How to Get Free Stocks and Shares

Getting your hands on free stocks and shares in the US is surprisingly easy and accessible. With rapid growth in the Fintech market opening up fresh, new ways to invest in the stock market, it has literally never been easier for both new and seasoned investors to grow their wealth by investing.

However, as the number of trading platforms in the US continues to grow, so too does the competition for new customers. This has resulted in a crowded market where would-be investors can and should ‘shop around’ for the best offers, with investment platforms actively competing amongst themselves for customers.

Also Consider: Best Trading Platforms

Best free stocks and shares at a glance

The list below shows a summary of which free stocks and shares you can get from the following investment apps.

Which is the best free share offer?

The free share offer varies between providers, however, identifying which is the best offer is difficult to say as these shares and their values are awarded by a random lottery-style selection.

For example, Webull offers shares up to $3 – $300 although the chances of you getting a share of this value are low, to say the least. It’s far more likely you are more likely to get a share at the lower end of the value scale.

I would recommend that anyone considering which platform should take a look at the terms of the offer as well as the trading and management fees in order to calculate which could potentially be the best offer for you.

It would also be worth checking the products or services each provider offers to ensure they can meet your requirements.

Remember: When investing that your capital is at risk, and you may not get back your original investment or the free share. If you are in any way unsure it is wise to get investment advice before you proceed. A financial advisor can help you identify your investment goals as well as provide you with personal finance advice.

Is it possible to get a free share more than once?

Yes, several of the investment providers above have a refer a friend scheme, that allows you to get multiple free shares every time your friend or family open and fund their own account. Others such as Webull offer a free share once you invest funds into your account, though these usually require a minimum investment amount.

Currently, the best investment app for refer a friend is Dough, where you get $10.00 for referring a friend. Your friend will also receive $10.00.

Refer to the terms page of the provider you have in mind for any detail of their particular offer.

There is also nothing to stop you from claiming the free share at more than one of the providers listed below.

Each time you open a new account and meet the requirements, you will be awarded your free share.

Make sure you follow the links below to ensure you register for the free share.

Will my free share be subject to tax?

Yes, your free share will be subject to tax just like any other asset however stocks and shares are included in your standard deduction.

Currently in the US this stands at $12,550 and includes salaries, pensions, rental income and any income from your stocks and shares.

The basic rate of tax is 9% for anything between $9,951 to $40,525. Income above £40,525 will be subject to tax at the higher tax rate of 22% and this rate applies to incomes up to $86,350 at which point the rate is 24%. For incomes of $164,901 to $209,400 a rate of 32% applies, and then its 35% for incomes up to $523,600 after which the rate is 37%.

Robinhood : Free stock worth up to $200.00

Robinhood have a really easy to use trading app that has become the go-to choice for young and first-time investors. The big advantage of Robinhood is that they offer commission-free trading when you buy and sell stocks. If you decide to open a Robinhood account, you can get a signup bonus and free stock, which could be worth up to $200. All it requires is opening an account and then linking your bank account. You will get one share of free stock from Robinhood’s inventory of popular, high market cap companies.

How to get your free share with Robinhood

How does it work? Your free Robinhood stock is chosen from a pool of 18 stocks that are available for you to choose from and can be worth up to $200.00, though this is random and according to Robinhood only 1% of applicants get stocks valued between $20.00 0 $200.00. To get your free share at Robinhood, simply complete the following steps:

1. Go to Robinhood using this Link
2. Enter your email when prompted
3. Download the award-winning Robinhood app
4. Select which account you wish to open (Robinhood Gold, Robinhood Cash, or Robinhood Instant) and complete the registration process

You can also get free stock (up to a $225 value) every time one of your friends opens a Robinhood account from your promotional link.

Of course, the more expensive free shares are rarer, so you are more likely to receive a free share that is at the lower end of the price scale. However, the good news is that you are at liberty to sell your free share and withdraw the proceeds from Robinhood, although you will be required to wait 30 days from the date of receiving your free share and are free to do with the money as you wish.

• Withdrawal and deposits – FREE
• Inactivity fees – $0.00
• Minimum Deposit – $.00
• Transfer fees – $0.00
• App Store rating – 3.8/5

For more information, read my full review

Webull: A chance to get 6 free shares

Open an account with Webull for a chance to get 2 free stocks each valued up to $300. Deposit any amount to receive 4 free stocks each valued up to $3000.

Webull is consistently rated as among the best in terms of costs, with not only free stock trades, but $0-commission options trades and no per-contract fee, either. It’s user-friendly tools let users stay in control of their accounts and research market developments.

