Good afternoon everyone and I hope your week is going well. One of my favorite resources for finding new bank account bonuses is Doctor of Credit’s Best Bank Account Bonuses page, which he updates frequently with the best offers available. That master list links to individual posts that break down everything you need to know about each bank account: bonus requirements, how to avoid monthly fees, when it’s safe to close an account, how frequently you can churn the account, and more. It’s an invaluable starting point for anyone interested in bank account bonuses.

For the past 11 years, I’ve been systematically opening new checking accounts, savings accounts, cash management accounts, and brokerage accounts to earn these new account bonuses. Each year, I tally up the results and share them here on the blog. Over that time, I’ve earned more than $30,000 in bank account bonuses!

Of course, these bonuses aren’t completely free money.  You’ll receive a 1099-INT or 1099-MISC each year and will owe taxes on the bonuses. That said, there are ways to stack the value. In some cases, you can fund an opening deposit with a credit card and earn miles, points, or cash back. If the timing works out, you might even meet a credit card minimum spending requirement or hit a spending threshold to unlock additional rewards.

Here’s a look at my results from the past 11 years, with links to each yearly recap:

• 2015: $1,175 (no post)
• 2016: $2,850 (summary)
• 2017: $3,700 (summary)
• 2018: $2,725 (summary)
• 2019: $1,000 (summary)
• 2020: $800 (summary)
• 2021: $3,600 (summary)
• 2022: $4,485 (summary)
• 2023: $3,685 (summary)
• 2024: $2,755 (summary)
• 2025: $3,475 (+ $2,304 from interest)

Drum roll please… here are the 9 bank accounts Laura and I opened in 2025 that paid out $3,475 in bonuses:

Here are a few additional notes about the above accounts:

• I’m keeping the US Bank Smartly Checking account open since I have two US Bank Smartly Credit Cards and the monthly fee is waived.
• I’m also keeping the Bank of America Advantage Checking account open because I earn a 10% relationship bonus on my Atmos Rewards Summit Credit Card, and it improves my odds when applying for additional Bank of America credit cards (7/24 vs 3/24).
• In addition, we have a Marcus Savings account (which earned $758 in interest) and a Poppy Bank Savings account (which earned $1,546 in interest). These interest earnings are not included in the bonus totals above.

Each account has their own unique requirements to complete to earn the bonus.  Some accounts require multiple debit card purchases each month, recurring direct deposits, or large opening balances. I don’t mind jumping through a few hoops like opening accounts, moving money around, changing direct deposits, tracking bonuses, and eventually closing accounts when it makes sense.

If you’re interested in earning bank account bonuses, I highly recommend checking out Doctor of Credit’s Best Bank Account Bonuses page to get started. And if you opened any bank accounts in 2025, I’d love to hear how much you earned (and whether your total was higher or lower than in previous years).

Thanks for reading and have a great week everyone!