Upgrade Bank
You Get: $200+
I Get: $50
Requirements: Sign up with referral and have DD over $1000 in 45 days
Chex: No
Expiration: 2024-12-02
My Experience
This was a very simple bonus for me (at the time it was $300, but that has since expired). I opened the account, transferred $1001 from my Schwab Brokerage account, and the bonus was deposited shortly thereafeter.
I personally didn’t stack this bonus. But it seems possible. You can stack with a $100 Swagbucks bonus and a $500 Credit Karma Line of Credit Bonus. Whenever you’re stacking bonuses, YMMV – but here’s what I’d recommend to maximize your chances:
- Sign up for line of credit (LOC) through CreditKarma
- Once you submit the form and receive pre-approval for the LOC, freeze your Transunion report. Do not click through to get a Rewards Checking account.
- Find Upgrade Rewards Checking on Swagbucks and click that link.
- Once the page loads from Swagbucks, replace the URL in the same tab with my referral (https://upgrade.com/r/7jXnAWGRgF)
- Sign up for the Rewards Checking account using that link.
- Do not use the LOC (be careful that the LOC and debit cards look the same), use the Rewards Checking debit card three times, and do a $1000 transfer from Schwab Brokerage for a fake direct deposit.
- (Hopefully) Receive $500 from Upgrade/Credit Karma, $200 from Upgrade Referral, and $100 from Swagbucks with no 5/24 impact
$50 for you, $200 for them! Offer Period for new customers to open an account ends on Dec 2, 2024. New customers qualify for a bonus by making direct deposits totaling $1,000 by 45 days post account opening. See additional Program Terms.
Skip to content Focus has been moved to the top of the screen Effective Date: 06/12/2024
Direct Deposit Checking Refer a Friend Program Terms & Conditions These Terms & Conditions (the “Program Terms”) set forth the terms and conditions of the Direct Deposit Checking Refer a Friend Program (this “Program”), pursuant to which existing checking or Premier Savings account customers can refer new customers to open a checking account through Upgrade, Inc. (“Upgrade”) and each customer may earn a bonus as described below. The Program is administered and offered by Upgrade.
These Program Terms apply only to the Program described herein. These Program Terms are in addition to any agreements between you and Upgrade, which are hereby incorporated by reference, including our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, and shall apply to your participation in this Program. Any other referral program will be treated as a separate referral program with separate terms, conditions and/or benefits. The Program, including Referral Bonus and Welcome Bonus amounts, may be modified or canceled at any time without notice to you.
Existing Customers Referral Bonus Existing Customer is a customer with an open checking or Premier Savings account through Upgrade (“Existing Customer”). As an Existing Customer, you can receive a Referral Bonus (defined below) after a New Customer (defined below) (1) uses your unique referral link to open a new checking account through Upgrade by the date presented to you (“Offer Period”), and (2) sets up direct deposits and makes $1,000.00 in Eligible Direct Deposits within forty-five (45) days from account opening (“Qualified Referral”). For each Qualified Referral, you will receive a referral bonus in the amount presented to you if the New Customer you referred opens a new checking account by the Offer Period and makes the requisite Eligible Direct Deposits (“Referral Bonus”).
Your unique referral link will be accessible in your Refer a Friend Dashboard. By sharing your unique referral link, you expressly acknowledge and agree that Upgrade may, in its sole discretion, disclose limited nonpublic personal information about you to any customer you refer for purposes of offering and servicing this Program.
The bonus will be applied to your Premier Savings or checking account as a one-time payout within 30 days of completing the above requirements. You may see the status of any Referral Bonus in your Refer a Friend Dashboard at any time, including whether the Referral Bonus is still pending or has been credited to your checking account. You must have a checking account that is open and in good standing in order to receive a Referral Bonus for a Qualified Referral. You can earn a maximum of ten (10) Referral Bonuses from all Qualified Referrals during the term of the Program.
