Key takeaways
The best beginner investing apps share four things: low or no fees, low or no account minimums, fractional shares, and plain-English education.
Many apps let you start with as little as $1, so you don't need a lot of money to begin.
Automated investing builds and manages a portfolio for you, while self-directed investing lets you pick your own stocks and funds.
Chime InvestTM brings commission-free investing1 with no account balance minimums right into the Chime® app, with both managed and self-directed options.
Investing isn’t reserved for people with a broker and a big balance, thanks to the advent of investing apps. You can start today with just a few dollars, right from your phone. This guide covers the best investing apps for beginners in 2026, what to look for before you pick one, and the two main styles of investing. Remember, any step forward counts, even a small one. Chime is here to help you take it.
How we chose these investing apps
No single investing app is the best choice for everyone. Different apps stand out for different needs, whether that’s automated investing, picking your own investments, starting with a small amount of money, or learning as you go. We evaluated each app using publicly available information and compared the features that may matter most to beginner investors. Chime Invest is included because it's available directly in the Chime app; Chime is the publisher of this comparison.
Our review focused on:
Fees and costs: Whether the app offers commission-free trades and what management, subscription, account, or other fees may apply.
Account minimums: How much money you need to open an account or start investing, including options that allow beginners to start with a small amount.
Investment options: Whether the app offers stocks, ETFs, fractional shares, automated portfolios, or other investments that may be useful for beginners.
Education and ease of use: How easy the app is to navigate and whether it provides educational resources or other tools that can help new investors understand their options.
Automated and self-directed features: Whether investors can have a portfolio managed for them, choose their own investments, or access both approaches.
Investor protections: Whether brokerage accounts are covered by SIPC and what other relevant safeguards or disclosures the provider makes available.
Rather than ranking these apps from first to last, we highlight the strengths of each one so you can choose an investing app that best fits your goals, budget, and preferred investing style.
What to look for in a beginner investing app
Not every app is right for a first-time investor. A few features separate the beginner-friendly ones from the rest. Here's what to check before you sign up.
Fees: Commission-free trades mean you don't pay a charge each time you buy or sell. Watch for management fees and account or inactivity fees too.
Account minimums: This is the smallest amount you need to open or use an account. Many apps ask for $0 to $1.
Fractional shares: A fractional share is a slice of a single share. You can buy by dollar amount, which helps when a full share is too expensive.
Education and ease of use: Clear design and plain-English lessons matter. Good tools help you learn as you invest.
Safety: SIPC protection can help you recover cash and securities up to $500,000, including up to $250,000 for cash, if a brokerage firm fails.2 It does not protect you from losses when the market drops.
A fee might look small at first glance, but even a small yearly charge can quietly eat into your returns over many years. Account balance minimums are separate from how much you choose to invest. Some apps have no minimum to open an account, though certain funds may require a minimum amount to buy in. It helps to read both numbers before you commit.
You can learn more about brokerage basics and fees at Investor.gov. When an app checks these boxes, you can focus on investing instead of decoding the fine print.
Two ways to invest: automated vs. self-directed
Before you pick an app, it helps to know your style. Beginners usually choose between two approaches: automated investing and self-directed investing.
Automated investing, often called robo-advising, does the heavy lifting for you. A robo-advisor builds a portfolio based on your goals, your timeline, and your risk tolerance. Then it manages that portfolio for a small annual fee, often around 0.25% of your balance. This can suit people who are new to investing and want a hands-off start.
Self-directed investing puts you in control. You choose your own stocks and funds, including exchange-traded funds, or ETFs. An ETF is a basket of investments you can buy in a single trade. You get more control and more responsibility, since the choices are yours.
A robo-advisor also handles tasks that are easy to forget. It spreads your money across different investments and rebalances the mix as markets shift. That's useful when you're new and still learning the ropes. Self-directed investing skips the automation, so the research and timing fall to you. Some beginners enjoy that, but others find it a lot to take on at once.
Not sure which fits? If you'd rather set things up and check in now and then, automated investing is a natural start. If you enjoy researching companies and want hands-on control, self-directed may suit you better. You can also blend the two, letting a managed portfolio do the core work while you pick a few stocks on the side.
The best investing apps for beginners
Here's a shortlist of beginner-friendly apps, each with a clear strength. We'll start with Chime InvestTM, then cover a few well-known third-party options.
How we chose these apps
We weighed the same factors a beginner would. We looked for low costs, an easy way to start small, and features that help you learn as you go. None of these picks is right for everyone, so the best one depends on your goals and your style.
Here's what we considered:
Low or no fees, including commission-free trades
Low or no account minimums
Fractional shares that let you start with a few dollars
Quality education and a user-friendly design
Clear safety protections, such as SIPC coverage
Chime InvestTM
Chime InvestTM brings investing into the same app you use for everyday banking.3 It launched as beta in April 2026 with commission-free trades1 and no account balance minimums. You can start investing with as little as $1.
You get two paths through Atomic Invest LLC, an SEC-registered adviser. Managed portfolios are built by financial professionals and managed on an ongoing basis by an automated program. A short questionnaire matches you to a portfolio based on your goals, timeline, and risk tolerance. Prefer to pick your own? Self-directed investing lets you buy individual U.S. stocks and ETFs, commission-freeCI -03.
