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If you’ve ever gotten a free sample from, say, Costco or Sephora, you know that a free sample can easily turn you into a regular buyer of a product.

Sign-up bonus apps work the same way, and they have the same goal. These apps are so confident you’ll enjoy their product that they’re willing to pay you just for signing up (and maybe completing a small task). So, worst-case scenario, you get a quick bonus from an app you don’t particularly like. Best-case scenario? You get paid to sign up for an app that you end up loving and using on the regular.

I’ve put together a list of great apps that offer up the best sign-up bonuses—some of them allow you to earn a little money (a few bucks here and there), and some of them offer huge bonuses (hundreds, even thousands of dollars)! 

What I love about these apps is that, in most cases, you’re going to find them useful regardless of their bonus. They allow you to invest smarter, save more, earn cash-back rewards for stuff you already do every day, and more.

Instant Sign-Up Bonuses—Our Top Picks


$5-$200 in Free Stocks
$10-$100 in BTC + $5-$1,000 in Stock
Get 15 Free Stocks Worth $30-$30,000
Primary Rating:
4.5
Primary Rating:
4.4
Primary Rating:
4.2
Free stock worth $5-$200.
Free stock worth up to $1,000.
Free stock worth $30-$30,000.
$5-$200 in Free Stocks
Primary Rating:
4.5
Free stock worth $5-$200.
$10-$100 in BTC + $5-$1,000 in Stock
Primary Rating:
4.4
Free stock worth up to $1,000.
Get 15 Free Stocks Worth $30-$30,000
Primary Rating:
4.2
Free stock worth $30-$30,000.

The Best Instant Sign-Up Bonus Apps


Below, I’ve listed a wide array of apps that all offer easy ways to earn a little (or a lot of) money quickly!

1. Robinhood ($5-$200 Free Stock Bonus)


robinhood sign up
Robinhood
  • Available: Sign up here
  • Platforms: Web, mobile app (Apple iOS, Android)
  • Promotion: Free stock worth between $5 and $200

Robinhood is a pioneer of commission-free trading, jumping into the investing public’s consciousness in 2013 when they rolled out commission-free trading. They remain a standout option for cost-minded investors thanks to their continued $0 commissions on stocks, ETFs, and options, as well as for its fractional trading, which allows people to invest with as little as $1.

→ How to get your free stock with Robinhood

Robinhood offers anywhere between $5 and $200 in free stock, just for signing up and linking an account.

Once you’ve signed up with this link and are approved for a brokerage account, simply link your bank account or debit card, and Robinhood will give you between $5 and $200 that you can use to buy fractional stock, chosen from a list of “20 of America’s leading companies.”

(Note: You must wait three trading days to sell your gift stock. Once you’ve sold your stock, you can use the money to buy other stocks right away. But if you want to withdraw the funds for cash, you have to wait at least 30 days.)

 

2. SoFi Invest (Bonus 1: $5-$1,000 of Stock, Bonus 2: $10-$100 of Bitcoin)


sofi invest signup
SoFi
  • Available: Sign up here
  • Platforms: Desktop, web, mobile (iOS, Android)
  • Promotion 1: $5-$1,000 in free stock
  • Promotion 2: $10-$100 in free Bitcoin

Invest as actively or as passively as you’d like with SoFi Invest.

The Active SoFi Invest Brokerage Account has no required minimum balance, charges no commissions on stock, ETF, and options trades, and its options trading is free of contract fees, too. SoFi also offers 24/7 trading of 30 cryptocurrencies, access to initial public offerings (IPOs), and fractional stock buying for as little as $5.

Want to put your portfolio on autopilot? SoFi’s robo-advisory services will create a portfolio for you free of charge (that can be designed to address one or several goals) and auto-rebalance it for you as necessary over time.

And one thing that sets SoFi apart is your ability to handle many financial tasks within the very same app. SoFi’s app allows you to tackle anything from banking and investing to student loans, insurance, and mortgages.

