No, really – free money does exist – you just need to know where to look for it!
Let’s face it, money for nothing is a dream scenario – or is it? In the real world, you generally have to give something to get something back, so the idea of getting ‘free money’ for anything seems a little bit too good to be true. However, thanks to our wide and wonderful web – and the rise of apps galore in the UK – there are actually more than a few great ways to get some financial freebies in your pocket.
Believe it or not, there are plenty of apps and services in the UK that will actually give you money for signing up, spending with them, sharing their business with others, etc. Of course, plenty of these brands will send you gift vouchers, cost reductions, and even exclusive deals – however, few people know that certain companies will actually give you money directly for doing business with them.
However, let’s make things clear – you will not make a fortune on these apps. You will likely get £10 here, maybe £50 there, depending on available deals. However, obviously, the more deals you unlock, the more money you’ll make in the meantime. Free money offers have been around for some time now – and in the financial climate we find ourselves in, it’s nice to grab a quick freebie here and there!
Rest assured, all of the free money deals listed ins this guide are 100% tried and tested. However, if you receive an unsolicited email or the promise of a deal that genuinely seems too good to be true, go with your gut – and never click a link you’re not expecting.
How to get free money – and what to expect
Free money deals will, by and large, come with some terms and conditions attached. While you may not have to do too much to get freebies, you’ll probably still need to commit to using a new service, app or program for a while.
In fact, that’s where things can get quite exciting – there are all kinds of apps and services willing to give you freebies. From cryptocurrency apps to trading platforms, cashback sites and surveys, there are many ways you can make a bit of extra conga on the side with minimal effort.
However, it is important to note that some of these apps will require more than just you signing up with them. Some will even expect you to put money into the app before you can get anything back. Others will require a minimum amount of time before any money can be sent to you, and some will ask that you answer a few surveys, click a few links, or verify rewards. ‘Free’ still means you don’t have to actually work for the cash – but at the same time, there’s a little effort required.
Therefore, if you are looking for some quick cash, then it is important that you read about each individual app to see which ones can get you money quickly. On the other hand, if you are more interested in the long game, and in earning as much as possible, then look for survey sites and apps that require long-term interest.
As always, read terms and conditions carefully – and go with your gut instinct. Here’s our top picks for leading cash freebies available online right now.
12 Ways to Earn Free Money Online Right Now
Download Cash App
Cash App is a popular funds-exchanging service through which you can send money to friends, co-workers, family, etc. It helps to make paying people back that little bit easier – and so you can keep track of who owes you what!
The great thing about this app is that it will gift you £5 when you sign up – absolutely free.
However, it will require a little bit of work on your end. You will need to download Cash App from your chosen device, then sign up with a referral code from a friend or family member who already uses the service.
Then, you will have up to two weeks to send £50 through to another contact. Once you have sent the £50, a free £5 credit should appear in your account on the app, ready to withdraw into your bank when you are ready.
This freebie does rely on you having a friend who uses the service – so ask around!
The great news with Cash App is that you don’t have to send the full £50 to qualify in one go. You can send over the amount in increments over the two-week window. If you have a genuine need for digital money-sharing, this is a great way to get a bit of free cash.
Get started with FreeTrade
Freetrade is one of the fastest-growing online trading platforms available to UK investors, and what’s more, you can get started with a little bit of extra cash in your pocket.
Freetrade allows you to buy and sell stocks without having to deal with the myriad of annoying commission fees that pop up at other platforms. By signing up using a referral link, you’ll be able to grab a free share to get started with. All you need to do is deposit at least £1 into your account to verify the deal.
Once activated, you’ll be able to see a free share appear in your account. The share will be worth between £3 and £200 – if you’re lucky!
Generally speaking, most people expect the share to only be worth about £5 – but every little helps. You should be able to see the share within seven to ten days of signing up to the app and depositing the £1.
You can then do what you want with the share – including selling it on and withdrawing the money that you have earned – however, you will have to wait up to 30 days before being able to obtain the cash.
Grab £5 from Ziglu
Ziglu is yet another app that will send you £5 in completely free money just for getting started.
