16 Best Apps with an Instant Referral Bonus

A referral bonus is a type of credit or reward that may consist of cash, crypto, gift cards, investment stocks and shares, or other freebies.

You can get referral bonuses in one of two ways:

1. By signing up for a new platform or service via a referral link or code from an existing user or customer.
2. By referring friends or other people to a platform or service you’re already using and, usually, giving them a referral link or code of your own.

If you’re joining a platform or service as a new customer, you may get referral bonuses in addition to or instead of a regular signup bonus, if such a thing is offered. (In contrast to referral bonuses, normal signup bonuses are available to all new users who join a platform or service, regardless of whether they have a referral code or link.)

If both a signup bonus and referral bonus are available, it’s sometimes possible to stack the two to get double rewards. However, you can’t always do this. As a rule of thumb, if a referral bonus is available, it should usually be more lucrative than the signup bonus (although you should double check this to make sure you’re getting the better deal).

Can I really get an instant referral bonus?

Although some platforms and services offer instant referral bonuses, it’s often difficult to access the respective cash or other rewards right away. You may receive credit when you open a new account, for example, but have to fulfill one or more requirements before you can withdraw or redeem your credit in the form of PayPal cash, crypto, virtual gift cards, et cetera.

In particular, there will often be payment thresholds or deposit requirements you need to meet before you can receive rewards from a referral bonus, or there may also be other hoops to jump through. Whether you can get your referral bonus instantly will depend on how long it takes you to fulfill these requirements.

To help you find the best offers with the fastest payouts, we’ve rounded up 16 of the best referral bonus offers for instant (or almost-instant) rewards.

What else do I need to know about referral bonus offers?

There will often be a cap on the total bonus rewards you can receive for referrals.

The cap tends to be pretty high, meaning you’ll likely have plenty of opportunities to earn with referral bonuses. Sometimes, the cap will specify a maximum value you can earn (e.g., up to $1,000); other times, it will specify a maximum number of people you can refer (e.g., up to 10 referrals).

Microtasking or GPT (“get paid to”) platforms are apps and websites you can use to earn cash, gift cards, and other rewards by completing quick and easy tasks. These tasks often include:

• Surveys
• Games
• Offers
• Online searches
• Promo code scavenger hunts
• Shopping (to earn cash back)
• Other ways to earn

Many microtasking and GPT platforms offer referral bonuses that will pay out fast.

1. Mistplay

Mistplay is a popular GPT app you can use to get paid for playing games. You may find a few other ways to earn within the app, such as with sweepstakes or promo codes, but gaming is the focus and the most reliable way to get rewards.

The platform features puzzles like Words with Friends and old favorites like Solitaire and Merge Dragons. You have to download these games via the Mistplay app to accumulate points (or “Units”) while you play.

Previously, Mistplay was only available for Android devices. However, they recently started offering an iOS version, so iPhone and iPad users can now also benefit from their signup bonus and referral bonus offers.

It shouldn’t take you long to accumulate enough Mistplay rewards to withdraw—which you can do via cash or gift cards—as you only need $3–$5 worth of rewards (where the exact amount may depend on your location and possibly other factors).

Mistplay says that the funds provided by your reward should be deposited within 48 hours after you redeem. This means you will likely get your payment on the same day or the next day, so it’s a pretty quick process.

You can get Mistplay referral bonuses both when you sign up to the app yourself using a referral link and when you refer your own friends to use Mistplay.

What you get when you sign up to Mistplay with a referral link

When you sign up to Mistplay via a referral link, you’ll get an extra 100 bonus units (worth between around $0.27 and $0.33) on top of the usual 200 welcome units (worth around $0.54 to $0.66) that new signups receive as standard. 1

What you get when you invite others to join Mistplay

Each time you refer a friend to Mistplay, you get 150 bonus units, worth approximately $0.40–$0.50, once your friend completes the signup and opt-in process using your referral link. You can also get another dollar or so in rewards once your referred friend reaches a certain milestone (i.e., Checkpoint 5) in their game of choice.

2. Freecash

Freecash is a GPT site that, like Mistplay, features many different games but also other earning opportunities, such as surveys, offers, and videos.

