Brokerage Referral Bonuses (2026)
Every brokerage and stock app referral bonus we track, ranked by what you earn as the referrer — with the official program terms behind each number.
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Which Brokerage Referral Bonus Actually Pays You the Most
Brokerage referral programs are among the most-shared referral links on the internet, and also among the most misunderstood. Headline numbers like "up to $1,000" usually describe what your friend can earn, not what lands in your account. This hub separates the two: every program below is ranked by the confirmed referrer payout, with the cap, the qualifying action, and the official program page behind each figure.
Stock app referral programs split into three payout shapes. Flat cash programs pay a fixed dollar amount per eligible referral — predictable, and easiest to compare. Free stock programs hand you a randomly selected share, where the headline range ($5 to $200 is typical) hides a distribution clustered at the bottom end. Tiered stock rewards scale with your friend's deposit, so the payout depends on how serious an investor you refer. Knowing which shape you are sharing changes who you should pitch it to.
How Brokerage Referral Programs Are Ranked Here
Programs are ordered by confirmed per-referral value to the referrer, then by how many referrals the program lets you monetize. Every figure below comes from the operator's own referral or help page, and each linked listing shows the date it was last checked. Brokerages revise these offers frequently — treat the numbers as the terms at the time they were last checked, not a promise of what you will be paid, and confirm on the official page before you share a link.
Brokerages That Pay Your Friend, Not You
Not every well-known brokerage referral offer pays the person doing the referring, and it is worth knowing which ones before you spend effort promoting them.
Charles Schwab is the clearest example. Schwab's public referral offer rewards the referred friend with a bonus award scaled to their net deposit: $100 on a net deposit of $25,000–$49,999, $300 on $50,000–$99,999, $500 on $100,000–$499,999, and $1,000 on $500,000 or more. The friend has 45 days from enrollment to make the qualifying net deposit, and the award posts roughly one to two weeks after that 45-day window closes. Schwab's referral page documents no payout to the referring client — it explicitly notes that Schwab will not even notify you when your referral opens an account. So the Schwab offer is a strong thing to send a high-net-worth friend, and not a way to earn referral income. It is listed here for completeness rather than ranked among the earners above.
The same caution applies to any brokerage promotion advertised as "get up to $X" — read whether the $X attaches to the new account or to the referrer before you build content around it.
Where to Go Next
Browse the full investing referral programs directory for every brokerage and investing app we track, or compare Robinhood and Webull head to head. If you want the highest payouts across every category rather than just brokerages, start with the highest paying referral programs.
5 Best Programs in This Collection
Interactive Brokers pays a flat $200 for each eligible referral under its Refer a Friend program. To qualify as a referrer your own IBKR account must hold a net liquidation value of at least $2,000 and have placed at least one securities trade. You can earn up to $3,000/year, $6,000 lifetime from this program. This program has a higher barrier to entry, but the payout makes it worthwhile for targeted referrals.
Earn roughly $100 in stock (recent promotions pay it in NVDA shares) for each friend who opens a Moomoo account and completes a qualifying net deposit. Higher referral tiers can unlock larger reward pieces, but $100 per friend is the typical baseline. You can earn up to Varies by promotion (10-referral limit) from this program. The sign-up process is simple, making this one of the easiest programs to convert.
Earn $5 to $50 per referral when a friend signs up for Acorns and makes their first investment. There is no cap on your total earnings from this program. The sign-up process is simple, making this one of the easiest programs to convert.
Earn a free stock (valued $5–$200) for each friend who signs up and links their bank account using your referral link. In practice about 99% of reward stocks are worth roughly $5. You can earn up to $1,500/year in free stock from this program. The sign-up process is simple, making this one of the easiest programs to convert.
Earn free fractional shares when a friend opens and funds a Webull account using your referral link. The exact reward changes month to month — recent promotions have ranged from a couple of free stocks up to larger fractional-share bonuses at higher deposit tiers. You can earn up to Varies by current promotion (10-referral limit) from this program. The sign-up process is simple, making this one of the easiest programs to convert.
