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Best Brokerage Account Bonuses for 2025: Cash Rewards, Free Stock, and Matches

Review Updated
Joel O'Leary
Author: Joel O'Leary
Joel O'Leary
Joel O'Leary
Full-Time Personal Finance Writer

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.

See Full Bio

Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation.

If you're already planning to open a new brokerage account, roll over an old 401(k), or move money from one platform to another, the right bonus can put extra cash or free investments to work on day one.

The key is knowing which bonuses are easy wins and which ones require larger balances or longer commitments.

Below, we've rounded up some of the best brokerage account bonuses available in 2025, plus what you need to know before jumping in.

  • Our team of experts assessed 45+ trading platforms
  • We evaluate all brokerage accounts across the same 4 key criteria: user experience, cost efficiency, product variety, and support and security
  • Our brokerage ratings are never influenced by our advertising partners
  • We strictly feature products that offer federal insurance and high customer satisfaction, keeping our recommendations unbiased

Top broker promotions

These promotions can change throughout the year, but the offers below are some of the most competitive we're seeing right now:

  • SoFi Invest®: Earn a 1% match on both 401(k) rollovers and IRA contributions to your SoFi Invest® IRA. Terms apply.
  • Robinhood: Get a free stock (up to $200), plus a 1% match on IRA contributions (upgraded to 3% for those who sign up for Robinhood Gold).

Compare brokerages with the best bonuses

Broker Best For Fees Special Offer Learn More
Award Icon 2026 Award Winner
SoFi Invest® Offer Image
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Best For:

Get a 1% match on your SoFi Invest® IRA contributions and rollovers

 Fees:

$0 per trade, expense ratio 0.03%-0.08%

SPECIAL OFFER

Get a 1% IRA Match on contributions & rollovers. Terms apply.
Learn More for SoFi Invest®

On Secure Website.

Award Icon 2026 Award Winner
Robinhood Offer Image
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
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4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Best For:

Choose a free stock valued at up to $200, 1% IRA match

 Fees:

$0 for stocks, ETFs, and options

SPECIAL OFFER

Get a Free Stock

Circle with letter I in it. Receive between $5 and $200 to pick a gift stock when you link a bank account or debit card.

Learn More for Robinhood

On Robinhood's Secure Website.

Public Offer Image
4.0/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
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4.0/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Best For:

Earn a 1% cash match when you transfer your account

 Fees:

$0 commissions, 1%-2% crypto markups

N/A
Learn More for Public

On Public's Secure Website.

Merrill Edge® Self-Directed Offer Image
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
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4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Best For:

Receive a $100 to $600 bonus for deposits over $20,000

 Fees:

$0 for online stock and ETF trades

N/A
Read Review

At Motley Fool Money, brokerages are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on fees, available assets, and user experience; however, we also take into account features like research, education, tax-loss harvesting, and customer service. Our highest-rated brokerages generally include low fees, a diverse range of assets and account types, and useful platform features.

Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring brokerages from reputable brands. Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates brokerage accounts.

At Motley Fool Money, brokerages are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on fees, available assets, and user experience; however, we also take into account features like research, education, tax-loss harvesting, and customer service. Our highest-rated brokerages generally include low fees, a diverse range of assets and account types, and useful platform features.

Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring brokerages from reputable brands. Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates brokerage accounts.

Details of the best brokerage bonuses

SoFi Invest® IRA Match: 1% match on your SoFi® IRA contributions and rollovers

Award Icon 2026 Award Winner
SoFi Invest®

SoFi Invest®

Our Rating:

4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Bottom Line

This brokerage is a clear standout for its well-rated mobile app and has unique investment offerings like IPOs, options, and fractional shares.

Fees:

$0 per trade, expense ratio 0.03%-0.08%

Account Minimum:

$0

SPECIAL OFFER

Get a 1% IRA Match on contributions & rollovers. Terms apply.

Learn More for SoFi Invest®

On Secure Website.

How you earn it: You'll earn a 1% match on both 401(k) rollovers and IRA contributions to your SoFi Invest® IRA.

How you qualify: You must have have a SoFi Invest® IRA.

Details: Terms and conditions apply. For existing SoFi Invest® IRA members, 401(k) rollovers must be completed using this link. If you don't already have a SoFi Invest® IRA, you'll need to open one and complete the rollover through Capitalize via the same link.

SoFi® and Capitalize will process the rollover at no additional cost, but SoFi® is not responsible for any fees charged by your current 401(k) provider -- be sure to check with them for potential costs. For IRA contributions, only deposits made via ACH or cash transfer from a SoFi Bank account are eligible for the 1% match. Full terms and conditions are available here.

Robinhood: Free stock valued at up to $200, 1% IRA match

Robinhood
Learn More for Robinhood

On Robinhood's Secure Website.

Award Icon 2026 Award Winner
Robinhood

Robinhood

Our Rating:

4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
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Bottom Line

Robinhood continues to lead the way in making investing more accessible. Plus, the investing pioneer's IRA match stands out, especially if you use Robinhood Gold.

