diff --git a/config/config.sample.php b/config/config.sample.php
index 09b5c18504119..16824e67ed14e 100644
--- a/config/config.sample.php
+++ b/config/config.sample.php
@@ -1632,4 +1632,11 @@
 	'/^Microsoft-WebDAV-MiniRedir/', // Windows webdav drive
 ),
 
+/**
+ * By default there is on public pages a link shown that allows users to
+ * learn about the "simple sign up" - see https://nextcloud.com/signup/
+ *
+ * If this is set to "false" it will not show the link.
+ */
+'simpleSignUpLink.shown' => true,
 );
diff --git a/core/css/public.scss b/core/css/public.scss
index a4e7ed579b9f7..cac98f23f928b 100644
--- a/core/css/public.scss
+++ b/core/css/public.scss
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-$footer-height: 60px;
+$footer-height: 65px;
 
 #body-public {
 	.header-right {
@@ -75,7 +75,9 @@ $footer-height: 60px;
 		align-items: center;
 		justify-content: center;
 		height: $footer-height;
+		flex-direction: column;
 		p {
+			text-align: center;
 			color: var(--color-text-lighter);
 			a {
 				color: var(--color-text-lighter);
diff --git a/core/templates/layout.public.php b/core/templates/layout.public.php
index 13baf19401083..0558da52d0b28 100644
--- a/core/templates/layout.public.php
+++ b/core/templates/layout.public.php
@@ -79,6 +79,15 @@
 	<?php if(isset($template) && $template->getFooterVisible()) { ?>
 	<footer>
 		<p><?php print_unescaped($theme->getLongFooter()); ?></p>
+		<?php
+		if ($_['showSimpleSignUpLink']) {
+			?>
+			<p>
+				<a href="https://nextcloud.com/signup/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get your own free account</a>
+			</p>
+			<?php
+		}
+		?>
 	</footer>
 	<?php } ?>
 
diff --git a/lib/private/TemplateLayout.php b/lib/private/TemplateLayout.php
index fc2e5798e1c58..0bd57c4139b42 100644
--- a/lib/private/TemplateLayout.php
+++ b/lib/private/TemplateLayout.php
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ public function __construct( $renderAs, $appId = '' ) {
 			parent::__construct('core', 'layout.public');
 			$this->assign( 'appid', $appId );
 			$this->assign('bodyid', 'body-public');
+			$this->assign('showSimpleSignUpLink', $this->config->getSystemValue('simpleSignUpLink.shown', true) !== false);
 		} else {
 			parent::__construct('core', 'layout.base');