Getting started with investing used to require a broker, a minimum deposit, and enough knowledge to feel confident navigating a platform built for experienced investors. Most of that friction is gone now. Modern investing apps have lowered the entry point dramatically, simplified the interface, and made it possible to start with amounts that would have been turned away by traditional brokerages a decade ago.
The challenge now is a different one: knowing which apps are genuinely good for beginners versus which ones make investing look accessible while introducing complexity or costs that work against new investors. This guide covers 12 investing apps worth knowing about, what each one does best, and who each one suits most.
Before getting into the list, one principle worth keeping front of mind: the best investing app for a beginner is one that supports simple, low-cost, diversified investing, not one with the most features, the most tradeable assets, or the most sophisticated tools. Complexity in investing rarely produces better outcomes for beginners and often produces worse ones.
1. Vanguard
Available in: US, UK, Australia, and many other countries through local entities
What it does: Vanguard is the originator of index fund investing and remains the standard against which other low-cost investment providers are measured. It offers a wide range of index funds and ETFs at some of the lowest expense ratios available globally.
Why it works for beginners: The platform is built around long-term, low-cost investing rather than active trading. The product range is focused rather than overwhelming. Vanguard’s philosophy aligns directly with what most financial research suggests produces the best long-term outcomes for ordinary investors.
Best for: Beginners who want to invest in index funds with minimal fees and no temptation to trade actively.
Sign up at: Vanguard
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2. Fidelity
Available in: US (international accounts vary)
What it does: Full-service brokerage with a wide range of investment products including index funds, ETFs, and individual stocks. Fidelity offers several zero expense ratio index funds alongside competitive rates on other products.
Why it works for beginners: No account minimum, no trading fees on most products, and strong educational resources make it one of the most accessible full-service options for new investors in the US. The interface is more feature-rich than some pure beginner apps but doesn’t overwhelm.
Best for: US-based beginners who want a reliable, established brokerage with strong customer service and educational content.
Sign up at: Fidelity
3. Wealthsimple
Available in: Canada, UK
What it does: Offers both managed portfolio investing and self-directed trading. The managed option builds and rebalances a diversified portfolio automatically based on the investor’s risk tolerance and goals. The self-directed option allows buying individual stocks and ETFs without commission.
Why it works for beginners: The managed portfolio option removes all investment decision-making from the investor, which suits beginners who want to invest without yet knowing which specific funds to choose. The interface is clean and modern with low minimum investment requirements.
Best for: Canadian and UK investors who want either a completely hands-off managed approach or a straightforward commission-free platform for self-directed investing.
Sign up at: Wealthsimple
4. Acorns
Available in: US, Australia
What it does: Rounds up purchases to the nearest dollar and invests the difference in a diversified ETF portfolio. Also offers recurring deposit options and retirement accounts.
Why it works for beginners: The round-up mechanism makes investing feel effortless because the amounts are small enough to be imperceptible in daily spending. For people who find it difficult to commit to a regular investment amount, Acorns provides an automatic starting point that builds the habit.
Best for: Complete beginners who want to start investing with no minimum and no required active decisions, and those who struggle to find a consistent investment amount to commit to.
Sign up at: Acorns
5. Betterment
Available in: US
What it does: A robo-advisor that builds and manages a diversified investment portfolio automatically based on the investor’s goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. Also offers cash management and retirement accounts.
Why it works for beginners: Betterment handles every investment decision automatically. The investor answers a few questions and the platform does the rest, including rebalancing when allocations drift and reinvesting dividends. The fee is a small percentage of assets managed annually, which is higher than self-directed index fund investing but significantly lower than traditional financial advisors.
Best for: Beginners who want their money professionally managed at low cost without the commitment of working with a human financial advisor.
Sign up at: Betterment
6. Robinhood
Available in: US, UK
What it does: Commission-free trading of stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrency. Known for its simple, mobile-first interface.
Why it works for beginners: The interface is genuinely simple and the zero-commission structure removes the cost barrier for frequent trading. Fractional shares allow investment in high-priced stocks with small amounts.