A major plus point of Freecash is that, unlike with many similar apps and websites for earning via games and surveys, it pays out instantly. This means you don’t have to wait to access your rewards (which you can redeem in the form of cash, gift cards, or crypto) from referral bonuses.

However, on the downside, a major annoyance with this app is that it has a rather confusing and unpredictable system for the signup bonus, with the exact amount you’ll get depending on where you are and possibly also other factors. You may need as little as a few dollars’ worth of rewards or as much as $20, initially, but you won’t know what the deal is until you sign up.

What you get when you sign up to Freecash with a referral code or link

Freecash states that, if you give someone a referral link, “referred users will receive a bonus for signing up via your referral link.” 2 This implies that, if you use a referral link to sign up to Freecash, you’ll get an extra bonus on top of the regular signup bonus that all new users receive.

However, Freecash doesn’t provide details about this, so it’s not guaranteed.

What you get when you invite others to join Freecash

Freecash is more forthcoming about the bonuses you can get when you refer your own friends or other people to the platform.

They say you’ll initially get $2.50 when a user you’ve referred signs up to Freecash and installs their first game. You can also get a second reward of $10 after the new user makes their first withdrawal. However, this second reward will likely take longer to materialize, so it probably won’t be “instant.” 2

3. Fusion Cash

Fusion Cash is a microtasking site that promises to reward you for taking surveys, watching videos, clicking on certain links, shopping via their portal, and completing other types of tasks.

This platform is not as widely used as some other similar ones we’ve seen, but it offers quick referral bonus rewards and, also, a worthwhile signup bonus of $5. However, bear in mind that you have to reach a fairly high minimum threshold of $25 before you can cash out (with some other requirements also applicable for withdrawals).

This high withdrawal threshold might mean it takes longer to redeem any bonus rewards you earn, even if they’re credited to your account instantly.

There are also other limitations in terms of the referral bonus opportunities available on this platform.

What you get when you sign up to Fusion Cash with a referral code or link

Fusion Cash doesn’t advertise a referral bonus you can get when you sign up as a new user. However, the good news is that Fusion Cash has an instant signup bonus of $5 as standard, so you’ll still get a free $5 credit immediately when you join.

What you get when you invite others to join Fusion Cash

Although you can’t normally get a referral bonus in addition to the standard signup bonus Fusion Cash offers for new users, you can earn referral bonuses by inviting your own friends to join the platform.

Fusion Cash says you’ll earn $1 when someone you refer confirms their email, $2 when they complete a specific type of offer, and $5 each time they are approved for cashout—for life.

The platforms on this list include cashback apps, which give you a percentage of your money back when you shop through them at partner stores, and receipt-scanning apps, which reward you with points or cash for uploading photos of your shopping receipts.

4. Receipt Hog

Receipt Hog is a receipt-scanning app that has been around since 2011. You can use it to earn cash or gift cards by scanning paper or digital receipts. You can also sometimes earn extra rewards by taking surveys and completing a few other small tasks.

What’s more, you’ll get a signup bonus when you join Receipt Hog as a new user. Receipt Hog will give you the bonus when you connect your email account to your Receipt Hog account, although the information they provide about the bonus amount is confusing, as it’s not clear whether the bonus is worth 36 coins or 100 coins (or if you will receive both amounts).

Every Receipt Hog coin is worth roughly half a cent. This means the bonus will be equivalent to less than a dollar. The platform also promises free sweepstakes entries for users who connect their email accounts.

Once you’ve earned at least $5 worth of Receipt Hog rewards (1,000 coins), you can cash out (via PayPal, Visa, or Amazon egift cards).

Receipt Hog says it will review and approve your redemption request within a week of your request date but that it usually takes way less time than that. In our experience with similar apps, they usually take just a day or so to pay out—meaning you can often get virtually instant rewards.

What you get when you join Receipt Hog with a referral code or link

When you use a referral code or link to sign up to Receipt Hog, you get five “spins” after you scan your first receipt. These spins give you entries into a luck-based game that offers prizes worth up to 18,000 coins (worth around $90). 3

However, you’re not guaranteed to win large numbers of coins—or indeed anything at all—with each spin. Reports online suggest that your five free bonus spins probably won’t yield more than a couple of dollars.

