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Best Brokerage Account Bonuses for 2025: Get Up to $2,000 in Bonus Rewards

Review Updated
Brendan Byrnes
Author: Brendan Byrnes
Brendan Byrnes
Brendan Byrnes

Currently Managing Director of Motley Fool Money, Brendan has worked full-time for The Motley Fool since 2011. He has written hundreds of articles for The Motley Fool and provided analysis on TV outlets including CNBC and Fox. He holds a degree in finance from Virginia Tech.

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Nathan Alderman
Fact Checked: Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
Fact checker

Nathan Alderman has been a full-time Motley Fool employee since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As Motley Fool Money's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.

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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.

Broker bonuses can give your investment journey a boost from your very first day. These promotions come in many forms, from free stocks to cash incentives, making it easy to pick the bonus that's right for you. However, most broker bonuses come with strict requirements -- it's important to read the fine print before you jump in.

Below, we'll break down our favorite broker bonuses, along with their minimum deposits and other qualifying factors.

  • 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

  • Robinhood allows new customers to pick a free stock (valued $5–$200) from a list of top-performing companies. Robinhood also boasts a 1% IRA match—boosted to 3% for Robinhood Gold members. Start investing with Robinhood.

Compare brokerages with the best bonuses

Broker/Advisor Best For Commissions Learn More
Award Icon 2025 Award Winner
Robinhood Offer Image
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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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Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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

 Commission:

$0 for stocks, ETFs, and options
Learn More for Robinhood

On Robinhood's Secure Website.

Award Icon 2025 Award Winner
Public Offer Image
Rating image, 4.0 out of 5 stars.
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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Rating image, 4.0 out of 5 stars.
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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Best For:

Receive $150-10,000 for transferring $5,000 or more from another broker

 Commission:

$0 commissions, 1%-2% crypto markups
Learn More for Public

On Public's Secure Website.

Moomoo Offer Image
Rating image, 3.5 out of 5 stars.
3.5/5 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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Rating image, 3.5 out of 5 stars.
3.5/5 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 five free stocks with a $100 deposit, and receive an additional 25 free stocks with a $2,000+ deposit

 Commission:

$0 for stocks, ETFs, and options
Learn More for Moomoo

On Moomoo's Secure Website.

Charles Schwab Offer Image
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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
= Good
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Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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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= Good
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Best For:

Receive $101 to invest in fractional shares of top stocks with a $50+ deposit

 Commission:

$0 stock, ETF, and Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource® trades. No fees to buy fractional shares.
Read Review
Merrill Edge® Self-Directed Offer Image
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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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Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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
= Good
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Best For:

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

 Commission:

$0 for online stock and ETF trades
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

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

Robinhood
Learn More for Robinhood

On Robinhood's Secure Website.

Ratings Methodology
Award Icon 2025 Award Winner
Robinhood

Robinhood

Learn More

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Our Rating:

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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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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

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: Receive $150-10,000 for transferring $5,000 or more from another broker

Public
Learn More for Public

On Public's Secure Website.

Ratings Methodology
Award Icon 2025 Award Winner
Public

Public

Learn More

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Our Rating:

Rating image, 4.0 out of 5 stars.
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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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.

If you have an existing brokerage account, you could receive a hefty cash bonus for transferring to Public.

Tiered cash bonus for account transfers

Public is offering a cash bonus for account transfers over $5,000. Here's how it breaks down:

  • $150 if you transfer between $5,000 and $24,999
  • $250 if you transfer between $25,000 and $99,999
  • $600 if you transfer between $100,000 and $249,999
  • $1,000 if you transfer between $250,000 and $499,999
  • $2,000 if you transfer between $500,000 and $999,999
  • $4,000 if you transfer between $1 million and $4,999,999
  • $10,000 if you transfer $5 million or more

Note that this promotion only applies to transfers from another broker and rollovers from a retirement account -- new deposits and contributions won’t help you earn the bonus.

For those looking to switch brokers, this bonus is an attractive incentive to move to Public.

Moomoo: Receive five free stocks with a $100 deposit, and receive an additional 25 free stocks with a $2,000+ deposit

Moomoo
Learn More for Moomoo

On Moomoo's Secure Website.

