Cash In Now: Top Apps & Websites Offering Real Money to New Users in 2025

There are many apps that offer generous signup bonuses and referral offers to new users, but there are a select few that offer the best bonus of all: cold hard cash.

This is our ultimate 2025 guide to the legit websites and apps dishing out the best cash signup bonuses. We’ve navigated the noise to bring you offers that genuinely payh, with a special emphasis on those that pay you quick. Keep reading to see them all, from instant $5 boosts to earnings in the hundreds.

Cash In Now: Our Top Picks for Signup Bonuses in 2025

For those who want the TL;DR, here’s a quick snapshot of some of the best signup bonus offers available today.

Platform	Bonus amount	How to earn it	When you’ll get paid	Our take	Claim your bonus
Cash App	$5	Send $5	Immediate	One of the best “cash now” offers	Claim Cash App Bonus
MoneyLion	$5 + $50	Open account ($5); set up Direct Deposit ($50)	Immediate ($5); ~14 days after Direct Deposit ($50)	Top “cash now” signup bonus with major upside	Claim MoneyLion Bonus
Rakuten	$30	Make a purchase	Quarterly / 15 days post-1st purchase	Great bonus but takes time to hit your account.
Ibotta	$5	Redeem 1st offer	Once $20 threshold met	Requirements are easy to meet.	Claim Ibotta Bonus
Chase Total Checking	$300	Direct Deposit $500 (90 days)	Within 15 days of meeting reqs.	Super high reward, reputable bank
SoFi Checking and Savings	$50 - $300	Direct Deposit $1k-$5k+ (25 days)	~1 week after 25-day eval. period	Solid bonus and easy to sign up	Claim SoFi Bonus

Cashback apps that pay you to shop

Many cashback apps offer rewards (in the form of cash or points) when you sign up. These bonuses are usually easy to claim – either by scanning a receipt, making a purchase through their portal, or installing an app or plugin.

Rakuten

What is it?

Rakuten is one of the most established and popular platforms for earning cashback when you shop online. The premise is simple: you start your shopping journey through Rakuten’s portal (website or app), they earn a commission from the retailer for sending you their way, and they share a slice of that commission with you as cashback.

The Signup Bonus: $30

Currently, Rakuten is offering a $30 bonus for the new user (and the referrer) when they sign up using a referral link and meet the spending requirement. 

Requirements

For the $30 Referral Bonus, you typically need to sign up using a unique referral link and then make qualifying purchase(s) totaling at least $30 within 90 days of joining.

How you get paid

Your earned Cash Back is sent via PayPal or a physical check. While Rakuten typically issues payments quarterly, your first payout can arrive as soon as 15 days after your first qualifying purchase. Referral bonuses are usually added to your next scheduled Cash Back payment.

Is it Legit?

Rakuten boasts over 21 million members and claims to have paid out over $3.6 billion in Cash Back. It generally receives high ratings on platforms like Trustpilot. Its long history, dating back to its days as Ebates, adds to its credibility. The biggest fallback is that it can sometimes be finicky when logging your purchases – but as long as you’re careful, you’ll get paid each and every time.

Our hack

To ensure your purchases track correctly for both cashback and any signup bonus, always initiate your shopping trip directly from the Rakuten app or website. You should also make sure the Rakuten browser extension is installed and active before you start adding items to your cart.

Ibotta

What is it?

Ibotta is a grocery cashback app that allows you to earn by scanning your receipts after shopping. You can also earn cash back for online shopping and by linking your store loyalty cards.

The Signup Bonus: $5

Ibotta’s welcome bonuses for new users can vary and are typically displayed within the app upon signing up. Right now, it’s $5

Requirements

To claim the bonus, you must be a brand new Ibotta user and you must claim an offer within 7 days of signing up. Note that in order to cash out, you must accumulate at least $20 in earnings. 

How you get paid

Your cash is sent via PayPal or bank transfer – or you can choose a gift card.

Ist it legit?

Ibotta is a legit app that claims to have paid out over $2.3 billion to its users. It’s widely used and generally praised, especially for grocery savings. You should be aware that Ibotta may charge an account maintenance fee (e.g., $3.99 deducted from your Ibotta earnings, not your bank, if your account is inactive for a prolonged period).

Our hack

The key to maximizing Ibotta (and snagging that bonus) is to check the app before you head to the store. Add relevant offers to your list, as you usually need to activate them prior to making your purchase.

Bank Account Bonuses: Biggest Cash, Bigger Requirements

There’s always money in the banana stand – and the same can certainly be said about the bank. Banks are often willing to offer hundreds of dollars to attract new checking or savings account customers. These big signup bonuses usually require new users to set up direct deposit, so it’s best to do this if you’re flexible with your paycheck.

