Get Paid to Open an Account with These Brokerages

Looking to open a new brokerage account and score a bonus while you're at it? You're in luck—top brokers are paying you to open an account.

With so many brokers competing for your business, each offering unique strengths—from options and day trading to crypto and beyond—choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. To simplify your search, I'll break down the best brokers by their specialties so you can find the best fit for your needs—along with the signup bonuses they offer.

Now, let’s dive in and find the perfect brokerage for you!

What is a brokerage bonus?

A brokerage bonus is a cash or stock-based incentive offered when you open a new brokerage account and meet certain requirements. Brokerages use these promotions to attract new clients and gain your business.

To get your bonus, you'll typically need to maintain a minimum net deposit or account balance for a specified period. However, requirements can vary between brokerages, so carefully review the terms and conditions to make sure you fully understand the eligibility criteria.

With that in mind, let's take a look at our first brokerage.

Webull

Webull is a rapidly growing brokerage with an expanding suite of investment products. It boasts one of the most intuitive trading mobile apps in the industry, packed with robust features designed for both new and experienced traders.

Key Features of the Webull App:

• Multiple chart types, including candlestick, line, and Heikin Ashi
• A wide range of technical indicators, including Moving Averages (MA), Relative Strength Index (RSI), and Bollinger Bands
• Charting tools, including trendlines, Fibonacci retracements, arrows, and text annotations
• Comprehensive stock data, including order flow distribution, short interest, insider activity, earnings reports, balance sheets, and news feeds
• Interactive community, featuring a built-in comment section under each ticker for user discussions
• Customizable price alerts for real-time notifications
• Personalized watchlists to monitor stocks and other assets
• Stock screeners to filter opportunities based on criteria
• Educational learning center with trading resources and tutorials

The Webull mobile app delivers an all-in-one trading experience, combining powerful tools with a seamless, user-friendly interface.

Tradable Assets:

• Stocks
• ETFs
• Options
• Futures
• Bonds

Commissions:

• Stocks & ETFs: $0
• Options: $0 for stock and ETF options | $0.55/contract for index options
• Futures: $1.25/contract (standard futures) | $0.70/contract (mini futures)

Margin Rates:

• $0 – $25,000: 8.74%
• $25,000 – $100,000: 8.24%
• $100,000 – $250,000: 7.74%
• $250,000 – $500,000: 7.24%
• $500,000 – $1,000,000: 6.24%
• $1,000,000 – $3,000,000: 5.74%
• Over $3,000,000: 4.74%

Are Commissions & Margin Rates Negotiable?

• Commissions: Generally not negotiable
• Margin Rates: Generally not negotiable

Bonus Offer:

Webull offers two bonus tiers based on your initial deposit:

• Tier 1 Bonus: Receive 3 stocks, each valued between $3 – $3,000
• Tier 2 Bonus: Receive 20 stocks, each valued between $3 – $3,000

Tier 1 Requirements:

• Make an initial deposit of $100 – $499.99
• Maintain the deposited balance in cash or securities (excluding trading losses) for 30 days
• Claim your bonus stocks via the Rewards section within 30 days of issuance

Tier 2 Requirements:

• Make an initial deposit of $500 or more
• Maintain the deposited balance in cash or securities (excluding trading losses) for 30 days
• Claim your bonus stocks via the Rewards section within 30 days of issuance

Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab is the industry's leading brokerage, managing over $10 trillion in assets. Known for its reliability, Schwab is widely regarded as one of the most trusted brokerages.

With over 50 years in business, Charles Schwab has successfully navigated numerous market downturns, showcasing its resilience and stability. As a publicly traded company (SCHW), it maintains a high level of financial transparency. Additionally, with over 400 branches across the U.S., customers have convenient access to personalized, in-person support for account-related inquiries.

Combining exceptional customer service with a proven track record, Charles Schwab remains a top choice for investors seeking a secure, long-term investment platform.

Tradable Assets:

• Stocks
• ETFs
• Options
• Futures
• Bonds
• Mutual Funds

Commissions:

• Stocks & ETFs: $0
• Options: $0.65/contract
• Futures: $2.25/contract
• Forex: $0 commission (costs embedded in bid/ask spread)

Margin Rates:

• $0 – $24,999: 12.575%
• $25,000 – $49,999: 12.075%
• $50,000 – $99,999: 11.125%
• $100,000 – $249,999: 11.075%
• $250,000 – $499,999: 10.825%
• Over $500,000: Contact Schwab for the latest rates

Are Commissions & Margin Rates Negotiable?

• Commissions: Yes
• Margin Rates: Yes

Bonus Offer:

Charles Schwab is offering $101 in fractional shares of the top five stocks in the S&P 500.

Requirement:

• Deposit a minimum of $50 within 30 days of opening your account

TradeStation

TradeStation offers one of the most customizable and feature-rich trading platforms on the market. Despite its advanced capabilities, it’s one of the easier trading platforms to pick up.

Key Features of the TradeStation Platform:

• Ability to custom code trading strategies for automated trading
• Highly customizable charts with advanced analytical tools
• Bracket orders to streamline risk management
• Hundreds of built-in technical indicators
• Ultra-fast trade execution via Direct Market Access (DMA)
• Smart order routing to secure better fills
• Realistic paper trading that closely simulates live market conditions
• Access to deep historical market data for thorough backtesting

For traders seeking unparalleled control and flexibility over their trading environment, TradeStation stands out as a premier choice.

