Yes, you can get free money right now. The legit kind comes from two places: sign up bonuses that companies pay to win new users, and money you are already owed.
The 13 legit ways below include $30 in bonuses that are credited just for signing up and another $195 that pays once you meet one clear condition, like a direct deposit or a first purchase. Nothing here is a loan, and nothing asks you to pay a fee to join.
Sign up bonuses change every week
Get the ones still paying out in one short email every Friday, with the catch on each one so you skip the duds.
Some of these take a minute. Others, like a bank bonus, take a few weeks. Each one says what you get, what you have to do, and how fast it pays, so you can make money fast without guessing which offers are real.
If you only want apps that pay a bonus, our list of the best sign-up bonus apps goes deeper on those. If you need cash by tonight, start with these ways to get paid today instead.
13 Proven Ways to Get Free Money Right Now
- Claim the bonuses that need nothing but a sign up: Testerup, Freecash and Prograd.
- Rip a ReferralWallet card and take your free SavingLoop spin to see which bonus you land on.
- Run a free unclaimed money search and file any open settlements you qualify for.
- Only then look at Current, Discover and Fundrise, which pay more but ask for a deposit, a purchase or an investment.
1. ReferralWallet (rip open a verified bonus)
Up to $75ReferralWallet is the quickest start on this page, at about a minute. You rip open a verified sign up bonus card for free, with no deposit. Every card is a real offer from a company that pays you directly when you join, and the bonuses run up to $75 depending on which card you land on. Payouts are actual cash, not points or in-app credits you have to convert.
2. Testerup (earn $10 free and get paid to test apps)
$10 Sign-Up BonusTesterup pays you to test apps and play games on your phone. New users get a $10 sign up bonus for joining. Every payout is tied to a milestone you can see up front, so there are no confusing points to convert. It is free to start, and you cash out to PayPal once you reach the threshold.
3. Freecash (get a $10 sign up bonus)
$10 Sign-Up BonusFreecash pays you for tasks, surveys, app tests and offers. New users get a $10 sign up bonus after registering and confirming their email address. You can start earning right away, and each offer shows its payout before you begin. Cash out by PayPal, crypto or gift cards.
Those first three are the closest thing to no-strings money on this page. For more apps that work the same way, see our tested list of apps that pay you real money.
4. Current (get $75 free)
$75 BonusCurrent is a free mobile banking app, and it carries the biggest fixed bonus on this page. You get $75 when you open an account with code WELCOME75 and receive $1,500 or more in qualifying direct deposits within 45 days. The bonus is deposited within 10 days after you qualify. With direct deposit set up, you can also get up to $1,000 before payday. Skip this one if you cannot route a paycheck to it, because the code alone does not pay.
5. Prograd (claim a $5 gift and get paid to play games)
$5 Sign-Up GiftPrograd gives you $5 when you sign up, then pays you to play games on your phone. Sign up with Google, Apple or email, pick a game, and hit the milestones inside it. Single offers pay anywhere from a few dollars up to $1,200. Rewards land in your Prograd balance, and you can cash out to PayPal or a Visa card once you reach $5. It is rated 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot across 15,000 reviews.
6. Branded (get paid to test apps and earn up to $300 a week)
Up to $300/WeekBranded pays you to test real apps and give feedback, and its top testers earn up to $300 a week. CBS has run a feature on it, which helps answer the is-it-legit question. The work is simple: download an app, use it, and report what you find. Bigger tasks take longer, so plan on a few hours a week and do not expect same-day cash.
7. Fundrise (get a $10 sign up bonus)
$10 BonusFundrise gives new users a $10 bonus for opening a real estate investing account. You have to invest at least $10 to start, so this is your own money plus a bonus, not free cash up front. Your money goes into properties across the country and pays dividends each quarter. Think of it as a long term account, not quick money.
8. Discover it (sign up for a new credit card and get $100)
$100 BonusCredit card sign up bonuses are some of the largest free money offers you will find. Discover has paid a $100 bonus after your first purchase on a new card within your first 3 months. Confirm the current amount on the offer page before you apply, since card bonuses change. This only works in your favor if you have good credit and pay the balance in full each month, because interest cancels out the bonus.
The next three pay smaller amounts for surveys, videos and shopping. If that is your style, we rank the best paid survey sites separately.
Paid Surveys
Survey Junkie pays you for your opinion on products and ads. Most surveys take 5 to 20 minutes. You earn points for each one and can cash out to PayPal or gift cards at $5, which is 500 points. There is no large bonus here, so treat it as small, steady money you can earn from the couch.
10. InboxDollars (get paid to watch videos and collect $5 free right now)
$5 Sign-Up BonusInboxDollars pays in cash, not points, for watching videos and taking surveys. New members get a $5 bonus for signing up. It has been paying members since 2000, more than $80 million in total. You need $30 in your account before you can cash out, so count the $5 as a head start and not as instant money.
