Best Brokerage Bonuses (Sorted by Effective ROI)

Brokerage bonuses can look impressive on the surface, but the headline number rarely tells the whole story. Many of the largest offers require high deposits or long holding periods, which can dramatically lower their true value.

That’s why I update this list at the start of every month and rank the latest brokerage promotions by effective ROI. This is the actual return you earn on your deposit once the bonus is credited and available as cash.

All calculations are done using my bonus ROI calculator, so you can double-check the numbers or run the math on any new promotion that comes up.

This list doesn’t judge the overall quality of each brokerage or whether an account fits your long-term investing goals. It’s designed for readers who want to maximize the short-term ROI of cash.

How I calculate effective ROI:

• Multiple tiers. If there are tiers, I highlight the one with the highest ROI. For example,aA $50 bonus on $500 is a 10% return, while $100 on $10,000 is only 1%. I prioritizee tiers with the highest ROI, not the biggest dollar amount.
• Formula. Annualized return based on the bonus amount, deposit requirement, and holding period.
• Holding period. I use the full time funds must remain in the account to keep the bonus, not just when the bonus is paid. If you withdraw early, brokers can claw back the bonus.
• Interest rates. I don’t factor in any interest the broker might pay, since rates change often. If you’re depsoting a larger sum, you may want to weight this more heavily.

Current Brokerage Bonuses Ranked by Effective ROI

Broker	Details	Effective ROI
Tradestation	Deposit $500 to earn a $50 cash bonus. Funds must remain in the account for 270 days before the bonus becomes withdrawable.	13.75%
E*TRADE	Transfer at least $5,000 to earn a $150 cash bonus. Funds must be deposited within 60 days and remain in the account for 12 months to keep the bonus.	5%
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing	Deposit $5,000 to earn a $50 bonus. Funds must remain for about 90 days, with the bonus paid roughly 105 days after enrollment.	3.52%
Citi Self Invest	Deposit $10,000+ in new funds to earn a $100–$500 cash bonus. Funds must stay through Citi’s maintain-balance period, with payouts typically 4–6 months after funding.	3.07%
M1	Deposit $10,000+ to earn a $75 bonus credited within about 60 days. Bonus funds must remain in the account for an additional 90 days after posting.	2.30%
Charles Schwab	Deposit $25,000+ to earn a $100–$1,000 bonus. Funds must remain in the account for 12 months, with the bonus credited shortly after the funding window closes.	0.40%
Webull	Earn a 3%–4% match on taxable brokerage deposits and transfers. Bonus is paid in six annual installments through 2031, and withdrawals can reduce or eliminate future payouts.	Paid upfront, earned over time (5-year hold)
Robinhood	Earn a 2% match on IRA transfers and 401(k) rollovers during the Jan 8–Apr 30, 2026 promo with Robinhood Gold ($5/month). Bonus is paid shortly after settlement but requires 1 year of Gold and a 5-year IRA hold to avoid clawback.	Paid upfront, earned over time (5-year hold)

Best Brokerage Account Bonuses

#1. TradeStation

TradeStation is the go-to brokerage for many active investors due to its powerful trading platform, commission-free stock trades, and diversified list of tradable assets.

Their current promotion allows new customers to earn a one-time cash reward based on the amount of their initial deposit. To claim the bonus, you must enter the promo code FNMZAGAO during the sign-up process.

Cash Reward	Qualifying Assets
$50	$500
$250	$25,000
$400	$100,000
$800	$200,000
$3,000	$1,000,000
$5,000	$2,000,000

The cash reward will be deposited into your account the month following a 270-day holding period.

The offer is only available for Entity (non-institutional), Individual, or Joint equities and futures accounts.

IRAs and other tax-qualified accounts are not eligible. Additionally, the assets must be new to TradeStation, and any withdrawals or redeposits during the holding period will disqualify the account.

Visit TradeStation.

#2. E*TRADE

E*TRADE is offering a tiered cash bonus for new clients who open and fund a self-directed brokerage account. The bonus amount depends entirely on how much new money you deposit during the initial funding window.

To qualify, you must open one new eligible E*TRADE brokerage account, enter the promo code OFFER25 during account opening, and fund the account with at least $1,000 in new funds or securities from an external institution.

