PNC Bank currently has the best savings account bonus, offering $400 for opening an eligible account and meeting the direct deposit requirement of $5,000. If you were already in the market for a savings account, this could be a nice way to earn interest—and a little extra. PNC also has a couple of smaller offers on other accounts, though you’ll need to live in a certain region to qualify.
Investopedia’s research, editorial, and compliance teams monitor checking and savings account promotions from 24 banks. Promotions are evaluated and ranked based on bonus amounts, requirements, and returns on deposit. In general, savings account bonuses tend to be less common than checking account bonuses, and they usually have steeper requirements. Investopedia’s top savings account bonus recommendations feature bonuses of at least $100, with returns on deposit of at least 2%.
Best Savings Account Sign-Up Bonuses for November 2025
- PNC Bank: PNC Virtual Wallet With Performance Select (Checking/Savings) – $400
- SoFi®: SoFi Checking and Savings – Up to $300
- PNC Bank: PNC Virtual Wallet With Performance Spend (Checking/Savings) – $200
- PNC Bank: PNC Virtual Wallet (Checking/Savings) – $100
Tip
Be aware that savings accounts with bonus offers tend to have fairly low interest rates. You may find promotions paired with competitive rates in some cases, but you may also want to close the account and move on after earning the bonus to find a better home for your money. Consider keeping any extra savings not being used to earn bank bonuses in a high-yield savings account.
PNC Bank:PNC Virtual Wallet With Performance Select (Checking/Savings) – $400
- Bonus amount: $400
- Promotion expiration date: Dec. 08, 2025
- Qualifications: Direct deposit
Important
This bonus offer is only available to residents of select regions within PNC’s service area, such as ZIP code 10001 (in New York City).
How to Get the Bonus
- Use the promotional page linked above to open a new Virtual Wallet with a Performance Select account by the expiration date. You can open an account online through the linked page or request a coupon to open an account in person. You can access this offer when opening a checking and savings account together, or just a checking account.
- Receive qualifying direct deposits of at least $5,000 within 60 days: Monthly paycheck, pension, and Social Security payments qualify, for example. Wire transfers and P2P transfers, including Zelle, do not qualify.
- Receive the $400 bonus: The bonus should be deposited into your account 60 to 90 days after meeting the conditions; it’ll appear as “Credits Check Reward” on your statement. Your account must remain open to receive the bonus.1
This bank may also offer other promotions; learn more in our PNC Bank Review.
Bonus Restrictions
- Not eligible if you or any signer on the account has earned any other PNC promotional offer in the past 24 months.
- Not eligible if you or any signer on the account has an existing PNC consumer checking account or has closed an account within the past 12 months.
Account Fees
Overdraft fee: $36 per item; limited to one per day
Monthly fee: $25; waived if you meet any of the following conditions: $5,000 combined average monthly balance in Spend and/or Reserve accounts; $25,000 combined average monthly balance across linked PNC consumer deposit/investment accounts; $5,000 in qualifying monthly direct deposits to your Spend account during the statement period; account holder is a PNC employee
Out-of-network ATM fee: No fee; up to $10 reimbursement of ATM surcharge fees from other financial institutions
SoFi®:SoFi Checking and Savings – Up to $300
- Bonus amount: Up to $50–$300
- Promotion expiration date: Jan. 31, 2026
- Qualifications: Direct deposit
Tip
For a limited time, customers can earn +0.70% Boost on Savings APY for 6 months on new accounts with eligible Direct Deposit. Terms apply.
How to Get the Bonus
- Open a SoFi Checking and Savings account by clicking the link above: If you open an account another way, you may not be eligible for the bonus offer. You must open both a checking and a savings account.
- Receive direct deposits of $1,000 to $5,000 or more within a 25-day window by Jan. 31, 2026: After opening your accounts, you’ll have a 25-day window to receive qualifying direct deposits. This window begins as soon as you receive your first direct deposit of $1 or more (it doesn’t begin automatically at account opening), so you have some time to set it up and plan it out. The promotional period ends on Jan. 31, 2026—so your final deposit must be in by that date.
- Receive a $50 bonus for depositing $1,000 or a $300 bonus for depositing $5,000: The bonus will be deposited into your account within seven business days of completing the requirements.3
Bonus Restrictions
- You may qualify for this bonus if you’re an existing SoFi Checking and Savings customer, but only if you have no history of direct deposit transactions into that account or a SoFi Money account.
- Your account must be open and in good standing at the time of bonus payment.
- You may only qualify for one bonus tier.
Account Fees
- Monthly fee: $0
- Out-of-network ATM fee: A fee will apply when using non-Allpoint ATMs.