11. Swagbucks (get a free $10)
$10 BonusSwagbucks gives you SB points for shopping online, answering surveys, watching videos and searching the web. The sign up bonus is 1,000 SB, which is worth $10. To earn it you have to spend at least $25 on a qualifying purchase through the Swagbucks shopping portal within 30 days. You can redeem points for gift cards starting at $3.
12. Arrived (start earning free rental income)
Rental IncomeArrived lets you buy shares of rental homes with as little as $100. You collect your share of the rent each month, plus any appreciation, and Arrived handles the tenants and repairs. It is not cash on day one. It is a way to make money you already have start paying you without becoming a landlord.
13. SavingLoop (spin for free bonuses)
Free Daily SpinSavingLoop gives you one free spin a day on a wheel filled with real sign up bonuses worth up to $75. Whatever offer the wheel stops on, you follow it and get paid directly by that company. No purchase is needed, and it runs in your browser on any phone. Add your email and you get a second spin each day.
Bonus: Find Money You Are Already Owed with FileYourClaim
Two of the easiest ways to claim money you are already owed cost nothing and take just a few minutes, and FileYourClaim covers both.
First, run an unclaimed money search. Billions of dollars in lost or forgotten assets sit unclaimed every year: old bank accounts, uncashed checks, security deposits, stocks, and more. You can search your state for property that may be owed to you, see if there are any matches, and file your claim. It is free money that is literally already yours.
Then check the open class action settlements on FileYourClaim to grab your share. Companies pay out millions in settlements every year, and most people never claim their cut. FileYourClaim rounds up the open claims in one place, and many require nothing more than your name and a few details, with no receipts or proof of purchase needed. Some settlements pay a few dollars, others pay hundreds, so it is well worth a few minutes to scan the list and file for the ones you qualify for.
Settlements and unclaimed property are money you are already owed, which means they take weeks or months to arrive. If you need cash sooner than that, there are hardship grants for individuals that cover rent, utilities, medical bills and emergency expenses. A grant is not a loan, so you do not pay any of it back.
Between unclaimed property and open settlements, both of which FileYourClaim handles in one place, you could be leaving real money on the table that takes almost no effort to claim.
Free Money FAQs
The fastest legit free money is a sign up bonus. Testerup and Freecash each credit $10 for joining, and Prograd adds $5. After that, run a free unclaimed money search and check the open class action settlements, since that is money you may already be owed.
Yes, in a few specific ways. Every state holds unclaimed money such as old bank balances, uncashed checks and security deposits, and you can search for your name and claim it for free. Unclaimed property can include many things, including cash, checks, money orders, and the contents of safe deposit boxes.
Tax credits and deductions can also put money back in your pocket at tax time, and some benefit and education programs pay grants you do not repay. Government grants go to specific needs and programs, so be wary of anyone who promises you a free grant in exchange for a fee.
You can get free gift cards from apps like Swagbucks and InboxDollars, which pay you for surveys, videos, games and shopping. Swagbucks gift cards start at $3. Many of the same apps also pay PayPal cash if you would rather have money than a gift card.
No legit offer hands you $2,000 just for signing up. The fixed bonuses on this page add up to $225 if you qualify for all of them. Larger amounts usually come from money you are already owed, like unclaimed property or a class action settlement, and those range from a few dollars to much more depending on your situation.
Truly instant free money is rare. The closest thing is a sign up bonus that is credited as soon as you join, like the $10 from Testerup or Freecash, though each app has its own rules for cashing out. Bank and credit card bonuses pay more but take days or weeks, because you have to meet a deposit or purchase requirement first.
Get Free Money Right Now!
Here is the honest math. Four bonuses on this list are credited just for signing up: Testerup $10, Freecash $10, Prograd $5 and InboxDollars $5. That is $30, though each app has its own cashout rules and InboxDollars holds your balance until it reaches $30.
Four more pay once you meet a condition: Current $75, Discover $100, Fundrise $10 and Swagbucks $10. That is another $195, for $225 in fixed bonuses if you qualify for all eight.
ReferralWallet, SavingLoop, settlements and unclaimed property can add more, but those amounts depend on what you land on and what you are owed, so do not count on a specific number from them.
If you need a bigger amount, like figuring out how to make $500 fast to cover a bill, bonuses alone will not get you there. Our guide to the best ways to make money sorts the options by how much time and effort each one takes.
And if you want one larger bonus instead of several small ones, check out how to get a $50 sign-up bonus here.
Sign up bonuses change every week
Get the ones still paying out in one short email every Friday, with the catch on each one so you skip the duds.
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