Best UK Investing Offers: May 2026 Roundup
Scrimpr's roundup of UK investing offers — free shares, cashback and welcome bonuses across ISAs, SIPPs and dealing accounts, from £10 voucher offers up to £5,000+ for larger transfers.
Investment platforms offer up to £200 in bonus shares or cash when you open an account and make your first deposit.
By Scrimpr
Updated 14 May 2026 UK investing platforms hand out welcome bonuses to get you through the door: free shares, cashback, cash, sometimes a voucher. This page rounds up every offer I can find, sorted into four tables by where the bonus actually comes from. Some I earn a commission on (marked with *), some are the platforms’ own direct deals, some live on other sites like MoneySavingExpert, some you’d get through cashback websites like TopCashback or Quidco, and for some you’ll need to find a friend with a referral link to claim.
Investing welcome bonuses (May 2026)
Welcome offers from FCA-regulated UK investing platforms Scrimpr has commercial partnerships with (marked with a *). Tap or click any provider for the full offer terms, which can change.
| Provider | Reward | Conditions | Open offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-cost investing platform with no platform fees, and no trading fees. 4 offers | £40–£300£40–£300 in UK free sharesEnds 31 December 2026 | Invest £300+ via the Scrimpr linkHold an average of £300 for 3 months |
View on IG Invest
*Capital at risk. Fees may apply.
|
| £50–£1,000£50–£1,000 in US bonus sharesEnds 31 May 2026 | Invest £1,000+ in US sharesUse code MAYSHARESHold to 31 Aug 2026Submit W-8BEN form |
View on IG Invest
*Capital at risk. Fees may apply.
|
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| £20–£200 cashback2% cashback up to £200 with code MAYDEPOSITEnds 31 May 2026 | Deposit and invest £1,000+ in MayUse code MAYDEPOSIT (new IG customers)Hold £1,000 invested to 30 Sep 2026 |
View on IG Invest
*Capital at risk. Fees may apply.
|
|
| £100–£5,000 cashbackUp to £5,000 cashback on £10k+ transfersEnds 31 May 2026 | Transfer £10,000+Use code TRANSFER5000Hold for 12 months (to 31 May 2027) |
View on IG Invest
*Capital at risk. Fees may apply.
|
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| Commission-free US stock trading and low-cost UK shares from 50p. | 5 free shares worth £12–£2405 free US fractional shares (~£12 typical)Ends 30 June 2026 | Single deposit of £500+Hold for 60 days |
View on Webull UK
*Capital at risk. Fees may apply.
|
Risk warning: These are FCA-regulated investment products. Your capital is at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Tax treatment depends on your personal circumstances and may change. Always read the platform's risk warnings before signing up.
More investing offers (May 2026)
Sign-up offers on UK investing platforms that Scrimpr earns no commission from. Either run directly by the platform, or hosted by other publishers like MoneySavingExpert. Scrimpr isn't affiliated with these platforms or publishers; the link sends you straight to the site where you can find the offer. Offer terms can change, so check before signing up.
| Provider | Reward | Conditions | Open offer |
|---|---|---|---|
eToro
|
£10-£500 in free stock | eToro × The Investors Centre partnership offer Tiered free-stock welcome bonus that scales with deposit size. £10 free stock from a £200 deposit, up to £500 free stock for £5,000+ deposits. New customers only. Hold the deposit for 90 days. |
See on The Investors Centre
*Capital at risk. Fees may apply.
|
Freetrade
|
1 free share worth up to £200 | Freetrade × FounderPass partnership offer 1 free share worth up to £200 when you open and fund a Freetrade account via the partner link. |
See on FounderPass
*Capital at risk. Fees may apply.
|
InvestEngine
|
Up to £100 welcome bonus | InvestEngine × Nuts About Money partnership offer Tiered welcome bonus up to £100 when you open an account via the partner link and invest. Bonus tier scales with your initial investment amount. ISA and GIA available. Commission-free ETFs. |
See on Nuts About Money
*Capital at risk. Fees may apply.
|
Lightyear
|
£50 fractional shares or ETFs | Lightyear × Match My Broker partnership offer £50 in fractional shares or ETFs when you open an ISA via the partner link. Deposit £500 within 10 days of opening. Hold for 6 months. |
See on Match My Broker
*Capital at risk. Fees may apply.
|
PensionBee
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£50 | PensionBee × Nuts About Money partnership offer £50 reward when you transfer or contribute £1,000+ to a new PensionBee plan via the partner link. New customers only. Reward paid into the linked bank account after a qualifying period. |
See on Nuts About Money
*Capital at risk. Fees may apply.
