[PA] Citadel Bank – $350 Checking Bonus

Update 9/9/24: Bonus now $350, but requires $2,000 in direct deposits.

4/20/24: Deal is back until December 31, 2024

Offer at a glance

  • Maximum bonus amount: $400
  • Availability: Must live, work, worship, or study in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia Counties, or the city of Lancaster, PA or if  a member of your family or household is already a customer, no matter where you live.
  • Direct deposit required: $500+
  • Additional requirements: See below
  • Hard/soft pull: Soft
  • ChexSystems: Unknown, sensitive
  • Credit card funding: Up to $500
  • Monthly fees: None
  • Early account termination fee:
  • Household limit: One per lifetime
  • Expiration date: July 21st, 2018 September 15th, 2018 None listed March 16th, 2020 January 8, 2022

The Offer

Direct link to offer

  • Citadel Bank is offering a bonus of up to $350 when you open a new checking. Bonus is broken down as follows:
    • Receive $300 when you receive a direct deposit of $2,000 or more within 60 days of account opening. Use promo code BONUSFB2024
    • Receive $100 when you open a Citadel High Yield Savings account (minimum balance of $10,000, also must be maintained for 30 days ) or Citadel credit card (minimum credit limit of $1,000)

 

The Fine Print

  • All standard account requirements apply.
  • The Cash Bonus offer may not be combined with any other offer. Offer available to new checking customers only.
  • Customer must not have closed a Citadel checking account within the last 12 months and/or received a checking sign-up bonus or award previously.
  • Limit one offer per household per lifetime.
  • To qualify for $300 Cash Bonus, a direct deposit of $500 or more must post to new checking account within 60 days of account opening. Direct deposit transactions are limited to payroll, social security, and government benefits.
  • For the additional $100 Cash Bonus, checking Cash Bonus offer requirements must be met, and customer must open any Citadel credit card with a limit of at least $1,000 and/or open a Citadel High Yield Savings account.
  • Minimum balance required to open Citadel High Yield Savings – $10,000.
  • Minimum balance must be maintained in the High Yield Savings account for at least 30 days after account opening in order to receive the additional $100 bonus.
  • Limit one additional $100 Cash Bonus per account.
  • To receive Cash Bonus(es), customer must contact Citadel by calling (877) 780-1615 or visiting a branch after completing requirements for each bonus.
  • Checking account must be open for 60 days before Cash Bonus is awarded.
  • Cash Bonus will be awarded after sixty days, once Citadel confirms the requirements have been met.
  • Account must be in good standing at time of incentive processing in order to receive Cash Bonus.
  • Cash Bonus must be requested within 60 days of meeting the promotion requirements.
  • Cash bonus may be reported on a 1099-INT.
  • Offer expires July 21, 2018.
  • This limited time offer may be withdrawn or changed at any time.

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fees

They offer a free checking account with no monthly fees to worry about.

Early Account Termination Fee

Citadel bank does not charge any early account termination fees from what we could find.

Our Verdict

Opening a credit card will almost certainly result in a hard pull, so that isn’t worth doing. The high yield savings account earns 1.5% APY, so it isn’t worth keeping long term but it might make sense to open and keep funds in there for 30 days to trigger the $100 bonus. Previously they had a $250 checking bonus with no direct deposit requirement. Personally I’d take $50 less to not have to deal with the direct deposit requirement, but no gaurantees that bonus comes back and some people might prefer the extra $50. I do think this is worth doing if you live in an eligible area, so I’ll be adding this to our list of the best checking bonuses.

Big thanks to reader, Z Nut who let us know. Learn how to find bonuses and contribute to the site here.