What you get when you invite others to join Receipt Hog

When you invite friends or other people to join Receipt Hog, you get 250 coins, which translates into approximately $1.25, when they scan their first receipt. Although you’ll have to wait for your referral to get scanning, they’ll hopefully be incentivized to do this ASAP to benefit from the aforementioned free spins.

5. Fetch

Fetch is another popular receipt-scanning app you can use to earn gift cards from popular brands like Amazon and Target. It was founded in 2013, and, in addition to receipt-scanning, now features games you can play to earn gift cards (which Fetch estimates can be worth about 3,000 points or approximately $3 a week).

Fetch point values vary based on the gift card you want, but the website states that 1,000 points are worth around $1.

Although Fetch has decent referral bonus offers (and a nice signup bonus), it might take you a while to turn your referral bonus credits into real rewards, since you need at least $10 to redeem on Fetch. Given that you can only scan 35 receipts during an 8-day period (and receipts yield only a couple of cents each), this could take a while.

Fetch Rewards says that rewards redemption has a 72-hour processing period, so it’s a pretty quick redemption process, at least. 4

What you get when you join Fetch with a referral code

When you use a referral code to sign up to Fetch Rewards, you can get a referral bonus of 2,000 points, worth around $2, and the same applies for the person who referred you.

Although Fetch says this is the typical amount you and your friends will get for referrals, there are often opportunities to get more points per referral during special promos. 5

As with Receipt Hog, your friend must scan a receipt in the Fetch app after they sign up (which they must do using a referral code from you) for the bonuses to start flowing.

Once your friend scans their first receipt, you will both receive points automatically. After that, as we’ve already mentioned, you’ll have to accumulate $10 to redeem your rewards (in the form of gift cards or Visa prepaid cards) by scanning receipts, playing games, or referring your own friends.

What you get when you invite others to join Fetch

When you invite your own friends to join Fech, you get $2 worth of points. This time, you will have to wait for your friend to scan their receipt before you can get your $2 bonus, but they will hopefully be keen to do this in order to get their own $2 bonus reward.

6. Makeena

Makeena is another cashback app, this time with a more specialized focus compared with Receipt Hog or Fetch Rewards. Makeena is all about products that are “good for you and the planet.” The platform promises to reward you for purchasing healthy, eco-friendly products from their “community of socially responsible brands.”

Makeena partners with brands that emphasize clean, ethical, and sustainable practices and offer products that are:

• Organic
• Non-GMO
• Gluten-free
• Plant-based
• Eco-friendly
• BPA-free
• Cruelty-free

You can use Makeena to earn by scanning barcodes and shopping with affiliated brands (and then scanning your paper or digital receipts). You can also earn more points with other tasks—promoting the brand through social media or signing up for the brand’s newsletter, for example.

And, of course, there are referral bonuses on offer. However, although you’ll likely receive the respective referral bonus credits in your Makeena account instantly (or very fast), it may take longer to yield real rewards compared with other cashback apps on our list. As such, if you’re looking for a truly instant payout, Makeena shouldn’t usually be your first choice.

One reason Makeena may take longer to pay out is that you’ll need at least $20 before you can redeem via PayPal or Venmo (compared with just $5–$10 on many similar apps). Referral bonuses may help you to reach the $20 milestone asap, but you’ll also probably need to do a lot of eco-friendly or ethical shopping to rack up rewards.

Another reason for the potentially slower payout is that, after you request cash out, Makeena can take up to 30 days to validate all of your referrals, points earned, and receipts. Although some reports online cite shorter timelines for cashing out, some users complain that they had to wait even longer than 30 days.

As such, Makeena isn’t a very reliable way to get paid fast.

What you get when you join Makeena with a referral code

According to many reports online, Makeena gives you $1 when you sign up via a referral code. You’ll likely have to scan your first receipt to get the bonus, as this requirement is common with similar apps.

What you get when you invite others to join Makeena

Makeena says you’ll receive a $1 referral bonus plus brand points if you refer a friend who makes a purchase and then submits a receipt (as long as the receipt is accepted). You can refer multiple friends to rack up more rewards.

The apps on this list include banks and neobanks (where neobanks are a type of digital-only bank that operates entirely online). Referral bonus offers with these types of services—including the ones on our list—will usually require you to make a deposit or receive a direct deposit to qualify.