|
Robinhood
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2% cash bonus Ends 21 Jul 2026 | Direct Robinhood offer 2% cashback on UK Stocks & Shares ISA contributions, capped at £400. Deposit £20,000 to hit the cap. Cash deposits only. Hold for 1 year. Bonus paid in USD; US withholding tax may apply. |
Visit Robinhood
*Capital at risk. Fees may apply.
|
Santander
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£25 Amazon voucher | Santander × Money Saving Expert partnership offer £25 Amazon voucher for new customers signing up via the partner link. Invest £150+ in a lump sum, or set up a £50/month direct debit. Funds must go into one of 850+ eligible funds. Hold for 3 months. |
See on Money Saving Expert
*Capital at risk. Fees may apply.
|
Trading 212
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1 free share worth up to £100 | Trading 212 × Save The Student partnership offer 1 free share worth up to £100 when you open an Invest or ISA account via the partner link. Deposit any amount to qualify. |
See on Save The Student
*Capital at risk. Fees may apply.
|
Risk warning: These are FCA-regulated investment products. Your capital is at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Tax treatment depends on your personal circumstances and may change. Always read the platform's risk warnings before signing up.
Investing offers on cashback apps (May 2026)
Offers on UK investing accounts (ISAs, SIPPs, JISAs and Lifetime ISAs) available through cashback sites like TopCashback, Quidco, and other cashback sites. Scrimpr has referral links with the cashback sites (marked with *) that give new users an extra sign-up bonus, but Scrimpr isn't affiliated with any of the investing platforms shown. Cashback is paid by the cashback site, not by Scrimpr or by the investment platform. Cashback rates can change, so check before signing up.
| Provider | Cashback | Also available via | Open offer |
|---|---|---|---|
Beanstalk
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£12.50 via TopCashback | Quidco: £10 | View on TopCashback |
Fidelity
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£100 via TopCashback | Quidco: £100 | View on TopCashback |
interactive investor
|
£125 via Quidco | TopCashback: £125 Cashback | View on Quidco |
J.P. Morgan
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£100 via TopCashback | Only via TopCashback | View on TopCashback |
Lightyear
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£16 via Quidco | Only via Quidco | View on Quidco |
Moneyfarm
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£750 via TopCashback | Quidco: £600 | View on TopCashback |
OneFamily
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£140 via TopCashback | Quidco: £120 | View on TopCashback |
Plum
|
- | Only via | |
Quilter Invest
|
£100 via TopCashback | Only via TopCashback | View on TopCashback |
Red Rose Assurance
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£410 via TopCashback | Only via TopCashback | View on TopCashback |
Santander
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£75 via TopCashback | Quidco: £60 | View on TopCashback |
Scottish Friendly
|
£510 via TopCashback |
Quidco: £408 KidStart: £80 Avios: 5,500 Avios |
View on TopCashback |
Shepherds Friendly
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£400 via TopCashback | Quidco: £400 | View on TopCashback |
Risk warning: These are FCA-regulated investment products. Your capital is at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Tax treatment depends on your personal circumstances and may change. Always read the platform's risk warnings before signing up.
Refer-a-friend investing offers (May 2026)
UK investing platforms with a refer-a-friend reward. We don't link out here. To claim these you'll need to find a friend who already has an account and ask them to share their referral link. Scrimpr isn't affiliated with any of these platforms. Refer-a-friend terms can change, so check the platform's own site before relying on the reward.
| Provider | Reward | Conditions | Open offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| AJ Bell offers ISAs, LISAs, SIPPs and dealing accounts on a percentage platform fee. | £100 / £100 | AJ Bell refer-a-friend offer Existing AJ Bell customers can refer friends; both get £100 Amazon voucher when the referee deposits £10,000+ within 120 days. ISA, SIPP or Dealing Account. | More details |
| Beanstalk is a UK family savings and investing app with a small monthly subscription plus a percentage fee. | £5 / £5 | Beanstalk refer-a-friend offer Existing Beanstalk customers can refer friends; both get £5 when the referee opens a Junior ISA or ISA and makes a contribution within 3 months. | More details |
|
Charles Stanley
(more details)
Charles Stanley Direct offers ISAs, SIPPs and dealing accounts on a percentage platform fee.
