diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index 72da22e..de92776 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import HomePage from './pages/HomePage.tsx'
 import { PostsService } from './model/posts/postsService.ts'
 import AuthorPage from './pages/AuthorPage.tsx'
 import { MediaService } from './model/mediaService.ts'
+import SignupPage from './pages/SignupPage.tsx'
 
 function App() {
   const postService = new PostsService()
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ function App() {
           element={<HomePage postsService={postService} mediaService={mediaService} />}
         />
         <Route path="/u/:username" element={<AuthorPage postsService={postService} />} />
+        <Route path="/signup" element={<SignupPage />} />
       </Routes>
     </BrowserRouter>
   )
diff --git a/src/layouts/AppLayout.tsx b/src/layouts/AppLayout.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..095d06b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/layouts/AppLayout.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { PropsWithChildren } from 'react'
+import { Link } from 'react-router'
+
+export default function AppLayout({ children }: PropsWithChildren) {
+  return (
+    <div>
+      <nav className={`w-full flex flex-row-reverse px-4 md:px-8 py-0.5`}>
+        <Link className={`text-gray-800`} to="/signup">
+          create account
+        </Link>
+      </nav>
+      <main className={`w-full`}>{children}</main>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/src/pages/HomePage.tsx b/src/pages/HomePage.tsx
index f57956e..900595b 100644
--- a/src/pages/HomePage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/HomePage.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import NewPostWidget from '../components/NewPostWidget.tsx'
 import { useFeedViewModel } from '../feed/feedViewModel.ts'
 import { Post } from '../model/posts/posts.ts'
 import { Temporal } from '@js-temporal/polyfill'
+import AppLayout from '../layouts/AppLayout.tsx'
 
 interface HomePageProps {
   postsService: PostsService
@@ -48,9 +49,11 @@ export default function HomePage({ postsService, mediaService }: HomePageProps)
   )
 
   return (
-    <main className={`w-full max-w-3xl mx-auto`}>
-      <NewPostWidget onSubmit={onCreatePost} isSubmitting={isSubmitting} />
-      <FeedView pages={pages} onLoadMore={loadNextPage} />
-    </main>
+    <AppLayout>
+      <main className={`w-full max-w-3xl mx-auto`}>
+        <NewPostWidget onSubmit={onCreatePost} isSubmitting={isSubmitting} />
+        <FeedView pages={pages} onLoadMore={loadNextPage} />
+      </main>
+    </AppLayout>
   )
 }
diff --git a/src/pages/SignupPage.tsx b/src/pages/SignupPage.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2b27524
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pages/SignupPage.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import { useSearchParams } from 'react-router'
+import { useState } from 'react'
+
+export default function SignupPage() {
+  const [searchParams] = useSearchParams()
+  const signupCode = searchParams.get('c')
+  const [isSubmitting, setIsSubmitting] = useState(false)
+
+  if (!signupCode) {
+    return <RejectionMessage />
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <main className="w-full max-w-3xl mx-auto p-4">
+      <div className="mt-12">
+        <form className="flex flex-col gap-4 max-w-md" onSubmit={(e) => e.preventDefault()}>
+          <div className="flex flex-col gap-2">
+            <label htmlFor="username" className="text-sm text-gray-600">
+              Username
+            </label>
+            <input
+              id="username"
+              type="text"
+              className="p-2 border rounded bg-white/50 focus:outline-none focus:border-gray-400"
+              required
+            />
+          </div>
+
+          <div className="flex flex-col gap-2">
+            <label htmlFor="email" className="text-sm text-gray-600">
+              Email (optional)
+            </label>
+            <input
+              id="email"
+              type="email"
+              className="p-2 border rounded bg-white/50 focus:outline-none focus:border-gray-400"
+            />
+          </div>
+
+          <div className="flex flex-col gap-2">
+            <label htmlFor="password" className="text-sm text-gray-600">
+              Password
+            </label>
+            <input
+              id="password"
+              type="password"
+              className="p-2 border rounded bg-white/50 focus:outline-none focus:border-gray-400"
+              required
+            />
+          </div>
+
+          <button
+            type="submit"
+            disabled={isSubmitting}
+            className="mt-4 p-2 bg-gray-800 text-white rounded hover:bg-gray-700 disabled:opacity-50 disabled:cursor-not-allowed"
+          >
+            {isSubmitting ? 'Creating account...' : 'Create account'}
+          </button>
+        </form>
+      </div>
+    </main>
+  )
+}
+
+function RejectionMessage() {
+  return (
+    <main className="w-full max-w-3xl mx-auto p-4">
+      <div className="mt-12 text-gray-600 flex flex-col gap-2">
+        <p>An invitation is required to create an account.</p>
+        <p>
+          I'm surprised you even found your way here without one and honestly I'd prefer it if you
+          would leave
+        </p>
+        <p>
+          If you <span className="italic">do</span> want to create an account, you should know who
+          to contact
+        </p>
+      </div>
+    </main>
+  )
+}