As such, these types of referral bonuses can be more awkward and slower to materialize compared with offers from cashback apps or GPT platforms, for example. However, banking referral bonuses are also usually a lot more lucrative.

7. Current

Current offers mobile banking services that include spending accounts, credit cards, credit-building tools, crypto trading, payday cash advances (a short-term loan that lets you borrow a small amount of money against your next paycheck), and more.

Current offers a fairly generous $50 bonus for new users who open an account using the promo code on the Current website and use it to receive a direct deposit of $200 within 45 days (plus meet additional requirements).

However, there’s an even better deal for new users who use an invite link or referral code, although the referral bonus unfortunately can’t be combined with the normal signup bonus. 7 There’s also a referral bonus you can get when you refer your friend or other people to use this app.

Current says you’ll usually get bonuses within 10 days after you meet the relevant requirements. However, one factor that might further slow down the process of your referral bonus payment—whether it’s a bonus for joining Current or for recruiting other new users—is the direct deposit requirement involved.

Direct deposits often take a while to set up. In theory, it can be done within a day, but in practice, it’s more likely to take several days or possibly even weeks.

What you get when you join Current with an invite link or referral code

Current gives you $100 when you sign up to the platform via an invite link or referral code.

However, to qualify for the bonus, you must also receive an Eligible Payroll Deposit (i.e., a recurring deposit from someone like an employer, payroll provider, or government payer) of at least $200 within 45 days of account opening.

As mentioned, you can’t stack this referral bonus with the normal $50 signup bonus. There are also some other terms and conditions.

What you get when you invite friends to join Current

You can also earn a $100 bonus, as an existing Currrent customer, when your friend opens a Current Account using your unique invite link or referral code. Again, your friend must receive a $200 deposit before you can get your bonus (and other terms and conditions also apply), so your bonus might be slow to materialize if their deposit takes a while to arrive. 8

8. Chime

Chime is another banking services app or neobank, à la Current, that you can use to get a referral bonus as a new user or as an existing user when you refer others. Chime offers online checking accounts; savings accounts; credit-building tools; fee-free overdrafts; and more tools for budgeting, saving, and sending money.

Chime has a standard referral program plus sometimes also has other promotional offers for new signups, so it’s worth keeping an eye on their website and social media accounts, if you’re thinking of joining them, in case anything lucrative crops up. 9

However, as with Current and similar banking apps, you’ll need to receive a direct deposit to qualify for bonuses, meaning that payouts will probably be slower compared with offers on some other types of platforms and services.

Once you fulfill the requirements, your payout should follow quickly, as Chime says that it generally sends referral rewards within two business days after you meet all its conditions.

What you get when you join Chime with a referral link or code

Chime currently has a couple of ways to get referral bonuses when you sign up with them.

One offer gives you $130 when you sign up using a promotional code (which you can get from one of Chime’s official affiliate partners via webpage, email, or audio or through other promo materials Chime sends you directly) and use your Chime account to receive a direct deposit of $200 within 45 days. 9

The direct deposit must be an ACH transfer from one of the following:

• Your employer
• Your payroll provider
• A gig economy payer
• A benefits payer

Alternatively, Chime will accept a deposit by Original Credit Transaction (OCT) from your gig economy payer.

If you miss this offer, Chime also has a standard referral program when a friend or other Chime user invites you to join the app using their referral link. In this case you can get $100 if you receive a direct deposit of $200 or more by one of the aforementioned methods within 45 days after you open your account.

Note that you can’t combine these offers.

What you get when you invite others to join Chime

If you’re already using Chime (or plan to join) and want to invite friends or other people, you can get a referral bonus of up to $200, depending on the offers available at the time you sign up. This time, your referred friend must receive a $200 direct deposit per the criteria we have just mentioned. 10

9. SoFi Checking and Savings Account

SoFi is an online financial company that offers a range of services, from student loan refinancing and personal loans to banking, investing, and credit card products. They claim to have paid out over $54 million to their members in referral bonuses (as of 9/30/24).

SoFi has a signup bonus of $50–$300 when new users sign up for a SoFi Checking and Savings Account and use it to receive a direct deposit of more than $1,000.