Your investments are protected by SIPC up to $500,000, including up to $250,000 for cash, through Atomic Brokerage LLC, a member of FINRA and SIPC.2 Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Chime InvestTM is rolling out to members.
For a beginner, the appeal is simple. Your Chime Checking Account is how you fund your investments — money moves directly from your Chime Checking Account to your investing account without juggling a separate login or a new app. Starting where you already manage your money can make that first investment feel less intimidating.
Best for: Beginners who want investing alongside everyday spending and saving.
Account minimum:$1 minimum to invest, but no minimum balance to maintain
Fees: Commission-free trades1 and no account balance minimums. Advisory fees vary by membership tier (free for Chime Prime™ members)4
Standout feature: Managed and self-directed options built into the Chime app
Fidelity
Fidelity is a long-established brokerage with a wide range of tools. There’s no minimum requirement to open an account with the Fidelity Go robo advisor, but you’ll need at least $10 to invest. Fidelity charges no advisory fees for balances under $25,000, and 0.35% per year for balances over $25,000. That fee includes unlimited one-on-one coaching calls that can help you broaden your investing knowledge.5
Best for: Beginners who want one app for learning and investing.
Account minimum: $0 to open
Fees: $0 under $25,000; 0.35% over $25,000
Standout feature: Deep education library plus a robo-advisor option
Acorns
Acorns® is built around round-ups. The platform rounds up your everyday purchases to the next dollar and invests the spare change for you. You can also make additional contributions to grow your balance faster. This setup lets you set aside money automatically, and investing happens in the background. Acorns charges a fixed monthly subscription fee based on your plan, with plans ranging between $3 and $12.6 On a small balance, a flat fee can be a larger share of your money, so consider how much you’ll likely invest to decide if the fee is worth it.7
Best for: People who want to automate their savings and investing.
Account minimum: $0 to open
Fees: $3 to $12 per month
Standout feature: Automatic round-ups that invest spare change
Betterment
Betterment is a robo-advisor that focuses on automated, goal-based portfolios. Betterment has no minimum investment account balance, and you can start investing with as little as $10.8 Betterment charges $5 per month for balances up to $24,000 and 0.25% annually for accounts with $200 or more monthly deposits or a total balance between $24,000 and $1 million.9 You can choose from several portfolio types based on your preferences, including climate impact, social impact, and crypto investing.10
Best for: Hands-off investors who want their investments to align with their goals and values.
Account minimum: $0 to open
Fees: $5 per month to 0.25% per year, depending on balance
Standout feature: Automated portfolios organized around your goals and values
Robinhood
Robinhood keeps things simple with a clean, easy interface. It offers commission-free trades, a low starting requirement, and fractional shares. That mix makes it approachable for self-directed beginners. The simple design is a strength, but it can also make trading feel casual. If you go this route, it helps to set a plan and invest for the long term rather than chasing quick moves.11
Best for: Beginners who want a simple, self-directed app.
Account minimum: $0
Fees: $0 commissions for online stock and ETF trades; other fees may apply. Optional Robinhood Gold membership costs $5/month or $50/year.
Standout feature: Clean interface with fractional shares
Public
Public leans into learning and diversification. You can buy fractional shares, plus bonds and treasuries, which are ways to lend money to companies or the government for interest. The app is designed to help you understand what you own. Context appears alongside your investments, so you can see why a holding moves. This approach suits beginners who want to build a mixed portfolio while they figure things out.12
Best for: Beginners who want variety and context.
Account minimum: As little as $113
Fees: $0 commissions for U.S.-listed stock and ETF trades during regular market hours; other fees may apply13
Standout feature: Fractional shares plus bonds and treasuries
How much money do you need to start investing?
You don't need much to begin. Many apps, including Chime InvestTM, let you start with as little as $1. Fractional shares let you own a piece of a well-known company for just a few dollars14. So the size of your first deposit matters less than you might think.
What matters more is consistency. Small, regular contributions can add up over time. Even if you can only spare $5 or less each week, you’re still building a habit that can help support your financial future.
Build a savings cushion first
Before you put money into the market, it helps to have some cash set aside. Investing works best with money you won't need soon. Investments can go down in value, and you don't want to be forced to sell at a bad time to cover a surprise bill.
Before putting money toward long-term investments, consider whether you have savings available for more immediate expenses. A Chime Savings Account can be a place to set aside money for short-term goals or build an emergency fund you can access when unexpected expenses come up.
Savings and investing serve different purposes. Savings can help cover near-term needs, like an unexpected medical bill, or planned expenses, like an upcoming vacation. Investing is generally better suited to longer-term financial goals, such as retirement, and involves the risk of losing money.
How to start investing with an app: 4 simple steps
Ready to begin? Here's a simple way to start. For a more in-depth walkthrough, see our full guide on how to start investing.
Pick your style. Decide whether you want automated investing or a self-directed app.
Choose an app that fits. Match your budget, your style, and the features that matter to you.
Open and fund your account. Start small – even a few dollars is fine.
Set a regular contribution and leave it alone. Automatic deposits help you stay consistent.
Ready to start investing?
Any step forward counts, even a small one. Pick an app that matches your style and your budget, then start investing with an amount you're comfortable with. Automated investing can handle the details for you, or you can choose your own path with a self-directed app.
If you already spend and save with Chime, Chime InvestTM can make that first step feel familiar. Members can invest from their brokerage account directly in the Chime app. Get started with Chime today.
