Busey Bank Bonuses: $200, $300, $500 Checking Promotions (IL)

Find the most recent Busey Bank bonuses, promotions, and offers here.

Update 10/12/26: Currently, they have an up to $500 bonus when you open a checking account and meet all the requirements valid through 12/31/26.

Busey Bank Bonuses Review

While they operate multiple business lines, they serve their customers as One Busey. Since Busey Bank opened their doors over 150 years ago, their core values have remained, creating a strong foundation and shaping their culture.

I’ll go over the Busey Bank offers below.

Busey Bank $500 Checking Bonus

You can receive a $500 bonus when you open a new checking account and meet the requirements.

• What you’ll get: Up to $500 bonus
• Eligible account: Checking Account
• Where it’s available: IL (Branch Locator)
• Credit Inquiry: Soft Pull or Hard Pull? Let us know.
• Direct Deposit Requirement: Yes
• Monthly Fee: $0-$12; waivable
• How to earn it:
  • Earn up to $500 bonus.
    • Open Foundation Checking account with the promotional code BETTERBUS1 or Pillar Banking account with the promotional code BETTERBUS2 and within the first 90 days of account opening, enroll in online banking, consent to eStatements, and send qualifying direct deposits to your new account to earn a cash reward.
      • $0 Reward Amount with less than $2,000 Total Qualifying Direct Deposits
      • $300 Reward Amount with $2,000 – $4,999.99 Total Qualifying Direct Deposits
      • $400 Reward Amount with $5,000 – $9,999.99 Total Qualifying Direct Deposits
      • $500 Reward Amount with $10,000+ Total Qualifying Direct Deposits
  • Earn $100 bonus.
    • Open a Foundation Checking account with promotional code BASICBUSEY and within the first 90 days of account opening, complete the following to earn a $100 cash reward:
    • Maintain $500 average daily balance for the first 90 days after account opening
    • Enroll in online banking with eStatements
    • Activate and use Busey Debit Mastercard for at least 20 purchases

(Expires 12/31/2026)

Fine Prit

• General Offer Disclosures: Offer valid for a limited time for accounts opened by December 31, 2026. Busey Bank reserves the right to modify or discontinue these offers at any time without notice.
• You are not eligible for these promotional offers if you are a current Busey personal checking account client, a Busey Bank employee, previously closed a personal checking account within the last twelve (12) months, or have received a personal checking account reward from Busey Bank at any time.
• Clients may qualify for only one promotional checking account offer. Promotional offers may not be combined. Only one offer per household.
• Rewards are considered interest and Busey Bank will issue an IRS Form 1099-INT (or other appropriate form). Please consult your tax advisor if you have additional questions.
• Direct Deposit Reward Disclosures: This offer is available only by using the promotional code “BETTERBUS1” for Foundation Checking or “BETTERBUS2” for Pillar Banking accounts opened online or in person at a Busey location.
• A qualifying direct deposit is an electronic deposit of regular monthly income such as your salary, pension, or government benefits (such as Social Security) from your employer, government, or other payer. Deposits made by teller/ATM/mobile deposits, wire transfers, debit card transfers, external transfers from other financial institutions, transfers from other accounts at Busey, bill pay transfers, or brokerage accounts, Person-to-Person and Account-toAccount transfers do not qualify. Direct deposit must be in the name of the account holder.
• After all the requirements are satisfied, Busey will deposit the earned reward directly into the checking account within one hundred thirty (130) days of account opening. The new eligible personal checking account must be open for at least 90 days prior to receiving the reward deposit and maintain a positive balance up to and including the date any reward is paid.

Busey Bank $250, $300, or $500 Checking Bonus (Expired)

You can receive up to a $500 bonus when you open a new checking account and meet the requirements.

• What you’ll get: Up to $500 Bonus
• Eligible account: Checking Account
• Where it’s available: IL (Branch Locator)
• Credit Inquiry: Soft Pull or Hard Pull? Let us know.
• Direct Deposit Requirement: Yes
• Monthly Fee: $0-$12; waivable
• How to earn it:
  • $500 Bonus Mortgage Relationship Pack for New Customers:
    • Open a new Busey checking account can earn up to $500 account opening bonus.
    • To earn the account opening bonus, set up Payroll or Government Direct Deposit.
  • $300 Bonus Military Banking Relationship Pack:
    • Open a new Pillar Banking checking account with payroll direct deposit and two other beneficial services like bill pay, a savings or money market account, or automated loan payment.
    • $100 minimum opening balance.
    • Proof of U.S. military service required.
  • $250 Bonus Mortgage Relationship Pack for Existing Customers:
    • Open a new Busey checking account can earn up to $250 account opening bonus.
    • To earn the account opening bonus, set up Payroll or Government Direct Deposit.

(No Expiration Date Listed)

Fine Prit

• Offer limited to one per household and cannot be combined with any other offer.
• Bonus is considered interest and will be reported on IRS Form 1099-INT.
• A new mortgage loan is required for bonus payment.
• Mortgage loan subject to credit approval and final underwriting.
• Household deposits include any checking, savings or money market account held in the name of either borrower, either individually or jointly.
• Relationship Pack must be completed within 18 calendar days of loan application to receive closing cost credit (to be applied at closing).
• FDIC Insured.

Busey Bank $1,000 Checking Bonus (Expired)

You can receive a $1,000 bonus when you open a new checking account and meet the requirements.

• What you’ll get: $1,000 Bonus
• Eligible account: Checking Account
• Where it’s available: IL
• Credit Inquiry: Soft Pull or Hard Pull? Let us know.
• Direct Deposit Requirement: Yes
• Monthly Fee: $0-$12; waivable
• How to earn it:
  • Open a new checking account at Busey Bank with a minimum opening deposit of $100
  • Must meet required bill pay, average monthly balance, and direct deposit transactions

Fine Print

• Bonus is paid as $250 every 90 days, maximum of $1,000 per customer and household in the first
  year after account opening at Busey.
• Bonus is considered interest and will be reported on IRS Form 1099-INT.
• Offer valid for new retail customers and households in Indianapolis market service area only.
• Busey employees are ineligible for this account promotion.
• $100 minimum opening balance; balance maintained in primary checking account is included when calculating the minimum on deposit.
• Account must be open and in good standing for at least 45 days before service may be added.

How To Waive Monthly Fees

• Student Checking: None
• Performance Money Market: None
• Foundation Checking: $5 monthly fee. No monthly fee with a direct deposit or average balance of $100.
• Pillar Banking: $12 monthly fee. Maintain a $3,000 daily minimum balance or $10,000 on deposit in any combination of other checking, savings or money market account balances
• StartFresh Checking: $9.95 monthly maintenance fee

Conclusion

I highly recommend checking out this bonus from Busey Bank if you live in the qualifying area. This is probably one of the highest checking account bonuses out there, and the requirements are rather simple. However, be sure to check with a CSR to find out any other details and if it triggers a hard or soft pull.

I would check out a list of our Savings, Money Market, and CD Rates to find other generous promotions you can utilize.

• Best Savings/Money Market rates
• Best CD Account rates

If you are not eligible for these promotions, use our bank bonuses page to find other offers. Some popular bank offers include Chase Bank, TD Bank, Huntington Bank, HSBC Bank and many more.

Feel free to comment on this post with any questions you may have about Busey Bank, their accounts they offer, or coupon codes.

Check back often for more Busey Bank Bonuses, Promotions, or Offers!