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:

Post history:

  • Update 2/3/24: Deal is back but $300 this time. Valid until JAN243008. Valid until March 12, 2024
  • Update 6/28/23: New link for $325.
  • Update 3/15/23: Extended until December 31, 2023
  • Update 1/12/23: Extended until March 14, 2023.
  • Update 4/17/22: Deal is back and valid until December 31, 2022. Hat tip to alopez14
  • Update 1/13/22: Deal is back and valid until March 31, 2022. Hat tip to reader Jim
  • Update 11/14/21: Deal is back and valid until 1/8/22.
  • Update 2/2/20: Deal is back, but this time the $100 savings bonus not available.
  • Update 09/16/18: As far as I can see, there is no end date listed anymore.
  • Update 08/26/18: Deal is back and valid until September 15th, 2018. Hat tip to reader Tyler.
    William Charles
  • On April 20, 2024, 13:00
Tags: credit card fundingdirect deposit requiredpa bank bonusessoft pull

View Comments (405)

  • It expired ast of 11/13/2024.

    "Choose from either our Free Checking or Cashback Rewards Checking account and use promo code SEPT2435017 by November 12, 2024. Once you make qualifying direct deposits2 totaling $2,000 or more and your account has been open for 90 days, your bonus will be deposited!1"

  • I signed up on Sep 5th when it was $300. There was nowhere in the fine print when I signed up I could find this language in above post:

    "To receive Cash Bonus(es), customer must contact Citadel by calling (877) 780-1615 or visiting a branch after completing requirements for each bonus.".

    Have you guys had to call in to get the reward after making the qualifying direct deposit?

  • I'm not sure why people asking for referrals only leave their emails when names are also required. I'm willing to bet name+email is how they track referrals ands possibly why Tornado below has had such a hard time.

    Also the referral offer requires 10 debit card transactions in addition to the $250 DD.

    If anyone wants a referral email me at

    hear117156@gmail.com

    With your first and last name and the email you will use for the app. Remember that you MUST be in footprint regardless of a referral. Don't waste both of our time by applying if not in footprint.

  • I've been intending to try this one again (got a bonus in 2016) and just happened to stop by a branch yesterday. They are apparently instituting a new campaign to increase memberships and accounts. If you are in the footprint and would like a referral, let me know. At $450 it's a really nice deal with only one hoop to jump through.

    Here is the new code and details on the bonus, which is stackable with the $100 refer-a-friend bonus GC:

    We've got two different checking accounts, so you can find the one that's built for you. Both are simple, secure, and easy to open online. Right now, you'll also get a boost to your budget with a $350 bonus* when you use promo code SEPT2435013 by November 12, 2024. Once your account's been open for 90 days and you've set up qualifying direct deposit(s) totaling $2,000 or more, your bonus will be deposited.

    * $350 New Account Cash Bonus (Cashback Rewards and Free Checking Account): Open a new checking account and earn a $350 cash bonus deposit for qualifying direct deposit(s) totaling $2000 or more posting to the new checking account within 90 days of account opening. A qualifying direct deposit is defined as a recurring electronic deposit into checking account of payroll, pension, Social Security, government benefits, or other eligible regular monthly income made through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network.
    Promotional code must be applied at the time of account opening to receive the incentive offer(s), given all requirements above are met. Checking account must be open for 90 days before checking bonus(es) will be awarded. Bonus deposit(s) will be automatically deposited into your Citadel checking account if the account is in good standing at time of incentive processing. Cash bonus is subject to all applicable taxes and are the responsibility of the member. The value of this bonus will be reported to the IRS and the recipient is responsible for any federal, state, or local taxes on this offer.
    New account cash bonus offer available to qualified new checking customers only. Customer must not have closed a Citadel checking account within the last 12 months and/or previously received a checking new account bonus. Limit one offer per household per lifetime. Offer may not be combined with any other new account offer. Offer not available for business accounts. New account cash bonus offer expires November 12, 2024, and may be modified or withdrawn at any time.

    They are also offering a business bonus from $300- $1,000. Here is the link:
    https://www.citadelbanking.com/business-banking?deviceId=4dbfedbe-a833-4666-b9a0-c7539717b847

    @2

    • You should be good getting the bonus again. 2016 was before they switched to crediting the bonus to the account and was instead paid out as points. I got the bonus in 2017 & 2022

  • As of today, 9/9, the bonus has increased to $350 but now needs a $2,000 DD w/in 90 days. Refer-a-friend is $100 for both parties. You MUST live, work or worship w/in the footprint in order to be a member.

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