New Customers New Customer is a customer who has never had a checking account through Upgrade and is not the same person as the Existing Customer (“New Customer”). As a New Customer, you can receive a Welcome Bonus (defined below) if you (1) use an Existing Customer’s unique referral link to open a new checking account through Upgrade, subject to account approval, by the Offer Period, and (2) set up direct deposit and make $1,000.00 in Eligible Direct Deposits within forty-five (45) days from account opening (“Qualified Registration”). If you complete a Qualified Registration, you will receive a welcome bonus in the amount presented to you when you open your checking Account if your account is opened by the Offer Period and you make the requisite Eligible Direct Deposits (“Welcome Bonus”).
By using an Existing Customer’s unique referral link to open a checking account or otherwise participating in this Program, you expressly acknowledge and agree that Upgrade may, in its sole discretion, disclose limited nonpublic personal information about you to the customer who referred you for purposes of offering and servicing this Program. In particular, the customer who referred you may know the status of your checking application (including whether you have a checking account) and activities that you must complete for a Qualified Registration. If you do not agree to the sharing of your personal information, do not sign up for an account through a unique referral link.
The bonus will be applied to your checking account as a one-time payout within 30 days of completing the above requirements. You may see the status of any Welcome Bonus in your Refer a Friend Dashboard at any time, including whether you have any to-dos left to complete or whether the Welcome Bonus has been credited to your checking account. You must have a checking account that is open and in good standing in order to receive a Welcome Bonus.
Additional Terms Program Changes or Cancellation. Upgrade reserves the right to modify or cancel the Program at any time in its sole discretion, including changing the value of the Referral Bonus and Welcome Bonus (collectively, “Rewards”), imposing caps on Rewards, or adding other limitations. By participating in the Program, including sharing or using a unique referral link under the Program, you agree to the most recent version of the Program Terms, which is available https://www.upgrade.com/funnel/borrower-documents/PROMOTION_AGREEMENT?productType=DEPOSIT&rewardProgramCode=DEP_CH_03 and on any page that allows you to refer a customer or to accept a referral. Any change or amendment to the Program shall be effective upon posting https://www.upgrade.com/funnel/borrower-documents/PROMOTION_AGREEMENT?productType=DEPOSIT&rewardProgramCode=DEP_CH_03.
Eligible Direct Deposits. An “Eligible Direct Deposit” is a recurring deposit to an account by Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) from the account holder’s employer, payroll, or benefits provider, or gig economy payer OR a deposit by Original Credit Transaction (“OCT”) from your gig economy payer. One-time direct deposits, including tax refunds, bank ACH transfers, bank verification or trial deposits, peer-to-peer transfers from services, such as PayPal or Venmo, merchant transactions, mobile check deposits, and cash loads or deposits are not “Eligible Direct Deposits.”
How Rewards are Redeemed. Rewards are redeemed once they have been credited to your account. Rewards are a gratuity from Upgrade and are not your property until redeemed.
Closing Your Account. If you or Upgrade, as servicer for its bank partner(s) (https://www.upgrade.com/bank-partners/) (the “Bank”), close(s) your checking account for any reason, any unissued Rewards will be forfeited.
Potential Tax Liability. Rewards may be reported to the IRS as taxable income. Please consult your tax advisor.
Limitation of Liability. NONE OF BANK, UPGRADE, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS OR CONTRACTORS MAKES ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE PROGRAM, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR INTENDED USE OR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND OTHERWISE ARISING BY LAW, CUSTOM, USAGE, TRADE PRACTICE, COURSE OF DEALING OR COURSE OF PERFORMANCE. YOU RELEASE BANK, UPGRADE, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS AND CONTRACTORS FOR ANY AND ALL LIABILITY IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY USE OF THE PROGRAM OR THE REWARDS.
Upgrade is a financial technology company, not a bank. Checking and savings accounts provided by Cross River Bank, Member FDIC. Upgrade VISA® Debit Cards issued by Cross River Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.