9 Investing Apps That Will Give You Free Shares of Stocks

I’ve been busy grabbing free stocks from online stock trading platforms over the last few years. These investing apps will give you free stocks just for creating an account and funding it with as little as $1. One will even give you a bonus for simply linking your bank account (no deposit required).

Give your investment portfolio a boost by grabbing these free stock offers today. I’ll go over the stock trading apps that will give new users free shares of stock.

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission at no cost to you if you decide to make a purchase through my links. Visit this page for more information. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

Many people are interested with the idea of starting an investment portfolio, but don’t know where to begin. Buying your first share of stock can be stressful.

What if I told you that you could get free stocks? It’s yours to keep and costs you nothing. There are companies that offers free stocks simply for trying out their trading app.

The stock apps mentioned below not only give you free stocks for signing up, but many of them will also teach you how to buy and sell stocks, provide a platform to trade for free, and give you a head start on building your portfolio.

Online Stock Trading Platforms That Give Free Stocks


Moomoo logo

1. Moomoo

Moomoo is a relative newcomer compared to other stock trading apps. The app was just released in 2019, but it offers a unique value proposition compared to their competitors. It already offers what investors look for in a trading app; one that allows you to buy stocks with no commissions and no fees on things that matter.

On top of that, they also provide users the opportunity to see real-time data such as live buying and selling of stocks. This is called Level 2 data, which is rare to to get for free.

Moomoo has also increased their sign-up bonus for new customers through our exclusive link! You can earn all of the following bonuses:

Action RequiredReward
Open Account8.1% APY for 3 Months
Transfer Assets1.5% Cash Rewards Match
Deposit $1005 Free Stocks
Deposit $1,00010 Extra Free Stocks
You’ll earn 8.1% APY (5.1% APY rate + 3% APY boost) on your uninvested cash for 3 months. The 1.5% cash rewards for transferring assets is capped at $300 (1.5% on a max $20,000 transferred). Each free stock is worth between $2 – $2,000 each.

>> Read my Moomoo review to learn more.

Moomoo Sign-up Bonus
Earn a cash rewards match or fractional shares of stock when you sign up with this link.


Webull logo

2. Webull

Webull is one of the fastest growing trading apps and a personal favorite of The Money Ninja. It allows you to trade stocks, options, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies commission-free.

Open a Webull account and get up to 75 fractional shares of stock, each valued between $3 to $3,000. At a minimum, new users can get at least $225 during this sign-up promotion and many will get more than that.

  • Open a Webull account using our exclusive link below.
  • Get 6 fractional shares of stock when you make an initial deposit of any amount + 1 month of free Level 2 Market Data (minimum value of $18)
  • Get 20 fractional shares of stock when you make an initial deposit between $500 to $24,999.99 + 6 months of free Level 2 Market Data (minimum value of $60)
  • Get 75 fractional shares of stock when you make an initial deposit of $25,000 or more + 12 months of free Level 2 Market Data (minimum value of $225)

At a minimum, new users will get at least $18-$225 worth of stocks during this sign-up promotion and many will get more than that.

>> Read my Webull review to learn more.

Webull Bonus
Receive up to 75 FREE stocks when you sign up with this link.


Public logo

3. Public.com

Public is a commission-free brokerage app where you can invest in fractional shares of stock with as little as $5. These fractional shares of stock are called “stock slice”, and it’s perfect for those that want to invest in companies with expensive stocks like Amazon, Netflix, and Tesla without needing a bunch of money to get started.

Public is offering a free slice of stock worth $20 for new users when you use the promo code THEMONEYNINJA to open an account and deposit at least $1,000.

Claim your free stock slice by clicking the link below and creating an account with Public. Once your account is approved, deposit at least $1,000 to pick what company you want your free stock slice in.

>> Read my Public review to learn more.

Public.com Free Stock Offer
Get $20 worth of stock when you sign up with this link.


SoFi logo

4. SoFi Invest

SoFi has a wide range of financial products like student loan refinancing, personal loans, and a cash management account. All of which have nice sign-up bonuses which I’ve covered in this post.

SoFi Invest is their investing platform that allows you to buy stocks and cryptos with no fees. You can even buy fractional shares of stock! Prices for stocks like Facebook, Apple, and Google are really high so being able to buy fractional shares let you own part of the company without committing a lot of money.

Plus, get $25 worth of ANY stock you want when you open a SoFi Invest account and fund it with at least $10.

SoFi Invest Bonus
Get $25 when you sign up with this link.