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£300–£1,500 | Charles Stanley refer-a-friend offer Tiered £300–£1,500 reward when the referee transfers £20,000+ and holds for 12 months. ISA, SIPP or Dealing. | More details |
| Dodl is AJ Bell's app-based platform on a low percentage fee. | £30 | Dodl refer-a-friend offer Both sides get a £30 gift voucher (Amazon, Waitrose or Deliveroo) when the new customer opens an Investment ISA, Lifetime ISA or pension, deposits £500+ and makes their first investment within 120 days. Cash-only deposits don't qualify, and general investment accounts are excluded. | More details |
| Fidelity Personal Investing charges a percentage service fee on funds (capped on smaller ISAs). One of the… | £100 | Fidelity refer-a-friend offer Both sides get a £100 Amazon.co.uk gift card when the new customer opens an ISA, SIPP or GIA and funds it with a £5,000+ single lump-sum deposit on the same day, within 2 weeks of signing up. Transfers in, regular savings plans, Junior ISAs and Junior SIPPs don't qualify. | More details |
| Interactive Investor (ii) charges a flat monthly fee instead of a percentage - cheaper for larger portfolios. | Fee-free year | Interactive Investor refer-a-friend offer The referrer gets £200 cash and the new friend gets a 12-month fee-free period. The new customer must open an ISA, SIPP or Trading Account via the referral link and fund it with an aggregate £5,000+ within 12 months of opening. If the new account is closed or transferred out within 12 months, ii can reclaim the reward. | More details |
| InvestEngine is a UK ETF-only platform - no fee on DIY portfolios, small percentage fee on Managed. | Up to £200 random reward (typically smaller) | InvestEngine refer-a-friend offer Both the referrer and the new customer receive a random reward up to £200 each (up to £400 for Business Accounts). The new customer must invest £100+ into their Portfolio, and both sides must remain invested for at least 12 months. The reward is randomly drawn from five tiers, with the larger amounts much rarer than the smaller ones — most users get the lower end. | More details |
|
J.P. Morgan
(more details)
J.P. Morgan Personal Investing (formerly Nutmeg) is a UK investment platform offering ready-made portfolios…
|
£50–£100 Amazon voucher (referrer) plus 6 months fee-free (referee) | J.P. Morgan refer-a-friend offer J.P. Morgan Personal Investing refer-a-friend offer: the referrer receives a £100 Amazon.co.uk Gift Card if the new customer invests £500+ in an ISA, pension or General Investment Account, or £50 if they invest in a Lifetime ISA or Junior ISA. The new customer gets six months with no management fees across any J.P. Morgan Personal Investing accounts opened in their first six months. Transfers in don't qualify. | More details |
| Penfold is a UK SIPP provider for the self-employed and freelancers, on a percentage management fee. | £25 | Penfold refer-a-friend offer Both sides receive £25 into their Penfold pension (£20 from Penfold plus £5 HMRC tax relief) when the new customer opens a Penfold pension via the referral link and both parties contribute over £25. The reward sits inside the pension wrapper, not as cash. | More details |
| Robinhood UK offers commission-free US stocks, fractional shares from $1, and a UK ISA. No platform fee; FX… | £7–£175 | Robinhood refer-a-friend offer Both sides get a free US stock worth $7-$175 (about 96% land at $7-$8) when the new customer opens a Robinhood UK brokerage account via referral, links a UK bank and makes a deposit within 14 days. The Stocks & Shares ISA isn't eligible; the RAF only works on the standard brokerage account. | More details |
| Wahed is a UK Sharia-compliant investment platform on a percentage management fee. | £10 | Wahed Invest refer-a-friend offer Both get £10 when the referee opens a Wahed account via referral and funds with £100+. Sharia-compliant investing. | More details |
| Wealthyhood is a UK ETF investing app with a free DIY tier and paid Pro tiers. | £5–£200 | Wealthyhood refer-a-friend offer Both sides get a free fractional share worth €5-€200 (random tier, most rewards are at the lower end) when the new customer signs up via the referral link and deposits at least €100 within 7 days. The free share can't be sold for 60 days, and closing the account in that window forfeits the reward. | More details |
Risk warning: These are FCA-regulated investment products. Your capital is at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Tax treatment depends on your personal circumstances and may change. Always read the platform's risk warnings before signing up.
How to Claim Free Shares: Step-by-Step Guide
Choose Your Platform
Compare offers above based on bonus value, minimum deposit, and account types (ISA, SIPP, GIA). Check the platform is FCA-regulated.
The welcome bonus is a one-off; you’ll be paying the platform’s ongoing fees long after it’s gone. Before you commit, also compare:
Sign Up Using Promotional Link
Click the offer link above. You must be a new customer and use the correct referral link or code where required.
Complete Verification
Provide ID (passport or driving licence) and proof of address. This usually takes 10 to 30 minutes.
Meet Deposit Requirements
Deposit and invest the minimum amount (varies from £1 to £500). Your bonus is typically triggered after this investment.
Receive Your Bonus
Free shares appear within 5 to 30 days, depending on the platform’s listed timeline.
Respect Hold Periods
Keep your investment for the required period (30 days to 12 months) or your bonus may be withdrawn.
Can You Use Multiple Offers?
Yes, you can open accounts with multiple platforms and claim their welcome bonuses. However, only do this if you have a genuine investment strategy across multiple platforms. Consider:
- Will you actually use all these accounts?