Fees:

$0 for stocks, ETFs, and options

Account Minimum:

$0

SPECIAL OFFER

Get a Free Stock

Circle with letter I in it. Receive between $5 and $200 to pick a gift stock when you link a bank account or debit card.
Learn More for Robinhood

On Robinhood's Secure Website.

Robinhood promotions are easy to earn and offer great value to customers. Here are two we love:

Free stock for linking a bank or debit card

When you open a Robinhood account and link your bank account or debit card, you'll receive a free stock valued between $5 and $200. Even better: You can choose your free stock from a curated list of 26 top-performing companies. While most Robinhood users will receive stocks valued at $5, there's a 0.9% chance of scoring $10 and a 0.1% chance of landing the maximum $200 value.

IRA match

Robinhood also offers a 1% match on IRA contributions (upgraded to 3% for those who sign up for Robinhood Gold). This promotion is a rare perk in the brokerage world, and makes Robinhood one of the best IRA accounts out there. If you're ready to supercharge your retirement, Robinhood is ready to help.

Public: Earn a 1% cash match when you transfer your account

Public
Learn More for Public

On Public's Secure Website.

Public

Public

Our Rating:

4.0/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Bottom Line

Public is an investing platform that simplifies trading stocks, bonds, ETFs, options, and crypto. With zero fees on many trades, Public stands out as a low-cost brokerage, while also providing yield-focused products to help you earn returns on your cash.

Fees:

$0 commissions, 1%-2% crypto markups

Account Minimum:

$1

Learn More for Public

On Public's Secure Website.

Public now offers a simple, uncapped transfer bonus that scales with the size of your portfolio. This can be a huge boost, but it requires you to stay with Public for a long while.

How it works: When you transfer an eligible account to Public, you'll receive a 1% cash match based on the total value of assets you move over. There's no cap. If you transfer $100,000 in assets from your brokerage to Public, you'll earn $1,000. Transfer $2 million and you'll earn $20,000.

Once your transfer is complete (typically within seven to 10 business days) the bonus is credited to your Public account as cash.

What's eligible: Public supports transfers of brokerage accounts and many retirement accounts, including traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, Rollover IRAs, and certain 401(k) rollovers. Eligible assets include stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, and cash.

Other important details: The matched funds must remain in your Public account for five years to keep the bonus. Withdrawing them earlier could result in forfeiture of the reward.

One cool convenience thing: If your current brokerage charges a transfer-out fee, Public will reimburse up to $100 per transfer, as long as the transferred balance is $5,000 or more.

Merrill Edge: $100 to $600 bonus for deposits over $20,000

Merrill Edge® Self-Directed

Merrill Edge® Self-Directed

Our Rating:

4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Bottom Line

Merrill Edge® Self-Directed is a standout brokerage with $0 online stock and ETF trades, strong research offerings, and excellent customer support. Owned by Bank of America, you can also get access to its fantastic Preferred Rewards program.

Fees:

$0 for online stock and ETF trades

Account Minimum:

$0

Read Review

Merrill Edge only offers one true bonus that has the ability to fatten your account balance, but it's a good one:

Tiered cash bonus for new accounts

Merrill Edge rewards new account holders with cash bonuses based on deposit size.

Here's how the tiers break down:

  • $100 for deposits of $20,000 to $49,999
  • $150 for deposits of $50,000 to $99,999
  • $250 for deposits of $100,000 to $199,999
  • $600 for deposits of $200,000 or more

To qualify for this Merrill Edge promotion, investors must make deposits within 45 days and leave the funds in their account for at least 90 days. As with any promotion, make sure you read the fine print before you get started to ensure you meet all requirements.

What are brokerage account bonuses?

Brokerage bonuses are incentives offered by investment platforms to attract new customers. They usually come in the form of cash, free stocks, fractional shares, or contribution matches.

Most are reserved for new customers and usually some sort of minimum deposit, transfer, or holding period. They can be really valuable, but you should always make sure the broker itself fits your investing style before chasing the bonus.

How to choose the best broker bonus for you

Picking the best broker bonus is like trying to pick the best pasta at a great Italian restaurant: They all look good. How do you choose? The best bonus for you depends on your financial situation and investment goals. Here are some factors to weigh:

  • Minimum deposit: Some promotions ask for deposits as low as $25, while others require over $1 million.
  • Wait time: Some broker bonuses are instant, while others require holding funds for months.
  • Brokerage features: Don't forget to think about the platform as a whole. Do you like it? Does it offer the investments and features you're looking for?

FAQs

  • They can be -- especially 1% matching bonuses for money you are already planning to invest. If you're opening a new account, rolling over an old 401(k), or moving investments anyway, a bonus is basically a head start.

    The mistake is chasing a reward that forces you into a platform you won't want long term.

  • Most brokerages support in-kind transfers, meaning your investments move over without being sold. That helps you avoid triggering taxes or being out of the market. Just confirm which assets are eligible before initiating a transfer.