Key takeaway: The best investing apps out there will make getting started really simple — look for apps that offer low- or no-cost trades, automated portfolios, and tools built to help you learn, invest, and grow your wealth confidently.
When taking control of your finances, investing is one way to diversify your income and grow your wealth. Technology is making investing for beginners more accessible. Beginner investing apps are a common resource to learn how to manage your portfolio and build a secure financial future.
Image: best-investing-apps-for-beginners-post-image-1To help you narrow down which app is right for you, we compiled the 13 best investment apps for beginners (in alphabetical order). We’ve only included apps that can help you diversify your portfolio and learn as you go.
1. Acorns
Acorns makes it easy to invest with whatever you have by automatically investing your spare change. Users can quickly set up an account and automate micro-investments starting at $3 for the personal plan. Acorns comes with expert-built portfolios.
Features
- Fees: $3 to $12 per month
- Commissions: None for accounts under $1 million
- Minimum balance: None to open. To invest, you can sign up with Round Ups to automatically invest spare change, or else you’ll need a one-time investment of at least $5
Pros
- Invests spare change from purchases automatically
- Educational and investment support
- Earn bonus investments shopping at select retailers
Cons
- Monthly fees required to have an account
2. Betterment
Designed to help you reach your goals, Betterment is great for beginners because it includes automated investing. Betterment can help you manage your money, invest it, trade and rebalance your portfolio — all on autopilot.
Features
- Fees: Annual fees of 0.25% or $4/month for the digital plan; various fund fees
- Minimum balance: None for digital; $100,000 for Premium
Pros
- Hands-off investing
- Goal-oriented platform
- Socially responsible options
Cons
- Annual fees for advising
- High minimum balance for the Premium plan
3. Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab’s free and expansive research offerings include real-time news, a quarterly magazine, research reports and more. As you level up your skills, you can use the mobile app to trade and monitor your positions at all hours, as well as customize your investing experience with alerts, summaries and notifications.
Features
- Trading fees: None, for basic online trades
- Commissions: Varying fees by security type, from $0–$250 for online trades
- Minimum balance: None for a basic account
Pros
- Large investment selection
- Robust research tools
- No account fees or minimums
- Biometric security
Cons
- Small cash sweep rate for uninvested funds
- Other fees may apply for broker-assisted and other trades
4. E*TRADE
E*TRADE offers commission-free investing to beginners with an easy-to-use app interface. The app has a wide investment selection and is compatible with mobile, tablets and Apple wearables. Users can access real-time news, Bloomberg TV and third-party research to stay updated on the market.
Features
- Fees: None
- Commissions: None for online U.S. stock, ETFs and options trade (65 cents per options contract, $1.50 per futures contract, $1 per bond)
- Minimum balance: None
Pros
- Large investment selection
- Research offerings
- User-friendly interface
- Apple Watch compatibility
Cons
- High minimum balances and fees for managed portfolios
5. Fundrise
Another way to diversify your portfolio is through real estate. In just a few minutes, you can create an account with a low investment minimum, select your preferred investing strategy and sit back as Fundrise diversifies your portfolio.
Features
- Fees: 0.15% annual advisory fee, 0.85% annual asset management fee for standard portfolios
- Commissions: None
- Minimum balance: $10 for a Starter account, varying minimums for other account types
Pros
- Low fees and balance minimum
- Open to nonaccredited investors
- Investment portfolio of $7+ billion
Cons
- Not good for short-term investing
- Investments may not be liquid
Image: best-investing-apps-for-beginners-post-image-26. Invstr
Invstr offers lessons from Invstr Academy to get you started. After gaining experience and confidence, you can start investing with as little as $5.
Features
- Fees: Up to $3.99 per month, plus withdrawal and deposit fees
- Commissions: None (but other fees may apply)
- Minimum balance: None, but $25,000 to day trade (SEC)
Pros
- Practice investing without risking your money with Fantasy Finance
- Educational resources
- Large investing community
- Portfolio and performance insights
Cons
- A limited number of trades per day (unlimited with subscription)
- Can only invest in U.S. stocks
- Many paid features
7. M1 Finance
M1 Finance is an investing platform that offers flexibility for beginners. You can choose from pre-made expert portfolios or cultivate your investment strategy by building a customized portfolio for free. You can enjoy the flexibility of this app for free, but be aware that there are miscellaneous fees and a $100 minimum brokerage account balance before you get started.
Features
- Fees: $3 per month, unless minimum met ($10,000 at least once per billing cycle)
- Commissions: None
- Minimum balance: $100 to $500 for certain account types
Pros
- Customizability
- Automated investing
- Fractional shares
Cons
- $100 minimum account balance
- Inactivity fee
8. Public
Public allows beginners to buy fractional shares of their favorite available companies for as little as $5, commission-free. And with the ability to follow other investors on the app, you can see what everyone else is investing in, learn from them, participate in group messages and share your experiences.
Features
- Fees: $96 annually for Premium membership
- Commissions: None
- Minimum investment: $5
Pros
- No hidden fees or commissions
- Referral program
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
9. Robinhood
Robinhood offers commission-free investing opportunities with no minimum balance to start investing and no fees. Users can customize their portfolios, trade in real time and invest any amount they choose thanks to fractional shares starting at just $1. Robinhood is a solid option for beginners wishing to trade stocks and ETFs, and new users can get their first stock free.
Features
- Fees: No fees for the basics, $5 per month for Robinhood Gold
- Commissions: None
- Minimum balance: None
Pros
- Fractional shares
- Cryptocurrency options
- Retirement options
Cons
- Only basic research options
- No bonds or mutual funds
10. SoFi Invest
As a top-rated investing app in the Apple Store, SoFi Invest is made for all experience levels. Beginners can opt for automated investing and let SoFi’s robo-advisor build wealth. For the more hands-on beginner, you also have the freedom to diversify your portfolio by choosing from crypto, stocks or exchange-traded funds (or ETFs).
Features
- Fees: None (but 1% transaction fee on crypto)
- Commissions: None
- Minimum balance: None
Pros
- User-friendly platform
- Affordable trading
- Easy access to investing insights
Cons
- Limited investment options
FAQs about investing for beginners
Investors can buy fractional shares on investment apps for as little as $1.
Investment apps such as Charles Schwab or Robinhood have active trading capabilities.
You can use investment apps to trade stocks, bonds, ETFs and mutual funds.