Update 11/19/23: Bonus is now $200 + be entered into the Grizzmas Floor Seats Drawing. Hat tip to Samantha
Update 1/8/22: Deal is back. Hat tip to reader Andrew D
Offer at a glance
Maximum bonus amount: $200 Mastercard gift card
Availability: Presumably TN only, but the reader who sent it in tried a dummy Alaska address and it seemed to accept it so YMMV? Update: Looks like they are requiring most people to go in branch to verify identity so make sure you have a branch not too far away [Branch locator]
Direct deposit required: Yes, must be full paycheck or government benefits
Additional requirements: Minimum opening deposit of $100+
Hard/soft pull: Unknown
ChexSystems: Unknown, ChexSystems sensitive
Credit card funding: None
Monthly fees: $3, avoidable
Early account termination fee: None
Household limit: One
Expiration date: Direct deposit must post and clear by June 30th, 2020 July 31st, 2020 August 31, 2020 February 28, 2021
The Offer
Pinnacle Financial Partners is offering a checking bonus of up a $200 Mastercard gift card when you complete the following steps:
Open account online or in branch
Make a minimum deposit of $100
Set up a recurring direct deposit of your full payroll (or gov’t benefits) to your new account. One recurring direct deposit must post and clear your account by March 1, 2024
The Fine Print
Offer expires August 31, 2018.
This offer is for new Pinnacle checking households, or for households that have not had an open Pinnacle consumer checking account for at least 24 months.
Limit one bonus per household. Cannot be combined with other offers.
Must be 18 or older at time of account opening.
Offer is non-transferable.
Account is subject to approval.
To receive the $200 Mastercard® gift card, you must (1) open your account with $100, and (2) have at least one recurring direct deposit post and clear your account before Aug. 31, 2018.
Direct deposit is a recurring electronic deposit and must be your full payroll or government benefits.
The Mastercard gift card will be mailed to you via USPS within 2-4 weeks of meeting the qualified requirements.
Mastercard is a registered trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.
Please note: there is a monthly inactivity fee of $2.95 after 12 months of inactivity on your Mastercard gift card.
Bonus will be reported as income on IRS Form 1099-INT and is valued at $200 total.
Avoiding Fees
The easiest account to keep fee free is the Grizzlies Basic Checking account, this has a $3 monthly service fee that is waived with eStatements. Fee schedule says there is no early account termination fee.
Our Verdict
Previously they have offered $100 in Grizzlies tickets or $200 in titans gear. This deal is much better as the $200 gift card is much more flexible. We need to know whether it’s a soft pull to open and how flexible they are on the direct deposit requirement (e.g do any work arounds work?) before knowing if this is a good deal or not. Maybe it’s possible to fund with a credit card as well? If anybody knows or has any experience with this bank then please share in the comments below. For now I won’t be adding it to the best bank bonuses due to all the unknowns but it has the potential to be a goood deal.
Big thanks to reader, Josh H who let us know. Learn how to find bonuses and contribute to the site here.
Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
Bank Account Quick Reference Table (Spreadsheet) (very useful for sorting bonuses by different parameters)
PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
Introduction To ChexSystems
Banks & Credit Unions That Are ChexSystems Inquiry Sensitive
What Banks & Credit Unions Do/Don’t Pull ChexSystems?
How To Use Our Direct Deposit Page For Bank Bonuses Page
Common Bank Bonus Misconceptions + Why You Should Give Them A Go
How Many Bank Accounts Can I Safely Open Within A Year For Bank Bonus Purposes?
Affiliate Links & Bank Bonuses – We Won’t Be Using Them
Complete List Of Ways To Close Bank Accounts At Each Bank
Banks That Allow/Don’t Allow Out Of State Checking Applications
Bank Bonus Posting Times
Post history:
Update 5/2/20: Deal is back and valid until June 30th, 2020.