Once funded, your bonus is determined based on the total amount deposited during the 60-day funding period.

Deposit Amount	Cash Bonus
$1,000 – $4,999	$50
$5,000 – $19,999	$150
$20,000 – $99,999	$300
$100,000 – $199,999	$600
$200,000 – $499,999	$800
$500,000 – $999,999	$1,000
$1,000,000 – $1,499,999	$3,000
$1,500,000 – $1,999,999	$5,000
$2,000,000 – $4,999,999	$6,000
$5,000,000+	$10,000

• If you add more funds during the 60-day window and move into a higher tier, E*TRADE may issue an additional cash credit so that your total bonus matches the highest tier reached.
• Timing and holding requirements are important. You have 60 days from account opening to fund the account and qualify for a bonus. Cash credits are typically paid within seven business days after that 60-day funding period ends.
• To keep the bonus, qualifying assets must remain in the account for at least 12 months after the funding window closes. Withdrawing funds early can result in partial or full forfeiture of the cash credit.
• This offer is available only to new E*TRADE clients opening one self-directed brokerage account. Retirement accounts, advisory accounts, and certain other account types are excluded. Cash bonuses are taxable and reported on IRS Form 1099.

Visit E*TRADE to learn more.

#3. J.P. Morgan Self-Directed

J.P. Morgan is offering a cash bonus of up to $1,000 for new customers who open and fund a Self-Directed Investing account.

Deposit amount	Bonus
$5,000 – $24,999	$50
$25,000 – $99,999	$150
$100,000 – $249,999	$325
$250,000+	$1,000

To qualify:

• Open a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account through the designated offer page.
• Transfer or roll over at least $5,000 in new money within 45 days of coupon enrollment. (Assets from J.P. Morgan or Chase accounts do not qualify.)
• At day 45, your bonus tier will be determined based on your qualifying balance.
• Maintain the required balance for 90 days after enrollment.
• Your cash bonus will be credited within 15 days of meeting the requirements.

This offer applies to general investment, traditional IRA, Roth IRA, and trust accounts. You may only receive one bonus per customer in a 12-month period. To receive the reward, your account must remain open and unrestricted at the time of payout.

Visit J.P. Morgan.

#4. Citi Self Invest

Citi Self Invest is Citigroup’s low-cost, commission-free brokerage platform for self-directed investors. It’s separate from Citi Personal Wealth Management, which provides dedicated advisory services.

Citi Self Invest is currently offering a cash bonus of up to $500 when you fund your account with new-to-Citi money:

Initial Deposit	Bonus
$10,000 to $49,999	$100
$50,000 to $199,999	$200
$200,000 or more	$500

Key details:

• Limit of one bonus per customer. If multiple accounts are funded, Citi will apply the offer to the account with the highest balance.
• Funds must be new-to-Citi (not transfers from existing Citi accounts).
• You must deposit at least $10,000 within your funding period and stay enrolled in eDelivery.
• Funds must remain in the account through the Maintain Funds Period (roughly 90 days).
• Even if you fund on day 1, the bonus won’t be paid until within 90 days after the Maintain Funds Period ends, so realistically you may wait 4–6 months to receive it.

Visit Citi Self Invest.

#5. M1

M1 is actually my top broker — it’s where I hold my IRA.

What I like most is their done-for-you, automated portfolios that mimic what robo-advisors offer, but with zero management fees. At the same time, you can customize your own portfolio with stocks, ETFs, and even crypto if you want more control.

You can learn more in my M1 review.

Right now, new customers who join through a referral link can earn a $75 cash bonus.

How it works:

• Open a new M1 brokerage or retirement account using a referral link.
• Fund the account with at least $10,000 within 30 days of signup.
• Keep the funds in the account for at least 30 days after funding.
• Your $75 bonus is credited to your Payment Account within about 14 business days.
• Bonus funds must remain in the account for an additional 90 days after posting.

This promotion is available to new M1 customers only.

Visit M1 to learn more. 

#6. Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab is a popular low-cost brokerage known for its selection of mutual funds, outstanding research tools, and solid customer service.

Schwab’s referral bonus requires you to sign up using a referral link from an existing Schwab customer.

