The best free money sign-up offers in the UK right now include Trading 212 (a free share worth up to £100), Freetrade (£10 to £100), Monzo (up to £50), Quidco (£20) and TopCashback (£10).
Most reward you for opening an account or making a small deposit. Investing-app offers tend to pay the most, while cashback sites pay smaller but instant bonuses. Always check the deposit requirement before signing up.
Trading 212 provides access to over 10,000 stocks, funds, ETFs and investment trusts.
They offer commission-free trading* and their auto investing feature is excellent.
OUR OFFER - To get free fractional shares worth up to 100 EUR/GBP, you can open an account with Trading 212 using promo code 'GAINS'. Terms apply
*Other fees may apply. See terms and fees
**When investing, your capital is at risk. If you enable interest, Trading 212 will hold your cash in qualifying money market funds and banks. Otherwise, your cash will be held only in banks. Interest applies on cash in an investment account. Terms apply.
- Commission free trading*
- Earn interest on uninvested cash**
- Fantastic mobile app
- Award winning ISA
- No personal pension
Things you need to know before signing up for these welcome offers:
Eligibility: Typically these sign up bonuses are only eligible to new customers who are 18+ and UK resident.
Terms & Conditions: Always check the individual brand terms & conditions before signing up as there may be minimum deposits, spend requirements, holding periods or other conditions to meet before qualifying for a sign up bonus.
Timing: Some bonuses may take days, weeks or months to be credited and may be subject to delayed withdrawal periods.
Tax: Please do your own research on any tax liability as a result of these sign up bonuses, particularly where any free shares are issued.
The Top Free Money Offers In The UK Right Now
- Trading212 – Invest £1 to get up to £100 free fractional shares
- IG – Invest at least £300 to get up to £300 in free shares
- Freetrade – Free share worth £10-£100
- XTB – Free Rolls Royce share
- IG Junior ISA – Invest £50 get £50 bonus
- Monzo – Mystery reward of £10, £20 or £50
- Tide (Business) – £100 Cashback
- Quidco – £20 free
- TopCashback – £10 free
- Cheddar – £5 free
- Everup – 10 million coins
- Swagbucks – £10 bonus
- Sprive – £5 free towards your mortgage
(Capital at risk when you invest. T&Cs apply)
Trading212 - Invest £1 to get up to £100 Free Fractional Shares
You’ll receive up to £100 free fractional shares if you invest a minimum of £1 with the code ‘GAINS’.
(Capital at risk when you invest, T&Cs apply)
IG - Invest at least £300 to get up to £300 in free shares**
Invest at least £300 to get up to £300 in free shares**
**Capital at risk. New customers only. Offer valid until 30 days after opening your account on ISA, GIA or SIPP accounts. Minimum share value £40. Cannot be used in conjunction with other offers. T&Cs apply.
Freetrade - Free share worth £10-£100 for depositing £50
Gives you a share worth £10-£100 for depositing £50.
(Capital at risk when you invest, T&Cs apply)
XTB - Free Rolls Royce share
Get a free share of Rolls Royce when you sign up and make your first deposit.
(Capital at risk. Investment values can rise or fall. Limited Availability. T&Cs apply”)
IG Junior ISA - Invest £50 get £50 bonus
Get £50 added to the account when you invest £50 in a Junior ISA with IG.
(Your capital is at risk. New customers only. ISA tax benefits depend on personal circumstances. Offer valid until 05/04/2026 on JISA accounts. T&C’s apply.)
Monzo - Earn a mystery reward of £10, £20 or £50
Earn a mystery reward of £10, £20 or £50 when you sign up and make your first card payment in the next 30 days.
(T&Cs apply)
Tide (Business) - £100 Cashback
Tide is an all-in-one business finance platform designed to run your business better.
Tide helps over 1.5 million contractors, freelancers and scaling businesses.
OFFER – Get £100 Cashback when you deposit £5,000 within 30 days (T&C’s Apply)
Quidco - Get £20 free when you sign up
TopCashback - Get £10 free when you sign up
Everup - 10 million coins
Earn 10 million coins when you sign up to use for games and competition entries
(T&Cs apply)
Swagbucks - Get a £10 bonus
Get a 1000SB (equivalent to £10) bonus when you sign up and spend at least £25 at a store featured in Swagbucks.com/Shop.
(T&Cs apply)
Sprive - £5 free towards your mortgage
Bank Switch Offers
First Direct - Up to £210 Free
First Direct is consistently rated one of the UK’s best banks for customer service.
Switch your current account using the Current Account Switch Service (CASS) and you’ll get £175 paid directly into your account.
But here’s the clever bit – if you sign up through TopCashback first, you can earn an extra £35 cashback on top, bringing your total to £210.
(T&Cs Apply: You must switch using CASS with 2+ direct debits and pay in £1,000+ within 3 months. The £175 bonus is paid within 28 days of qualifying. TopCashback bonus tracked separately.)
TSB Spend & Save Plus - Up to £240 Free
TSB’s Spend & Save Plus account offers one of the biggest switch bonuses around – £200 when you switch using CASS.
Stack this with up to £40 cashback through TopCashback and you’re looking at £240 in total.
The account also pays 5% interest on balances up to £5,000.
(T&Cs Apply. Must switch using CASS. Pay in £500+ per month for two consecutive months. £200 paid within 28 days of meeting requirements. £5/month fee applies.)
Santander Edge - Up to £240 Free
Santander Edge offers a £200 switch bonus when you move your current account, plus you can add another £20 via TopCashback so sign up there first.
