finance

Best Micro-Investment Apps for Beginner Savers

Explore the top mobile apps designed to help beginner savers dip their toes into the world of investing without the need for large initial capital. These apps simplify investment processes, making it easy for beginners to start building their financial portfolio with minimal risk.

10 Apps
4.3 ★ Avg Rating
Finance Category
Last updated December 2024
Betterment

Betterment

4.6 ★ Free

Betterment is an excellent option for beginners looking to explore robo-advising. The app offers personalized investment advice and management services. Users can set specific goals and Betterment crafts a tailored investment strategy using advanced algorithms to optimize returns.

Best for: Beginner savers wanting robo-advisory services

Pros:

  • Personalized advice
  • Goal setting
  • Automated management

Cons:

  • Subscription fee
  • Less control over investments
Available on
iOS Android
Visit Website
Acorns

Acorns

4.5 ★ Free

Acorns is a popular micro-investment app that automatically rounds up your daily purchases and invests the spare change. It's designed for beginners who want a hassle-free way to start investing. With Acorns, users can set up recurring investments and choose from diversified portfolios managed by experts.

Best for: Beginner savers looking to invest spare change

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • Automatic investments
  • Diversified portfolios

Cons:

  • Monthly fee
  • Limited investment options
Available on
iOS Android
Visit Website
Greenlight Invest

Greenlight Invest

4.5 ★ Free

Greenlight Invest is tailored for families wanting to teach kids about saving and investing. It engages young savers with parent-managed accounts and educational resources to help them understand financial decisions from an early age. It’s perfect for teaching investing basics to the next generation.

Best for: Families teaching kids about investing basics

Pros:

  • Family-focused
  • Educational tools
  • Parent-managed accounts

Cons:

  • Subscription fee
  • Focused on young investors
Available on
iOS Android
Visit Website
Wealthfront

Wealthfront

4.4 ★ Free

Wealthfront provides automated investment and financial planning, ideal for hands-off beginners. It offers a variety of tax-optimized portfolios and cash accounts. Wealthfront’s Path tool helps users plan for financial goals like retirement or buying a home.

Best for: Beginners preferring automated investing and planning

Pros:

  • Automated investing
  • Tax optimization
  • Comprehensive planning tools

Cons:

  • Requires minimum investment
  • Limited human advisor access
Available on
iOS Android
Visit Website
Stash

Stash

4.3 ★ Free

Stash offers an intuitive platform for beginners who want to start investing with minimal funds. The app provides educational content to build your financial knowledge and lets you invest in stocks, ETFs, and fractional shares. Stash's flexibility allows users to invest according to their personal interests and beliefs.

Best for: Beginners interested in learning and investing small amounts

Pros:

  • Educational resources
  • Fractional shares
  • Personalized advice

Cons:

  • Subscription fee
  • Limited free content
Available on
iOS Android
Visit Website
SoFi Invest

SoFi Invest

4.3 ★ Free

SoFi Invest is a flexible investment platform offering active and automated investing. Beginners benefit from $0 commissions and no account minimums, making it easy to start investing. SoFi also provides access to financial planners to help guide newcomers on their investment journey.

Best for: Beginner savers seeking flexible investment options

Pros:

  • No commissions
  • Access to financial planners
  • Flexible investment options

Cons:

  • Limited in-depth analytics
  • Less robust compared to competitors
Available on
iOS Android
Visit Website
M1 Finance

M1 Finance

4.2 ★ Free

M1 Finance combines the best of both worlds: robo-advising and brokerage services. Suitable for beginners, M1 offers personalized pies for portfolio building and automated rebalancing. It’s a great way to manage investments with both customization and automation.

Best for: Beginners who want customization with automation

Pros:

  • Customizable portfolios
  • Automated rebalancing
  • No commission fees

Cons:

  • No tax-loss harvesting
  • Limited investment types
Available on
iOS Android
Visit Website
Public

Public

4.2 ★ Free

Public makes trading social and interactive, a unique experience for beginners. It offers commission-free trading with the ability to follow and learn from others within its platform. Public’s educational features are centered on improving financial literacy while engaging users in the community aspect of investing.

Best for: Beginners interested in community-driven investing

Pros:

  • Social investing
  • Commission-free trades
  • Educational content

Cons:

  • Less analytical tools
  • No retirement accounts
Available on
iOS Android
Visit Website
Round

Round

4.1 ★ Free

Round offers a new approach to micro-investing by providing access to top investment managers. Ideal for beginners, Round invests your money in portfolios overseen by professionals typically reserved for the wealthy. It’s a way to start with professional guidance without a high buy-in.

Best for: Beginners interested in professional management

Pros:

  • Access to professional managers
  • Premium portfolio options
  • Beginner-friendly

Cons:

  • Subscription cost
  • Limited customization
Available on
iOS Android
Visit Website
Robinhood

Robinhood

4.0 ★ Free

Robinhood offers a commission-free trading platform that is perfect for beginner savers. It allows you to invest in stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrencies. The user-friendly interface and absence of fees make it an attractive option for those new to investing.

Best for: Beginners wanting commission-free trades

Pros:

  • Commission-free trading
  • User-friendly interface
  • Wide range of investment options

Cons:

  • Limited customer support
  • No retirement accounts
Available on
iOS Android
Visit Website

Comparison Overview

App Rating Price Best For
Betterment 4.6 ★ subscription Betterment is an excellent option for beginners looking to explore robo-advising.
Acorns 4.5 ★ subscription Acorns is a popular micro-investment app that automatically rounds up your daily purchases and invests the spare change.
Greenlight Invest 4.5 ★ subscription Greenlight Invest is tailored for families wanting to teach kids about saving and investing.
Wealthfront 4.4 ★ free Wealthfront provides automated investment and financial planning, ideal for hands-off beginners.
Stash 4.3 ★ subscription Stash offers an intuitive platform for beginners who want to start investing with minimal funds.
SoFi Invest 4.3 ★ free SoFi Invest is a flexible investment platform offering active and automated investing.
M1 Finance 4.2 ★ free, paid subscription M1 Finance combines the best of both worlds: robo-advising and brokerage services.
Public 4.2 ★ free Public makes trading social and interactive, a unique experience for beginners.
Round 4.1 ★ subscription Round offers a new approach to micro-investing by providing access to top investment managers.
Robinhood 4 ★ free Robinhood offers a commission-free trading platform that is perfect for beginner savers.

Quick Tips

  • Start with small, regular investments to build a habit.
  • Utilize apps with automatic round-ups for easy investing.
  • Take advantage of educational resources offered by apps to improve your financial literacy.
  • Consider your investment goals and choose apps that align with them.
  • Don't be afraid to explore different apps to find the one that suits your needs best.

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