Ratings Methodology
Moomoo

Moomoo

Learn More

Double arrow

Our Rating:

Rating image, 3.5 out of 5 stars.
3.5/5 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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Bottom Line

Moomoo offers an impressive suite of tools for professional-grade active investing and day trading. But this brokerage also keeps its fees low, with no commissions and low rates on margin loans. If this sounds good to you, open an account today to take advantage of its new client promotions.

Fees:

$0 for stocks, ETFs, and options

Account Minimum:

$0

Learn More for Moomoo

On Moomoo's Secure Website.

Moomoo has two noteworthy promotions worth discussing.

Free stocks for deposits of $100 and up

With Moomoo, new customers can earn between five and 30 free stocks based on their deposit size. A $100 deposit gets you five stocks, while a deposit of $2,000 or more unlocks another 25 additional stocks. This bonus is valid until March 31, 2025.

High APY on uninvested cash for first three months

Moomoo offers a stunning 8.10% APY on uninvested cash for the first three months after account opening -- a rate far above what even the best high-yield savings accounts provide. This bonus is valid until March 31, 2025.

Charles Schwab: Receive $101 to invest in fractional shares of top stocks with a $50+ deposit

Ratings Methodology
Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab

Our Rating:

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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
= Good
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Bottom Line

Charles Schwab pioneered the low-cost brokerage model decades ago, and that legacy continues with its mix of no-commission-fee offerings. The robust lineup of account types and investment vehicles and the high-quality app round out the stacked feature set.

Fees:

$0 stock, ETF, and Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource® trades. No fees to buy fractional shares.

Account Minimum:

$0

Read Review

Charles Schwab regularly changes up its promotions. Right now you can find:

$101 worth of stocks for deposits of $50 or more

The Charles Schwab Starter Kit is a top contender for the best broker bonuses for beginners. Deposit just $50 to a new account and receive $101 to invest in fractional shares of five top stocks. Most bonuses are worth a fraction of their minimum deposit -- this promotion is wildly generous compared to competitors.

$100 to $1,000 for deposits over $25,000 with a referral code

Another standout Charles Schwab promotion is the company's referral bonus. This is a tiered promotion for new members with a referral code. Here are the deposit tiers and their corresponding rewards:

  • $100 for deposits of $25,000 to $49,999
  • $300 for deposits of $50,000 to $99,999
  • $500 for deposits of $100,000 to $499,999
  • $1,000 for deposits of $500,000 or more

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

Ratings Methodology
Merrill Edge® Self-Directed

Merrill Edge® Self-Directed

Our Rating:

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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 broker bonuses?

Broker bonuses are rewards offered by stock brokers to their customers. Usually, brokerage promotions are exclusive to new customers. Promotions can include cash, free stocks, fractional shares, or other perks.

While they can provide great value, broker bonuses often come with strings attached, such as minimum deposit requirements or holding periods. Don't forget to read the fine print any time you open a new account, especially if you're hoping to receive a bonus for doing so.

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?

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.

See our full methodology here: Ratings Methodology

FAQs

  • Many brokerages offer competitive bonuses, but a few of our favorite promotions are from Robinhood, Moomoo, and SoFi Invest®.

  • The required deposit to earn a bonus varies by broker and promotion. Some promotions don't require any deposit, while others cater to investors with $500,000 or more.

Brokerages we evaluated for consideration on this page: Acorns, Ally Invest, Axos Self-Directed Trading, Betterment, Cash App Investing, Charles Schwab, Delphia, Domain Money, Ellevest, Empower, eToro Brokerage, E*TRADE Core Portfolios from Morgan Stanley, E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley, Fidelity, Fidelity Cash Management, Fidelity Go®, Firstrade, FOREX.com, Interactive Brokers, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing, M1 Finance, Magnifi, Marcus Invest, Merrill Edge® Self-Directed, Moomoo, NinjaTrader, Personal Capital, Plynk, Prosperi Academy, Public, Robinhood, Rocket Dollar, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, SoFi Active Investing, SoFi Robo Investing, Stash, Stockpile, tastytrade, Titan, Tornado App, TradeStation, Tradier, Vanguard, Vanguard Digital Advisor®, Wealthfront, Webull, Zacks Trade.