→ How to earn free stock from SoFi Invest

SoFi Invest allows you to win a randomly selected dollar amount worth of free stock: $5, $10, $25, $100, or $1,000. To qualify:

  1. Open a new brokerage account with SoFi.
  2. Fund your account with $10 or more within 30 days of the account opening.

Your bonus should post to your account in 10 business days.

→ How to earn free Bitcoin from SoFi Invest

You can earn between $10 and $100 worth of Bitcoin when you sign up and make your first cryptocurrency trade. Here’s how:

  1. Open a new account with SoFi.
  2. Buy a minimum of $50 worth of any cryptocurrency within seven days.

The following trade sizes earn the corresponding Bitcoin bonuses:

  • $50-$99.99 earns $10 worth of Bitcoin.
  • $100-$499.99 earns $15 worth of Bitcoin.
  • $500-$4,999.99 earns $50 worth of Bitcoin.
  • $5,000 or more earns $100 worth of Bitcoin.

 

3. Moomoo (15 Free Shares Worth $30-$30,000)


moomoo signup new
Moomoo
  • Available: Sign up here
  • Platforms: Desktop app (Windows, Mac), web, mobile app (Apple iOS, Android)
  • Promotion: 15 free stocks, each valued between $2-$2,000

Moomoo is a commission-free trading platform for stocks, ETFs, and options. While Moomoo is best for advanced traders, offering powerful tools to empower your trading insights and strategies, it takes a different approach from other similarly targeted platforms, favoring simple interfaces and high ease of use. The desktop platform is highly customizable, while the mobile app is straightforward, allowing you to search for stocks and trade with minimal hassle.

Still, Moomoo has more than enough under the hood for advanced traders to get the job done. Its charting system, for instance, includes 62 technical analysis indicators and 22 drawing tools. You can set up alerts based on changes in price, bids, turnover ratio, and more. Free Level 2 market data helps you get a greater understanding of a stock’s value, determine how liquid a stock truly really is, and better time your trades. You can even enjoy 24/7 financial news handpicked by Moomoo’s editorial team.

→ How to get your bonus with Moomoo

You can receive up to 15 free shares (collectively worth anywhere between $30 and $30,000) from Moomoo. Here’s how:

  1. If you open a new brokerage account with Moomoo and fund it with $100, you’ll earn five free stocks valued between $2 and $2,000 each.
  2. If you make a net deposit of $1,000 or more in the promotion period, you’ll get a total of 15 free stocks valued between $2 and $2,000 each.

Enjoy these free bonus shares by opening an account with Moomoo through our link and making a qualifying deposit.

 

4. Wealthfront ($50 for Funding an Automated Investing Account)


wealthfront signup
Wealthfront
  • Available: Sign up here
  • Platforms: Desktop web app, Apple iOS and Google Android.
  • Promotion: Get $50 when you fund a taxable automated investing account 

Wealthfront is a popular robo-advisor that offers numerous account types, including individual, joint, and trust taxable brokerage accounts, Traditional, Roth, SEP, and Rollover IRAs and 529 plans.

While some of its robo-advisor competitors have a relatively high minimum balance requirement of a few thousand dollars or much more, Wealthfront requires a fairly small initial deposit of $500 to open an account. (Again, that’s high for an investment account, but low for a robo-advisory product.) So if you don’t have a huge sum invested already to move into the account or to rollover from an existing account like a 401(k) or other IRA, this account might be a good choice.

Wealthfront offers some valuable perks with its accounts, including automatic tax-loss harvesting, automatic rebalancing, automatic trading, and the option to customize your expert-built portfolio. This top robo-advisor also offers access to a 529 plan (or the ability to link an external one to your account) to help with saving for educational expenses. This is an uncommon feature for most standalone robo-advisors outside of a traditional brokerage, so it’s well worth noting.

If you’re considering putting this on your shortlist, just note that Wealthfront does charge a 0.25% annual management fee across the board. That’s more affordable than some robo-advisors, but it’s also not free.

→ How to get your bonus with Wealthfront

To get your $50 deposit bonus from Wealthfront, you need to open and fund a new automated investing account (minimum $500 deposit). Learn more on Wealthfront’s website.

