Is a lack of money keep you from investing? Stop putting off planning for your future when there are endless ways you can get free stocks and get in the investing game today without requiring much money.
Too many people wait too many years before they begin to invest. Some don’t have the knowledge to get started and have no idea what to invest in, but many people have the misconception that it takes a large amount of money to begin investing.
The reality is the longer you wait, the more money you miss out on. But, conversely, the earlier you start investing, the more money you typically end up with.
So if you’ve been holding back until you save or earn more money, you’re in the right place. Earning free stocks is one of the best ways to start investing, grow your investment portfolio, and build wealth.
We’ve rounded up 13 ways you can get free stocks so you can start investing today.
How To Get Free Stocks
Due to high competition, many online brokers have reduced their fees over the past few years. To stay relevant, many brokers even offer free stock trading, which is good news for investors. In addition, many investment apps and platforms have stepped up their game and offer investors free stock shares to draw more active traders to their platforms.
13 Apps With a Free Stock Offer
These 13 legitimate investment companies offer bonuses or a free stock program. Score anywhere from $2 to $1,600 in free stocks or bonuses when you sign up to one of the platforms below.
1. TastyWorks
Instead of saving the best for last, we’re giving it to you right off the bat. And, sure, while it may have a slightly misleading name for a financial institution, TastyWorks is our best choice for free stocks.
Funny name aside, TastyWorks is an online brokerage platform that is serious about helping you prepare for your future. They offer low-cost trades with a big focus on educational content and helpful resources to help DIY investors.
Plus, for a limited time, TastyWorks will give new customers $200 worth of free stock when you open an account with an initial deposit of $2,000.00 – such a generous bonus can get you on your way to building a nest egg.
2. Stash Invest
Stash is a bank and micro-investing platform, which means they allow you to purchase parts of shares – called fractional shares – and start investing with their mobile app for as little as $5. In addition, they offer different financial products such as stocks, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), and index funds.
As a Stash user, you’ll also get access to their educational resources to teach you how to build a diversified portfolio and a debit card. Instead of cash back, you will earn online stock when you spend using your Stash debit card, which is a great way to grow your investments without requiring substantial upfront capital.
When you sign up to their platform and fund your new account with $5, you’ll receive a $5 cash bonus. Use your bonus to purchase fractional shares of stock to begin your investing journey or accelerate your wealth-growing rate. While $5 may not seem like much, even small amounts invested consistently over time will significantly impact your portfolio.
3. Public.com
Public.com is the investing social network where members can own fractional shares of stocks and ETFs, follow popular creators, and share ideas within a community of investors. Public.com’s mission is to make the stock market an inclusive and educational place for new and experienced investors alike.
Public.com offers two ways to earn a free slice of stock:
- Earn a free slice of stock when you sign up and are approved (no deposit minimum required). Offer valid for U.S. residents 18+ and subject to account approval. According to Public.com, there may be other fees associated with trading – see their disclosure for more info.
- Public rewards its members for helping their friends start their investing journey. If you share your unique referral link and your friend successfully opens an account, you and your friend will receive a free slice of stock.
4. M1 Finance
M1 Finance is a Robo-advisor that is an excellent choice for beginners who want to start trading stocks. It allows you to buy and sell stocks without transaction fees. Besides, over 80 experts have created portfolios in which all users can invest.
You can deposit money and let M1 Finance do the work for you, including rebalancing your portfolio. That’s free automated investing. M1 Finance also lets you invest in ETFs, REITs, and individual stocks. In addition, they offer fractional shares, meaning you can buy a piece of a share rather than pay for one entire share.
For example, Google stock is valued at $2,200 now, so if you want to buy one share, you’ll have to invest $2,200. However, with M1 Finance, you can invest $100 in Google and own a small part of one share.
M1 Finance has a referral program where you get a $30 signup bonus. When you have an account, you can refer new users, and you will get $30 when they sign up and fund their account.
5. Acorns
Acorns is another app that offers free stock to new users. You will get up to $5 added to your account when you sign up for Acorns. Acorns charges you $1 per month to use their service, so use that $5 toward their $1 monthly fee. In addition, you can earn more when you spend with specific partners.
For example, you will get $0.50 every time you use Uber, $0.03 for every dollar spent on Amazon, or $75 when buying a mattress from Casper. It’s a great way to earn bonuses on purchases you already intend to make and build long-term wealth.
Acorns is a micro-investing app that rounds your purchases up to the nearest dollar and invests the rest for you. It’s an excellent way to get your feet wet in the stock market by investing on a smaller scale with minimal impact on your budget.
6. Webull
Webull, a newer online brokerage that opened in 2018, is similar to Robinhood in that it offers the ability to buy and sell stocks, options, ETFs, and cryptocurrency. The platform also provides commission-free trades. In addition, Webull offers real-time data for stocks, extended trading hours, and other tools and reports similar to traditional brokerages. Webull makes money from uninvested cash, offering premium services, margin interest, and other various methods.
Webull will give you between $3 and $300 in one free stock when you open a brokerage account with them with no deposit required. However, if you fund your account with $100 or more, you can get a second free stock valued between $8 and $2,000.
