Investing has never been more accessible. Thanks to modern technology, you no longer need a financial advisor or a large bank account to start building wealth. Today’s investment apps make it easy to begin with just a few dollars, and many offer user-friendly features designed specifically for beginners.
In this guide, we’ll explore the best investment apps for beginners in 2025—focusing on ease of use, low fees, helpful tools, and accessibility. Whether you want to grow your money passively or learn the ropes of investing, there’s an app here for you.
What to Look for in a Beginner-Friendly Investment App
Before choosing an app, it’s important to understand what makes a good platform for someone just starting out. Look for:
- Low or zero fees: Avoid apps that charge commissions or high management fees.
- Fractional shares: These let you invest in expensive stocks with small amounts of money.
- Educational tools: Some apps teach you as you invest.
- Automated investing: Robo-advisors help manage your portfolio for you.
- User-friendly interface: An intuitive design makes it easier to stay consistent.
Now, let’s dive into the top investment apps for beginners in 2025.
1. Robinhood
Best for: Commission-free stock and crypto trading
Robinhood made waves by eliminating trading fees and offering an easy-to-use platform. It’s ideal for beginners who want to trade stocks, ETFs, and even cryptocurrency without paying commissions.
Key features:
- Zero commission trading
- Simple interface for new users
- Fractional shares available
- Access to real-time market data
- Cash management options
Watch out for: Limited research tools and no automatic investing.
2. Acorns
Best for: Passive investing with round-ups
Acorns is perfect for people who want to invest without thinking about it. It rounds up your everyday purchases to the nearest dollar and invests the spare change automatically into a diversified portfolio.
Key features:
- Round-up saving feature
- Automated investing
- Retirement and kids accounts
- Educational content for beginners
- Flat monthly fee (starting at $3/month)
Watch out for: The flat fee can be high for very small balances.
3. Stash
Best for: Beginners who want to learn and invest
Stash is part investment platform, part personal finance education tool. It allows you to invest in fractional shares and offers themed portfolios (like clean energy or tech) for beginners.
Key features:
- Fractional shares
- Curated investment themes
- Banking features and debit card
- Built-in education tools
- Auto-investing options
Watch out for: Monthly fee and limited customer service.
4. Fidelity Investments
Best for: Long-term investing with trusted support
Fidelity is a traditional brokerage that’s embraced beginner investors. Their mobile app offers commission-free trading, zero-fee mutual funds, and retirement account options—all with top-rated customer service.
Key features:
- No minimum account requirement
- Commission-free trading
- Educational content and tools
- Great for IRAs and retirement
- Award-winning customer support
Watch out for: Interface is more robust and may feel advanced to total beginners.
5. Betterment
Best for: Automated investing with professional support
Betterment is a robo-advisor that builds and manages a portfolio for you based on your goals and risk tolerance. It’s a hands-off way to start investing for retirement, emergencies, or other financial goals.
Key features:
- Automated portfolios
- Tax-loss harvesting
- Goal-based planning tools
- Retirement accounts available
- Human advisor support (premium plans)
Watch out for: Management fee of 0.25% annually on basic plans.
6. M1 Finance
Best for: Customizable automated investing
M1 Finance offers a hybrid experience between manual and automated investing. You choose your investments (or use expert “pies”), and the platform automates deposits and rebalancing.
Key features:
- Customizable portfolios
- Fractional shares
- No commissions
- Automated rebalancing
- Borrowing and credit products for eligible users
Watch out for: No real-time trading—trades are executed once daily.
7. Public
Best for: Social investing and learning from others
Public combines investing with social networking. You can follow other investors, see what they’re investing in, and even share your own insights. Great for beginners who want to learn from a community.
Key features:
- Commission-free investing
- Fractional shares
- Social feed with investor commentary
- Educational resources
- Crypto investing included
Watch out for: Limited research tools for deep analysis.
8. SoFi Invest
Best for: All-in-one financial ecosystem
SoFi offers banking, loans, credit cards, and investing all in one app. It’s ideal for beginners who want to manage their entire financial life in one place.
Key features:
- Commission-free trades
- Automated investing available
- Crypto investing
- Access to financial advisors
- Integrated banking and credit products
Watch out for: Robo-advisor options are less customizable than others.
Bonus Tip: Use Multiple Apps if Needed
Many investors use more than one app—one for passive investing and another for learning or trying new strategies. Just make sure to stay organized and track your overall portfolio.
Tips for Investing as a Beginner
- Start small: Even $10 is enough to begin.
- Be consistent: Set up automatic investments each month.
- Avoid chasing trends: Stick with diversified portfolios, not hype stocks.
- Reinvest dividends: Let your earnings earn more.
- Keep learning: Read, watch videos, and ask questions.
Final Thoughts: Pick the App That Matches Your Style
The best investment app is the one you’ll actually use. If you want to set it and forget it, go with Acorns or Betterment. If you like being hands-on, Robinhood or M1 Finance might suit you better. If you need structure and education, try Stash or Fidelity.
What matters most is starting now. Investing isn’t about timing the market—it’s about time in the market. The earlier you start, the more your money can grow.
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