SoFiAn online bank that runs a recurring, tiered direct-deposit bonus. The rule is simple: bring $5,000 in direct deposits inside the window for the top tier. No branches, no monthly fee, and a strong APY when direct deposit is on.
SoFi
Bank & brokerage app · 5 live offers, $415 cash
SoFi has 5 live sign-up bonuses we track, the biggest $400. Every offer below is verified against SoFi's own terms and carries the date we last checked it. We take no affiliate placement, so what appears and in what order reflects the offers, not payouts.
What counts as a direct deposit
The bank's own definition: A recurring deposit of regular income (payroll, pension, or government benefits) from your employer, payroll or benefits provider, or a government agency, sent over the ACH network at least every 31 days.
Counts
- Employer payroll
- Pension payments
- Government benefits like Social Security
Does not count
- Bank ACH transfers from an external account
- Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, and Wise transfers
- Check deposits and wire transfers
- IRS tax refunds and merchant payouts (Stripe, Square)
There is no minimum amount, but the deposit must recur at least every 31 days and be coded as payroll or benefits, not a plain transfer.
Quoted from the bank's page and checked Jul 17, 2026.
Live offers
Self-Directed InvestingBrokerage · New money only1% matchEnds Aug 31Checking and SavingsSavings · Nationwide$400Checked Jul 17, 2026Savings AccountSavings · Nationwide4.50% APYChecked Aug 15, 2026InvestBrokerage · New money only1% matchChecked Jul 19, 2026Active InvestingBrokerage · 45-day hold$15 - $3KChecked Aug 15, 2026
Referral programs
What an existing SoFi customer earns for referring someone. The offers above are the other side, which is what a new customer gets.
| Program | You earn | Cap | Tax form |
|---|---|---|---|
Open and fund a SoFi Checking and Savings account confirmed Jul 21, 2026 | $75 to $100 | $10,000 per calendar year, per person | 1099-MISC |
Compare SoFi
Common questions
What sign-up bonuses does SoFi have right now?
SoFi has 5 live sign-up bonuses, the biggest $400. See the full list above, each verified against SoFi's own terms.
Does SoFi use ChexSystems?
Soft pull, no ChexSystems reported
Does opening a SoFi account affect my credit?
Soft pull to open
How SoFi bonuses have moved
Every tracked figure below is flat or down on its previous level. Each row shows where the current figure sits against its own history, not against any other institution.
Self-Directed Investing
now 1% match
Guides that cover SoFi
- The SoFi sign-up bonus guideSoFi runs one of the most reliable direct-deposit bonuses in banking, and two investing offers whose headline numbers are far larger than what you will actually get. This is how the $400 tier really works, what counts as a direct deposit here, and which of the three offers is worth your time.
- Bank bonus churning: a beginner's guideChurning is just earning sign-up bonuses on purpose, one after another. Done right it is a legitimate few thousand dollars a year. Here is how to start without tripping a rule.
- Do you owe taxes on bank bonuses?Short answer: usually yes. Bank and brokerage sign-up bonuses are taxable income, even if you never get a form. Credit-card welcome bonuses are mostly a different story. Here is how it works.
- How bank sign-up bonuses workBanks pay you a few hundred dollars to open a checking or savings account and do a little. Here is the real structure: what you have to do, what the fine print costs you, and how to pick one that is actually worth your time.
- How to avoid a ChexSystems denialIf a bank turned you down for a checking account, ChexSystems is usually why. Here is what it tracks, how to check and clean up your record, and how to still open an account and earn a bonus.
- How to choose the right sign-up bonus for youThere are more live bonuses than you can chase. A simple framework for picking the ones actually worth your time, in the right order.
- Seven mistakes that cost people their bank bonusThe bonus is easy to earn and easy to forfeit. These are the seven ways people do the work and still never get paid, and how to avoid each one.
- What counts as a direct deposit for a bank bonusThe single most common reason people miss a checking bonus is a deposit that did not code as a direct deposit. Here is what banks actually accept, what usually fails, and how to be sure.
Past offers
| SoFi Active Invest: up to $3,000 in stock | ended 2026-08-16 | 0 reports preserved |
