Best refer-a-friend schemes: how you can earn up to £500

NatWest has launched its first ever refer-a-friend scheme, which could earn eligible customers up to £500 - and it's not the only company offering incentives for signing-up your loved ones.

Until 20 April 2018, eligible customers will receive up to £500 when their friends and family join NatWest. But it's not open to everyone, with NatWest randomly selecting 300,000 customers for the test phase.

If you haven't been selected, don't despair.From current accounts and mortgages to shopping or hitting the gym, Which? takes a look at some of the best referral schemes on offer at the moment.

Refer-a-friend: current accounts

Earn £500 with NatWest

NatWest recently launched its first ever refer-a-friend scheme, offering existing members the chance to earn up to £500 by recommending its current accounts to friends and family.

The bank has identified 300,000 existing customers at random to test the new scheme.

If you are one of the lucky customers selected, you could earn £100 cash for each friend that you recommend (who does not have a NatWest current account) to NatWest's Select, Reward, Reward Silver, Reward Platinum or Reward Black accounts.

There isn't a limit on the number of friends to can refer, but your bonus will be capped at £500. Theoffer is only available until 20 April 2018.

• Find out more: best basic bank accounts

Earn up to £500 with Nationwide

Nationwide is offering existing members the chance to earn up to £500 by encouraging friends and family to switch their current account.

You're considered a Nationwide member if you have a current account, savings account or mortgage (excluding buy-to-let and commercial) with Nationwide.

To qualify, each friend will need to switch their main current account to a Nationwide FlexAccount, FlexPlus or FlexDirect account within 90 days of your recommendation and make at least two direct debits as part of the switch.

If your friend already banks with Nationwide, but switched to a Flex account, you can still qualify for the bonus.

• Find out more: best and worst banks

Refer-a-friend: credit cards

Earn £25 with Vanquis

Vanquis Bank customers could earn £25 for convincing friends and family to sign up to the Vanquis Credit Card.

To qualify for the offer, your friend or family member must click on your unique sharing link and become a Vanquis Cardholder.

Once they activate their card and start spending, you will both receive £25 credit to your Vanquis accounts.

• Find out more: best interest-free credit cards

Refer-a-friend: savings and investments

Earn £25 vouchers with Scottish Friendly

Customers of Scottish Friendly could earn £25 by introducing a new friend or family member to the company.

Friend referrals have to be made through the Scottish Friendly website.

Once the person you refer has made their first investment into a savings plan, they will be sent two £25 My Rewards card/top-ups - one for them and one for you. The cards can be used at over 55 UK retailers.

• Find out more: how to find the best savings account

Boost your savings by 5% with Chip

Chip is a savings app powered by artificial intelligence. By analysing your spending habits, Chip's algorithm calculates how much you can afford to save and transfers it into your Chip savings account every few days.

When you first open a Chip account, you start with 0% interest but are given a referral code.

For every friend who signs up with Chip on your invitation, you canboost your savingsby 1% - up to a total of 5%. The bonus interest rate lasts for up to a year.

Earn £50 with Zopa

If you already invest with peer-to-peer lending platformZopa, you can use a new Fast Pass to push your friends and family to the front of the waiting list.

If the person you refer invests over £2,000, you'll both receive a £50 bonus once that money is lent out.

You should be able to get your Fast Pass code at the bottom of the summary page on your Zopa dashboard.

Earn £50 with RateSetter

Another peer-to-peer lending platformRateSetteris offering a bonus of £50 for bringing a friend or family memberon board.

To get the bonus, your friend or family member must invest at least £5,000 with RateSetter for a year, using a unique URL that you have to send them via email.

This offer is ending soon and will only be available until 11 April 2018.

For more information on how peer-to-peer lending works, take a look at our short video.

Refer-a-friend: mortgages

Earn £100 with Newcastle Building Society

Newcastle Building Society customers can earn £100 by recommending someone you know.

To be qualify for the offer, your friend or family member must be a new customer of Newcastle Building Society and successfully take out a mortgage.

You should receive your reward within 60 days of them completing on their mortgage deal.

• Find out more: how to save for a mortgage deposit

Earn £25 with Gigly

Gigly's mortgage platform allows people working in the gig economy - which includes freelancers, contractors and the self-employed - to connect with FCA-approved mortgage experts who don't charge a broker fee.

You can earn a £25 voucher of your choice for referring a friend to Gigly who successfully completes on a mortgage.

You don't have to be a Gigly customer to refer a friend and you can refer as many people as you like.

• Find out more: A-Z mortgages jargon-buster

Refer a friend: selling a house

Earn £100 with Emoov

Online estate agent Emoov is offering £100 cash for every friend or family member that signs up and lists their property via its upfront package.

You don't have to be an Emoov customer to send out referrals and can invite up to 30 different people.

Once your friend has listed their home via the upfront package, they will receive £100 off of their fees and you can take home £100 in cash.

• Find out more: how to sell your house

Refer-a-friend: energy

Earn £25 with Ovo Energy

Ovo Energy is offering existing customers the chance to recruit a friend or family member in exchange for a £25 M&S, Argos or Amazon gift card.

There is no limit to the amount of friends that you can invite and each one who signs up will also receive the bonus.

Earn £20 with Utility Warehouse

You can earn a £20 gift voucher from Utility Warehouse for every friend you refer.

To qualify for the offer, the person you refer must purchase a 'Gold bundle.'

You will also get an extra £10 gift voucher around Christmas time if the friends you refer stay on as members through the year.

• Find out more: 10 ways to save on energy bills

Refer-a-friend: TV and mobile

Earn £50 with Sky TV

Sky TV customers can earn £50 for encouraging a friend or family member to join.

Once the person you refer becomes a Sky TV customer, using your unique reference number, you will both receive £50 loaded onto a prepaid Mastercard.

There is no limit on the number of people you can refer but they must subscribe to Sky TV, not just broadband or any other product.

• Find out more: best TV and broadband providers

Earn £25 with Three

Mobile network provider Three is offering customers and their friends the chance to earn a £25 Amazon gift card.

Once the person you refer purchases either a 12-month Sim-only plan or a 24-month pay monthly phone plan, you both receive the bonus.

There's no limit on the number of friends you can refer.

• Find out more: best mobile networks overview

Refer-a-friend: hitting the gym

Earn £10 with PayAsUGym

PayAsUGym customers can earn £10 for each friend that they convince to join.

Once your friend signs up and books onto their first class, you'll receive £10 off your next work out.

• Find out more: 50 ways to make money

Refer-a-friend: cashback websites

Earn £10 with Quidco

Quidco customers can earn £10 for signing up a friend or family member.

You'll receive your £10 as soon as the person you have referred registers with Quidco and earns £5 in cashback.

Within your account dashboard, you can choose whether you want to keep the full £10 for yourself or split it with the person that you brought in.

Earn £15 with TopCashback

TopCashback is offering the chance for customers to earn £10 for referrals to friends.

Once your friend has signed up using your unique URL and earned £10 cashback, you will receive £15 cashback for free.

Take a look at our video for more information about how cashback sites work.

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