Your reward will be deposited into your new Patelco checking account by December 30, 2025, after you’ve met the criteria listed above.
Earn $300 when you
switch to Patelco checking1
Make the most of your banking relationship and earn $300 when you open a Patelco checking account with direct deposit.
Get started with Free CheckingHere’s how to earn $300
2
Set up qualifying Direct Deposits
Online via Patelco Online™ or by providing your employer with this form.
3
Receive Direct Deposits
Minimum of $500 per month, over two consecutive months (by November 30).
Save more. Manage better
No fees, more savings
No minimums, no overdraft fees2
Early payday with direct deposit3
Set up direct deposit and access your funds up to 2 days early
30,000+ Free ATMs Nationwide
Find one near you on our top-rated Mobile App4
CashBack+
Purchase in-app digital gift cards with up to 20% cash back. Learn more.
Pay and send money with ease and security
Debit Mastercard® lets you shop with zero liability protection and Zelle® lets you send money quickly
RoundUp
Automatically grow your savings with every purchase you make
Learn more about our qualifying products
Want to learn more about our checking and high-yield money market account? Click on the buttons below to explore some of our basic product features and to apply online in minutes!
Free Checking
Take advantage of no fees or minimums with our everyday, worry-free checking account.
Interest Checking
Earn interest on an everyday account and easily waive the monthly fee.
Plus Checking
A one-of-a-kind checking account with exceptional benefits and discounts.
Money Market Plus
Combine with checking to earn an outstanding rate as high as 4.00% APY5 on your savings.
Frequently Asked Questions
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This is a special invitation to experience the Patelco checking difference, and thank you for your loyalty. Earn a $300 bonus in by completing the following activities:
- Open a Free, Interest Checking or Plus Checking account by September 30, 2025.
- Set up and receive qualifying direct deposits of $500 or more per month for 2 consecutive months (totaling $1,000 or more) by November 30, 2025.
If you receive your direct deposits by October 31, 2025, you’ll receive your bonus on November 30, 2025. Otherwise the deadline to receive all direct deposits is November 30, 2025, and your bonus will be deposited into your checking account on December 30, 2025.
We don’t charge a monthly fee or require a minimum balance to waive the monthly fee for our Free Checking account.
The Interest Checking account has a $5 monthly fee, which is waived with a minimum daily balance of $500 or if you set up a monthly direct deposit of $100 or more.
The Plus Checking account has a $6.95 monthly fee and comes with benefits at great value, so you don’t have to pay more for protection elsewhere. For comparison, cell phone insurance typically costs $7-10 per month. Identity Guard Family costs $12.50 – $34.99 per month. Roadside assistance costs $50-$156 a year.It’s easy to switch or even split your direct deposit to your Patelco checking account in just a few steps. Log in to our Mobile App or Patelco Online™ to get started. Click here to set up your Direct Deposit or watch this step-by-step demo to learn more.
You can also download the Patelco Direct Deposit authorization form and fill it out manually. Give the completed form to your employer or benefit provider. Remember to use the correct account number formats. In Patelco Online™ tap on your checking account, then select the Account Details tab (look for Account Number for Direct Deposit and ACH Transactions).
All Members who set up direct deposits into their Patelco checking, savings, or money market accounts can get paid up to 2 days early3 — so you can access your funds faster.Yes. You need to have a Patelco checking account and deposit a minimum of $500 total each month to the checking account to qualify for the higher rate in your Money Market Plus account. Upon opening your Money Market Plus account, you’ll have up to 3 months to meet this requirement.
You’ll automatically enjoy the higher APY based on the deposit tier you maintain during those 3 months.
If you don’t have a Patelco checking account or if you have a Patelco checking account but don’t meet the monthly $500 minimum deposit requirement, your Money Market Plus account will earn the Regular Savings interest rate currently at 0.05% APY.
The good news is once you establish the $500 deposit during a month, you will receive the higher interest rate the following month, based on the deposit balance you maintain. Direct Deposit is an easy way to maintain the $500 recurring deposit each month.
More details may be found in our Account Overview.Yes. Your money is insured by NCUA for up to $250,000 (or $500,000 in a joint account for two people).
