Free Checking
Anyone can join! Open an account and get $500
You have a bank, but you deserve better. Join Stanford FCU and experience the difference for yourself.
Why bank with them when you could thrive with us?
Stanford FCU says YES to your financial success through exclusive rates and offers just for you! Get $500 cash* when you open a free High Yield Checking account with up to 4.07% APY** on balances up to $50,000. Free ATMs, Zelle® and automated direct deposit & payment switching. Or get $250 cash* when you open a free Basic Checking account with easy switch direct deposit.


Free ATMs

Personal Service

Membership Rewards
Join today and get $500!*

Open a Stanford FCU checking account with payroll direct deposit and use the promo code NEW500 to sign up. Offer available from 11/1/23 to 12/31/23 to new members.
We’re non-profit and owned by our members, so all earnings are returned back to members
in the form of lower fees and loan rates, and higher deposit rates.
- Free checking with a free first box of checks (no balance or direct deposit requirements)
- Free ATMs on our Locator page—Ambassadors get unlimited free worldwide ATMs!
- Rewards credit cards with up to 3% cash back and no annual, foreign transaction or balance transfer fees
- Up to 1.00% rate discount on auto and personal loans
Learn more about membership rewards
- Free financial education through interactive online modules and webinars
- Earn extra cash by referring friends, family and co-workers (you each get $100!)
- Free investment portfolio analysis
Learn more about investments - We saved our members $25 million in 2020—view the full reportopens PDF file from the Credit Union National Association (CUNA)
“The personal relationships we’ve been able to build at SFCU have been very helpful when navigating our real estate purchases and sales. I was with my bank for over 20 years and never was able to build relationships as strong.”
—Daniel D.
Bigger isn’t better when it comes to banking—
see for yourself
Membership eligibility required. Rates and offers subject to change without notice. Federally insured by NCUA.
*Open a Stanford FCU checking account and use the promo code NEW500 to sign up for a minimum $5,000 monthly payroll direct deposit to receive the $500 or sign up for a minimum $2,500 monthly payroll direct deposit to receive the $250 cash. After three consecutive months and confirmation of your direct deposits, the $500 or $250 will be deposited into your account. Offer available to new members beginning 11/1/23 and ending 12/31/23. Cannot be combined with other offers. Not available for members with existing direct deposit.
**APY = Annual Percentage Yield. Balances up to $50,000 currently earn 4.07% APY. Balances $50,000.01 and higher currently earn 0.15%. Rates are variable and subject to change at any time. The interest is determined on the last day of each preceding month. If all requirements are met by month-end, then the interest will be paid at the current Qualified Rate on the last day of the following month based on the average daily balance of the account for that month. If the requirements are not met by the last day of the preceding month, then the interest will be paid at the current Non-Qualified Rate on the last day of the following month based on the average daily balance of the account for that month. Limit one High Yield Checking account per primary member. Monthly Requirements to earn the Qualified Rate: (a) receive at least $5,000 in combined direct deposits in the member’s Stanford FCU accounts, and (b) spend a minimum $2,500 on the member’s combined Stanford FCU debit and credit cards with the same primary account owner as the High Yield Checking Account. Deposits and purchases must post by the last day of each month to qualify.
Grace period: During the first two months of opening a new High Yield Checking Account the interest will be earned at the current Qualified Rate, and the account requirements at the end of the second month will be used to determine the rate paid on balances in the third month. Existing checking accounts that convert to a High Yield Checking Account will not have a grace period.