Robinhood logo

5. Robinhood

Robinhood launched in 2013 and is the most popular brokerage app. It’s known for its easy-to-use mobile app that’s ideal for both beginners and avid investors alike.

New users will earn 1 FREE stock just for downloading the app through my link and signing up for an account. There are no deposit requirements for this one! The random free share of stock will be worth between $5 and $200.

Here are the odds of what you can get:

  • 1 in 400 chance of getting Visa ($202.34), Johnson & Jonhson ($160.60), or Apple ($134.02) stock
  • 1 in 100 chance of getting Snap ($59.26) or New York Times ($51.13) stock
  • 9 in 10 chance of getting Ford ($11.20), General Electric ($11.20), or Kinder Morgan ($14.24) stock

>> Read my Robinhood review to learn more.

Robinhood Free Stock Offer
Get 1 FREE stock when you sign up with this link.


TradeUP

6. TradeUP

TradeUP lets you trade stocks, ETFs, and options on their mobile trading platform. The stock trading mobile app allows you to seize investment opportunities anytime, anywhere, and at a low cost.

Currently, new users can draw up to $30 in free stocks just for opening a TradeUP account. Then, make an initial deposit of at least $100 to receive more draws. The higher your initial deposit, the more draws you get of free stocks, worth up to $1,540:

Initial DepositDraws
$100 – $2,5001
$2,500 – $10,0002
$10,000 – $100,0003
$100,000+4

>> Read my TradeUP review to learn more.

TradeUP Free Stock Promo
Get $60 in free stocks when you sign up with this link.


Acorns logo

7. Acorns

Acorns is an automated investment app that saves customers time while making it easy to build a nest egg.

The Acorns app will automatically invest your spare change, earn you cash back when you shop at select retailers, and provide educational content. It’s best for hands-off investors and people who struggle to save.

While there is a small account management fee (as little as $1 for their Lite membership), you can use the $20 new account bonus to help offset the fees for several months.

That’s not even the best part. Acorns will offer many promotions throughout the year where you can a ridiculous amount of money for referring friends and family.

Currently, you’ll get a $1,000 bonus if you refer 8 friends to the Acorns app!

>> Read my Acorns review to learn more.

Acorns Bonus
Claim $20 when you sign up with this link.


tastyworks logo

8. Tastytrade

Tastytrade (formerly tastyworks) is a stock trading app that was created by the co-founders of thinkorswim, a trading platform they eventually sold to TD Ameritrade for a whopping $606 million in 2009.

The tastytrade app is geared towards stock options traders so it looks a tad technical and somewhat difficult to navigate, but let’s be honest… if you’re reading this, you don’t care how the app looks – you’re here for the free stocks!

New tastytrade users can get up to a $5,000 cash bonus when they open an account and make qualified deposit(s)! You’ll get the bonus within two weeks after meeting the bonus requirements. The funds must remain in your account for at least 12 months starting the day you receive the bonus.

You don’t need to invest the initial deposit either. If you’re not comfortable investing the money, just leave it in your account for at least 12 months so you can keep the cash bonus.

>> Read my tastytrade review to learn more.

tastytrade Cash Bonus
Get up to $5,000 when you sign up with this link.


Stash logo

9. Stash

Stash is a savings and investing app that allows you to invest in fractional shares of thousands of stocks and ETFs.

The Stash account also comes with a “Stock-Back” card, where they’ll give you stock of popular brands just by using the card for your shopping purchases.

There are three different Stash plans. I recommend the “Stash Beginner” plan to get used to what they offer. This plan only charges $1 a month.

Open a Stash account today and get $20 once your account is approved.

Stash Cash Bonus
Get $20 bonus stock when you sign up with this link.


Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get my free stock?

How you receive free stock will depend on the stock trading app you signed up with. Every app is different.

A number of companies will give you free shares of stock just for downloading their app and creating an account. Some require you to deposit money into the account before awarding you free shares. Additionally, there are a couple of apps that give you free stocks to do both!

You can also earn free shares by referring other people. Every company has different requirements.

Free Stocks For Signing Up

Stock trading apps like Robinhood gives you a free stock simply for signing up and your free share will be added to your account within a few days.

These are the easiest ones to get because they don’t require anything else outside of opening an account.

Free Stocks For Depositing Money

The free stocks you get with stock apps like Moomoo depends on the total amount you deposit into your account within the first 90 days:

  • 5 Free Stock: When you open an account and deposit $100.
  • 10 Free Stocks: When your net deposit reaches $1,000.