A genuine caution for beginners: Robinhood’s simplicity and gamification elements, including reward animations for trades, have been associated with more frequent trading and higher-risk behavior among new investors. Frequent trading is typically harmful to long-term investment outcomes. Robinhood works well as a platform for buying and holding index funds, but beginners should be aware that its design nudges toward more active trading than most investment strategies recommend.
Best for: Beginners comfortable with the temptations of an active trading interface who intend to use it for simple index fund or ETF investing and can maintain discipline not to overtrade.
Sign up at: Robinhood
7. Freetrade
Available in: UK, Europe
What it does: Commission-free investing in stocks and ETFs with a clean, simple interface. Offers ISA accounts in the UK which shelter investment returns from tax.
Why it works for beginners: The zero-commission structure and ISA wrapper make it a genuinely cost-effective starting point for UK and European investors. The product range covers major markets without overwhelming complexity.
Best for: UK and European beginners who want a low-cost, simple platform for buying and holding index funds and ETFs within a tax-advantaged account.
Sign up at: Freetrade
8. eToro
Available in: Many countries globally
What it does: A social investing platform that allows commission-free stock and ETF investing alongside cryptocurrency trading. Includes a “CopyTrader” feature that lets users automatically copy the portfolios of other investors.
Why it works for beginners: Global availability makes it accessible to investors in many countries where other platforms aren’t available. The interface is modern and the zero-commission structure keeps costs low for simple investing.
A genuine caution for beginners: The CopyTrader feature and social elements encourage the kind of active, performance-chasing behavior that tends to produce poor long-term investment outcomes. Cryptocurrency is highly volatile and unsuitable as a core investment for most beginners. Using eToro specifically for straightforward stock and ETF investing, without engaging with the social features or cryptocurrency, is the approach that makes sense for most new investors.
Best for: Beginners in countries where other platforms aren’t available who intend to use it for simple, low-cost stock and ETF investing and can maintain discipline around its higher-risk features.
Sign up at: eToro
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9. Stash
Available in: US
What it does: A beginner-focused investing app that offers fractional shares of stocks and ETFs with educational content integrated into the platform. Also includes a debit card that invests a percentage of purchases automatically.
Why it works for beginners: Stash is designed to teach investing basics alongside providing access to investment products. The fractional share structure removes price barriers and the educational content helps beginners understand what they’re investing in.
Best for: US beginners who want guidance integrated into their investing experience rather than a standalone app that requires external research.
Sign up at: Stash
10. Sharesies
Available in: New Zealand, Australia
What it does: A low-minimum investing platform that allows buying fractional shares of New Zealand, Australian, and US stocks and funds. No minimum investment amount.
Why it works for beginners: Sharesies was specifically designed to make investing accessible to people who felt excluded by traditional brokerages. The platform’s emphasis on small starting amounts and simple interface has attracted a large first-time investor community in New Zealand and Australia.
Best for: New Zealand and Australian beginners who want a purpose-built beginner investing platform with no minimum deposit requirement.
Sign up at: Sharesies
11. Raiz
Available in: Australia, Southeast Asia
What it does: Similar to Acorns in concept, Raiz rounds up purchases and invests the difference in diversified ETF portfolios. Also offers recurring investment options and superannuation products in Australia.
Why it works for beginners: The automatic round-up mechanism makes starting simple for people who don’t know where to begin. The diversified ETF portfolios chosen for each risk level are appropriate for long-term investment without requiring the investor to select individual funds.
Best for: Australian and Southeast Asian beginners who want an automatic, low-friction way to begin investing with small amounts.
Sign up at: Raiz
12. InvestEngine
Available in: UK
What it does: A commission-free ETF investing platform that offers both managed portfolios and self-directed ETF investing. ISA and general investment accounts available.
Why it works for beginners: InvestEngine offers one of the lowest-cost managed portfolio options available in the UK. The self-directed option covers a wide range of ETFs at zero commission. Both options suit beginners who want to invest in diversified ETFs without high platform fees.