 

5. E*Trade ($50-$4,000 Deposit Bonus)


etrade signup invest
E*Trade
  • Available: Sign up here
  • Promotion: $50 – $4,000

E*Trade is a tried-and-true investing platform which has led the retail investing industry for many years.

Of note, E*Trade provides access to educational resources which can assist you with learning how to choose from your multiple investing options, conducting investment research software and analysis, trading stock futures and diversifying your portfolio.

They have additional trading options and data as a result of acquiring OptionsHouse. This can assist with making more-informed options investment decisions.

As another service, E*Trade also offers retirement planning to clients as well as in-person informational sessions annually in certain areas.

E*Trade has three platforms. All are free and have no minimum investment limit.

  1. Power E*Trade offers investors real-time data and studies.
  2. E*Trade Web provides live market commentary and stock analysis.
  3. E*Trade Pro gives you strategy scanners and back-testing.

Each program gives you access to a dashboard where you keep track of your accounts, investments, and make your trades. E*Trade does have small fees for options contracts and some fees involved with retirement accounts.

→ How to Get E*Trade’s Sign Up Bonus

Getting a free bonus from E*Trade only requires you to open an account and deposit/transfer/rollover funds: follow this link to open your account.  The E*Trade sign-up bonus ranges as follows:

Currently, the service offers a cash bonus in the following increments:

  • $50-$999 earns $100
  • $1,000-$49,999 earns $150.
  • $50,000-$99,999 earns $200.
  • $100,000-$199,999 earns $300.
  • $200,000-$499,999 earns $600.
  • $500,000-$999,999 earns $1,000.
  • $1,000,000-$1,499,999 earns $2,500.
  • $1,500,000 or more earns $4,000.

 

6. Upromise ($30.29 in Bonuses)


upromise signup

  • Available: Sign up here
  • Platforms: Web, mobile app (Apple iOS, Android)
  • Promotion: $30.29 ($5.29 for signing up, and $25 for linking a 529 plan)

Upromise makes it easier to save for your child’s future higher education expenses, and it has helped families save more than $1 billion for college to date.

After you create a Upromise account, you link it to either your 529 plan, or a checking or savings account. You can also apply for a no-monthly-fee Upromise Mastercard that earns you cash rewards when you shop online, eat at restaurants, and more. The service will automatically deposit both your cash rewards and any monthly contributions into your 529 plan or linked bank account.

You’ll also earn more in cash-back rewards with the Upromise Mastercard than you will with any other linked debit or credit card. Also, every month, Upromise gives five families a $529 college scholarship. Every dollar of earned rewards gets you an entry.

→ How to get your free money with Upromise

You’ll earn a $5.29 sign-up bonus simply for signing up with Upromise using our link and verifying your email. To receive an additional $25, you must:

  1. Link a 529 plan account within 30 days.
  2. Keep the account active through the first cash-back rewards redemption cycle.
  3. Make sure your cash-back rewards account balance meets the minimum transfer amount to be able to transfer rewards into the linked account.
 

7. InboxDollars ($5 Bonus)


inboxdollars signup new

  • Available: Sign up here
  • Platforms: Web, mobile app (iOS, Android)
  • Promotion: $5 sign-up bonus

InboxDollars helps users make extra money from doing simple tasks. Like with other money-making apps, brands pay InboxDollars for consumer opinions—which is where you come in.

You can earn free money by participating in several activities, including taking surveys and reading emails. You can also earn cash-back rewards for online shopping, spending on games, and even buying groceries.

This passive income app isn’t a substitute for a full-time job, but it’s a great way to earn some extra money with only a little additional work on your part.

→ How to get your free money with InboxDollars

Simply sign up with InboxDollars, and you’ll receive $5 instantly!

 

8. Webull ($60-$60,000 Free Stock Bonus)


webull sign up

  • Available: Sign up here
  • Platforms: Desktop app (Windows, macOS, Linux), web, mobile app (Apple iOS, Android)
  • Promotion: 20 free stocks valued between $3 and $3,000 each ($60 to $60,000 total)

Webull, which frequently runs promotions that allow investors to collect free stocks, has become one of the best stock apps for intermediate traders and investors, though many of its features are helpful to beginners as well.

