[Expired] [In-Branch only] Wells Fargo $200 Checking Bonus – Direct Deposit Not Required

Deal has expired, but there is a $400 Wells Fargo checking bonus that is still available

Update 1/9/19: Bonus has been extended until April 17th, 2019. Hat tip to reader @getderb

Offer at a glance

• Maximum bonus amount: $200
• Availability: Must open in branch, must have received an ATM receipt with the offer. [Branch & ATM locations here]
• Direct deposit required: No
• Additional requirements: 10 debit card purchases per month for three months
• Hard/soft pull: Soft
• ChexSystems: Mixed reports, likely doesn’t pull
• Credit card funding: None in branch
• Monthly fees: $10, waivable 
• Early account termination fee: None
• Household limit: None
• Expiration date: January 15th, 2019

The Offer

No direct link to offer. If you use a Wells Fargo ATM with a non Wells Fargo debit card you should see the offer. Must be opened in branch

• Receive a sign up bonus of $200 when you open a new Everyday checking account with Wells Fargo and complete the following requirements:
  • Complete 10 debit card purchases within 45 days of account opening ($1 minimum per debit transaction)
  • Complete another 10 debit card purchases for another two months

The Fine Print

• You cannot be a recipient of a consumer checking bonus in the past 12 months (limit one per customer)
• All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

The Everyday Checking account comes with a $10 monthly fee. Get the fee waived with one of the following:

• 10 debit card purchases and/or payments each statement cycle from this checking account, OR
• Direct deposits totaling $500 or more each statement cycle, OR
• Maintain a $1,500 minimum daily balance, OR
• Link checking account to a Wells Fargo Campus ATM or Campus Debit Card

If you have a Wells mortgage, you might be able to get a higher-level account with no fees.

Early Account Termination Fee

There is no early account termination fee.

Our Verdict

There is an online offer for $250, that does require a direct deposit . That being said Wells Fargo isn’t too strict on what does/doesn’t count Wells Fargo has gotten stricter on what qualifies as a direct deposit, so keep that in mind. Personally I think that other offer is probably better as only one direct deposit is required and it can be done online, but some readers will prefer this offer. If you’re going into a Wells Fargo branch don’t forget  you can also grab the Wells Fargo Business Platinum card for another $500 at the same time. I’ll add this $200 bonus to the best checking sign up bonus page.

Big thanks to reader, bax who let us know. Learn how to find bonuses and contribute to the site here.

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