5 Best Online Investment Apps & Sites For Beginners

Starting your investing journey can take time and effort. "What if I lose money?" is a thought that probably no mind can escape. Online investment apps and sites make the process of investing easier for beginners. These platforms offer tools to help users learn and grow their money. Features like low fees, easy access, and resources for learning make investing attractive to anyone with a smartphone or computer. In this article, we'll look at some of the best online investment apps and sites for beginners.

Investment apps make it easy to access different types of investments, like stocks, REITs, and ETFs. With just a few taps, one can begin investing in markets that were once hard to reach. These apps often provide a user-friendly interface, so anyone without experience can start investing immediately.

Newer apps have started allowing users to begin with "spare" change. Some apps now enable people to invest $1 (and even cents!). This is perfect for beginners who may have a little to invest upfront.

Most investment apps come with educational resources like articles, videos, and tutorials, helping beginners (like you!) ingrain key investing concepts in their brains (how stocks work, what risk means, how to diversify, and so on). Now, even beginners don’t need brokers before making these small decisions.

Some investment apps offer automated investing, where algorithms pick investments based on a user's goals and risk tolerance. This feature takes the guesswork out of investing and is excellent for beginners who may need to know which investments to choose. Automated investing helps users stay on track and make more intelligent choices.

Robinhood is one of the most popular apps for stock market investing. Users can buy and sell stocks on this app. But what feature makes it different (and stand out)? No paying hefty commissions, that's right. It's an affordable option for beginners. The UI is essential, but that's good; it makes it easier for boomers to use the app. Robinhood also provides real-time market data and investment news, which helps users make informed decisions.

Fundrise is a “real-estate-focused” investing app that allows users to invest in real estate with as little as $10! People can diversify their investments by “splitting their eggs in multiple baskets,” such as property projects and real estate funds.

Fundrise manages the investments, so users don't need to worry about managing properties. This app is perfect for beginners who want to invest in real estate but need more capital and time to manage property independently.

The app works by rounding up the users' everyday purchases. So if you bought something for $4.95, it will take that "spare" 5 cents and invest it. Don't worry; this is only if you permit it.

Acorns make it simple to start saving for retirement, even with small amounts of money. The app also offers retirement accounts like IRAs, helping users grow their savings for the future. Acorns is an excellent choice for beginners who want to start investing without worrying about making complex decisions.

Stash is great for beginners interested in fractional shares and ETFs. Fractional shares differ from regular stock because they allow users to invest in expensive stocks with small amounts of money. So, diversifying your portfolio becomes easier than ever.

Stash also provides educational resources to help other apps. They help beginners understand investing basics. With its easy-to-use platform and helpful tips, Stash is an excellent choice for those just getting started in the stock market.

Betterment is an "allrounder." Many financial gurus say it's one of the best investment platforms. It offers automated investing with low fees and uses algorithms to create and manage diversified portfolios based on a user's goals and risk tolerance.

Betterment also offers features like tax-loss harvesting, helping users save money on taxes. This app is perfect for beginners who want a "hands-off" approach to investing while ensuring their money works towards long-term goals like retirement.

Starting small is a smart way to begin investing. Many apps allow users to start with just a few dollars, so investing large amounts is unnecessary. This approach is for more than just reducing your risk. It's to help you understand the "ins and outs" of investing before you gamble away your hard-earned money! Beginners should learn about the market and grow their confidence to make better decisions over time. Even small amounts can add up, primarily when invested consistently.