If your business is under a year old, the best business checking bonus right now is Axos: $200 for keeping $3,000 in the account, with no monthly fee. Got more cash to park? Truist pays $800 for $10,000 if your business address is in one of its states, and Axos pays up to $600 on a bundle.
Every bonus here has the same catch. You have to leave a chunk of cash in the account for 60 to 90 days. So skip the question of which bank pays the most and ask how much you can leave alone, and for how long. The table below lines that up for each offer, and the sections after it cover the fine print. Lili and Novo sit at the bottom. They pay nothing to open, but they cost you nothing every month either.
Business Checking Bonuses Compared
Here’s every bonus on this page side by side, with what you have to do and when it ends.
| Bank | Bonus | What you do | Deadline | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Axos Business Checking | $200 | Keep a $3,000 average daily balance in 4 of your first 5 months | Jan 31, 2027 | Businesses under a year old |
| Axos Business Bundle | Up to $600 | Open checking and savings together, keep $50,000 in savings | Jan 31, 2027 | Owners with $50,000 to park |
 Truist Business Checking | $400 or $800 | Deposit $2,500 or $10,000 in 30 days and hold it to day 90 | Mar 24, 2027 | Owners in Truist states |
 PNC Business Checking | $400 or $1,000 | Keep a $2,000 average balance and make 10 transactions for 3 months | Dec 31, 2026 | Owners who can keep $2,000 handy |
 Bank of America Business Checking | $400 to $2,500 | Deposit $5,000 to $200,000 in 30 days and hold it to day 90 | Nov 30, 2026 | Owners moving a big balance |
 M&T Business Checking | $300 to $1,500 | Keep a $5,000 to $100,000 average balance in your third month | Nov 30, 2026 | Owners with $5,000 or more |
| Axos Rate Boost | Up to 3.91% APY | Pair checking with Premium Savings, keep $5,000 in checking | Apr 1, 2027 | Savers who want a rate, not cash |
 Lili Business Checking | No bonus | $0 a month on the Core plan | None | Solo owners and freelancers |
 Novo Business Checking | No bonus | No monthly fees or minimum balance | None | Invoicing and contractor pay |
Terms come from each bank’s own offer page. Offers disappear from this page when their deadline passes.
The Bonuses, One by One
Axos Basic Business Checking: $200 Bonus
For businesses under a year old
Axos is an online bank, and Basic Business Checking has no monthly maintenance fee, no minimum balance and no opening deposit. You also get unlimited transactions and unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements.
- Open Basic Business Checking with promo code START200
- Keep a $3,000 average daily balance. Each $50 needs that balance for the statement cycle, and you can earn it in any four of your first five cycles, up to $200 total
- Your business has to be less than a year old when you apply, and you have to fund the account within 60 days
- Keep the account open 180 days or an early closure fee of up to $200 can apply
Worth it if your business is new and you can leave $3,000 sitting there for a few months. It’s $200 on cash that would sit in checking anyway. Skip it if your business is over a year old, because you won’t qualify.
Axos Bank, Member FDIC. The bonus may be taxable and reported on a 1099. Want interest on checking instead? Axos's Business Interest Checking pays up to 1.01% APY on balances up to $49,999, takes $100 to open and charges $10 a month unless you keep a $5,000 average daily balance.
Axos Business Bundle: Up to $600 Bonus
For owners with $50,000 to park
The bundle pairs Basic Business Checking with Business Premium Savings on one application, and neither account has a monthly maintenance fee.
- Open both accounts on one application with promo code SBB600
- Each statement cycle, deposit $1,000 or more from an outside account into checking, make two debit card purchases of $50 or more, and keep a $1,500 average in checking and a $50,000 average in savings
- Every cycle that checks all four boxes pays $100, up to six times
- You have to be a new Axos business customer, with no Axos promotion on any account in the 12 months before you open
Worth it if you already hold $50,000 or more in business cash and want it earning in savings while you collect. Skip it if you can’t keep $50,000 there for six months, because the bonus shrinks with every cycle you miss.
Axos Bank, Member FDIC. Open between October 1, 2025 and January 31, 2027. Terms are Axos's and can change.
Axos Rate Boost: Up to 3.91% APY on Savings
For owners who would rather earn a rate than cash
Promo code BOOST41 on the same pair of accounts gets up to 3.91% APY on Business Premium Savings for 6 statement cycles (3.50% APY plus a 0.41% boost). After that the rate goes back to the standard APY.
- Open Basic Business Checking and Business Premium Savings on one application with code BOOST41
- Keep a $5,000 average daily balance in checking
- New businesses only, opened October 1, 2026 through April 1, 2027, and you can’t have held Business Premium Savings before October 1, 2026 or any account with Axos Bank or UFB Direct
- One offer per business: BOOST41 can’t be combined with SBB600 or any other offer
Worth it if you have savings to move and care more about the rate than a one-time check. Skip it if you want the $600, since you only get one of the two.