Referral Bonus Comparison Table
Compare the decision variables side by side: what you earn per referral, what your friend earns, when the reward posts, how many referrals count, and where each program is available. Fields the provider has not confirmed are marked rather than estimated.
| Program | You earn | Your friend earns | Payout timing | Referral cap | Where it's available | Source / last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers | $200 | Up to $1,000 in IBKR stock | Not confirmed — verify current terms | 15 referrals per year (30 lifetime) | Residents of Japan, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Poland, mainland China, and Israel cannot participate as referrers. Canadian referrers earn the $200 but not IBKR stock. | Official Interactive Brokers siteChecked Aug 24, 2026 |
| Moomoo | ~$100 in stock per friend | Welcome stock reward | Not confirmed — verify current terms | 10 referrals | Not confirmed — verify current terms | Official Moomoo siteChecked Jun 2, 2026 |
| Acorns | $5–$50 | $5–$20 | Not confirmed — verify current terms | unlimited | Not confirmed — verify current terms | Official Acorns siteChecked Jun 2, 2026 |
| Robinhood | 1 free stock | 1 free stock | Not confirmed — verify current terms | unlimited referrals (capped at $1,500 in stock rewards per year) | Not confirmed — verify current terms | Official Robinhood siteChecked Jun 2, 2026 |
| Webull | Free stocks (varies by promotion) | Free stocks (varies by promotion) | Not confirmed — verify current terms | 10 referrals | Not confirmed — verify current terms | Official Webull siteChecked Jun 2, 2026 |
These are referral-program terms as last verified by RefPerks — not financial, tax, or betting advice, and not a guarantee of payout. Providers change reward amounts, caps, and eligibility without notice, so confirm the current terms with the provider before sharing your link.
Head-to-Head Comparisons
Want two programs weighed against each other? These comparisons cover programs from this list.
Robinhood vs Webull Referral Bonus Comparison
A detailed comparison of Robinhood (1 free stock per referral) and Webull (Free stocks (varies by promotion) per referral) in the Investing category.
Moomoo vs Webull Referral Bonus Comparison
A detailed comparison of Moomoo (~$100 in stock per friend per referral) and Webull (Free stocks (varies by promotion) per referral) in the Investing category.
Interactive Brokers vs Webull Referral Bonus Comparison
A detailed comparison of Interactive Brokers ($200 per referral) and Webull (Free stocks (varies by promotion) per referral) in the Investing category.
Acorns vs Webull Referral Bonus Comparison
A detailed comparison of Acorns ($5–$50 per referral) and Webull (Free stocks (varies by promotion) per referral) in the Investing category.
Moomoo vs Robinhood Referral Bonus Comparison
A detailed comparison of Moomoo (~$100 in stock per friend per referral) and Robinhood (1 free stock per referral) in the Investing category.
Interactive Brokers vs Robinhood Referral Bonus Comparison
A detailed comparison of Interactive Brokers ($200 per referral) and Robinhood (1 free stock per referral) in the Investing category.
Our Methodology
Every program in this collection was evaluated using a consistent set of criteria designed to reflect what matters most to referrers — how much you can earn, how likely your referrals are to convert, and whether the program is reliable and well-established.
We verify bonus amounts directly from official sources, confirm referral caps and earning limits, and test the sign-up process to assess conversion difficulty. Programs are ranked by a weighted score combining per-referral earning potential, total earning ceiling, conversion ease, brand recognition, and payout reliability.
This list is reviewed and updated regularly. Bonus amounts, program terms, and availability can change without notice — we recommend verifying details on the official website before sharing your referral link.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which brokerage referral bonus pays the referrer the most?
- Interactive Brokers pays the highest confirmed flat cash bonus at $200 per eligible referral, though it caps you at 15 referrals per year and 30 lifetime. Moomoo's roughly $100 in stock per funded friend is the next highest per-referral value.
- Does Charles Schwab pay you for referring a friend?
- Schwab's public referral offer pays the referred friend, not the referrer. The friend earns $100 to $1,000 depending on their net deposit within 45 days of enrolling. Schwab's referral page documents no bonus for the referring client.
- How much is a free stock referral bonus really worth?
- Less than the headline range suggests. Robinhood advertises free stock valued between $5 and $200, but in practice about 99% of reward stocks are worth roughly $5. Treat flat cash programs as the reliable earners and free stock as a bonus with lottery-style variance.
- Do brokerage referrals require my friend to deposit money?
- Usually yes. Robinhood only requires a linked bank account with no deposit, but Moomoo, Webull, Interactive Brokers, and Schwab all tie the reward to a qualifying deposit or funding threshold. Check each program's qualifying action before you pitch it.
- Are brokerage referral bonuses taxable?
- Referral rewards are generally treated as taxable income in the US, and brokerages commonly report them on a Form 1099. Schwab, for example, states that its bonus award is reported on Form 1099-INT for taxable accounts. Consult a tax advisor about your situation.
Explore More Collections
Discover more curated lists to find the best referral programs for your earning strategy.
Referral program terms may change. Verify current offers on the official website.