This cryptocurrency trading app is starting to turn a few heads (for the right reasons), and £5 free isn’t anything to sniff at. All you need to do is sign up with a referral link, download the app, create an account and ensure that your account has been verified. For this, the app may ask for photo ID.
Within a few moments, your account should be verified, at which point you will need to buy at least £1 in a cryptocurrency of your choice. You should automatically see £5 appear in your account, at which point you can use it to buy more crypto, or withdraw to your bank as physical cash – your call.
Start finding offers and deals at OhMyDosh
OhMyDosh is an offer-building website that grants you freebies and additional cash just for completing simple tasks and offers. Right away, in fact, you’ll get £1 for free when you sign up through a referral link.
You can continuously make money with OhMyDosh – which means it’s more than just a quick one-quid pony. However, it is important to note that this website will not provide you with an income!
No matter how many offers you sign up for, this site cannot feasibly replace a salary – just check in every now and again to grab a little bit of extra cash when you fancy it.
Once you have a balance of at least £10, you can withdraw your money into your PayPal account, or directly into your bank account. Be prepared, however, as building up this cash will take some time. Patience is key – but hey, it’s free money!
Cash in regularly with Top Cashback
Top Cashback has quickly become one of the biggest names in freebie hunting, and while there are no deals available right now that give you credit straight away, it’s entirely possible to stack up unlimited money with the retailer deals available online through their enormous library.
For example, if you are already a regular shopper online with Sainsbury’s, you can claim £2 back just for checking out with £40 or more. If you’re new to Sainsbury’s, sign up through Top Cashback and you can claim £15. There are similar deals for Asda and other mainline supermarkets and high street brands, too.
This is a great resource if you regularly buy groceries or gifts from multiple different retailers – as they are payment you are making anyway, you’re getting a little bit of extra cash in the bargain all the same. It may not seem like much initially, but it will all add up – and Top Cashback gets tons of great reviews.
Get cash back for ads from Qmee
Honestly – who likes adverts, anyway? Qmee aims to make ad clicking that little bit more enjoyable, mainly thanks to the fact that the platform directly pays you back when you interact with advertisers.
By clicking on ads, shopping and completing surveys with the app, you’ll be able to make money back (from ‘real rewards’, according to the site itself). Qmee is available via app, but get this – you can even claim a 50p freebie (not much, but it’s a start!)
Using a referral link, you can snag 50p to get added to your Qmee piggybank, which will be available to you when you cash out for the first time. The great thing about this app is that there is no minimum amount required to cash out. You can even cash out with just 1p! Once you withdraw your cash, it will be sent directly to a linked PayPal account.
Surveys at Qmee will take some time, but on the whole, aren’t too arduous. In fact, each survey will tell you approximately how long it will take you to finish it.
Bank with Monzo
You might have heard of Monzo already if you are savvy with your savings – this online bank and app has quickly become a source of easy money-sharing between family and friends.
The best news here, of course, is the fact that you’ll get a £5 credit just for signing up for a debit card. Click a referral link, top up and use your new card for any amount within 30 days of signing up. Monza will then automatically send you £5 free into your account.
This is a great option to take if you’re already thinking about changing banks, or if Monzo has already caught your eye. £5 free isn’t a bad deal at all!
Or, bank with Twig
Much like Monzo, Twig is an online bank with which you can get a quick freebie when you sign up for a debit card. However, Monzo has the edge here – as Twig will grant you £4 when you sign up. Even so – free money is worth looking out for all the same.
Grab a referral code for Twig, download the app, then verify your ID. Once your account is set up, simply made a quick transaction of at least £1. Once you have done this, Twig will automatically send you £5 (from which you can deduce the £1 that you will have had to spend).
Twig tends to be pretty active on social media, offering various deals and promotions to registered members. Therefore, you get more than just your £4 freebie – you get extra perks along the way, too.
Get cash back with JamDoughnut
JamDoughnut is one of several big UK cashback services operating right now, and yes – again – it’s an app. If this isn’t a big concern for you, then you can also claim up to £4 just for getting started.