For one, Webull remains friendly to wallet-conscious traders today. It costs nothing to open a Webull account. Stocks, ETFs, and options still trade commission-free. Many options have $0 contract fees. And Webull has no deposit minimums. On top of that, it offers fractional shares, which allows investors to start buying for as little as $1. So beginners working with small dollar amounts can still easily diversify across numerous investments.

→ How to get free stock with Webull

Currently, Webull is offering new users 20 free shares of stock worth between $3 and $3,000—so, the bonus is worth between $60 and $60,000.

To claim this potential bounty, you will first need to sign up through this link, open your account and make a deposit of at least $500. If you do, you will receive 20 fractional shares of stock from Webull.

Sign up at Webull today.

 

9. SoFi Checking and Savings Account ($50 to $300 in Free Cash)


sofi checking savings signup new

  • Available: Sign up here
  • Platforms: Web, mobile app (iOS, Android)
  • Promotion: Earn $50 to $300 in free cash

The SoFi Checking and Savings Account sounds like your run-of-the-mill bank account, but it’s more: It’s also a high-yield savings account that earns 10 times the national average percentage yield (APY) and more than the average high-yield account. Better still, it boosts your ability to save right off the bat by rewarding you with $50 to $300 upon sign-up.

Sofi Checking and Savings covers all of the basics: no monthly account fees, no minimum balances, and website and mobile app access. But it also has several perks that match or top the competition. Features include:

  • Early paycheck reception when you sign up for direct deposit
  • FDIC insurance of up to $2 million (vs. $250,000 for most accounts)
  • Up to 15% cash back when you spend with local retailers
  • No-fee overdraft coverage up to $50
  • Round-ups on debit card purchases, which are deposited into your savings “Vault”

And right now, you can get a head start on your savings with qualifying direct deposits.

→ How to get your free cash with SoFi

First, you’ll need to Sign up with SoFi. Then you’ll receive $50 in bonus cash if $1,000.00 to $4,999.99 is sent to your account within a 25-day period, starting from when you receive the first direct deposit. That number jumps to $300 when you receive $5,000 or more.

The higher cash bonus requires you to hit an admittedly high threshold, but the $50 is still a reasonable bonus for a much more manageable threshold.

 

10. Branded Surveys ($1 Bonus)


Branded Research sign up

  • Available: Sign up here
  • Platforms: Web, mobile app (iOS, Android)
  • Promotion: $1 sign-up bonus

Branded Surveys has paid out more than $36 million to more than 3 million users.

The surveys made available to you will depend on your interests and profile information, as well as what research partners currently need. Each survey earns points; you can cash out once you’ve accumulated at least 500 points. Depending on survey length, users make anywhere from 50 cents to $5 per survey. This is an easy way to make $5 fast.

You can use your points toward gift cards from more than 100 brands, receive cash in your PayPal or bank account, or even make a charitable donation.

→ How to earn free money with Branded Surveys

Simply sign up for Branded Surveys and you’ll receive 100 points, which is worth $1.

 

11. Chase Total Checking ($300 Bonus)


chase total checking signup

  • Available: Sign up here
  • Platforms: Web, mobile app (iOS, Android)
  • Promotion: $300 when you set up direct deposit

With Chase Total Checking, members get access to all of JPMorgan Chase Bank’s 4,700 branches, as well as more than 15,000 ATMs.

This is Chase’s most popular account for daily banking needs. Chase Overdraft Assist ensures no overdraft fee if you’re only overdrawn by $50 or less or if you’re overdrawn by more, but bring your overdrawn amount to $50 or less by the end of the next business day. Through the Chase Mobile app, users can pay bills, transfer money, deposit checks, and more.

The Chase Total Checking account comes with Zero Liability Protection, so you’re reimbursed for any unauthorized debit card transactions as long as you report the transactions promptly.

