[YMMV] Citi Cardholders $200 Checking Signup Bonus With Direct Deposit

Update 10/27/23: Looks like this might be publicly available at this link but YMMV.

Offer at a glance

• Maximum bonus amount: $200
• Availability: Targeted email offer
• Direct deposit required: Yes
• Additional requirements: None
• Hard/soft pull: Soft pull
• ChexSystems: Yes
• Credit card funding: None
• Monthly fees: $25-$30, avoidable
• Early account termination fee: None
• Household limit: None listed
• Expiration date: 4/4/2023

The Offer

Direct link to offer (requires unique offer code)

Citi is offering select cardholders the following deal:

• Existing Cardmembers can earn a $200 cash bonus when you open a new eligible Citi Checking Account and make at least two Enhanced Direct Deposits totaling $1,000 or more within 90 days of account opening.
  1. Open a new checking account in an eligible account package from 1/10/2023 –
     4/4/2023 and enroll in the cash bonus offer the day you open your account.
  2. Make at least two Enhanced Direct Deposits totaling $1,000 or more within 90 days of account opening.
  3. Your cash bonus will be deposited into your open, eligible Checking Account within 30 days after you successfully complete all required activities.

The Fine Print

• Offer valid 1/10/2023 to 4/4/2023.
• You must have received the offer directly from Citi to be eligible to participate in this promotion. Participation does not guarantee eligibility.
• You can only participate in one of the following offers when you open a new checking account: Enhanced Direct Deposit Checking Offer, Enhanced Direct Deposit Cardmember Checking Offer, Tiered Bonus Checking Offer (OBTA), Cash Tiered Bonus offer, Welcome Checking Cash Bonus Offer and Card Payer Consumer Checking Offer. Multiple enrollments in these offers may lengthen the amount of time it takes to pay you your cash bonus by as much as 90 days because you only will be awarded the offer with the highest bonus value.
• All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fees

Citi Basic Account Package has a $12 monthly fee, this is waived if you do any of the following:

• Make one qualifying direct deposit per statement period and one qualifying bill payment per statement period or
• Maintain a $1,500+ combined average monthly balance in eligible linked accounts
  Fee also waived when first listed account owner is 62 or older.

Early Account Termination Fee

In the past, Citi has not charged any ETF, and none is mentioned for this offer.

Our Verdict

This offer was sent out via email (from: [email protected]) to some Citi cardholders with an offer to signup for a new Citi checking account. There’s also a different Citi checking/savings offer of up to $2,000; that offer has a deposit requirement. Separately, some people got a $200 checking retention bonus today.

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