The tiered structure looks like this: 

Initial Deposit	Bonus
$25,000 to $49,999	$100
$50,000 to $99,999.99	$300
$100,000 to $499,999.99	$500
$500,000 or more	$1,000

To qualify, new clients must:

• Open an eligible Schwab brokerage account with a referral link.
• Fund the account within 45 days of enrollment.
• For taxable accounts, Schwab requires you to maintain the qualifying deposit (minus any market losses) for at least 12 months after the 45-day period, or it may revoke the bonus.
• The bonus is credited about a week after the 45-day funding window closes.

Visit Schwab.

#7. Webull

Webull is running one of the highest brokerage match offers on the market but it’s designed for investors who are willing to commit for the long haul.

During the January–March 2026 promotion:

• New Webull customers earn a 3% match on taxable brokerage deposits and transfers from $2,000 to $99,999
• Deposits of $100,000 or more earn a 4% match, capped at $80,000 on up to $2 million in funding
• The match applies to cash deposits and eligible ACAT transfers into individual taxable accounts
• The bonus is paid in six installments, starting around May 2026 and continuing annually through March 2031

Key details to understand before committing:

• You must maintain sufficient net qualifying funding through each payout date to receive future installments
• Withdrawals can reduce or eliminate remaining payments, especially early on
• Market gains do not increase your bonus, and withdrawals count against your original funding amount even if your account has grown
• IRA, joint, advisory, and entity accounts are not eligible

On paper, a 4% match is about as high as brokerage bonuses get. In practice, this is a slow-vesting reward that only makes sense if you already planned to keep a large taxable brokerage balance invested for several years.

For the right investor, the math can still work. Transferring $500,000 and holding through the full payout period could result in roughly $20,000 in bonus money for switching brokerages. But the long commitment and payout structure mean this is not comparable to short-term cash bonuses.

For a full breakdown of eligibility, payout timing, and risks, read more on the webull promo page.

Visit Webull.

#8. Robinhood

Robinhood offers one of the most generous IRA transfer incentives available — but only if you understand the strings attached.

During the promo period (Jan 8–Apr 30, 2026):

• Robinhood Gold members ($5/month) earn a 2% bonus on IRA transfers and 401(k) rollovers
• Gold members also earn a 3% match on new annual IRA contributions
• Non-Gold users earn 1% on transfers and contributions
• The bonus is paid shortly after funds settle

Key requirements to keep the bonus:

• Maintain Robinhood Gold for at least 1 year
• Keep transferred funds in your Robinhood IRA for 5 years
• Withdrawing early triggers a bonus clawback

There’s no dollar cap on the transfer bonus. A $100,000 rollover earns $2,00 during the promo (or $1,000 outside the promo for non-Gold users). That’s an immediate, guaranteed boost on money you were already planning to invest.

For long-term, buy-and-hold investors who are comfortable staying with Robinhood, this is one of the strongest IRA transfer deals available. Just don’t treat it as “free money” — the 5-year holding requirement is real.

For more analysis, read Robinhood’s IRA Match: Is It a Good Deal?

Visit Robinhood.

Free Stock Promotions

If you’re not moving large sums, a number of brokers offer free stock promotions. The value is usually lower (often under $10 per stock), but they can still be a good way to get started.

I track these separately — see my full list of free stock promotions — but here’s the effective ROI compared to deposit requirements:

Company	Offer	Effective ROI
Robinhood	Get $5 to $200 in free stock (most users receive $5–$10). No deposit required.	Can cash out within ~32 days. Effective ROI: Infinite (but expect around $5).
Stash	$50 in stock with a $5 deposit	Must keep subscription for 90 days. Net gain ≈ $41 after $9 in fees..
moomoo	Deposit $100–$50,000 to get $20–$1,000 in NVDA stock (locked 60 days).	Cash available after ~65 days. ROI varies by tier — highest ROI is the $100 deposit for $20 in stock (≈73% annualized).
TradeUP	Deposit $2,000+ to earn 1–50 free NVDA shares. Must hold balance 30 days and complete 10 trades. Shares distributed monthly over up to 24 months.	ROI highest on $2,000 tier (~9%).

Best Broker Account Cash Sign Up Bonus FAQs