The company is also advertising referral bonuses whose requirements are easier to fulfill (as the minimum deposit requirement is just $50).

As with Current and Chime (and other similar apps with referral bonus offers), your referral bonus payout will potentially be slower due to the direct deposit requirements; SoFi estimates that it will take you about 2–4 weeks to receive your direct deposit in order to fulfill these requirements. 11

SoFi says that it will credit bonus payments to the referrer and the referred member’s respective SoFi Checking accounts within seven business days after all requirements have been met.

The SoFi Terms of Use agreement states that each new customer may use one referral reward and one welcome bonus each. This suggests that you can stack bonuses to get more free rewards.

What you get when you join SoFi with a referral link or code

SoFi offers a one-time cash bonus of $25 when you open a new SoFi Checking and Savings account and fund it with a mere $50 (or more). Your payment must settle within 21 days after you click the referral link (meaning the $50 must be deposited and fully processed in your new account within that time window), and there are also some other requirements to bear in mind. 12

What you get when you invite others to join SoFi

The exact amount you get for referring others to SoFi will depend on whether you have a standard SoFi account or a SoFi Plus account. If you’re not a SoFi Plus member, you’ll receive a bonus of $75. SoFi Plus members will receive $100.

Many investment-related apps, such as brokerage and crypto apps, will give you a bonus for signing up via referral links. As with banking apps, though, you’ll usually have to meet additional requirements that involve depositing cash into a new account.

10. Robinhood

Robinhood is a very popular investment or brokerage app founded in 2013. It originally made a name for itself with commission-free trading of stocks and ETFs (exchange-traded funds, which are investments that combine stocks or other assets to spread risk). Since 2018, it has also allowed buying and selling of cryptocurrencies.

Many credit this platform with democratizing access to financial markets, and making it easy for ordinary people to start investing right through their phones.

Robinhood often has signup bonuses and referral bonuses of free stocks for new users.

At the time of writing (September 2025), they offer a signup bonus comprising a free share for new users of the platform. 13 Robinhood says that the value of the share may be anywhere between $5 and $200 (and can fluctuate based on market movements) but that there’s a very high chance it will be less than $10. 14 15

Robinhood is also advertising referral bonuses both for new users who join with a referral link and existing users who refer their friends or other people. However, we couldn’t find information to clarify whether the referral bonus is separate from the regular signup bonus we’ve just mentioned and, if so, whether you can combine the two offers.

Whether you’re getting free shares from a signup bonus or a referral bonus (or both), the rewards should reach you fast. Robinhood says, “Once you are approved and link your bank account or debit card, you’ll earn a specified dollar amount and be able to pick your gift stock from a list of America’s leading companies.”

However, it will potentially take a while to turn the stocks into cash. If you sell reward stock, Robinhood says that you’re free to use the proceeds from the sale for other investments. However, if you want to withdraw the proceeds, you must keep the cash value of the stock in your account for at least 30 days after claiming it. 15

What you get when you join Robinhood with a referral link

Robinhood promises one free reward stock worth between $5 and $200 per referral. As mentioned, it’s not clear whether this free reward stock is separate from the one that all new signups receive.

Either way, Robinhood promises to add the reward stocks to your account when your brokerage application is approved. You can then keep the stock or sell it after three trading days. If you want to withdraw the proceeds, you must wait at least 30 days.

What you get when you invite others to join Robinhood

You’ll also get free stock when you invite your own friends to join Robinhood. As soon as your friend signs up, gets approved, and links their bank or debit card, you’ll receive your gift stock.

Robinhood says that the cash value you receive could be anywhere between $5 and $200. However, approximately 99% of customers will apparently get stock worth $5.

Once again, Robinhood says you can sell this gift stock three trading days after you claim it. Once you’ve sold it, you’re free to use the proceeds from the sale towards other stocks that you want to invest in. If you want to withdraw the proceeds, you must wait at least 30 days. 14 [CITATION]

11. MooMoo

MooMoo is another commission-free stock and options trading app, designed for both beginner and advanced investors.

Until September 2025, MooMoo is offering free stock as a signup bonus for new users who deposit more than $100 in their MooMoo account. This offer isn’t permanent, but MooMoo often has similar offers available, so keep an eye out for new promotions if you miss this one. 16

MooMoo also offers referral bonuses, which you may be able to stack with signup bonus offers, although MooMoo doesn’t explicitly guarantee this.