JamDoughnut is an app that works only in cashback – therefore, they can offer you up to £4 free, or 400 points on your app when you sign up and use a referral link. Then, once you have the app, you can continue to earn points by buying gift cards for supermarkets, shops and retailers you’d normally use otherwise – it’s a really quick and easy way to get cash back for money you’d be spending elsewhere anyway!
This app is a great way of earning money as you shop. The gift cards do not even only have to be for you! Why not get some money back when you buy a gift card for a friend or family member? The best thing about this app is that you can wait to build up a certain amount to withdraw, or simply pull the money out when you need to. You can withdraw from £10, too, meaning the threshold isn’t even that high to reach.
Consolidate your cash with Curve
Curve is certainly an app worth looking at if you want some quick, free money, and access to all of your accounts at once. Essentially, Curve is an app that allows you to see all of your bank accounts and cards at once.
To earn £5 completely free, simply sign up for the free card that Curve offer, and use it once on a purchase of your choice – there’s no threshold. Curve will then automatically put £5 in your account to use.
However, it is important to note that it’s a £5 credit that you can use at specific online retailers – such as Amazon, for example. That being said, the more you use the card, the more cashback points you will earn. The great thing about this is that while you will get an initial free £5, you can continue earning valuable points, which will get you more freebies as you go along.
Switch suppliers with Octopus Energy
Perhaps the biggest free money deal on this list, switching energy suppliers can seem like a big deal in itself – but it doesn’t have to be. With energy costs skyrocketing for various reasons in the UK right now, many people are looking to get better deals on their electricity and gas. Therefore, Octopus is looking to sweeten the deal a bit further.
Right now, you can switch to Octopus Energy from your existing supplier and get a £50 credit towards your next bill. The great news is, you can get extra £50 credits for every friend or family member you recommend to switch over, too. If you know people who are likely to want to move their energy providers sooner rather than later, make sure to recommend Octopus.
You’ll need a referral link to grab this £50 deal in the first instance.
Start trading with Freedom 24
Similarly to FreeTrade, Freedom 24 is currently offering a unique share for new customers who sign up through a referral link. Much like FreeTrade, the price of the share you’ll receive is completely random – but it might be worth up to £200.
Therefore, if you already have your heart set on exploring the stock market from your phone, all you have to do is click the right link, fill in some details, and you’re away. Nice and easy – and you can invest your share in anything you like, withdrawing when you feel you’re about to hit a bust.
As with any trading app deals, always make sure you read terms and conditions attached as closely as possible.
Is using free money apps and websites worth it?
It all depends – the truth is that using free money apps and websites can be a bit of a gamble. Providing you put time and effort into apps and platforms that ask you to sign up for specific deals – and you’re likely to use the services you sign up for – then it’s well worth grabbing some extra freebies.
Sometimes, you do not get as much as you might have hoped for (especially with the apps and websites that offer such a wide spectrum of potential free earnings). A few ‘free money’ deals grant you 50p here and there – which isn’t anything to be ungrateful about, but it’s nothing to retire on!
It’s also worth noting that it can take a while for survey sites and cashback apps to pay out. There are often limits that you need to reach before you can withdraw real cash, and even then, you’re going to need to make sure you qualify for certain surveys. If you have free time and you’re willing to play around with a few apps and programs, there’s a world of hidden wealth at your fingertips.
Conclusion
Free money certainly exists – but, as you can see, there is the occasional catch involved. Make sure you read all the terms and conditions that apply, and you’re well away.
If you are planning on using free money apps and websites to get a bit of extra cash, then plan on using them at the right time. For example, most of us usually need extra money around Christmas. Therefore, it’s worth diving into some of these freebies when you need to tighten your belt.
As previously mentioned, some of these apps work best when you buy through them, too. Services such as Top Cashback are always granting extra money just for the sake of you doing your weekly shopping. Therefore, make a point of taking a look at services where you’re literally getting paid for your everyday activities!
Above all – again – if it sounds too good to be true, trust your gut. Don’t click any links you don’t trust, and do your research!
Finally, if you’re looking for other fantastic ideas to make money, do check out our articles on making an extra £100 a week and genuine work from home jobs.