The account comes with exclusive savings rates, travel money benefits, and 1% cashback on household bills.
Total potential: £220 just for switching.
(T&Cs Apply. Switch via CASS. Pay in £1,500+ per month. £3/month fee. Bonus paid within 60 days of meeting conditions)
Birthday Freebies
There are hundreds of freebies you can get from brands around your birthday just for showing your ID or signing up to their mailing lists.
You can view the full list of birthday offers here.
How To Claim These Free Sign Up Bonuses
It’s easy to claim these free sign up offers.
1 – Choose your offer
2 – Sign up using the offer link
3 – Register and sign in
4 – Meet any requirements
5 – Receive your bonus
6 – Withdraw (or hold) your bonus
How to Maximise Offers and Sign-Up Bonuses?
You can stack offers and sign up bonuses as well as combine with referral rewards to make even more cash.
Ways to Make Money by Stacking Multiple Offers
Beyond simply signing up for multiple unrelated offers, stacking involves identifying opportunities where a single action triggers multiple bonuses simultaneously.
For example, when you switch to a new bank account for a £150 bonus, you might use that same account to set up a new savings account with the same provider that offers a £50 welcome bonus.
Or when purchasing through a cashback site to earn your sign-up bonus, you might use a credit card that offers cashback on spending, effectively earning rewards from both the cashback site and your card provider on the same transaction.
Some cashback apps offer additional bonuses for specific purchase categories or retailers, meaning your transaction could earn the standard cashback rate, a category bonus, and your new user welcome bonus all at once.
This layering approach to multiple offers increases your returns without requiring additional spending or effort beyond what you were already planning.
However many offers include T&Cs that prevent multiple bonuses from being given so do ensure you check the terms before relying on this.
How to Earn Extra Bonuses by Referring Friends & Family
Refer a friend schemes are a powerful way to earn extra bonuses beyond the initial sign-up offers, creating ongoing earning opportunities that can significantly increase your total returns.
Most platforms offering welcome bonuses also operate referral programs where existing customers receive rewards – typically ranging from £5 bonus to £50 or even more – when someone they refer creates an account and meets qualifying criteria.
These refer-a-friend offers are mutually beneficial: the person you refer receives the standard welcome bonus available to new users, while you earn an additional referral bonus, effectively creating free money for both parties.
The mechanics of refer a friend schemes vary by platform, but most provide you with a unique referral code or link that tracks registrations back to you.
When someone uses your code to sign up, the system automatically credits your account with the referral bonus once they complete the qualifying actions, which might include making a deposit, completing a transaction, or maintaining an account for a specified period.
Some platforms pay referral bonuses immediately upon the referred friend meeting requirements, while others have monthly or quarterly payment schedules.
The bonus amounts can vary considerably – cashback sites might offer £5 free to £10 free per referral, bank accounts could provide £50 when you refer someone who switches, and investment apps often offer free shares worth £10 to £100 for each qualified referral.
Importantly, many platforms have no limit on how many people you can refer, meaning your earning potential is essentially unlimited if you have a big network and can effectively promote these offers.
Frequently asked questions
Which welcome offer gives the biggest bonus?
The biggest single bonus typically comes from bank switch offers, with some current account promotions offering up to £200 for switching your primary banking relationship. However, the “biggest” bonus depends on your perspective – while bank switch offers provide the largest single cash payment, investment platforms sometimes offer free shares worth up to £100 or more, and when you factor in the potential for refer a friend rewards, some accounts deliver greater total value over time despite smaller upfront bonuses.
Can I withdraw sign up bonuses straight away?
Whether you can withdraw sign up bonuses immediately depends entirely on the specific terms of each promotion. Some offers allow instant withdrawal once the bonus credits to your account, while others require you to maintain the account and sometimes keep a minimum balance for a specified period – typically ranging from 30 days to 12 months.
Do I pay tax on sign up bonuses?
Generally, most sign up bonuses in the UK are not subject to income tax, as HMRC treats them as rebates, discounts, or incentives rather than taxable income. Cash bonuses from bank switch offers, current account promotions, and cashback rewards typically don’t need to be declared on your tax return and don’t count toward your personal income allowance. However, any interest you subsequently earn on bonus money is taxable and counts toward your Personal Savings Allowance. Free shares have more complex tax implications – the shares themselves aren’t usually taxable when received, but if you sell them at a profit, Capital Gains Tax may apply if your total gains exceed your annual CGT allowance. Always do your own research about potential tax liability.
What if I don't get my bonus?
If your bonus doesn’t appear by the expected date specified in the terms and conditions, first verify that you genuinely met all qualifying criteria, including any minimum deposit amounts, direct debit requirements, holding periods, or other conditions. Review your account activity against the exact terms of the promotion to confirm compliance. If you’re confident you fulfilled all requirements, contact the provider’s customer service department with evidence showing you met the criteria – include your account details, the specific promotion you’re claiming, dates of relevant transactions, and any confirmation emails or screenshots of the offer terms you saved.
Are sign up offers legit?
Yes, sign-up offers from established, regulated companies are legitimate promotions, and thousands of people successfully earn money from these welcome bonuses each year. Reputable banks, investment platforms, cashback sites, and other financial services providers use these offers as genuine marketing tools to acquire customers, and they honor their terms when participants meet the qualifying criteria. However, legitimacy requires that you’re dealing with properly regulated entities – banks should be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority, investment platforms should have appropriate regulatory permissions, and other services should have verifiable business credentials. Be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true, require upfront payments to claim bonuses, or come from unknown companies without regulatory oversight
