$15 monthly fee for Max-Rate Checking (waivable with qualifying requirements)
Regular Checking: No monthly maintenance fee
Max-Rate Checking: $15/month (waivable with $5,000 average monthly balance)
Basic Checking: No monthly maintenance fee
Checking: $0 monthly maintenance fee
Max-Rate Checking: $15 monthly maintenance fee (waivable with $5,000 average monthly balance)
Only one Checking or Max-Rate Checking account eligible for bonus
Cannot open both account types simultaneously
Promo code CHECKING25 must be applied at account opening
Direct Deposit must be regular recurring income deposits (salary, pension, government payments) via ACH Network
Does not include incoming wires, check deposits, P2P transfers (PayPal, Venmo), or merchant transactions
Only primary account holder (first signer on joint accounts) is eligible for the bonus
Morgan Stanley Private Bank may verify Direct Deposit activity and require additional documentation
For joint accounts, only the primary account holder (first signer) receives the bonus
Promo code CHECKING25 must be used at account opening
Direct deposits must be regular recurring deposits of income from employer or government agency
Does not include wires, check deposits, P2P transfers, Zelle, internal transfers, or merchant transactions
Bonus will be assessed and processed after first 90 days, which can take up to 30 days additional
Bonus posting expected on or about day 120 from account opening
Direct Deposit means regular recurring deposit of income to account holder's account
Direct deposits must be regular recurring deposits of income (salary, pension, government payments) through ACH; other types of deposits do not qualify
No minimum initial deposit required to open
Account must be funded within 30 days to remain open
Direct Deposit must be regular recurring deposits of income through ACH Network (not wires, P2P transfers, mobile deposits, or merchant transactions)
Bonus status assessed after 90 days, processing can take up to 30 days additional
Gaming/abuse of offer (e.g., maintaining low balance, no regular transactions) may disqualify from bonus
Offer only valid for one account per individual; cannot be combined with other checking offers
Bonus may be reclaimed if account is closed within 6 months of opening
Direct deposits must come from employer, payroll provider, or government agency through ACH Network — other transfers (P2P, wire transfers, Zelle, etc.) do not count
Before opening this account, compare the bonus against direct deposit rules, monthly fees, minimum balance requirements, and any clawback period after payout.
Open a new Checking or Max-Rate Checking account with promo code CHECKING25
Make at least 2 direct deposits of $1,500 or more each within 90 days of account opening
Open a new Checking or Max-Rate Checking account
Use promo code CHECKING25 at account opening
Common pitfalls
New customers only
Not eligible if owned/co-owned a Checking or Max-Rate Checking account within the last 12 months
One bonus per individual and jointly owned account
Account must be funded within 30 days of opening
What makes this offer different
What makes this bank offer different
This is a bank-bonus fit for users who can satisfy a deposit rule quickly; the key comparison point is whether the required deposit type matches your normal cash flow.
Bonus value versus similar offers
The sign-up bonus is below the current nearby $1,500 median, so the requirements and any referral or portal stack matter more.
Requirement clarity
Credolix has extracted 4 requirements for this offer, so compare the bonus against the actual steps rather than the headline payout alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to qualify for E*TRADE Checking Bonus?
The qualifying period listed for E*TRADE Checking Bonus is 90 days from account opening.
✓Direct deposits must be regular recurring income deposits (salary, pension, government payments)
✓Open new Checking or Max-Rate Checking account
✓Apply promo code CHECKING25 at account opening
✓Make at least 2 direct deposits of $1,500 or more each within 90 days of opening
✓Promo code CHECKING25 must be applied at account opening
✓At least two Direct Deposits each of $1,500 or more within 90 days of account opening
✓At least 2 direct deposits of $1,500 or more each within 90 days of opening
✓Fund account within 90 days of account opening
✓Direct Deposits must be regular recurring deposits of income (salary, pension, government payments)
✓Open a new Checking or Max-Rate Checking Account from Morgan Stanley Private Bank
✓Receive at least two direct deposits, each of $1,500 or more, within 90 days of account opening
✓Direct deposits must be regular recurring deposits of income (salary, pension, government payments) via ACH Network
✓Make at least 2 direct deposits, each of $1,500 or more, within 90 days of account opening
✓Direct deposits must be regular recurring deposits of income (salary, pension, government payments) through ACH Network
✓Two direct deposits of at least $1,500 each within 90 days of account opening
✓Account must be funded within 30 days of opening to remain open
✓Open a Checking or Max-Rate Checking account with promo code CHECKING25
✓Account must be funded within 30 days to remain open
✓Set up and receive at least 2 direct deposits, each of $1,500 or more, within 90 days of account opening
✓Receive at least 2 direct deposits each of $1,500 or more within 90 days from account opening
