How to get a Public.com referral code and free stock in 2026

What is the Public.com referral code?

The Public.com referral code is the tail of a share.public.com link generated in the app, not a coupon typed at checkout. The one on this page is NICOLAS20143, and every member has their own. Sign up through this Public.com referral link, make a first one-time deposit of $1,000 or more, and Public credits $100 in a stock or ETF of your choice.

What do you get for referring a friend to Public.com?

Referring a friend to Public.com gets you $100 in a stock or ETF of your choice, the same amount your friend receives, once their first deposit clears.

What does your friend get with a Public.com referral code?

Your friend gets the same $100 in a stock or ETF of their choice with a Public.com referral code, subject to the same $1,000 deposit and 12-month cash lock. Under a partner code, the friend instead gets the Public Stock Offer: a fractional share worth $3 to $300 after a $20 deposit, claimed within 60 days of account approval and credited within 5 business days of qualifying.

Say it plainly to whoever you send the link to: a friend using a partner code should expect $3, and a friend using a true referral link like the one on this page needs $1,000 on hand.

How to find and share your Public.com referral link in 3 steps

Finding your Public.com referral link takes three taps from the Portfolio page, and the same screen is where a new member enters someone else's code.

What is the reward stock worth?

The reward stock is worth $3 for most sign-up offer recipients and $100 for referral recipients, delivered as a fractional share with limited or no voting rights that cannot be transferred. Either way it is a starter position, not a windfall.

What it becomes depends on whether you leave it invested and reinvest the dividends, and the Tweed dividend calculator shows that path over 10 to 30 years; enter the reward value shown in your Rewards tab.

When can you sell reward stock and withdraw the cash?

Public's terms lock the cash value of the reward, not the share itself. The referral reward's cash value "may not be withdrawn for 12 months after it is claimed or else your brokerage account may be subject to an early withdrawal fee of up to $100," and the Stock Offer reward's cash value cannot be withdrawn for 90 days after it is claimed. Neither page states whether the share can be sold inside the window as long as the proceeds stay in the account, so plan on holding it.

Does Public.com have a sign-up bonus for transfers?

Yes. Public's ACATS and IRA Match Program pays 1% of a transfer from another brokerage into a Public brokerage account, and 1% of a transfer from another IRA or employer retirement plan into a Public IRA, for transfers made on or after September 14, 2026. It also pays 1% on contributions to a Public IRA, up to the annual contribution limit. Public's terms set a 60-month match period for transfers and a 12-month match period for contributions, and name no end date.⁵ Rolled-over, transferred and inherited Public accounts don't qualify.

The match "cannot be combined alongside any other promotions related to Public Accounts," so check the terms before you count on both the match and the referral reward. If the account you're opening is a retirement account, the decision between a Roth IRA and a traditional one, covered in Roth vs traditional IRA, matters more than a 1% match.

Is the Public.com referral reward taxable?

The Public.com referral reward may be taxable: Public's terms say the cash value of an offer "may be required to be reported as 'Other Income' on a Form 1099-Misc," and that any gain or loss when the share is sold is reported as a capital gain or loss. Public also says it is not responsible for any taxes. Ask a tax professional how a stock reward fits your return rather than treating it as a gift.

Is the Public.com referral code worth it?

The Public.com referral code is worth using if you are already moving $1,000 or more into a new brokerage; $100 on each side is one of the larger per-referral rewards among app brokers, and it pays the referrer the same amount. For a friend without $1,000 to park, the realistic outcome is the partner offer's $3, so the referral code should never be the reason to open a brokerage account. The catches are real: the $1,000 deposit is one-time and must not reverse, the reward expires in 30 days if unclaimed, the cash is locked for 12 months with a fee of up to $100 for leaving early, and $500 of lifetime rewards ends eligibility.

If the account is for retirement, the account choice matters more than the gift share; the best Roth IRA accounts shortlist is the place to start. The Robinhood review covers the alternative whose sign-up stock has no deposit minimum.

Decide whether the account is worth it first

If you've decided the account is right for you, sign up through the Public.com referral link below so the reward is credited, and make sure the deposit clears without a reversal. Read the Robinhood review for the direct comparison on fees and sign-up stock, and the Public review before you or your friend open an account. Then use the Tweed dividend calculator to see what any reward share becomes if you leave it reinvested. To weigh this offer against the other apps, see the best apps for free stocks.