Chase Total Checking

What is it?

The Chase Total Checking account is a popular bank account option from one of the largest and most established banks in the United States.

The Signup Bonus: $300

Chase is offering a generous $300 for customers who open a new Total Checking account.

Requirements

You must open a new Chase Total Checking account. This can typically be done online through a specific promotional page or by obtaining a coupon code online to take into a physical Chase branch.

To get the bonus, you must set up direct deposit and have $500 or more in qualifying direct deposits made to the new account within 90 days of enrollment. Qualifying direct deposits usually include payroll from an employer or government benefits.

The account must be kept open and remain in good standing for the duration of the promotional period and until the bonus is paid.

How you get paid

The $300 bonus is usually deposited directly into your new Chase Total Checking account within 15 business days of successfully completing all the requirements.

Is it legit?

Chase is a major, reputable financial institution. Their new account offers are standard practice and are widely reported and verified by reputable financial news outlets and consumer information sites.

But…

There are important eligibility restrictions. You are generally not eligible for the bonus if you currently have any Chase checking account, if you’ve had one within the last 90 days, or if you closed a Chase checking account with a negative balance within the last three years. Furthermore, if you have received a new Chase checking account opening related bonus in the past two years, you may also be ineligible.

Our hack

If you can comfortably switch your direct deposit to meet the $500 threshold within the 90-day window, this is a very solid and relatively straightforward way to earn $300. If your employer uses a modern HR platform, you may even be able to “split” your paycheck and deposit the minimum into Chase without ever involving your company’s HR department. Double-check that your direct deposit source is considered “qualifying” by Chase.

SoFi Checking and Savings

What it is: SoFi is a prominent online-focused financial services company known for offering competitive APYs on its accounts, along with a suite of banking, lending, and investment products.

The Signup Bonus:  $50 to $300

SoFi offers a tiered signup bonus when you set up direct deposit.

Requirements

You need to open a new SoFi Checking and Savings account, or have an existing account that has not previously had direct deposits set up.

You must receive qualifying direct deposits totaling the required amount for your desired bonus tier (either $1,000 for the $50 bonus or $5,000 for the $300 bonus) within a 25-day “Evaluation Period” from the date your first direct deposit is received.

 

How you get paid

The cash bonus is typically paid directly into your SoFi Checking and Savings account within one week after the 25-day Evaluation Period concludes, provided all conditions have been met

Is it legit?

SoFi is a well-established and publicly traded fintech company. Its bonus offers are regularly featured by financial comparison sites and are considered legitimate.

Our hack: The 25-day window to meet the cumulative direct deposit requirement is relatively short. It’s crucial to plan your direct deposit switch carefully and promptly to ensure the funds arrive and are credited within this timeframe to qualify for the bonus.

Fintech & Payment App Perks

Many of the popular fintech and payment apps entice new users with small bonuses. These are often tied to making your first transaction or successfully referring others, and can be quick and easy to obtain if you’re already planning to use the service or have friends who do.

Venmo

What is it?

Venmo is an extremely popular mobile application, owned by PayPal, designed for easily sending and receiving money between friends, family, and approved businesses.

The Signup Bonus: $5

Venmo is offering a signup bonus of $5 to new app users when they sign up using an approved referral link.

Requirements

You must sign up for Venmo using a unique referral link provided by an existing Venmo user. Once your account is created, you must send at least $5 to a friend within 14 days.

How you get paid

Once you make a payment, you’ll get your signup bonus directly in your Venmo account balance. It can then be withdrawn to your bank.

Is it legit?

Venmo is a widely used, highly recognized, and legitimate payment platform. Being a PayPal service, it operates under a well-established financial technology umbrella.

Our hack:

14 days passes quickly, so make sure to send a qualifying transaction within 14 days of signing up. Chances are one of your friends already has Venmo – send them five bucks and have them buy you a coffee!

Cash App

What is it?

Cash App is a popular mobile payment service that allows users to send and receive money, often with a linked debit card (Cash App Card), and also offers features for investing in stocks and Bitcoin.

The Signup Bonus: $5

If you sign up for a Cash App account (new users only!) with a referral code, you’ll earn $5 after you send a transaction within 14 days.

Requirements

Just like Venmo, you must send a qualifying transaction of $5 or more within 2 weeks of signing up. To claim, you must download Cash App, enter the referrer’s code during signup, link a new debit card or bank account, and send $5 within 14 days to a non-linked Cash App account.