How to get your free Webull stocks

Webull offers new users 2 shares of stock when you sign up and then another 2 shares when you deposit at least $100.

To claim your free stock from Webull simply follow these steps:

1. Use my referral link here
2. Enter your mobile number to register and download the Webull app.
3. Complete your registration and upload the necessary ID forms
4. Deposit at least $100

You should receive your 2 free stocks in your new Webull account upon sign-up and your other 2 stocks within 7 days after making your initial deposit.

Read my Webull review for more details on the types of investment themes available.

Acorns: Investment bonus of $10.00

Acorns is a great choice for young professionals and those looking to play the long-term. This clever investment app, automates investments and lets you gradually build an investment portfolio of your dreams. One of the biggest draws at Acorns is its Round-Ups® feature which automatically invests your spare change from everyday purchases.

And thanks to its simple pricing model jumping into the world of investing has never been easier.

To get your credit simply following these steps:

1. Sign up using this link
2. Provide a valid email and download the app
3. Once your account has been approved invest at least $5.00

Acorns will deposit $10 into your account, which will be invested according to your set preferences.

For new accounts that sign up using the link above, once your account had been approved and you have invested at least $5.00 you will be credited an extra $10.00 to invest as you please.

Pricing is simple with a flat fee of either $3 or $5 a month, depending on your account.

For more information read our full Acorns review.

Public: stocks worth $10-$70 for signing up

For young investors and those looking to start investing then Public is the platform is for you. Commission free trades are a given on Public but with its focus on simple trading, education, free stock bonus for signing-up, and generous referral model this platform is a great choice. What also sets Public apart is the fact that it allows fractional investing, great for younger investors who may not have enough liquidity to buy shares in pricier companies outright.

As well as a sign-up bonus if you have a brokerage account with Open to the Public Investing (“Public Investing”), you can earn free slices of stock by referring friends to Public. If your friend uses your referral code to open an account, is approved and makes a deposit, then Public Investing will deposit a slice of stock worth anywhere from $3 up to $300 into your account. Your friend will also receive a free slice of stock.

How to get your free shares from Public

To get you started, the service offers a free $10 sign up bonus for making an initial deposit as well as the ability to gift free stock gifts (fractional shares) to referrals you make, to become legible for these deals simply follow these easy steps:

1. Click this link and register your phone number
2. Download the Public app
3. Register your account
4. Fund your account with at least $1.00

• Minimum balance: $0
• Securities tradable: Stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrency
• Cost per trade: $0
• Customer service: Email, chat Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET
• Account fees: $75
• Mobile app: The Public mobile app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store

Read our full review of Public to find out more.

SoFi Invest: Free stock for sign-up

SoFi Invest offers customers of newly created Wealth accounts that have a deposit of at least $100, a free sign-up bonus worth $5 – $1,000.

SoFi invest also offers its users the ability to invest in Stock Bits (fractional shares) great for those wanting to invest in a blue-chip company but perhaps lacking the cash to buy shares outright. As well as automated investing options for a hands-off approach.

SoFi Invest has a great range of promotions and these are well worth checking out prior to opening an account. To sign-up to the platform and get your free bonus simply follow these steps:

1. Click on our link and register your email
2. Sign-up for a Wealth account
3. Invest at least $100

Free shares coming soon?

Promotions of getting free shares in the US come and go, and previously you might have been able to get eToro free stock, but not at the moment. This might change. And when it does, we’ll report it here.

You may be able to get Freetrade free stocks when they launch in the US, and there may also be other investment platforms ready to offer these free share incentives. When this happens, we’ll add them to our list of free shares in this guide.

Conclusion

The promise of free stocks is, in its basic form, a signup bonus. The value of the stocks you receive are in no way guaranteed and the starting value could go down as well as up depending on fluctuations in the stock market.

The providers above all have their own conditions relating to their offer so if your intention is to withdraw the bonus, then it’s important that you understand the terms of the provider in question.

There is nothing to stop you from claiming the bonus from more than one provider. However, be aware of the associated fees and costs which can not only eat into your free stocks but also into your deposited money.

Where possible, we have outlined above the value of the stocks you can expect, as well as the fees for the platform so you can judge for yourself whether the offer is potentially profitable.

Remember, regardless of how much your free share is worth, it is ultimately designed to get you investing on the platform. However, if you are interested in starting your investing journey, the free stock could be a welcome boost to your investment pot.

Before you start investing it is always wise to educate yourself. Investing Reviews have a comprehensive guide on How to Start Investing which can help you get started.