$525 Checking Account Bonus With Chime and InBoxDollars

Chime is an app with a debit card tied to an online checking account without any particularly noteworthy spending bonuses. It does have some terrific new account and referral bonuses, however.

Currently, Chime has an InBoxDollars offer that pays $525 on new account enrollments. InBoxDollars is a portal similar to Swagbucks or MyPoints that gives you rewards “cash” which you can redeem for 3rd-party gift cards – one of which is PayPal. This means that, for those with a PayPal account, rewards can effectively be cashed out.

The $525 is awarded in two chunks – $25 when you successfully enroll for Chime and $500 after completing two, $200 “direct deposits.”

The Deal

• Earn $525 InBoxDollars (worth $525 cashed out via PayPal) when clicking through and opening a new Chime account, then receiving two “direct deposits” of $200 or more.
  • Expires 3/31/25

Direct link to offer (InBoxDollars landing page)

Key Terms

• Must complete the following steps:

1. Sign up with Chime between 2/28/25 and 3/31/25 to earn $10 Cash Back.
2. Download the Chime App.
3. Access your new Chime account number and routing number from the app.
4. Add your Chime account number and routing number to your payroll contact or service to make payroll direct deposits into your Chime account.
5. You must have at least two (2) consecutive qualifying payroll direct deposits of at least $200 each to your Chime account to earn $500 Cash Back. The first payroll direct deposit must be received within 30 days of your account signup date.*

• Other terms which are applicable:
  • Must be a new Chime member and enroll via the offer link above between 2/28/25 and 3/31/25 to earn. Offer may be completed only one (1) time per user.
  • Must set up qualifying payroll direct deposit and receive two (2) consecutive qualifying payroll direct deposits of more than $200 each, the first one of which must be received within 30 days of your Chime signup date.
  • The Qualifying Direct Deposit is a deposit of $200 or more by Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) that comes from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer OR a deposit by Original Credit Transaction (OCT) from your gig economy payer. NOTE: Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer-to-peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, wire transfers, and cash loads or deposits are NOT qualifying payroll direct deposits.
  • Allow up to 31 days from the date of the first payroll direct deposit into your Chime account for your award to be credited to your account.
  • After the 31-day period has elapsed, if you still have not received your reward, please contact our Help Center promptly and provide proof of your qualifying activity.

Quick Thoughts

I don’t do deals that require me to actually change direct deposit information, but in most cases there are multiple options as to what the bank/service will credit as a “direct deposit.” Doctor of Credit has a very useful page listing data points of what counts as a direct deposit with Chime, and my primary bank was one whose transfers worked.

The entire process takes less than five minutes and there is no hard pull.  However, this screen that pops up is worth noting:

Don’t auto-agree as the bottom two options as that will enroll you in a secured credit card that you almost surely don’t need.

(h/t: DOC)

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