According to Webull, you have a 100% chance of receiving two free stocks. But keep in mind stock selection is random from Webull’s inventory, and you must claim your free within 30 days. The website currently states that you have a 1-in-100 chance of getting free stock of Facebook (FB), Starbucks (SBUX), or Snap (SNAP). You also have a 1-in-50 chance of getting free stock of Google (GOOG), Procter & Gamble (PG), and Kraft Heinz (KHC).
Since Webull has one of the higher-valued free stock programs on our list, it’s definitely worth a look.
7. SoFi Invest
A popular investing platform that offers many services, including investing, SoFi is an excellent choice if you want to trade stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies. They provide active trading but don’t offer mutual funds or options trading.
In addition, ETF trades are commission-free. You only need $1 to open an eligible account and start investing. Download the SoFi app, open an Active Invest account, and get a free stock valued up to $1,000.
8. Robinhood
Robinhood’s app is among the best investing apps for beginners. If you’re a novice, this is the place to start. It’s one of the first apps that began offering commission-free trades. While they did find themselves in hot water after the Gamestop/Reddit debacle, Robinhood is still a solid online trading platform.
Open a free account with Robinhood, and they’ll give you your first stock for free – valued between $3-$225. While you can’t choose the specific stock you want, you could receive a share of Apple, Microsoft, Ford, Groupon, JPMorgan, and many more. It’s a great way to start or continue your investing journey and build long-term wealth.
The only condition is that you need to link your bank account to receive your free stock. Then, after you’ve signed up to the platform, you can refer users and get a free stock. If you’re new to investing, Robinhood is an intuitive app that is great for beginners. It has plenty of options, offering stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), fractional shares, and cryptocurrencies. You can also purchase investment options and invest in options contracts.
However, it’s important to understand options trading, as it’s often on margin, and market volatility can heavily influence your results.
9. Stockpile
Stockpile is one of the most popular stock gifting apps out there. You can gift stocks through Stockpile and redeem gifts you have received.
Giving the gifts of stocks is a unique alternative to a gift card and would be an excellent option for younger investors who may be unsure of what investments to purchase. Stockpile also gifts each new investor $5 of free stock.
Included stocks are Tesla, Disney, Amazon, and more. All you need to do is sign up with Stockpile and receive your $5 in free stock in your account. Once you create your account, you’re also eligible to earn additional bonuses by referring Stockpile to others. For example, you will get $5 in your PayPal account, and the friend or family member you referred will also receive $5 in free stock.
10. Groundfloor
Groundfloor is an online investment platform that offers crowdfunding, where you can invest in short-term real estate investments. With these investments, you provide capital to real estate investors renovating and renting out properties. Groundfloor currently has a promotion that offers $10 when you sign up through a referral link.
When you’re signed up, you get your referral bonus link, and you both get $10 for every user you refer. You can use the money to invest in more real estate projects to grow your wealth even faster.
11. Nvstr
Nvstr, pronounced “investor,” is a brokerage and investing platform. Nvstr lets you place trades for stocks and ETFs with no account minimum. Besides live trading accounts, you can also have simulated accounts in Nvstr.
Nvstr differentiates itself in two ways. First, it has a one-click Portfolio Optimizer based on the work of a Nobel prize-winning researcher. The Optimizer tries to solve for optimal portfolio allocation to maximize return while minimizing risk. You can read more about the Portfolio Optimizer in this review of Nvstr.
The platform also has a social aspect with Community Thought Leaders, Viewpoint Contributors, and a social media feed with Pros and Cons. The purpose is for you to get ideas (not actual investment advice) from community members to make investments.
Nvstr is a subscription service with commission-free trading. You’ll pay $4.99 each month for 25 free trades. Alternatively, you can pay $4.50 per trade if you’d prefer not to join on a subscription basis.
Nvstr offers real money – anywhere from $10 to $1,000 – when you sign up for an account and place a trade within a month. Use your free money to buy stocks. You have a 100% chance of getting at least $10, a 1-in-20 chance of getting $20, a 1-in-2,500 chance of getting $500, and a 1-in-5,000 chance of earning $1,000.
12. Moomoo
Moomoo is a trading app for both new and expert investors. They don’t charge commissions or require a minimum deposit and provide pre-and post-market stock trading tools.
Simply sign up for their platform, fund your account, and get free stocks. For example, when you fund your account with $100, you will get a free stock valued between $4 and $200. When you deposit at least $1,500 to your account, you will get another free stock valued between $10 and $1,000.
13. Dough
Dough is a simple and low-cost online broker that offers commission-free trades and no minimums to open an account. They offer their services only through an app, and the platform is intuitive and easy to understand. If you enjoy mobile trading, this is the best online option.
When you sign up to Dough through a referral link from an existing Dough customer, you will get a free share valued at $2-$200. However, if you want to cash out, you first must deposit $25 in your account.
Tax Consequences
While receiving free stocks is a great way to grow your net worth, it’s important to note that it may have tax consequences since it counts as taxable income on your tax return.
You also may be required to report capital gains if you later sell the stock at a higher price than when you received it. It’s a good idea to consult with your accountant or financial planning professional with any tax questions.
The Good News
Now that you have a list of options to earn free stocks, nothing is holding you back from jumping into investing. Diversifying your income streams will allow you to be less dependent on a single source of income, be it your job or business. So sign up for these platforms, get free stocks, and build long-term wealth.
Previously published at Wealth of Geeks.
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