Tradable Assets:

• Stocks
• ETFs
• Options
• Futures
• Bonds
• Mutual Funds

Commissions:

• Stocks & ETFs: $0
• Options: $0.60/contract
• Futures: $1.50/contract (standard futures) | $0.50/contract (micro futures)

Margin Rates:

• $0 – $49,999: 12.50%
• $50,000 – $499,999: 11.50%
• Over $500,000: Contact TradeStation for the latest rates

Are Commissions & Margin Rates Negotiable?

• Commissions: Generally not negotiable
• Margin Rates: Generally not negotiable

Bonus Offer:

TradeStation offers a tiered bonus ranging from $150 to $3,500, based on your deposit amount.

Requirements:

• Open a new account using promo code: 0148AGGL
• Deposit $5,000 within 45 days of account opening to qualify for the $150 bonus. Higher deposits unlock larger bonus tiers.
• Maintain the qualifying balance in cash or securities (excluding trading losses) for 270 days after funding

Tastytrade

Tastytrade is best known for its intuitive, user-friendly options trading platform. With powerful visual analytics and seamless execution of multi-leg options strategies, Tastytrade offers a versatile and efficient trading experience—making it an excellent choice for advanced options traders.

Beyond trading, Tastytrade offers an invaluable educational resource through its daily live show, which features in-depth discussions on options strategies, market analysis, trading psychology, Q&A sessions, and more.

For more trade inspiration, Tastytrade experts post their live trades on the platform, providing full transparency on trade details, including the date, options strategy, and premium received. With a diverse lineup of traders specializing in various strategies, you can follow one whose approach aligns with your own.

For traders looking to level up their options game, Tastytrade is the ultimate platform.

Tradable Assets:

• Stocks
• ETFs
• Options
• Futures
• Bonds
• Crypto

Commissions:

• Stocks & ETFs: $0
• Options: $1/contract to open, $0 to close
• Futures: $1.25/contract (standard futures) | $0.85/contract (micro futures)
• Crypto: $0 commission by Tastytrade; 0.35% fee charged by Zero Hash

Margin Rates:

• $0 – $24,999: 11.00%
• $25,000 – $49,999: 10.50%
• $50,000 – $99,999: 10.00%
• $100,000 – $249,999: 9.50%
• $250,000 – $499,999: 9.00%
• $500,000 – $999,999: 8.50%
• Over $1,000,000: 8.00%

Are Commissions & Margin Rates Negotiable?

• Commissions: Yes
• Margin Rates: Yes

Bonus Offer:

Tastytrade offers a tiered bonus ranging from $50 to $5,000, based on your deposit amount.

Requirements:

• Open a new account using referral code: MYNEWBONUS
• Deposit $2,000 to qualify for the $50 bonus. Higher deposits unlock larger bonus tiers.
• Maintain that balance in cash or securities (excluding trading losses) for 12 months after funding

Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers offers the ultimate trading package with its cutting-edge platform, a vast selection of tradable assets, and unrivaled access to global markets.

Beyond its suite of advanced features, Interactive Brokers offers the lowest margin rates in the industry. Its volume-based commission structure is also among the most competitive, especially for high-volume traders.

For active traders seeking unbeatable rates and worldwide market access, Interactive Brokers reigns supreme.

Tradable Assets:

• Stocks
• ETFs
• Options
• Futures
• Bonds
• Mutual Funds
• Forex
• Crypto
• Forecast Contracts

Commissions:

• Stocks & ETFs: $0 on the Lite plan; nominal commission on the Pro Tiered plan
• Options: $0.65/contract on the Lite plan; as low as $0.15/contract on the Pro Tiered plan
• Futures:
  • Micro Futures: $0.25/contract on the Lite plan; as low as $0.10/contract on the Pro Tiered plan
  • Standard Futures: $0.85/contract on the Lite plan; as low as $0.25/contract on the Pro Tiered plan
• Forex: 0.08 - 0.20 basis points based on monthly trading volume
• Crypto: 0.12% - 0.18% trading fee based on monthly trading volume
• Forecast Contracts: $0

Margin Rates:

• $0 - $99,999: 6.83% on Lite plan | 5.83% on Pro plan
• $100,000 - $999,999: 6.83% on Lite plan | 5.33% on Pro plan
• $1,000,000 - $49,999,999: 6.83% on Lite plan | 5.08% on Pro plan
• $50,000,000 - $249,999,999: 6.83% on Lite plan | 4.83% on Pro plan
• Over $250,000,000: 6.83% on Lite plan | 4.83% on Pro plan

Are Commissions & Margin Rates Negotiable?

• Commissions: Generally not negotiable
• Margin Rates: Generally not negotiable

Bonus Offer:

Interactive Brokers is offering $1 in IBKR shares for every $100 deposited, up to a maximum of $1,000 in shares.

Requirements:

• Deposit between $100 and $100,000 within the first year to receive 1% of your deposit amount in IBKR shares
• Maintain the qualifying balance in cash or securities (excluding trading losses) for one year

Bottom Line

With increasing competition, brokerages have stepped up their offerings, giving traders more choices than ever. Finding a broker that aligns with your trading style and needs has never been easier. Best of all, you're not tied down to just one—you can open accounts with multiple brokers to take advantage of their best features and optimize your trading experience.

One of the best parts about opening a brokerage account is the ability to explore various trading strategies, like covered calls. I’ll be posting about more strategies you can incorporate into your trading, so be sure to subscribe to my newsletter to stay in the loop.

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, feel free to drop them in the comments below.