If you're in the market for a new online broker, you're in luck. These days, plenty of companies have ongoing brokerage account promotions you can take advantage of to earn free cash. And, with a large enough qualifying deposit, it's possible to earn thousands of dollars from some of the most competitive companies.
From cash bonuses to perks, here are the best online stock broker promotions.
Brokerage account bonuses and promos
- Acorns: $20 sign-up bonus
- E*TRADE: Between $50 to $10,000 or more
- J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing: Up to $1,000
- Merrill Edge: Up to $600
- SoFi Invest: Up to $1,000
- Stash: Invest $5, earn $10
- Wealthfront: $50 bonus deposit
Acorns: $20 Bonus Investment
- Broker bonus: $20
- Minimum deposit to earn: $5
- Holding period: N/A
It's one of the easiest ways to start investing, and the concept is simple: Acorns can round up your everyday purchases and invest your spare change in the stock market. And with their $20 account bonus, you can start stronger and you'll be $20 closer to your investing goals. Here's how:
How the promo works:
First, set up your Acorns account. Next, set up recurring investments. And then finally, complete your first recurring investment of $5 or more and get $20 within 10 days after next month begins.
E*TRADE: Between $50 to $10,000 or more
- Broker bonus: Up to $1,500 or more (Expires: June 30, 2026)
- Minimum deposit to earn: $1,000
- Holding period: 60 days
With tiered rewards from $50 to $10,000 or more in cash up for grabs, E*TRADE has one of the best stock broker promos currently running.
How this promo works:
All you have to do is open an E*TRADE brokerage (non-retirement) account with a qualifying deposit of $1,000 or more and use the code OFFER26 when signing up.
Expiration: The offer is set to expire June 30, 2026, but has been extended in the past and is likely to continue in the future.
J. P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing: Up to $1,000
- Broker bonus: Up to $1,000
- Minimum deposit to earn: $5,000
- Holding period: 90 days
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is one of our favorite brokers for mutual funds since it doesn't charge commissions, which is hard to find. Plus, it has one of the best broker promotions right now and pays new customers up to $1,000 for transferring external funds into a new account.
Here's how the promotional tiers work:
J.P. Morgan is offering tiered cash bonuses for new accounts based on your deposit amount. If you deposit between $5,000 and $24,999, you’ll receive $50. Deposits of $25,000 to $99,999 earn $150, while $100,000 to $249,999 will get you $325. The top reward of $1,000 is reserved for deposits of $250,000 or more.
You have 45 days to fund your account from opening to receive the bonus. You must maintain the balance for 90 days to remain eligible for the bonus.
Expiration: This offer is set to expire on April 21, 2026, but has been extended in the past and may be extended again.
Disclosure: Investment and insurance products are: Not a deposit, not FDIC-insured, no bank guarantee and may lose value.
Merrill Edge: Up to $600
- Broker bonus: Up to $600
- Minimum deposit to earn: $20,000
- Holding period: 90 days
Merrill Edge is a discount broker from Bank of America that's known for its extensive research offerings and ESG investing options. It also has an excellent stock broker bonus of up to $600 in cash. There are four different promotional tiers ranging from $100 to $600 in cash bonuses.
Here's how the promo works:
Merrill Edge offers tiered cash bonuses based on your deposit amount. Deposits of $20,000 to $49,999 earn a $100 bonus, while $50,000 to $99,999 qualifies for $150. If you deposit $100,000 to $199,999, you’ll receive $250, and deposits of $200,000 or more earn the top bonus of $600.
You have 45 days to make your deposit and must hold funds in your account for at least 90 days to receive your cash bonus. Use code 600ME when signing up to qualify.
SoFi Invest: Up to $1,000 in stock
- Broker bonus: Up to $1,000 in stock
- Minimum deposit to earn: $50
- Holding period: None
SoFi is an online-only bank that offers a range of financial services, including its Automated Investing program, Active Investing, a rewards credit card, and a rewards checking and savings account and they currently have a promo running.
Here's how the promo works:
If you open a new Active Investing account, you can earn up to $1,000 in stock just for opening the account and funding with at least $50.
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $50 within 45 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.026%. If you don’t make a selection in 45 days, you’ll no longer qualify for the promo. Probability percentage is subject to decrease. See full terms and conditions.
Stash: Invest $5, earn $10
- Broker bonus: $10
- Minimum deposit to earn: $5
- Holding period: N/A
You could spend hundreds of dollars to buy a single share of a hot stock, or you could buy a fraction of a share, and still grow your money at the same rate as any other investor. That's one of the things that makes investing with Stash so accessible. And if you've got $5 to invest, you may qualify for their promo. Stash can match your investment and help you kick off your investing journey.
Here's how the promo works:
Invest $5 and Stash can match your investment and help you kick off your investing journey.
Disclaimer: Investment advisory services offered by Stash Investments LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser. Investing involves risk and investments may lose value. Holdings and performance are hypothetical
The bottom line
The world of online brokers is a competitive one, and companies are willing to pay for new business. So if you're looking for a new broker or are unhappy with your current one, make sure you capitalize on stock broker promotions when signing up somewhere new.
Of course, you should also consider the broker's fees, research offerings, and other features to make sure it has what you're looking for. And, be careful with transfer fees since they can take a healthy chunk out of cash bonuses if you're not careful.
Tom Blake is a staff writer who specializes in cryptocurrency, investing, and passive income.
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