Like the FDIC, NCUA provides federal insurance for credit union accounts, while the FDIC provides insurance for bank accounts.Access over 30,000 fee- free ATMs nationwide through our extensive network, including most 7-Eleven stores® (compared to 15,000 Chase ATMs)! Find one near you at patelco.org/locations or on your Mobile App.
Your checking account connects you to CashBack+ in our Mobile App, where you can purchase gift cards from top brands for groceries, gas, travel and more, with up to 20% cash back.
Pay with Ease and Confidence
Patelco checking comes with a free Debit Mastercard® that lets you make purchases easily and securely:
- Secure, contactless purchases with Debit Mastercard
- Load your card to Apple Pay®, Google Pay®, or Samsung Pay®
- Zero Liability and Extended Warranty on purchases
- Mastercard Global Service™ emergency card replacement
- Overdraft protection link to a credit line or a Patelco account
Prefer talking to someone?
Make an appointment to visit a Patelco branch near you. Or meet with a team member online using our Virtual Branch — where you can drop in or schedule a video appointment to meet from the comfort of your home or office.
1 Valid for the recipient of this offer only for new checking account opened during promotional period of July 14, 2025 to September 30, 2025. Checking account subject to approval. In order to qualify for the $300 bonus, you must meet the following criteria: 1) be a Patelco primary member as of July 10, 2025 without a primary checking account 2) Open a Patelco primary checking account by September 30, 2025 3) Set up and receive a minimum of two (2) qualifying direct deposits totaling $500 or more per month over two consecutive months into your new Patelco checking account for direct deposits totaling $1,000 or more by November 30, 2025. Qualifying direct deposits are electronic deposits of payroll (paycheck), government benefits payments, Social Security, pension or other income received through the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) Network. Deposits that do not qualify include, but are not limited to, internal Patelco account to account transfers, check deposits, peer-to-peer transfers (e.g., transfers from Zelle®, PayPal, Venmo, etc.), ATM or branch deposits, ATM transfers, or remote deposits. If you meet the requirements by October 31, bonus will be deposited into your new checking account on November 30, 2025. If you meet the requirements by November 30, bonus will be deposited into your new checking account on December 30, 2025. Must be 18 and over to qualify. Available on Free, Interest, or Plus Checking accounts only to the recipient of this offer. Limit one incentive payout per primary checking account. Membership and accounts must be open and in good standing with direct deposit at time of bonus credit. If you receive $600 or more in prizes from Patelco throughout the year, we’ll send you an IRS Form 1099. Cannot be combined with other promotions (except for Refer-a-Friend referral bonus).
2 No monthly or minimum fee on Free Checking. You must enroll in Instant BackUp on your checking account to receive overdraft coverage up to $500. You’ll pay interest only on the amount you borrowed for the amount of time it’s outstanding. Talk to our Patelco team for assistance and learn more here. No overdraft fees applies to checking accounts opened after 04/05/2023.
3 Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing of the receipt of the payment file from the payer. We generally make these funds available on the day the payment file is received up to 2 days earlier than the scheduled payment date.
4 Source: over 22,000 five-star reviews on the App Store.
5 APY=Annual Percentage Yield. Rates are effective as of 06/01/2025 and are subject to change before or after account opening without notice. Rates vary by tier and apply to the full balance.
The following variable interest rates will apply to your account balance: 4.00% APY on balances of $250,000.00 or greater, 3.75% APY on balances between $100,000.00 and $249,999.99, 3.51% APY on balances between $50,000.00 and $99,999.99, 3.00% APY on balances up to $49,999.99.
In order to attain higher interest rates the account must meet the eligibility requirements, that is a Patelco checking account (opened under the same Member Number) with a total monthly deposit of $500 or more. If the account fails to meet eligibility, the lower interest rate of 0.05% will be defaluted for that month. Qualifying deposit transactions include: Payroll direct deposits, Social Security (or other government benefit) direct deposits, ACH transfers, Zelle, Venmo, PayPal or other similar deposits, cash deposits, check deposits (except checks written from another Patelco account), wire transfers, multiple deposits (of the types listed above) that add up to at least $500 in a calendar month. Qualifying deposit transactions do not include Patelco account-to-Patelco account transfers, chargebacks or promotional incentive payments from Patelco.
For more details, read our Money Market Plus Account Overview.