If you are referred to MooMoo as a new user, it will be easy to get your referral bonus fast in the form of credits you can use for trading, which should reach you within a few trading days. Turning these into cold hard cash may then take a few more days.

On the other hand, if you want to get a bonus for referring other new users to use the platform, it may take you a bit longer to meet the relevant requirements, depending on which ones apply and whether you have to wait for your referred friend to tick certain boxes (e.g., by depositing money into their account).

What you get when you join MooMoo with a referral link

You can get $25 in the form of a Cash Reward when you join MooMoo as a new user via someone else’s referral link. On MooMoo, Cash Rewards are a type of credit you can use to buy stocks, ETFs (exchange-traded funds), or other assets.

To “unlock” the reward, which turns it into a usable balance in your account, the only other condition you need to fulfill is to deposit at least $1 within 14 days of claiming the Cash Reward. 17

What you get when you invite others to join MooMoo

There are lots more rewards on offer when you invite others to join MooMoo.

For example, when you invite someone to join MooMoo via your referral link, you can get one of the following. 17

For you to get these rewards, the person you invite must use your referral link to open a MooMoo account, and they must also make a minimum net deposit of $100 in their new account (or transfer $100 from another investment account) during the promotion period.

Check out the MooMoo website to find out about other promotional deals for existing members who refer others to join MooMoo.

12. Crypto.com

As the name suggests, Crypto.com is a platform for trading cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. It features over 400 cryptocurrencies, as well as NFTs (which are unique digital items like art, music, or collectibles that are bought and sold online).

The platform also offers various ways to earn referral bonuses and signup bonuses.

For example, Crypto.com currently has “Welcome Bonus Missions” for new users, which it says will give you chances to win hundreds or even thousands of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency. However, this offer has strings attached; namely, you must trade a certain amount of crypto (worth $100–$500, with the exact amount depending on where you sign up) to qualify for the bonuses. 18

Although bonus payments usually comprise niche coins (especially Cronos or CRO, which are the native cryptocurrency of Crypto.com), you can trade these coins for more popular cryptocurrencies or cash. 18 19

How quickly you will get your referral rewards will depend on when you or the person you referred meets the conditions described below. However, on Crypto.com’s end, there is no delay. They pay instantly as soon as the conditions are met.

Somewhat confusingly, you can get different types of Crypto.com referral bonuses for the Crypto.com app and also the Crypto.com Currency Exchange, which is a separate, more advanced trading platform with its own signup process, referral codes, and reward structure.

What you get when you join Crypto.com with a referral link or code

When you join the Crypto.com app with a referral link or code (and verify your identity), you can get rewards in the form of Cronos, which, as we’ve already mentioned, you can exchange for other cryptocurrencies or cash.

Here are the referral rewards you can get and the respective requirements: 20

You can also get free rewards when you join Crypto.com Currency Exchange with a referral code. Again, these rewards will be in the form of Cronos.

To qualify for this second type of referral bonus, you must also complete your first CRO lockup on the Crypto.com Currency Exchange. This entails keeping a minimum of 1,000 CRO (which, in September 2025, is worth about $280, although the price will vary) on Crypto.com Currency Exchange for 180 days, during which time you cannot sell, transfer, withdraw, or use these CRO coins. 20

What you get when you invite others to join Crypto.com

When you invite someone to join the Crypto.com app with your referral link or code, you’ll receive the same CRO rewards worth $10–$25 we’ve already mentioned (in the table from the previous section).

You can also get $10–$2,000 in Cronos cryptocurrency rewards when you invite friends or other people to join the Crypto.com Currency Exchange via your referral link or referral code. The exact amount you earn will depend on the amount your referred friend deposits and locks up in CRO (during which time they cannot sell, transfer, withdraw, or use these CRO coins). 20

Your referred friend must complete their CRO lockup before you can get your bonus, so your payout won’t necessarily be instant if the friend you’ve referred isn’t rushing to lock away their money.

13. Coinbase

Coinbase is another platform for buying, selling, storing, and managing cryptocurrencies. It’s among the largest and most popular cryptocurrency platforms in the world.