Best for: UK beginners who want either a managed portfolio at low cost or a commission-free platform for self-directed ETF investing.
Sign up at: InvestEngine
What to Look For When Choosing an Investing App
Across all the options on this list, a few factors consistently determine whether an app suits a beginner well.
Low or no account minimums. Starting with a small amount is better than not starting at all. Apps that require large minimum deposits exclude beginners who are building the habit gradually.
Low fees. Every percentage point in fees reduces long-term returns. Check the expense ratios of the funds available, any platform fees, and any other charges before committing.
Access to index funds and ETFs. These are the most appropriate investments for most beginners. Apps that make it easy to buy diversified, low-cost funds are more beginner-friendly than those that primarily feature individual stocks or more complex products.
Tax-advantaged account options. Where available in your country, using a tax-advantaged account wrapper, such as an ISA in the UK, a TFSA in Canada, or an IRA in the US, shelters investment returns from tax and significantly improves long-term outcomes.
Simple, honest interface. Apps designed for active trading use design elements that encourage frequent transactions. More frequent trading is generally worse for long-term returns. A clean interface that supports buying and holding without nudging toward constant activity serves beginners better.
The Mindset Shift: The Best App Is the One You Start With
The gap between the best investing app and the second-best investing app is small. The gap between any investing app and not investing is enormous.
I’ve seen people spend weeks researching investing platforms and arrive at no decision because they couldn’t determine which option was definitively superior. That research time would have produced far better financial outcomes invested literally anywhere from this list in a broad market index fund. The compounding that was missed while the decision was being deliberated doesn’t return.
Pick an app available in your country that has low fees and supports index fund investing. Open the account this week. Make the first contribution. The account that’s open and growing, even modestly, will outperform the perfect app you haven’t signed up for yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which investing app is best for complete beginners with no investment knowledge?
Acorns in the US and Australia, Betterment in the US, Wealthsimple’s managed portfolio option in Canada and the UK, and Raiz in Australia all handle investment decisions automatically and require no prior investment knowledge to get started. These are the most genuinely hands-off options for people who want to start investing without first learning which funds to choose.
Is it safe to invest through an app?
Reputable investing apps are regulated financial institutions subject to oversight in their operating countries. Funds held with regulated brokerages are typically protected up to certain limits by investor protection schemes, such as the SIPC in the US, the FSCS in the UK, and equivalent schemes in other countries. Checking that any platform you use is regulated in your country before depositing money is worth doing.
How much money do I need to start investing?
Several apps on this list have no minimum investment requirement. Acorns, Raiz, and Sharesies all allow starting with very small amounts. Fidelity and Robinhood also have no minimums. The amount needed to start is genuinely less of a barrier than it was even five years ago.
Should I use a robo-advisor or pick my own funds?
For most beginners, a robo-advisor or managed portfolio is a better starting point than self-directed investing because it removes the decision of which specific funds to buy. As knowledge grows, moving to self-directed index fund investing with a simple two or three-fund portfolio is a natural progression that reduces fees while maintaining diversification.
Are all the apps on this list available worldwide?
No. Availability varies significantly by country, which is why the guide notes available countries for each app. Vanguard, Fidelity, and eToro have the broadest international presence among the options listed. Checking your country’s specific regulatory situation and what accounts are available to residents is an important step before signing up.
What should I invest in as a beginner?
A broad market index fund or ETF that tracks a global or large domestic market index is the most commonly recommended starting investment for beginners. It provides instant diversification across hundreds or thousands of companies, charges minimal fees, and has a strong long-term track record. Most of the apps on this list offer access to these funds.
Start Simple, Stay Consistent
The investing apps available today have removed almost every barrier that historically prevented ordinary people from starting. The entry cost is low, the interface is simple, and the products suited to beginners are accessible on every platform on this list.
What remains is the decision to begin and the discipline to contribute consistently and leave the investment to compound. No app can provide those two things. But the right app removes every other obstacle, and for most beginners that’s all the help they actually need.
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