Update 7/12/26: The $300 bonus is refundable until September 15, 2026.
Update 5/3/25: The deal is back, this time for $350. Valid until July 3, 2025. Hats off to him ShawntheShawn
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: 250 dollars
- Availability: TN, GA, AL. Must live near a branch otherwise opening a checking account will not be possible
- Direct deposit required: Yes, $1,000+
- Additional requirements: ANY
- Hard/soft pull: Gentle pull
- ChexSystems: Unknown, sensitive
- Credit card financing: ANY
- Monthly fees: ANY
- Early account closure fee: ANY
- Family boundary: ANY
- Expiration date:
April 29, 2019June 28, 2019July 3, 2025
Offers
- FirstBank offers a $300 bonus when you open a new checking account and meet the following requirements:
- Post and redeem a total of $1,000 or more in direct account deposits during one statement cycle through December 31, 2026.
- On the last day of the statement cycle in which the qualifying direct deposit requirements are met, the account balance must be $0.01 or more
Fine Press
- The offer is extended from February 15, 2019 to April 29, 2019.
- This offer may be modified or canceled at any time.
- To claim the $250 opening bonus: Open a new eligible FirstBank customer checking account (eligible accounts are highlighted at FirstBankOnline.com/250Bonus).
- Keep the account in good standing for 60 days.
- Have a single monthly ACH direct deposit of at least $300 after 60 days from account opening date.
- Complete all requirements on or before October 31, 2019.
- Customers with an existing FirstBank current account are not eligible for this bonus offer.
- You must not have closed a FirstBank current account within 180 days of the offer start date (15 February 2019).
- Limit one (1) bonus per customer.
- Registration and participation in this promotion does not automatically guarantee eligibility.
- Bonus Processing: Upon meeting the bonus qualification requirements, the $250 account opening bonus will be credited to the new FirstBank checking account up to eight (8) weeks after all qualifications have been met.
- The $250 bonus will appear on the monthly checking account statement when the bonus is credited to the account holder’s checking account.
- Bonus is limited to one (1) per customer.
- If a bonus is earned, it will be reported to the IRS as interest, in the year received, as required by applicable law and will be reported on IRS Form 1099-MISC for the year received. Customer is responsible for any applicable taxes and consultation with a tax advisor.
- For additional fees, see our FirstBank consumer fee schedule. This offer is non-transferable and cannot be combined with any other offer.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you must pay tax on them
Avoidance of fees
Monthly fees
The Essential Checking Account has no monthly fees to worry about as long as you choose paperless statements.
Early account termination fee
I couldn’t find any mention of an early account termination fee at fee schedule.
Our verdict
Seems like a good deal considering it’s a soft withdrawal and no monthly fees to worry about. It’s annoying that you have to live near a branch to be able to open a checking account, but this deal is still worth doing if you qualify. I will add this to our best check bonus site. If anyone has any specific experience with this bank, then please share your experiences in the comments.
Hat tip to reader Andrew D
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