The TradeUP app also has a tiered bonus structure, but they only take into account the initial deposit amount:

You’ll automatically get a free stock worth $10 just for creating a TradeUP account. Then, make an initial deposit of at least $1,000 and you’ll get another free stock worth $50! You’re guaranteed to get a minimum of $60 in free shares of stock.

So while you can earn a lot of free shares for depositing money, keep in mind the specific terms and conditions of each stock app you download.

Free Stocks For Signing Up & Depositing Funds

Other investment apps like Webull will give you stocks for both creating an account and depositing money.

With Webull, you’ll get up to 6 free shares of stocks for signing up, but to get the other 69 free shares of stocks, you need to deposit up to specific thresholds within 30 days of account opening.

Why do companies give free stock?

It’s an extremely competitive industry and companies need to fight to get your attention.

When companies fight for your business, YOU WIN.

Some companies will give out free stock in return for signing up for an account, making a deposit into your new account, or referring your friends and family for new accounts.

They write the free stocks off as a customer acquisition cost, and for you it’s an easy way to get your foot in the door with some free shares.

How long does it take to get free stock?

Most of the free stock deals listed will add the stock shares to your account within a few days.

If you haven’t received your free stocks yet, check the details of the offer. You may be overlooking a simple requirement.

It’s very rare for stock apps to not give you what you qualify for, but if they do, contacting them should resolve the issue quickly.

How long do I need to hold the free stock before I sell?

Make sure that you look at the fine print of each individual deal.

Some brokerages like Webull will add the stock to your account very quickly and it will be available to trade or cash out immediately.

Others will have some conditions in order to keep your reward. For example, tastyworks requires you to hold the free shares for 90 days after receiving them in your account.

What free stocks can I get?

What free stock you receive depends on the company, and what stocks they have made available in their free stock program.

For instance, with Robinhood you have a 1 in 150 chance of getting Facebook, Microsoft, or JPMorgan Chase stock. You have a 1 in 80 chance of getting GE Energy Transfer or Ford. The free shares are chosen randomly from their inventory of settled shares.

Webull awards free stock via a random lottery that’s determined by an algorithm. The value of the stocks they give varies between $10.50-$1,850.

Does opening a brokerage account affect my credit score?

No, it doesn’t affect your credit score at all.

Fortunately, when you open a stock account, the companies only verify your identity. A credit check is not required.

This is great because you can take advantage of all the free stock deals and not have to worry about your credit.

What are the tax consequences of receiving free stock?

Like all other income sources, the IRS will tax you once you sell your stock.

It’s called capital gains tax and applies when you sell your shares for a profit. There are two types of capital gains tax:

  • Short-Term Capital Gains Tax: This is the tax on profits from selling stocks that you’ve held for less than a year. Short-term capital gains are taxed just like your ordinary income.
  • Long-Term Capital Gains Tax: This is the tax on profits from selling stocks that you’ve held for more than a year. These rates are lower than short-term capital gains and ranges between 0% to 20% depending on your filing status and income level.

If you find yourself losing money on your stock sales, you can deduct the losses of up to $3,000 per year on your tax return. Keep in mind that it’s impossible to lose money from these free stock deals since your actual cost basis is $0.

List Of Free Stock Offers

I created a list of free stock offers below so you have an easy way to view all the deals from the various trading apps.

Now that you understand how this all works, it’s time to get your free stocks!

BrokeragePromotionLink
Webull logo20-75 Free StocksLink
Moomoo logo7 Free StocksLink
SoFi logo1 Free Stock ($25)Link
Public logo$20 BonusLink
TradeStation logo$150 Cash BonusLink
M1 Finance logoUp to $500Link
TradeUP$60 BonusLink
Robinhood logo1 Free Stock (Up To $200)Link
tastyworks logo$5,000 BonusLink
Acorns logo$20 Cash BonusLink

The Bottom Line

Not so long ago, investing in the stock market used to be reserved for the privileged few.

In the 80’s and 90’s, it was mostly done over the phone. You had a go-to financial consultant who you’d call up, tell him how many shares of whichever company you wanted to buy, and he’d finalized the purchase for you.

It took a lot of time and costs quite a bit of money. Thanks to the internet, those days are long gone.

I hoped you enjoyed this post on how to get free stocks as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Do you know of more companies that offer free stocks as a sign-up or deposit bonus? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll add it to this list!

About John Pham

John Pham is a personal finance expert, serial entrepreneur, and founder of The Money Ninja. He has also been fortunate enough to have appeared in the New York Times, Boston Globe, and U.S. News & World Report. John has a B.S. in Entrepreneurship and a Masters in Business Administration, both from the University of New Hampshire.

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