[Northeastern PA only] Fidelity Bank $525 Checking Bonus

Update 8/25/25: Deal is back active at $525. Hat tip to reader Gorb

Update 1/15/22: Deal is back, now $525.

Update 9/19/20: Deal is back, no end date listed. There is now a savings requirement as well. Hat tip to Gadget.

Update 4/20/20: Bonus increased to $500. Direct deposit required increased from $2,500 to $3,000 per month. eSatement and debit card transactions also added. Hat tip to reader Yo

Offer at a glance

• Maximum bonus amount: $500
• Availability: Northeastern PA only
• Direct deposit required: Yes or recurring credit of $2,500 per month for three consecutive months
• Additional requirements: See below
• Hard/soft pull: Soft
• ChexSystems: Yes
• Credit card funding: Up to $500, all credit card payment networks are accepted (e.g Visa, Mastercard, American Express & Discover)
• Monthly fees: $2-$7, waivable
• Early account termination fee: 180 days, unknown
• Household limit: None
• Expiration date: None listed

The Offer

Direct link to offer

• Fidelity Bank is offering a bonus of $200 when you open a new checking account and complete the following requirements within 150 days of account opening:
  • Set up your account with direct deposits or recurring credits of $2,500 per month for three consecutive months
  • client is enrolled in EZ Statements and
  • 15 point-of-sale debit card transactions per month are completed
• Use your Fidelity Visa® Debit Card at qualifying merchants an additional 60 times over a 3 consecutive month period and earn $100
• Open a new Fidelity Bank savings account at the same time with a minimum of $15,000 and earn an additional $200.
• Open your new Fidelity Bank checking account online and earn $25

The Fine Print

• Offer valid for new personal checking account customers only.
• A $500.00 deposit will be made into your Fidelity Bank checking account when direct deposits or recurring credits of $3,000.00 per month are received for a minimum of three (3) consecutive months.
• Requirement must be satisfied within one hundred and fifty (150) calendar days of account opening.
• Deposit will be made on the first (1st) business day after one hundred and fifty (150) calendar days from account opening.
• Minimum deposit to open a checking account may range between $25.00 and $1,000.00, minimum balance requirements and monthly service charges depend on which checking account is chosen.
• Please consult your Fidelity Banker for specific product information. Minimum balance requirements and fees may reduce earnings.
• The annual percentage yield (APY) for Performance Checking or Platinum Checking accounts is 0.05% if balance requirement of $2,500.00 is met. APY is current as of May 20, 2019 and may be rescinded or changed at any time.
• Rates are variable and may change at any time.
• Bonus will be reported on IRS Form 1099-Misc.
• Cannot be combined with any other offer.
• Customers may only receive one new checking account and savings account opening-related bonus per calendar year.
• All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

Reliance Checking $7 Monthly Fee

This account is the easiest to keep fee free, the $7 monthly charged is waived if you do any of the following:

• $1500 average daily balance OR
• $400 aggregated monthly direct deposit
• or ten (10) signature based Fidelity Visa® Check Card transactions

Early Account Termination Fee

There is a fee if closed within 180 days, but I’m unsure what this fee is.

Our Verdict

Previous best bonus was $200, that required a savings account but lower direct deposit/recurring credit. This new bonus is significantly better because the bonus is $400 and the direct deposit/recurring credit isn’t that difficult to meet. Because of that we will be adding this to our list of the best bank bonuses.

Hat tip to reader Jeff L

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:

• A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
• Bank Account Quick Reference Table (Spreadsheet) (very useful for sorting bonuses by different parameters)
• PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
• Introduction To ChexSystems
• Banks & Credit Unions That Are ChexSystems Inquiry Sensitive
• What Banks & Credit Unions Do/Don’t Pull ChexSystems?
• How To Use Our Direct Deposit Page For Bank Bonuses Page
• Common Bank Bonus Misconceptions + Why You Should Give Them A Go
• How Many Bank Accounts Can I Safely Open Within A Year For Bank Bonus Purposes?
• Affiliate Links & Bank Bonuses – We Won’t Be Using Them
• Complete List Of Ways To Close Bank Accounts At Each Bank
• Banks That Allow/Don’t Allow Out Of State Checking Applications
• Bank Bonus Posting Times