Axos Bank, Member FDIC. Rates are variable.
Truist Business Checking: Up to $800 Bonus
For owners in Truist’s states
Truist pays $400 or $800 when you open a new Simple Business Checking or Dynamic Business Checking account. The more you deposit, the more you earn.
- Open Simple Business Checking or Dynamic Business Checking with the offer's single-use promo code, applied when you open the account
- $400: deposit at least $2,500 within 30 days and keep at least $2,500 from day 30 through day 90
- $800: do the same with $10,000. It pays as two $400 deposits
- You have to be a new Truist business checking customer, with a business address in AL, AR, FL, GA, IN, KY, MD, MS, NC, NJ, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV or DC
- The reward lands within 10 business days after you qualify
Worth it if you’re in one of those states and can leave $10,000 alone for about three months. That’s $800 on $10,000. Skip it if your business address is outside Truist's area, because the address rule is strict.
Apply on Truist's own site: truist.com, small business section.
Truist may report the reward to the IRS. Terms are Truist's and can change.
PNC Business Checking: Up to $1,000 Bonus
For owners who can keep $2,000 handy
PNC has two tiers. The small one only asks for a $2,000 average balance, the lowest balance on this page for a $400 bonus.
- $400: open Business Checking or Business Checking Plus. For each of your first three statement cycles, keep a $2,000 average ledger balance and make at least 10 qualifying transactions
- $1,000: open Treasury Enterprise Plan or Analysis Business Checking and keep a $30,000 average ledger balance for each of the first three cycles
- The monthly fee on Business Checking is $12, or $0 with qualifying activity. Business Checking Plus is $22, or $0
Worth it if you run steady card or ACH volume, because 10 transactions a month are easy to hit. Skip the $1,000 tier unless you really keep $30,000 in the account.
Apply on PNC's own site: pnc.com, small business section.
Terms are PNC's and can change.
Bank of America Business Checking: Up to $2,500 Bonus
For owners moving a big balance
The bonus grows with the new money you bring. $5,000 is the entry point.
- Open Business Advantage Fundamentals Banking or Business Advantage Relationship Banking with the offer code, online through the offer page or with a banker
- Deposit new money within 30 days of opening: $5,000 pays $400, $15,000 pays $700, $50,000 pays $1,000, $100,000 pays $1,500 and $200,000 pays $2,500
- Keep the balance for your tier from day 31 through day 90 after opening. Drop below $5,000 on any day and you lose the bonus
- Bank of America tries to pay within 60 days after you qualify
Worth it if you’re moving real money anyway. The bigger tiers pay less for every dollar you tie up, so $5,000 for $400 is the best rate on the chart. Skip it if you can’t leave the cash alone until day 90.
Apply on Bank of America's own site: bankofamerica.com, small business section.
Terms are Bank of America's and can change.
M&T Bank Business Checking: Up to $1,500 Bonus
For owners with $5,000 or more in one balance
M&T pays by the size of your average balance in the third full month after you open.
- Open a Business Checking account by November 30, 2026 with promo code BD, which applies on its own when you open online
- Keep an average ledger balance of at least $5,000 in your third full month: $5,000 pays $300, $15,000 pays $500, $30,000 pays $750 and $100,000 pays $1,500
- The bonus is credited by the end of the fourth month
Worth it if you already have a $5,000 cushion and can wait about four months for the money. Skip it if you need the cash fast.
Apply on M&T's own site: mtb.com.
Terms are M&T's and can change.
Lili and Novo Skip the Bonus and Keep Your Costs Low
These two won’t pay you to open an account. Neither sign-up page shows a bonus, so don’t go in expecting one. So why are they here? Because a bonus is a one-time check, and what the account costs you every month after that matters more.
Lili Business Checking: $0 Core Plan, No Bonus
For solo owners and freelancers
Lili built its Core plan for solo owners. It costs $0 a month and needs no minimum deposit. You get business checking with a Visa debit card, ACH, check and wire payments, and a savings account, with support seven days a week. Lili is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking is through Sunrise Banks, N.A., Member FDIC, and balances are covered up to $3 million through a network of sweep banks.
- $0 a month on the Core plan, no minimum deposit
- Visa debit card, ACH, check and wire payments
- The accounting, tax prep and invoicing tools are on the Smart and Premium plans only, listed at $35 and $55 a month. Pro, listed at $15, adds expense and tax management, including automatic tax savings
- Don’t count on the 4.00% savings rate Lili advertises. Its own footnote says that rate applies to balances over $500,000, and balances up to that earn 2.25%. Rates are variable, so check the current one before you move money
Worth it if you freelance or run a small online business and want $0 a month plus checking, savings and a tax set-aside in one place. Skip it if you want cash for opening an account. Axos and the banks above pay one.
