Trading 212 gives new UK customers a free fractional share worth between £8 and £100 when they sign up through a referral link and deposit at least £1. Most people receive a share worth £8 to £25, and you can sell it immediately or hold it. The current campaign runs until 4th March 2026.
If you are thinking about opening a Trading 212 account, there is a simple way to start with a free share before you invest a single penny of your own money. Trading 212 regularly runs promotions that give new customers a free fractional share worth up to £100 just for signing up and depositing £1.
I have claimed this offer myself and have also earned several additional free shares through the referral programme since. In this guide, I will walk you through exactly how to claim yours, what you can realistically expect to receive, and the key terms you need to know.
If you want a full breakdown of the platform first, head over to my Trading 212 review where I cover the fees, features, and my honest verdict after using it for over a year.
How to Claim Your Trading 212 Free Share
The process takes less than 15 minutes from start to finish. Here is how it works:
Step 1: Open an account through a referral link. This is the most important step. You must use a referral link or enter a promo code to qualify for the free share. If you sign up directly without one, you will not receive anything.
Step 2: Choose your account type. You can open either an Invest account (general investing) or a Stocks and Shares ISA (tax-free investing). The free share applies to both. If you are a UK resident and have not already used your ISA allowance elsewhere, I would recommend the ISA as it means any gains from your investments, including the free share, are completely tax-free. Not sure what an ISA actually is? My guide on stocks and shares ISAs explained covers everything you need to know.
Step 3: Verify your identity. You will need to provide your email address, National Insurance number, and photo ID (passport or driving licence). Trading 212 is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, so identity verification is a legal requirement. This is usually completed instantly.
Step 4: Deposit at least £1. That is genuinely all you need. You can deposit via bank transfer, debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
Step 5: Receive your free share. Your free fractional share will be credited to your account within one to three business days. You will get a notification in the app when it arrives.
If you have already created an account but have not yet used a promo code, you can still apply one within 10 days of registration. Go to the app menu and tap "Use promo code" to enter it.
What Free Share Will I Get?
This is the question everyone asks, and the honest answer is that it is random. Trading 212 uses a probability distribution to determine the value of your free share, and based on their official disclosures, here is what you can realistically expect:
£8 to £10: Around 50% of users receive a share in this range. These tend to be fractional shares in well-known companies like EasyJet, Rolls Royce, or Barclays.
£10 to £25: Around 30% of users fall into this bracket. You might receive a fractional share in companies like Uber, Ford, or Lloyds Banking Group.
£25 to £50: Around 15% of users receive shares in this range.
£50 to £100: Only about 5% of users receive the highest value shares. These could be fractional shares in companies like Apple, Amazon, or Tesla.
The average value across all users sits at around £15 to £20, which is still a solid freebie for a £1 deposit.
Once you receive your share, you have two options. You can keep it in your portfolio and benefit from any future price increases, or you can sell it straight away and either withdraw the cash or reinvest it into something you have actually chosen yourself. There is no lock-in period.
The Referral Programme: Earn More Free Shares
Beyond the initial sign-up bonus, Trading 212 also runs a referral programme that lets you earn additional free shares by inviting friends. When someone signs up through your personal referral link and deposits the minimum amount, both of you receive a free fractional share worth up to £100.
The current campaign (running until 4th March 2026) allows you to earn up to 5 free fractional shares per campaign through referrals. This is a genuinely easy way to build up a small portfolio without spending anything.
Cash ISA Promo Code
Trading 212 occasionally runs separate promotions for its Cash ISA product, offering a boosted interest rate for new customers. The Cash ISA currently offers a competitive rate that tracks the Bank of England base rate, with FSCS protection up to £120,000. If you are interested in the Cash ISA specifically, I cover it in detail in my Trading 212 Cash ISA review.
Key Terms and Conditions
Before you sign up, here are the important terms to be aware of:
The offer is available to new Trading 212 customers only. You must be a UK resident (or resident of another eligible country) and at least 18 years old. The promo code or referral link must be applied during sign-up or within 10 days of account creation. You must deposit the minimum amount (£1 in the UK) within 10 days of creating your account. The free share is a fractional share, meaning you may receive a portion of a share rather than a whole one. Free shares are randomly allocated and Trading 212 determines the value using a weighted probability distribution. Only Invest and Stocks and Shares ISA accounts are eligible. CFD accounts and Cash ISA accounts do not qualify for the free share promotion. Promotional campaigns run for limited periods and are subject to change.
For the latest terms, always check Trading 212's official help centre before signing up.
Is It Worth Signing Up Just for the Free Share?
On its own, a free share worth £15 to £20 is a nice bonus but probably is not going to change your life. The real value of this offer is that it gives you a risk-free way to try out one of the best investing platforms in the UK.
Once you are set up, you will have access to zero-commission trading on over 10,000 stocks and ETFs, a free Stocks and Shares ISA, fractional shares from £1, automated investing through Pies, and interest on your uninvested cash. I cover all of this in my full Trading 212 review.
If you are completely new to investing, this is genuinely one of the lowest-friction ways to get started. You deposit £1, receive a free share, and can explore the platform with zero risk. From there, you might want to read my guide on how to start investing in the UK to learn what to do next.
And if you are comparing your options before committing, my best trading platforms UK guide covers all the main alternatives.
Is Trading 212 Safe?
Yes. Trading 212 is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with firm reference number 609146. Your investments are held in segregated accounts and UK clients are protected by the FSCS up to £85,000 for investments and £120,000 for cash. I have written a detailed breakdown in my dedicated article on whether Trading 212 is safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. As of February 2026, Trading 212 is running a free share promotion for new customers. The current campaign runs until 4th March 2026. Campaigns are renewed regularly, so if you are reading this after that date, check the Trading 212 app or website for the latest offer.
The free share is worth between £8 and £100. Most users receive shares worth £8 to £25. The value is randomly determined by Trading 212 using a weighted probability distribution, with higher value shares being less common.
If you sign up through a referral link, the bonus is applied automatically. If you have already created an account, you can enter a promo code in the app within 10 days of registration by going to Menu and tapping 'Use promo code.'
Yes. There is no holding period. You can sell the share as soon as it is credited to your account and either withdraw the funds or reinvest them.
If you claim the free share within your Stocks and Shares ISA, the value of the share will count towards your annual £20,000 ISA allowance. If you claim it within your Invest account, it does not affect your ISA allowance. For a full explanation of ISA limits, read my ISA allowance 2025/26 guide.
Existing users cannot claim the new customer bonus, but they can earn free shares through the referral programme by inviting friends. You can earn up to 5 free shares per campaign.
