Referral rewards: money, credits or free months, and how long do they take? (2026)
A referral bonus is the reward paid by a brand when an existing customer brings it a new customer. It is not always cash: of the 33 programmes manually verified in June 2026, only 12 pay euros, while the others reward users with vouchers, credits, free months, shares or points. Payment takes from a few days to around three months.
All verified referral codes, ranked by amount and category:
View all offers →Referral schemes are often reduced to a cash bonus in euros. That is untrue in most cases. Of the 33 programmes I check manually, only one third pay cash; the others reward users with credits, free months, vouchers, shares or points. The time it takes to receive the benefit ranges from instant to three months. Here are the actual figures from June 2026, because comparing two programmes solely on the amount displayed is misleading.
How often are referral rewards paid in cash?
Of 33 programmes monitored and verified in June 2026, 12 offer rewards in cash euros, or just over one third. Five others provide a benefit denominated in euros but in the form of a voucher or discount, meaning it must be spent rather than withdrawn. Everything else takes a non-cash form: credits, free months, commission, shares, cryptocurrency or points. The practical conclusion is that the form of the reward matters just as much as its amount.
| Form of reward | Programmes | Verified examples |
|---|---|---|
| Euros (cash) | 12 | BoursoBank, Fortuneo, Monabanq, N26 |
| Euros as a voucher or discount | 5 | AXA (gift voucher), HelloFresh, Aroma-Zone |
| Platform credits | 5 | Proton, Lovable, iHerb |
| Free subscription months | 4 | Alan, Dougs, NordVPN |
| Commission (percentage) | 2 | Hostinger, Incogni |
| Share | 1 | Trade Republic |
| Cryptocurrency | 1 | Nexo |
| Points (e.g. Yums) | 1 | TheFork |
| Unspecified / closed | 2 | Finary (to be confirmed), Notion (closed) |
Referral bonuses, discounts and affiliate commissions are three different things
A referral bonus requires a link between two accounts: a referrer who is already a customer and a referred friend who is not yet one. It is triggered by a specific action completed by the referred friend and rewards one of them, often both.
A commercial discount, by contrast, is available to everyone and earns nothing for the person who shares it. An affiliate commission pays a publisher under an advertising contract, as a percentage and sometimes for life, which is neither the same mechanism nor the same amount. Confusing the three is the leading cause of disappointment: people expect a bonus where the programme only provided for a discount.
Why the form of the reward changes everything
A benefit in euros can be withdrawn to an account, making it the most liquid. A discount voucher or points only have value if you buy from the brand. Platform credits (Proton, Lovable) or subscription months (Alan, Dougs, NordVPN) only have value if you actually use the service. A share (Trade Republic) or cryptocurrency (Nexo) may rise or fall after you receive it. Treating “€100 in cash” and “€100 in credits” as equivalent is therefore a common mistake.
The simple rule is this: for a reward you can spend freely, choose programmes paying cash in euros. For a service you were going to buy anyway, a reward in credits or free months is just as worthwhile.
How long does it take for the bonus to be paid?
The timeframe depends on the programme and ranges from instant to around three months (data collected in June 2026). From fastest to slowest:
- Almost instant: NordVPN (months added as soon as the subscription is purchased).
- A few days: Trade Republic (after the first investment), Revolut (a few days to two weeks).
- A few weeks: N26 (after the first payment).
- Around 30 days after an action by the referred friend: Proton (30 days after the first payment), Incogni and Nexo (after a 30-day retention period).
- Within two months: BoursoBank (after the conditions have been validated).
- Two to three months: Fortuneo (after the account is opened).
Please note that several programmes, including Alan, MAIF, AXA and Monabanq, do not state a precise timeframe. In that case, the brand's official page is the only reliable source. In almost every case, the bonus is never immediate: it awaits validation of a condition such as an initial deposit, first transaction or activity period.
What to remember before getting started
Two habits help avoid disappointment. First, look at the form of the reward: cash, credits, months and points do not have the same liquidity. Next, allow for the timeframe: a referral is rarely rewarded immediately, and an advertised benefit may take weeks to arrive. The full programme-by-programme details are kept up to date in the observatory linked below.
Check before taking action: reward types and timeframes recorded in June 2026 and subject to change. Always confirm the terms on the brand's official website before taking any action. PlanParrainPromo.fr is independent and is not a commercial partner of any of the brands mentioned.
See also
All verified referral codes, ranked by amount and category:
View all offers →Related guides
PlanParrainPromo.fr is not an official partner of any brand mentioned. Amounts and conditions change, so always check the current offer on the brand's official website before signing up.