Get up to $3,000 in Total Bonus Cash or Free Stock: The Best Brokerage Bonuses of September 2026
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About 4 in 10 U.S. adults still don't own a single share of stock, according to Motley Fool Money research. If you're one of them, a new-account bonus is a pretty good nudge to finally start.
My team at Motley Fool Money tracks brokerage promos all year, and three stood out this month. Two pay you straight cash. One hands you free stock. Open all three and there's up to $3,000 on the table.
1. E*TRADE offers a huge cash bonus this month
E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley is running the largest straight-cash offer of our three picks right now. It's simple, and there's no portfolio transfer required to get it.
Bonus details: You can earn up to $1,500 in cash when you open and fund a new E*TRADE brokerage account. It's a limited-time promo, and the more you fund, the bigger your bonus.
How to earn it: Open a new E*TRADE brokerage account and use promo code OFFER26 when you sign up. Then fund it with new money to lock in your tier. Here are the offer tiers up to $1M in funding:
| Deposit Amount | Cash Credit |
|---|---|
| $1,000–$4,999 | $50 |
| $5,000–$19,999 | $150 |
| $20,000–$99,999 | $300 |
| $100,000–$199,999 | $600 |
| $200,000–$499,999 | $1,000 |
| $500,000–$999,999 | $1,500 |
This one makes the most sense if you've already got cash ready to invest. You bring the money, E*TRADE adds to it.
2026 Award Winner
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= PoorE*TRADE offers low fees and tons of account types. If you need it, chances are, E*TRADE has it. You can access advanced features through its popular Power E*TRADE platform. Open an E*TRADE account to trade fee-free mutual funds and do all your investing in one place.
Commission-free; other fees apply
$0
Open and fund a brokerage account and get up to $1,500. Terms apply.
On E*TRADE's Secure Website.
2. J.P. Morgan rewards you for moving your portfolio
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing pays a tiered cash bonus for transferring or rolling over an existing account. It also earned our award for Best Stock Broker for Mutual Funds for 2026, thanks to $0 commissions across the board.
Bonus details: The cash bonus scales with how much you bring over:
- $50 for transfers of $5,000 to $24,999
- $150 for $25,000 to $99,999
- $325 for $100,000 to $249,999
- $1,000 for $250,000 or more
How to earn it: Open a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account by Oct. 21, 2026. You've got 45 days to fund it with qualifying new money, and your bonus is set on day 45. Keep the money in for 90 days, and it lands in your account within 15 days.
This is perfect for anyone with an old IRA or a brokerage account sitting somewhere else. If you've been meaning to consolidate, you might as well get paid to do it.
2026 Award Winner
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= PoorA no-frills platform with $0 mutual fund fees, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing offers easy trading, an optional robo-advisor, and seamless Chase integration.
$0 per trade
$0
Get a cash bonus up to $1,000 when you open and fund a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account.
On J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing's Secure Website.
3. Schwab gives beginners free stock for as little as $50
Charles Schwab runs two new-customer offers, and it earned our award for Best Stock Broker for IRA Investors for 2026. One offer is built for first-timers, the other for people moving a bigger balance.
Bonus details: The Schwab Starter Kit gives new investors $50 in free stock. Deposit $50 and you start with $100 invested. There's also a referral bonus worth up to $1,000 for those funding a larger account.
How to earn it: For the Starter Kit, open a new Schwab account and fund it with at least $50. Schwab hands you $50 to buy fractional shares (it calls them Stock Slices) of five large U.S. companies. To qualify for either offer, you just have to be new to Schwab. Schwab lays out both offers on its promotions page.
This is where I'd encourage beginner investors to open an account. Schwab is a low-cost broker you can trust for long-term retirement investing.
2026 Award Winner
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= PoorCharles Schwab pioneered the low-cost brokerage model decades ago, and that legacy continues with its lineup of no-commission-fee offerings. The robust lineup of account types, investment vehicles, and high quality app round out the stacked feature set.
$0 stock, ETF, and Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource® trades. No fees to buy fractional shares.
$0
On Charles Schwab's Secure Website.
Just starting is the real win
Broker bonuses are great -- but they're a one-time thing. Consistent investing and holding good quality stocks long term is what builds wealth.
So open the account, fund it, and set up automatic contributions. Bonus or no bonus, the best time to start is now.
To compare all your options first, here are the best stock brokers for 2026.
FAQs
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No, there's no limit on how many brokerage accounts you can open. You can hold accounts at multiple firms at once, which is exactly how most bonus-chasers collect several offers. Just keep track of paperwork and tax forms, since each broker sends its own.
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Yes, brokerage bonuses count as taxable income. Cash bonuses typically show up on a 1099-INT or 1099-MISC, while stock bonuses are taxed based on their value when you receive them. You'll owe tax again on any gains when you eventually sell.
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You'll likely forfeit the bonus if you withdraw before the required holding period ends. Most brokers claw back the reward, and some charge an early-termination fee. Read your broker's specific terms before moving funds you're not ready to leave in place.
Our Research Expert
Joel O’Leary is a full-time Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, covering credit cards, bank accounts, investing, mortgages, and other personal finance topics. Joel has been writing about personal finance since 2018, previously leading editorial content for the How To Money podcast and serving as a resident writer at Budgets Are Sexy. He bought his first rental property at age 18, funding the down payment with savings from his high school job at McDonald’s -- a testament to his lifelong passion for smart money decisions. His work aims to make personal finance accessible and actionable for everyday readers. When he’s not writing, Joel enjoys surfing and spending time with his family.
Motley Fool Stock Disclosures
The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.E*TRADE services are available just to U.S. residents.
INVESTMENT AND INSURANCE PRODUCTS ARE: NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE