Investment apps for beginners: 6 platforms compared
Investing apps have made it possible to start building a portfolio from your phone with no minimum deposit and no commissions. Here's how six of the most popular beginner-friendly platforms compare, and what to look for when choosing one.
The following descriptions are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any specific platform.
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Key takeaways
Zero-commission stock and ETF trades are standard across all major platforms. The real differences are in educational resources, investment options, account types, and how idle cash is handled.
If you want hands-off investing, a platform with robo-advisor features may suit you. If you want to learn by doing, an app with paper trading and charting tools can help you build skills without risking real money.
The biggest barrier for most beginners isn't finding the perfect app, it's just starting at all. Any of the platforms below can serve as a solid entry point.
How do the top beginner investment apps compare?
Here's a side-by-side overview of six widely-used investing platforms, compared on the features that matter most to beginners.
An important note: All six of these platforms are SEC-registered, FINRA members, and provide SIPC coverage. This protects your investments up to $500,000, including $250,000 in cash,per customer, in the event the broker-dealer fails, though SIPC does not protect against investment losses.
| Commission-free stocks & ETFs | Fractional shares | Robo-advisor option | Crypto trading | Account minimum | Standout feature |
Robinhood | Yes | Yes | No (automated investing available) | Yes (in-app) | $50 | Simple mobile-first design, IRA matching |
Charles Schwab | Yes | Yes | Yes (Schwab Intelligent Portfolios) | Yes (via Schwab Crypto) | $0 | Extensive research tools and thinkorswim platform |
Webull | Yes | Yes (select stocks) | No | Yes (via Webull Pay) | $0 | Paper trading and advanced charting for learning |
Fidelity | Yes | Yes (7,000+ stocks) | Yes (Fidelity Go) | Yes (via Fidelity Crypto) | $2,500 for trading and investing | Broadest fractional share selection, zero-fee index funds |
SoFi Active Investing | Yes | Yes | Yes (0.25% annual fee) | Yes | $5 | All-in-one financial hub (banking, lending, investing) |
Public | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | $5 | Social investing features and community feed |
If you are looking for other ways to grow your idle funds, you might also want to consider a high-yield savings account or certificate of deposit (CD). The Raisin marketplace gives you access to both account types and other high-yield savings products to increase your savings potential — all with no fees from Raisin. Compare rates today and start growing your funds.
Bank
Product
APY*
Maturity
mph.bank, a division of Liberty Savings Bank, F.S.B., Member FDIC
Member FDIC
Callable CD
4.60%
60 months
$2,300.00
mph.bank, a division of Liberty Savings Bank, F.S.B., Member FDIC
Member FDIC
Callable CD
4.55%
48 months
$2,275.00
Raisin is not an FDIC-insured bank or NCUA-insured credit union and does not hold any customer funds. FDIC deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank and NCUA deposit insurance coverage covers the failure of an insured credit union.
What to look for in an investment app
Before comparing specific platforms, it helps to know which features matter most for your situation. Examples include:
Commission-free trading on stocks and ETFs is now standard. Look beyond this baseline, and check for options contract fees, crypto spreads, and any account maintenance charges.
Educational resources vary significantly. Some apps offer articles and glossaries. Others provide video tutorials, interactive courses, or paper trading accounts that let you practice with virtual money. If you're new to investing, strong learning tools can shorten the curve.
Investment options determine what you can actually buy. Stocks and ETFs are available everywhere, while mutual funds, bonds, and international securities are not. Fidelity and Schwab offer the broadest selection, while Robinhood and Public focus on stocks, ETFs, and crypto.
Account types matter for tax planning. If you want to open an IRA or Roth IRA alongside your brokerage account, check that the platform supports it. Not all do.
Uninvested cash handling is an often-overlooked detail. When cash sits in your brokerage account, it may be swept into a money market fund, a partner bank deposit, or held at a low rate. The interest you earn (or don't earn) on idle cash varies widely by platform and can add up over time.
In addition to key features, it’s also important to consider the messaging and marketing tactics an app uses. Gamification is great, but it can also become overwhelming.
A closer look at each platform
Here's what each app offers, where it stands out, and where it may fall short.
Robinhood
Best for: Beginners who want the simplest possible entry point and plan to invest primarily in stocks, ETFs, or crypto.
Robinhood pioneered commission-free mobile trading and remains one of the most accessible entry points for beginners. The app's design is intentionally simple, and the onboarding process takes minutes. Robinhood now offers stocks, ETFs, options, crypto, and futures, along with IRA accounts with a 1% match on contributions (or a 3% match on annual contributions with Robinhood Gold).
The trade-off is depth. Research tools are more basic than what Schwab or Fidelity offer, and the gamified elements (confetti animations, push notifications on price movements) can encourage impulsive trading. There are also no mutual funds or bonds available.
Charles Schwab
Best for: Beginners who want to grow into a full-service platform and value research, education, and a wide range of account types.
Schwab is a full-service broker with deep educational resources and a wide selection of investment products. The integration of the thinkorswim platform (acquired from TD Ameritrade) gives Schwab some of the most advanced trading tools available, though beginners may not need them initially. Schwab's learning center includes tutorials, webcasts, and interactive tools tailored to different experience levels.
Fractional shares are available but limited to S&P 500 companies. The app interface has a steeper learning curve than Robinhood or Public, but the depth of resources and account types makes it a strong long-term platform.
Webull
Best for: Beginners who want to learn trading mechanics through practice before committing real money.
Webull sits between Robinhood's simplicity and Schwab's depth. The standout feature for beginners is paper trading — a virtual account with simulated money that lets you practice trading strategies without risking real capital. Webull also offers more advanced charting and technical analysis tools than most beginner apps, making it a good fit for those who want to learn active trading concepts.
Fidelity
Best for: Beginners who want the most complete all-in-one platform with room to grow as their needs evolve.
Fidelity is consistently ranked among the top platforms for beginners by independent reviewers, and for good reason. It offers the broadest fractional share selection (7,000+ stocks), zero-fee index funds (Fidelity ZERO funds), 24/7 customer support, and a comprehensive range of account types including IRAs, HSAs, and 529 plans.
The educational library is extensive, with content organized by experience level. Fidelity Go, its robo-advisor service, offers automated portfolio management starting at no cost for balances under $25,000.
SoFi Active Investing
Best for: Beginners who want an all-in-one financial app that combines investing with banking and financial planning.
SoFi differentiates itself by bundling investing with banking, lending, and financial planning under one app. Commission-free trading covers stocks, ETFs, and options, and members can access complimentary consultations with Certified Financial Planners. The robo-advisor (SoFi Automated Investing) charges a 0.25% annual management fee.
The investment selection is narrower than Schwab or Fidelity — no mutual funds, bonds, or futures. Research tools are relatively basic. But the all-in-one financial hub approach can be appealing for someone who wants to manage their checking, savings, and investing in a single place.
Public
Best for: Casual investors who want a simple, community-oriented app for getting started.
Public is designed for casual, mobile-first investors who value simplicity and community. The app features a social feed where users can share investment ideas and see what others are investing in. Commission-free trading covers stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto, and Public uniquely offers alternative assets like collectibles and music royalties.
Research tools are limited (deeper analysis is restricted to premium members), and Public only offers taxable brokerage accounts, which means no IRAs. For beginners who want a lightweight introduction to investing with a social element, it can be a comfortable starting point.
Don't forget what's not in the app
Investment apps are designed for market-based investing — stocks, ETFs, crypto. But they're only one piece of a financial plan. Before (or alongside) opening a brokerage account, a few other priorities many financial experts suggest:
Building an emergency fund first. Three to six months of expenses in a liquid account federally insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, gives you a cushion that keeps you from selling investments at the worst time. A high-yield savings account is a natural home for this.
Addressing high-interest debt. Credit card balances at 20%+ APR are extremely difficult to outperform through investing. Paying those down first can be the highest-return move available.
Finding a home for uninvested cash. Money sitting idle in a brokerage account may not be earning a competitive rate. If you're holding significant cash between investments, a high-yield savings account or CD can earn meaningfully more while keeping your principal FDIC-insured.
Bottom line
The best investment app for beginners is the one you'll actually use. All six platforms covered here offer commission-free trading, fractional shares, and a mobile-first experience. The differences come down to how much you value educational resources, breadth of investment options, and whether you want a simple trading app or a full-service financial platform.
If you're also looking for a safe, competitive place to hold cash outside of your brokerage — whether it's an emergency fund, a down payment, or money between investments — Raisin gives you access to high-yield savings accounts, CDs, and money market accounts across multiple federally insured banks and credit unions, all from a single account.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best investment app for beginners?
The best app depends on what you're looking for. Fidelity is widely considered the strongest all-around option for beginners, with zero-fee index funds, 7,000+ fractional shares, extensive education, and every major account type. Robinhood is often noted as being the simplest to start with if you just want to buy stocks and ETFs quickly. If you want to practice before investing real money, some investors look to Webull's paper trading feature to learn the mechanics risk-free.
Are investment apps safe?
The major investment apps (Robinhood, Schwab, Fidelity, Webull, SoFi, Public) are SEC-registered, FINRA members, and covered by SIPC, which protects your investments up to $500,000 (including $250,000 in cash) if the broker-dealer fails. SIPC does not protect against investment losses and, as always, investments come with the risk of loss of principal.
Your account's safety also depends on the security practices you follow — using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and monitoring your account regularly.
How much money do I need to start investing?
Most beginner investment apps have no minimum deposit requirement, and fractional shares let you invest in stocks and ETFs with as little as $1. You don't need thousands of dollars to get started.
That said, before directing money toward investments, make sure you have an emergency fund and no high-interest debt. Investing works best when it's money you can afford to leave in the market for the long term.
Should I use a robo-advisor or invest on my own?
If you want a hands-off approach, a robo-advisor (available through Fidelity Go, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, or SoFi Automated Investing) can build and manage a diversified portfolio based on your goals and risk tolerance. If you want to learn by picking your own investments, a self-directed account on any of these platforms lets you trade individual stocks, ETFs, and other securities.
Many investors start with a robo-advisor and transition to self-directed investing as they build confidence. Our guide on robo-advisors vs. financial advisors covers this comparison in more detail.
Related Content
The above article is intended to provide generalized financial information designed to educate a broad segment of the public; it does not give personalized tax, investment, legal, or other business and professional advice. Before taking any action, you should always seek the assistance of a professional who knows your particular situation for advice on taxes, your investments, the law, or any other business and professional matters that affect you and/or your business.
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*APY means Annual Percentage Yield. APY is accurate as of September 30, 2026. Interest rate and APY may change after initial deposit depending on the terms of the specific product selected. Minimum opening deposit is $1.00.
Raisin is not an FDIC-insured bank or NCUA-insured credit union and does not hold any customer funds. When you make a deposit, your funds are held by a Custodial Bank in an account for your benefit at the FDIC-insured bank or NCUA-insured credit union you select; you do not become a direct customer of that bank or credit union. . FDIC deposit insurance only covers the failure of an insured bank. NCUA deposit insurance only covers the failure of an insured credit union. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through deposit insurance coverage to apply.
Customer funds are held in various custodial deposit accounts. Each customer authorizes the Custodial Bank to hold the customer’s funds in such accounts, in a custodial capacity, in order to effectuate the customer’s deposits to and withdrawals from the various bank and credit union products that the customer requests through Raisin.com. The Custodial Bank does not establish the terms of the bank or credit union products and provides no advice to customers about bank or credit union products offered by the applicable bank or credit union through Raisin.com. Each customer also authorizes the Service Bank to move funds among the various banks and credit unions at the customer’s request. First International Bank & Trust (FIBT), Member FDIC, is the Service Bank. Bell Bank and Starion Bank, each Member FDIC, are the Custodial Banks.
†Based on $250,000 in FDIC or NCUA insurance coverage per insurable category of ownership at each partner bank or credit union on the Raisin platform (each a "Product Bank"), when aggregated with all other deposits held by you at such Product Bank and in the same insurable category. Deposits made through Raisin will be eligible to receive deposit insurance from the FDIC or the NCUA (each a "Deposit Insurer") in accordance with and up to the maximum amount permitted by law at each Product Bank. Raisin is not a bank or credit union and does not hold any customer funds. Funds are held at FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions. Deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank or credit union. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass through deposit insurance coverage to apply. Customers may choose to deposit funds with identically registered accounts at different Product Banks on the Raisin platform to be eligible for Deposit Insurer coverage up to $10 million for individual accounts and $20 million for joint accounts when at least 40 Product Banks are utilized. Please be aware, however, that any deposits you have at a Product Bank, whether through the Raisin platform or outside the Raisin platform, that you may hold in the same capacity (such as in an individual capacity or joint capacity) count toward the applicable Deposit Insurer's deposit insurance maximum amount, and any such amounts that you hold in the same capacity at a Product Bank that exceed the maximum insurance coverage by the applicable Deposit Insurer will not be insured. For more information on FDIC deposit insurance, please see here. For more information on the NCUA share insurance fund, please see here. You are solely responsible for monitoring the amount of funds you have on deposit at each a Product Bank, whether through the Raisin platform or outside the Raisin platform, to confirm that the deposits you hold in the same capacity at each Product Bank do not exceed the maximum deposit insurance coverage provided by the applicable Deposit Insurer.