How you get paid

You’ll get your bonuses credited to your Cash App balance, and you can then withdraw it to your bank.

Is it legit?

Cash App is a widely used and legitimate financial platform.It offers banking services through partner banks, and account funds can be FDIC-insured through these partners. The app generally has high ratings in app stores.

Our hack

Make sure you enter the referral code when signing up, and make sure to send a qualifying transaction to a friend within 14 days to get your $5.

MoneyLion

What is it?

MoneyLion is a fintech company offering a mobile banking experience (RoarMoney account), cash advances (Instacash), credit-builder loans, and investment services.

The Signup Bonus: $5 to $55

New users get a $5 bonus for opening a RoarMoney account, and an additional $50 bonus for setting up direct deposit.

Requirements

To claim the $5, simply open a new RoarMoney account and use the code $SPOILS. To get the additional $50, you must set up direct deposit and receive deposits of at least $100 (which must appear at least twice) into your new RoarMoney account within 60 days of opening it.

How you get paid

Bonuses are typically credited as cash directly to your RoarMoney account, usually within 14 calendar days of completing all qualifying actions.

Is it legit?

MoneyLion is a legitimate financial technology company. Its RoarMoney accounts are provided by Pathward, N.A., Member FDIC, meaning funds in these accounts are FDIC insured up to the allowable limits.

Our hack

To maximize the signup bonus with MoneyLion, set up direct deposit. The minimum is quite small, so if your employer allows you to split your paycheck, you can set it up so that you have just enough going to MoneyLion to receive the monus.

Tips for Safe & Smart Bonus Hunting

The Golden Rule: Always Read the Fine Print (Terms & Conditions)

That lengthy “Terms & Conditions” document isn’t just legal boilerplate; it’s the rulebook that dictates exactly what you must do to earn that advertised bonus. Overlooking these details is a common reason why people miss out. Companies often rely on a certain percentage of users not meeting all conditions perfectly, which helps them manage the costs associated with these promotions.

Here are key items to scrutinize in the T&Cs:

• Minimum Spending/Deposit Requirements: How much money do you need to spend or deposit? On what kinds of purchases or into which accounts? And by what deadline? For example, Venmo might require a $5 transaction, while a Chase bank bonus could necessitate $500 in direct deposits.
• Eligible Actions/Purchases: Not every transaction will count. Make sure you meet any stated minimums.
• Time Limits and Expiration Dates: Offers almost always have deadlines. This includes the timeframe you have to meet the bonus conditions (e.g., Rakuten’s referral bonus might require the new user to spend $30 within 90 days) and the overall expiration date of the promotional offer itself. Some bonuses, once credited, might even expire if not used or redeemed within a certain period.
• Holding Periods: This is especially critical for bank and investment account bonuses. How long must your initial deposit or transferred assets remain in the account to qualify for or keep the bonus?
• One Bonus Per Person/Household: This is a very common restriction to prevent abuse of offers.
• New Customers Only: Signup bonuses are, by definition, almost always restricted to individuals who are genuinely new to the service or bank. Previous account history can disqualify you. Don’t make the common mistake of having multiple accounts!

The Bottom Line: Making Signup Bonuses Work for You

Signup bonuses offer a legit and often surprisingly easy way to add a little extra cash to your wallet in 2025. From the quick wins available through cashback and survey apps to the more substantial rewards offered by banks and investment platforms, there’s a diverse range of opportunities available for those willing to explore them.

However, strategy is key to maximizing these offers:

• Align with Your Habits: Focus on bonuses from apps and services that genuinely align with your existing routines and spending habits. If you’re a frequent online shopper, a Rakuten bonus is a natural fit. If you’re looking to switch banks anyway, a new account bonus can be very lucrative.
• Avoid Overspending: Crucially, don’t let the allure of a bonus tempt you into spending more money than you normally would, or on things you don’t actually need, just to meet a minimum spend requirement. The goal is a net gain, not increased expenditure.
• Prioritize Clarity and Achievability: Opt for offers that have clear, transparent terms and conditions that you are confident you can meet without undue stress or inconvenience.

It’s important to maintain a realistic perspective: these bonuses are designed to provide some extra cash or value, not to be a primary income source or a get-rich-quick scheme. Treat them as a smart way to leverage your initial engagement with new services.

With a bit of diligence, careful attention to detail, and a strategic approach, you can effectively turn these signup offers into a welcome financial boost. So, take a look at the options, weigh the requirements, and decide which bonus you’re going to claim first!

Have you had success with signup bonuses? Share your scores, favorite apps, and any pro tips in the comments below!