Coinbase has a signup bonus of $5 in Bitcoin for new users who create an account and verify their information. 21

The Coinbase website also mentions other types of new customer incentives, although these may involve additional requirements. For example, it says that new users in eligible countries may get an opportunity to spin a lucky wheel to win free rewards once they successfully create an account and buy their first cryptocurrency.

However, the Coinbase guidelines for new customer incentives states that invitees who join Coinbase through a referral code or referral link are ineligible for the Coinbase New User First Buy Spin The Wheel Incentive and the Coinbase New User First Trade Promo Code.

This suggests that bonuses may not be stackable (meaning you’ll have to evaluate which of the offers available to you are most lucrative).

The beauty of crypto platforms is that transactions are often fast. Coinbase usually delivers rewards within a day or two, so you probably won’t have to wait long for your free Bitcoin or other rewards.

What you get when you join Coinbase with a referral link or code

The new customer incentive guidelines on the Coinbase website seem to suggest that Coinbase offers separate referral bonuses in addition to the aforementioned $5 Bitcoin signup bonus (as these are listed separately).

However, Coinbase doesn’t specify bonus amounts—it just says that these vary depending on the country and that you’ll have to purchase crypto to qualify for some referral offers.

As such, it’s a bit unclear what’s up for grabs and, if there are indeed separate signup bonus and referral bonus offers, whether these two offers can be combined.

At any rate, you’ll almost certainly get something in the way of a bonus. It’s usually best to use a referral link if possible, since these tend to yield better rewards compared with normal signup bonus offers.

What you get when you invite others to join Coinbase

You can also get a referral bonus when someone else uses your referral link. However, once again, it’s not clear what the bonus amount will be, as Coinbase doesn’t specify this on their website (but says only that it varies from one country to another). 22

As we’ve already mentioned, the user you refer must complete a minimum qualifying purchase (using a payment method of either bank transfer, debit card, or credit card only), but this minimum will depend on the country.

Once your referred friend fulfills this requirement, Coinbase will then add a cryptocurrency or local currency bonus to your Coinbase account.

14. Acorns

Acorns is a fintech app that offers “micro investing,” which is a way of buying fractions of shares to invest in small increments.

This app also frequently has signup bonus and referral bonus offers. However, it doesn’t guarantee a quick payout, so these offers may be slower to yield rewards compared with some others on this list.

In 2025, Acorns is offering a $25 welcome bonus for all new users. 23 However, you may also be able to get additional bonuses on top of this for referrals (as Acorns says it’s often possible to stack these kinds of promotions).

Any Acorns bonuses you receive will be in the form of Reward Shares invested into your account, where Reward Shares are fractions of ETF shares or stocks.

As we’ve already mentioned, Acorns doesn’t guarantee a speedy payout with these offers. It says that it typically deposits Reward Shares within 30–45 days of the date your referred friend makes their first deposit into their Acorns Invest Account—or, more specifically, the date when the deposit “is settled,” meaning that Acorns has finished processing your friend’s payment.

24

What you get when you join Acorns with a referral link or code

When you join Acorns via a referral link or personal invitation code, you can get a $5 one-time bonus of Reward Shares in your Acorns Invest account. You must also complete an initial deposit or investment of $5 or more in their Acorns Invest Account from a linked bank account funding source (and must do so within 14 days after you sign up). 24

What you get when you invite others to join Acorns

If someone uses your personal invitation code or referral link to join Acorns, you can get a $5 investment of Reward Shares in your account. Again, your friend must deposit $5 or more within 14 days for you to get the bonus.

The apps on this list include other types of fintech apps you can use to get bonuses for signing up with a referral link or code—or by inviting other people to join as new customers.

15. EarnIn

EarnIn is a financial app that lets you access part of your paycheck before payday. It offers a way to get paid early for hours you’ve already worked, instead of you having to wait for the end of the month or the date you usually get paid.

The best part is that EarnIn does not charge any mandatory fees (only for instant transfers and debit card services), although they accept optional tips from customers.

EarnIn includes a feature called “Tip Yourself,” which is a digital savings jar feature that you can use to save money on the EarnIn app. You can tip any amount between $1 and $100 per day.