Just note that Chase Total Checking charges a high $12 monthly service fee unless you fulfill one of the following each month:

  • Have at least $500 in total electronic deposits from payroll providers or government benefit providers via the ACH network, Real Time Payment network, or FedNow, or third-party services that facilitate payments to your debit card through the Visa or Mastercard networks each month.
  • Have a balance at the beginning of each day of $1,500 or more in this account.
  • Have an average beginning day balance of $5,000 or more in any combination of this account and linked qualifying checking, savings, and other balances.

→ How to earn a bonus with Chase Total Checking

Chase Total Checking offers a $300 bonus to new customers who do the following:

  1. Open a Chase Total Checking account.
  2. Set up direct deposit within 90 days of coupon enrollment.
 

Best Apps for a Sign-Up Bonus: FAQs


How else can I get free money online?

Free money sign-up bonuses are an excellent way to get money instantly. All you have to do is sign up, and you’ll earn free cash. But, if you’re willing to put in a little extra effort, there are many other easy ways to earn cash online, including taking surveys, watching videos, and even playing games.

Which app gives the highest sign-up bonus?

The app that will give you the highest sign-up bonus depends on what additional actions you are able and willing to take after signing up. For instance, Chase Total Checking has a $300 bonus, but you must set up direct deposit to get it.

The sign-up bonus for a SoFi Checking and Savings Account is between $50 and $300, depending on how much money is sent to your account within the first 25 days. It only takes $1,000 to receive a $50 bonus, but to receive the highest bonus of $300, you need to receive $5,000 or more.

It’s possible to receive an extremely high sign-up bonus of up to $36,000 in free stock with Webull, but the reward is in stocks rather than extra cash. Also, it’s highly unlikely you’ll get the maximum value—users receive six to 12 free stocks valued between $3 and $3,000, and you’re significantly more likely to receive the lower-valued stocks than the ones worth thousands.

Do any apps offer a sign-up bonus with instant withdrawal?

A number of apps, including Webull, Moomoo, SoFi Checking and Savings, and Chase Total Checking generally allow you to withdraw your money whenever you want.

In a couple cases, you might have to wait to be able to withdraw your bonus, however. For instance, Acorns’ bonus investment could take up to five weeks to hit your account.

Do any apps offer a sign-up bonus with instant payout?

It’s very rare for an app to pay you within minutes of requesting a payout—some take hours, many more take days, and a few take more than a week.

Survey Junkie is one of the few that offer an instant payout. In my own personal experience testing the app, when I requested a digital gift card, it arrived within minutes.

But remember: While SurveyJunkie pays out instantly, it doesn’t offer instant withdrawal—that is, you have to hit certain points minimums before you’re allowed to request a payout.

Do any apps offer a sign-up bonus with instant withdrawal and instant payout?

Unfortunately, none of the apps I reviewed for this article offer both the ability to withdraw whenever you want and get paid instantly.

Do free apps pay real money?

Depending on the app, rewards vary. Some apps let you earn money that can be sent directly to a bank account. Others pay out rewards as PayPal cash, free gift cards, stocks, swag, or charity donations.

About the Author

Riley Adams is the Founder and CEO of WealthUp (previously Young and the Invested). He is a licensed CPA who worked at Google as a Senior Financial Analyst overseeing advertising incentive programs for the company’s largest advertising partners and agencies. Previously, he worked as a utility regulatory strategy analyst at Entergy Corporation for six years in New Orleans.

His work has appeared in major publications like Kiplinger, MarketWatch, MSN, TurboTax, Nasdaq, Yahoo! Finance, The Globe and Mail, and CNBC’s Acorns. Riley currently holds areas of expertise in investing, taxes, real estate, cryptocurrencies and personal finance where he has been cited as an authoritative source in outlets like CNBC, Time, NBC News, APM’s Marketplace, HuffPost, Business Insider, Slate, NerdWallet, Investopedia, The Balance and Fast Company.

Riley holds a Masters of Science in Applied Economics and Demography from Pennsylvania State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Finance from Centenary College of Louisiana.