max-Rate Checking account funded within 30 days of account opening. You cannot open and enroll both account types at the same time. If you open both account types, your Checking Account will be enrolled in the offer.
• 
  Here are the details on how to earn your $300 bonus:i. Open one new Checking or Max-Rate Checking Account from Morgan Stanley Private Bank by the end of the offer period.You must apply promo code CHECKING25 at the time of account opening. No minimum initial deposit is required to open an account. However, account must be funded within 30 days to remain open.ii. Set up and receive at least two Direct Deposits each of $1,500 or more to your Checking or Max-Rate Checking Account within 90 days from account opening.iii. We will deposit the bonus into your account after the first two requirements listed above are completed. See below for when the bonus will be posted.In order to qualify for the $300 bonus, we must recognize the receipt of at least two Direct Deposits (as defined below) each of $1,500 or more within 90 days of account opening.
• All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fees

Regular checking has no monthly fees to worry about. Max checking does have a monthly fee: Monthly Account Fee: $15, if the minimum balance requirement is not met. Effective on or about June 4, 2026, the monthly account $15 account fee will no longer be charged

Early Account Termination Fee

Unsure if there is any EATF

Our Verdict

The terms give them a lot of outs for not paying the bonus:

If we determine, in our sole discretion, that you have violated the Bank Deposit Account Agreement or Bank Rate & Fee Schedule or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your account or this offer, we may determine that you are not eligible for the bonus. Gaming in connection to this offer may include, but is not limited to, deposit or transaction activity in the account that does not appear to have been made in good faith with the intention of maintaining an account, such as maintaining a low balance and not conducting regular banking transactions, such as paying bills.

If you are not eligible or are deemed to be disqualified from receiving the bonus,we will notify you by the end of the offer period.

If you do decide to do the bonus I’d copy and paste the link rather than clicking through our link and try to at least make the account look “natural” otherwise I suspect the bonus might be denied. That being said it might just be language to scare off bank bonus chasers like us. We will add it to our best bank account bonuses. 

Hat tip to reader Bockrr

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:

• A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
• Bank Account Quick Reference Table (Spreadsheet) (very useful for sorting bonuses by different parameters)
• PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
• Introduction To ChexSystems
• Banks & Credit Unions That Are ChexSystems Inquiry Sensitive
• What Banks & Credit Unions Do/Don’t Pull ChexSystems?
• How To Use Our Direct Deposit Page For Bank Bonuses Page
• Common Bank Bonus Misconceptions + Why You Should Give Them A Go
• How Many Bank Accounts Can I Safely Open Within A Year For Bank Bonus Purposes?
• Affiliate Links & Bank Bonuses – We Won’t Be Using Them
• Complete List Of Ways To Close Bank Accounts At Each Bank
• Banks That Allow/Don’t Allow Out Of State Checking Applications
• Bank Bonus Posting Times