Lili is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking by Sunrise Banks, N.A., Member FDIC.
Novo Business Checking: No Monthly Fees, No Bonus
For invoicing and contractor pay
Novo has no monthly fees and no minimum balance. It’s a fintech, not a bank. Banking services come from Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A., Member FDIC, and eligible deposits are insured up to $5 million through that bank and its sweep network.
- No monthly fees and no minimum balance
- Free invoices with automatic reminders, and vendor payments by ACH, wire or check
- A cut of every deposit can go into a tax reserve, and the account works with Stripe, Square and QuickBooks, among others
- Novo also offers payroll for W-2 employees and 1099 contractors, so check what that costs before you count on it
Worth it if you invoice clients, pay contractors and want that built into the bank instead of paying for separate software. Skip it if a sign-up bonus is the reason you’re switching.
Novo is a fintech, not a bank. Banking by Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A., Member FDIC.
How Business Checking Bonuses Work
Almost every offer works the same way. You open the account with a promo code, bring in a set amount of money, and leave it there until a date the bank picks. Then the bank pays you, usually a few weeks later.
The money has to be new. Many offers count only cash that was not already at that bank, so moving funds between accounts you already have there won’t move you toward the bonus. Axos asks for $1,000 or more from an outside account every cycle on its bundle.
Bigger bonuses usually come in tiers. Bank of America pays $400 at $5,000 and $2,500 at $200,000, which is about 8% of your deposit at the bottom and about 1.25% at the top. Truist is a cleaner example: $800 on $10,000 is 8% of the money you tie up, for roughly three months of waiting.
The bonus is a one-time payment and the fee is not. A $12 or $22 monthly fee at PNC wipes out a chunk of a $400 bonus within a year unless you meet the waiver rules, and Axos Basic Business Checking has no monthly maintenance fee at all.
Tips Before You Open One
- Read the deadline and the state rules first. Truist only takes business addresses in its states, and the Bank of America and M&T offers end November 30, 2026.
- Put the promo code in when you open the account. Truist and Bank of America both say it has to be applied at opening and can’t be added later.
- Put day 90 on your calendar. At Truist and Bank of America, dropping below the balance before then costs you the bonus.
- You get one Axos offer per business. START200, SBB600 and BOOST41 don’t stack.
- Plan for tax paperwork. Axos says its bonus may be reported on a 1099, and Truist says it may report the reward to the IRS. Count it as business income.
- Keep business and personal money apart from day one. It keeps your books cleaner and your business look more real to a lender.
What to Look For in a Business Checking Account
The best business checking account features are similar to those of personal checking accounts. However, these perks can be even more critical for a business to run, since you’re typically counting every penny.
Most business checking accounts come with specific fees and limitations. For example, they may require an opening deposit. This can largely depend on what type of bank they are, such as a national, regional, or local bank. You’ll also gain access to ATMs and other included tools, though you may be subject to certain limitations.
Many business checking accounts include the ability to open a business savings account as well. High-yield savings accounts are the most sought-after, as they make the most of your business savings as you work.
Some of the best business checking accounts are those that will grow with your business so that you can continue to offer more services with the support of your financial institution. As your small business grows, you can integrate new services with your business checking account to keep the ball rolling.
FAQs
It depends on how much cash you can leave in the account. For a business under a year old, Axos pays $200 for a $3,000 average daily balance. With $10,000 to park, Truist pays $800 if your business address is in one of its states. Check the deadline on each card before you open, because offers drop off this page when they end.
Only for the Axos $200 offer, which needs a business formed less than a year before you apply. Truist, for example, asks only that you be a new business checking customer of the bank, so an older business can qualify if it has never banked there.
Axos Basic Business Checking has no monthly maintenance fee and no minimum balance. Lili's Core plan is $0 a month, and Novo has no monthly fees. PNC charges a monthly fee unless you meet a waiver rule, so check the rules before you open.
It’s cash that isn’t already at that bank. Many offers count only new money, so moving funds between accounts you already have there won’t count. Axos asks for a $1,000 deposit from an outside account every cycle on its bundle.
Usually, yes. Axos says its bonus may be reported on a 1099-MISC or 1099-INT, and Truist says it may report the reward to the IRS. Treat it as business income and ask your accountant how to book it.
Bottom Line
Pick the offer that fits the cash you can really leave alone. A new business with $3,000 should start with Axos. Someone with $10,000 in a Truist state should look at the $800. And if you just want a cheap account with no bonus hoops, Lili or Novo will do it. Chase, Huntington, U.S. Bank and BMO don’t show a business checking bonus on their own sites right now, so they are not on this list.
If you like these offers, see the best business checking accounts, or look at the U.S. Bank, Chase and Bank of America promotion roundups. For personal accounts, the best bank account bonuses are a good next stop.