- What are the ongoing fees if you don’t trade regularly?
- Does spreading your money across platforms make sense for your goals?
Here are examples of how investors might legitimately use multiple platforms:
Testing Different Platforms
New investors might start with small amounts across a few platforms to find which interface and features they prefer before committing larger sums.
Example: £1 on one platform to test fractional shares, £100 on another for ETF-focused investing
Different Account Types
You might use different platforms for different account types based on their strengths. One for your ISA, another for a SIPP, and a third for general investing.
Example: ISA on a low-fee platform, SIPP on a platform with strong pension features
Understanding Free Share Probabilities
Most platforms that hand out free shares use a weighted random distribution, meaning the high-value shares are deliberately rare. As a rule of thumb, expect to land at the bottom 20% of any advertised range. The “up to £200” headline almost always means a handful of users get £200 and the vast majority get £5 to £20.
That doesn’t make the offer worthless. Free is still free. It does mean you shouldn’t pick which platform to sign up with based on the upper end of the advertised range, because you almost certainly won’t get it. Look at the minimum end and the deposit threshold instead.
Important Considerations Before Claiming
Tax Implications
Free shares may be subject to tax:
- Income tax: The value of free shares when received may count as taxable income
- Capital gains tax: If shares increase in value before you sell, gains above the annual allowance (£3,000 for 2025/26) are taxable
- ISA advantage: Free shares placed in a Stocks & Shares ISA are protected from both taxes (though many platforms place bonuses in GIAs instead)
Platform Fees & Charges
Free shares are attractive, but consider ongoing costs:
- Custody fees: Some platforms charge a quarterly or percentage-based custody fee, often waived if you trade or hold above a threshold
- Trading fees: Check commission costs if you plan to trade actively
- FX fees: Charges for buying US stocks (typically 0.5% to 1%)
- Inactivity fees: Some platforms charge if you don’t trade regularly
Fees vary by platform and change often. Compare full ongoing costs before committing:
- Not reading full terms and conditions
- Expecting maximum bonus values (most get lower amounts)
- Withdrawing before the hold period ends
- Ignoring ongoing platform fees
- Using incorrect referral links or codes
- Forgetting about tax obligations
- Opening accounts you won’t actually use
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of UK investing offers does this page cover?
All four pathways: (1) partner offers Scrimpr earns a commission from, marked with *; (2) cashback rates available via TopCashback, Quidco, KidStart and other cashback portals; (3) direct welcome offers from the platforms themselves, plus editorial offers hosted by sites like MoneySavingExpert; and (4) refer-a-friend bonuses you’d need a friend’s link to claim. Each table on the page covers one of those categories so it’s clear who pays the bonus and whether Scrimpr earns anything.
Which UK investment app gives the biggest welcome bonus?
It depends on how much you can transfer or deposit. Smaller deposits (a few hundred pounds) typically unlock free-share offers worth £10 to £50, with the advertised maximums rarely hit. Most users land at the lower end of a weighted range. Larger transfers (£10,000+) can unlock cash bonuses or cashback running into the hundreds or low thousands of pounds. Compare the headline reward against the qualifying threshold before deciding.
Can I withdraw my free shares immediately?
No. All platforms have hold periods ranging from 30 days to 12 months. If you withdraw your investment or bonus before this period, the platform will reclaim the bonus.
Do I pay tax on free shares?
Potentially yes. Free shares may count as taxable income when received. If the shares grow in value and you sell them, you may also owe capital gains tax on profits above the annual CGT allowance (currently £3,000 for 2025/26). Holding the shares inside a Stocks & Shares ISA shields them from both. Worth checking which account type the offer applies to.
Can I use multiple free share offers?
Yes, you can sign up to multiple platforms and claim their welcome bonuses. Only do this if you have genuine reasons to use more than one platform (different account types, testing what suits you). Consider ongoing fees and whether you’ll actually use each account. Chasing bonuses across platforms you’ll never log into again rarely pays off once you factor in the admin.
What if my free shares don’t appear?
Check you’ve met all terms (minimum deposit, correct referral link, processing time). If everything is correct, contact the platform’s customer service. Most resolve missing bonuses within 5 to 10 business days.
Are free share offers safe and legitimate?
The platforms listed are FCA-regulated, so they’re safe from a regulatory perspective. “Safe” doesn’t mean “risk-free” though. The value of your investments can go down as well as up, and you could lose money. Free share offers are genuine marketing incentives, but your capital is always at risk when investing.
Disclaimer: I’m not a financial advisor. This is editorial content comparing investment platforms. The value of investments can go down as well as up. Links may be affiliate/referral links. Always read full T&Cs before signing up.