✓Direct deposits must be regular recurring deposits of income (e.g., salary, pension, government payments) through ACH Network
✓Account must be funded within 30 days of account opening
⚠
⚠One per individual (not jointly owned, though joint accounts can be opened)
⚠No Max-Rate Checking account ownership or co-ownership within the last 12 months
⚠Must open account online
⚠Individual and jointly owned Checking or Max-Rate Checking accounts only
⚠Must not have owned or co-owned a Max-Rate Checking or Checking Account within the last 12 months
⚠One offer per individual or joint account
⚠New U.S. residents only
⚠Account must be funded within 90 days of opening
⚠One per individual
⚠Must have no ownership of Checking/Max-Rate Checking account in last 12 months
⚠New customers only (no E*TRADE checking account in the past 12 months)
⚠One bonus per individual or joint account
⚠Account must be funded within 90 days of account opening
⚠Account must remain open and in good standing to receive bonus
⚠Excludes non-U.S. residents
⚠One account per individual per 12 months
⚠No prior checking account ownership in last 12 months
⚠Promo code CHECKING25 required at account opening
⚠One per household
⚠Not eligible if you have or had owned or co-owned a Checking or Max-Rate Checking Account within the last 12 months
⚠Individual and jointly owned accounts only (opened online)
⚠New customers only — not eligible if you have owned or co-owned a Checking or Max-Rate Checking Account within the last 12 months
⚠One per individual (one newly opened Checking or Max-Rate Checking account eligible per offer period)
⚠Individual and jointly owned accounts only; only primary account holder of joint account is eligible
⚠Account must be funded within 30 days of account opening
⚠New customers only — no Checking or Max-Rate Checking account ownership in last 12 months
⚠One bonus per individual (one bonus per household for joint accounts, only primary account holder eligible)
⚠Valid for individual and jointly owned accounts opened online only
⚠One bonus per individual
⚠No account ownership in the last 12 months
⚠Individual or joint accounts (primary account holder only for joint)
⚠Online accounts only
⚠One bonus per customer
⚠Only for individual and jointly owned accounts opened online
⚠New customers only — must not have owned or co-owned a Checking or Max-Rate Checking Account within the last 12 months
⚠Only the primary account holder of a joint account is eligible
⚠One per household — cannot be combined with other checking offers
Only one newly opened Checking OR Max-Rate Checking account per customer is eligible
Account assessment and bonus processing occur after 90 days and can take up to 30 days
Direct Deposit must be regular recurring income (salary, pension, government payments) through ACH Network
Excludes non-U.S. residents
Only one checking offer allowed at a time; cannot be combined with other checking offers
E*TRADE may assess gaming or abuse (e.g., deposit activity not made in good faith, maintaining low balance, not conducting regular banking transactions)
Only the primary account holder is eligible for bonus on joint accounts
Cannot open both Checking and Max-Rate Checking at the same time for bonus eligibility
Direct deposits must be regular recurring income via ACH
Offers cannot be combined with other checking promos
For joint accounts, only primary account holder receives bonus
Direct Deposits do not include: incoming wires, check deposits, mobile check deposits, P2P transfers (PayPal, Venmo), merchant transactions, Zelle payments, Real-Time Payment network transactions
Only one newly opened Checking OR Max-Rate Checking account eligible per offer
Cannot be combined with other checking offers
Account eligibility assessed after first 90 days; bonus processed within 30 days thereafter
Cannot be combined with any other checking offers
Cannot open and enroll both Checking and Max-Rate Checking at the same time under this offer
Invalid direct deposits include wires, P2P transfers (PayPal, Venmo), merchant transactions (PayPal, Stripe, Square), Zelle payments, and other non-ACH sources
Bonus treated as income/interest for tax purposes
May be forfeited if account shows signs of abuse, misuse, or gaming activity
Status assessment and processing occurs after first 90 days, taking up to 30 days
Non-qualifying direct deposits (P2P transfers, wires, check deposits, PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, etc.) do not count
Banking products provided by Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association, Member FDIC
Direct deposits must be regular recurring deposits of income (salary, pension, government payments)
ACH transfers, P2P transfers, wire transfers, and check deposits do not count
Bonus assessment occurs after first 90 days; processing takes up to 30 days additional
The bonus is treated as income and subject to taxation
If account shows gaming, abuse, or misuse, bonus may be forfeited
Cannot combine with other checking offers
Bank account bonuses are treated as taxable income
Account subject to fraud review and verification
E*TRADE reserves the right to deny bonus if account shows abuse or gaming (e.g., low balance, no regular banking activity)
Direct Deposits that are not regular recurring deposits of income do not constitute Direct Deposit activity, including wires, check deposits, mobile check deposits, P2P transfers (PayPal, Venmo), merchant transactions (PayPal, Stripe, Square), Zelle payments, Real-Time Payment network transactions, or Transfer Money transactions