(WI + IL Only) $400 Checking Bonus at North Shore Bank – Optional Direct Deposit

Update 7/18/26: Offer back through 8/31/26.

Update 3/3/26: Offer valid until 3/31/2026.

Offer at a glance

• Maximum bonus amount: $300 ($20 per month)
• Availability: Must live, work, attend school or have immediate family in Wisconsin or Northern Illinois. It seems you have to live near a branch or they will open the account and then email you later saying it’s closed. Read the reviews for more details.
• Direct deposit required: OPTIONAL
• Additional requirements: 10 debit card transactions or a direct deposit
• Hard/soft pull: Soft
• ChexSystems: Unknown
• Credit card financing: ANY
• Monthly fees: $4.95+, negotiable
• Early account closure fee: $40 if closed within 180 days of account opening
• Family boundary: A
• Expiration date: March 31, 2018 May 31, 2018 July 31, 2018 September 30, 2018 November 7, 2018 February 5, 2019 July 31, 2020 August 31, 2020 October 31, 2020

Offers

Direct link to the offer (you may need to copy and paste the link)

• North Shore Bank is offering a $400 bonus when you open a new checking account with promo code “SUMMER26The bonus is divided as follows:
  • You get a $40 monthly bonus when you have 10 qualifying debit card transactions or a direct deposit on that statement loan. You can get this bonus for 15 months
• North Shore Bank offers a $400 bonus when you open a new DHE checking account saving with the promotional code “NorthEnd400FALL2020”. The bonus is divided as follows:
  • You get a $40 monthly bonus when you have 10 qualifying debit card transactions or a direct deposit on that statement loan. You can get this bonus for 10 months starting January 2021 (based on December 2020 statement activity)

Fine Press

• One new customer incentive bonus per person every 24 months.
• Offer excludes student checking account.
• New personal controller families only. Restrictions may apply.
• Cash bonuses will be credited to the new checking account each month after your statement cycles, provided you’ve had 10 qualifying debit card transactions or a direct deposit for that statement cycle. ATM transactions will not qualify.
• Direct deposit must be payroll, social security, pension or other government benefits. Fees may apply and may reduce earnings.
• Offer valid until 31.10.2020.
• The new check bonus will begin in January 2021 based on December 2020 statement activity.
• For tax purposes, a Form 1099 may be issued. Visit northshorebank.com for details. Eligible accounts will receive a $40 bonus every month after your statement cycles up to 10 months. When opening online use promo code NorthEnd400FALL2020.

Avoidance of fees

Monthly fees are waived on all their accounts for the first three months. If you close your account within 180 days of opening, they will charge you an early account termination fee of $40.

eChecking $4.95 monthly

This is waived by using a debit card and eStatements or direct deposit (wages or social security) and eStatements.

Better than Free $4.95 per month

This is waived with an average balance of $750 or $2,500 in relationship balances or any loan or direct deposit or 10 debit card transactions.

Our verdict

In the past they have offered bonuses up to $150. That bonus had no bonus requirements, as this bonus has requirements every month for 14 months. That said, this bonus is $300 versus $150, and meeting the debit card transaction requirements shouldn’t be too difficult for most people. It’s nice that keeping the account fee free is also quite easy (having $750 in deposit). Personally I think this $300 bonus is worth doing, because of that I will add it to the lis among the best control bonuses.

Useful posts about bank bonuses:

Post History:

• Update on 3/21/20. Postponed until March 31, 2021.
• Update 2/8/21: Available again until February 28, 2021. Hat tip to reader Seth
• Update 10/27/20: Offered again until October 31, 2020. Hat tip to KED
• Update 8/3/20: The deal is back until August 31st, this time only the $400 bonus is available (not the $300). You can also get 1.5% APY for 12 months. Hat tip to the reader Tom
• Update 6/22/20: The deal is back and now has a $400 checking/savings bonus. It also looks like you can get 3% APY for six months. Hat tip to reader Mark
• Update 12/5/20: Offer is back and valid through May 31, 2020. Hat tip to the reader Jack – NJ
• Update 3/15/20: The deal is back and good through March 31, 2020.
• Update 1/30/20: Offer is back until January 31, 2020. Hat tip Gadget – Geek Banking Bonus
• Update 2/4/19: Refundable and valid through February 5, 2019.
• Update 02/10/18: Valid until November 7, 2018
• Update 09/24/18: The bonus is back and available until September 30, 2018. Hat tip to the reader CorvetteLynnie.
• Update 09/06/18: Offer is back and available until July 31, 2018
• The offer is back and available until May 31, 2018. Thanks to reader DrBooyah.