At the time of writing, EarnIn is offering a $10 welcome bonus when you sign up via their link, set up a Tip Jar, and request a Cash-Out (i.e., accessing part of your earned wages before your payday). EarnIn says it will add the bonus to your Tip Jar within 48 hours after you tick all of these boxes.

The EarnIn website says you can transfer out money from your Tip Jar at any time, for any reason, so you should be able to get a fast payout with this bonus offer.

What you get when you join EarnIn with a referral link or code

EarnIn says that, when you join the platform with a referral link or code (and complete a transfer to access part of your earned wages prior to payday), you get a reward via “Tip Yourself deposit.”

If you want to access your bonus cash ASAP, here’s how long it will take to withdraw from the Tip Jar on weekdays:

• Withdrawals requested before 12 pm ET will arrive the same day (in the afternoon).
• Withdrawals requested between 12 pm and 8 pm EST will arrive the next day (in the morning).
• Withdrawals requested after 8 pm EST will arrive the next day (in the afternoon).

What you get when you invite others to join EarnIn

EarnIn offers referral incentives when someone else signs up using your referral link or code. You’ll get your reward in the form of a Tip Yourself deposit when a new EarnIn community member you’ve referred sets up Tip Yourself and completes a transfer to access part of their earned wages.

16. MoneyLion

MoneyLion is a more generalized fintech app that offers a variety of services.

As with EarnIn, you can use MoneyLion to get cash advances from your paycheck (with Instacash advances, which allow you to access up to $500 of your paycheck, anytime). However, MoneyLion also provides other features, including banking, investment, personal loans, credit-building tools, and financial education.

Unlike EarnIn, MoneyLion isn’t free. However, the monthly account fees are relatively low at $1–$5.

This app doesn’t appear to offer a signup bonus as standard. However, it often runs special promotions with freebies for new users, and it also has referral bonuses for new users who sign up with a referral code as well as for existing users who refer other people to use the app.

MoneyLion says you should get your bonus money within 14 days, although you won’t necessarily have to wait as long as two weeks.

What you get when you join MoneyLion with a referral code

You can get $5 when you join MoneyLion with a unique referral code. In this case, you don’t need to make any deposits or receive any payments. You simply need to download the MoneyLion App and successfully register as a MoneyLion user.

Your $5 bonus will be in the form of cash credited to your MoneyLion account (called a RoarMoney account) or Reward Points, which you can redeem to either your RoarMoney account or your Managed Investing account (for buying and selling stocks, ETFs, and other assets). 25

You can also get a further bonus of $50 if you receive at least two direct deposits of $100 or more to your account. However, this will take longer, as you’ll need to set up the direct deposit and then wait for two payments to reach your account.

What you get when you invite others to join MoneyLion

If you can convince someone else to join MoneyLion with your referral code, again, you can get a $5 referral bonus when they sign up. As when you sign up to MoneyLion with referral codes, your $5 bonus will be in the form of cash credited to your RoarMoney accounts or Reward Points (which, as we’ve already discussed, can be redeemed as cash or investments).

Once again, you can get a further bonus of $50 if the person you’ve referred receives at least two direct deposits of $100 or more to their account. Once again, though, this will take longer, as you’ll need to wait for them to set up the direct deposit and then receive two payments to their account.

Check out these tips to earn more with referral bonus offers:

• Look for referral links or codes online: If you don’t already know someone who uses a platform or service, you can sometimes ferret out referral links or codes online (e.g., on social media), although not all platforms permit their customers to refer others in this way. Don’t forget to use your link or code when you’re signing up, as you won’t get your rewards if you skip this step.
• Beware of scams: Although you can find referral links or codes online, watch out for scams or broken links. These may result in no bonus or worse—phishing attempts. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Make sure any referral links take you to the correct site, and ignore offers that want you to share your Social Security number, bank login, or card details.
• Watch out for minimum payout thresholds: Some offers require you to earn a certain amount before you can cash out your rewards, so check this in advance whether this applies and, if so, whether the goal is achievable.
• Read the terms: In addition to minimum earnings thresholds, there may be other criteria you need to meet to qualify for referral bonus offers—as with many of the apps from our list—such as minimum deposit requirements. Check the rules and deadlines associated with an offer before you sign up.