Referral Revenue
Looking for a credit card sign up bonus? Here’s what pays cash instead
Credit card sign up bonuses look big, but they’re usually paid in points, need you to spend thousands, come with an annual fee and mean a credit check. If what you really want is money in your account, Australian banks, crypto exchanges and share trading apps will pay you cash just for opening an account. No credit card, no credit check.
Credit card bonus vs cash sign up bonus
| Credit card bonus | Cash sign up bonus | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | Usually frequent flyer or rewards points | Cash (or share vouchers) |
| Spend needed | Often thousands of dollars in the first few months | A deposit of $1 to $1,000 of your own money, which you keep |
| Annual fee | Often yes, sometimes discounted in year one | None for these offers |
| Credit check | Yes. Applying adds an enquiry to your credit report | No. These aren’t credit products |
| How many you can do | One card at a time is usually sensible | All of them, one per provider |
8 cash bonuses you can claim instead
ING · $400 cash
ING is an Australian digital bank. New customers who open an Orange Everyday account with promo code INGNEW400 and meet the monthly requirements for three consecutive months receive a $400 bonus.
IG Trading · $200 cash
IG offers share trading in Australia. New customers who open a share trading account, buy at least $95 of shares and hold them for 30 days receive a $200 bonus.
Tiger Trade · $150 in share vouchers
Tiger Trade is a share trading platform. New customers who sign up through a referral link, buy $5 of any US stock and hold it for 30 days receive $150 in share vouchers.
Westpac Business · $100 cash
Business One is Westpac's business transaction account. New business customers with an ABN who open an account and make a single $100 deposit with the description WELCOME100 receive a $100 bonus.
CoinByte · $60 cash
CoinByte is an AUSTRAC-registered Australian cryptocurrency exchange. New customers who sign up through a referral link and buy $110 of cryptocurrency receive a $60 bonus.
UBank · $30 cash
UBank is an Australian digital bank. New customers who open an account with a referral code, deposit $2.50 and make five card purchases receive a $30 bonus.
Independent Reserve · $20 cash
Independent Reserve is an Australian cryptocurrency exchange. New customers who sign up through a referral link, deposit $1 and buy any cryptocurrency receive a $20 bonus.
Bitcoin.com.au · $20 cash
Bitcoin.com.au is an Australian cryptocurrency exchange. New customers who sign up through a referral link, deposit $1 and buy any cryptocurrency receive a $20 bonus.
That’s 8 of 11. See all 11 sign up bonuses, worth $1,090 in total.
Frequently asked questions
Do credit card sign up bonuses affect my credit score?
Applying for a credit card adds a credit enquiry to your credit report, and several applications close together can count against you. The bank, crypto and share trading offers on this page aren’t credit products, so they don’t involve a credit application.
Are these cash bonuses really free?
You need to make a small deposit or purchase to qualify, but it’s your money and you keep it. The bonus is paid on top, and you can withdraw it to your bank account.
Can I still get a credit card bonus as well?
Yes. These offers don’t conflict with a credit card. If you do apply for a card, check the annual fee and minimum spend first so the points are worth it.
Which cash bonus should I start with?
Independent Reserve and Bitcoin.com.au pay $20 each for a $1 deposit and take about 10 minutes. ING pays the most at $400 but takes three months.
Want help doing them?
Members of the Referral Revenue Discord get step-by-step guides for 25+ offers, help when they get stuck, and a tracker for what they’ve earned. Join free.
Referral Revenue may receive a commission from the provider when you sign up through the links on this site. This does not reduce your bonus. This is general information only and not financial advice. Offer terms and amounts can change at any time, so check the provider's current terms before depositing. Cryptocurrency and share trading carry risk.