- Overdraft fee: $0
PNC Bank: PNC Virtual Wallet With Performance Spend (Checking/Savings) – $200
- Bonus amount: $200
- Promotion expiration date: Dec. 08, 2025
- Qualifications: Direct deposit
Important
This bonus offer is only available to residents of select regions within PNC’s service area, such as ZIP code 10001 (in New York City).
How to Get the Bonus
- Use the promotional page link above to open a new Virtual Wallet with a Performance Spend account by the expiration date. You can open an account online, or you can request a coupon code to access this offer when opening an account in person.
- Receive qualifying direct deposits of at least $2,000 within 60 days: Qualifying direct deposits include regular sources of monthly income like paychecks or Social Security payments. Wire transfers and P2P transfers, including Zelle, do not qualify.
- Receive the $200 bonus: The bonus should be deposited into your account 60 to 90 days after meeting the conditions; it’ll appear as “Credits Check Reward” on your statement. Your account must remain open to receive the bonus.1
This bank may also offer other promotions; learn more in our PNC Bank Review.
Bonus Restrictions
- Not eligible if you or any signer on the account has earned any other PNC promotional offer in the past 24 months.
- Not eligible if you or any signer on the account has an existing PNC consumer checking account or has closed an account within the past 12 months.
Account Fees
- Monthly fee: $15; waived if you meet any of the following conditions: $2,000 combined average monthly balance in Spend and/or Reserve accounts; $10,000 combined average monthly balance across linked PNC consumer deposit accounts; $2,000 in qualifying monthly direct deposits to your Spend account during the statement period ($1,000 for WorkPlace and Military Banking customers); account holder is a PNC employee
- Out-of-network ATM fee: $3 per transaction at non-PNC ATMs, not including third-party ATM fees; $5.00 for international ATM transactions; up to $5 reimbursement of ATM surcharge fees from other financial institutions
- Overdraft fee: $36 per item; limited to one per day
PNC Bank:PNC Virtual Wallet (Checking/Savings) – $100
- Bonus amount: $100
- Promotion expiration date: Dec. 08, 2025
- Qualifications: Direct deposit
Important
This bonus offer is only available to residents of select regions within PNC’s service area, such as ZIP code 10001 (in New York City).
How to Get the Bonus
- Use the promotional page link above to open a new Virtual Wallet account by the expiration date. You must either open an account online through the linked page above or request a coupon code to access the bonus when opening an account at a bank.
- Receive qualifying direct deposits of at least $500 within 60 days: Qualifying direct deposits include paychecks, pension payments, and Social Security payments, along with other regular sources of monthly income. Wire transfers and P2P transfers, including Zelle bank transfers, do not qualify.
- Receive the $100 bonus: The bonus should be deposited into your account 60 to 90 days after meeting the requirements; it’ll appear as “Credits Check Reward” on your statement. Your account must remain open to receive the bonus.1
This bank may also offer other promotions; learn more in our PNC Bank Review.
Bonus Restrictions
- Not eligible if you or any signer on the account has earned any other PNC promotional offer in the past 24 months.
- Not eligible if you or any signer on the account has an existing PNC consumer checking account or has closed an account within the past 12 months.
Account Fees
- Monthly fee: $7; waived if you meet any of the following conditions: $500 combined average monthly balance in Spend and/or Reserve accounts; $500 in qualifying monthly direct deposits to your Spend account during the statement period; account holder is 62 or older; account holder is a PNC employee
- Out-of-network ATM fee: $3 per transaction at non-PNC ATMs, not including third-party ATM fees; $5.00 for international ATM transactions
- Overdraft fee: $36 per item; limited to one per day
Important
Just like earning interest on a savings account, account bonuses are usually taxed as income. Be on the lookout for a Form 1099 from the bank at the end of the year. Even if you don’t receive this form, you can declare the bonus as additional income on Form 1040 Schedule 1 or in your tax software.7
Tip
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point at its Sept. 17 meeting. This is the first rate cut since December 2024 and lowers the federal funds rate to a range of 4.00%–4.25%. Committee members are projecting two more quarter-point reductions before the end of the year. Savings account rates closely follow the fed funds rate, which means interest rates are expected to come down if the Fed lowers rates.8910
How We Pick the Best Savings Account Bonuses
Investopedia’s research, compliance, and editorial teams regularly research and rank bank promotions. To determine our top savings account bonus recommendations, almost 200 data points were collected for over a dozen accounts, spanning 24 banks. Data was collected directly from bank and credit union websites. To be eligible for inclusion in our best list, a savings account bonus must be at least $100 and have a return on deposit of at least 2%.
Investopedia evaluates each promotion based on bonus amount, bonus requirements, and return on deposit, among other factors. Investopedia’s compliance and editorial teams track current and expired bank promotions to provide the most up-to-date information. This page is maintained constantly as promotions become available and expire.
