Best Micro-Investing Apps [2024]: Start Growing Wealth with Spare Change

Micro-investing is a popular way for anyone to enter the world of investing, even if you don’t have a large sum of money. With the help of user-friendly apps like Acorns, Robinhood, and Stash, you can set up automated contributions, invest spare change from round-ups, or buy fractional shares and other assets with just a few taps on your phone.¹ <p>Important Risk Disclosure</p> <p>Acorns Invest is an individual investment account which invests in a portfolio of ETFs (exchange-traded funds) recommended to customers based on their responses to the Acorns investor profile questionnaire.</p> <p>Spare change invested with Round-Ups® is transferred from your linked funding source (checking account) to your Acorns Invest account when activated. Round-Up investments from an external account will be processed when your Pending Round-Ups reach or exceed $5.</p> <p>Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Please consider, among other important factors, your investment objectives, risk tolerance and Acorns’ pricing before investing. Investment advisory services offered by Acorns Advisers, LLC (Acorns), an SEC-registered investment advisor. Brokerage services are provided to clients of Acorns by Acorns Securities, LLC, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member <a href="https://www.finra.org/#/">FINRA</a>/<a href="https://www.sipc.org/">SIPC</a>.</p> <p>For additional important risks, disclosures and information, please visit <a href="https://www.acorns.com/terms/">https://www.acorns.com/terms/</a>.</p> ² <p>All investments involve risk including loss of principal. Interest is earned on uninvested cash swept from your brokerage account to program banks. Robinhood is not a bank. For margin enabled customers, to earn interest through the cash sweep program, a cash balance is needed. If you have a margin balance, there is no cash balance to earn interest.</p> ³ <p class="">Stash offers access to investment and banking accounts under each subscription plan. Each type of account is subject to different regulations and limitations. Stash Monthly Subscription Wrap Fee starts at $3/month. You’ll also bear the standard fees and expenses reflected in the pricing of ETFs, plus fees for various ancillary services charged by Stash and/or the Custodian. Please see the <a href="https://cdn.stashinvest.com/disclosures/StashInvest_Advisory_Agreement.pdf" target="_blank">Advisory Agreement </a> for details. Other fees apply to the bank account. Please see the <a href="https://cdn.stash.com/disclosures/stride-deposit-account-agreement.pdf" target="_blank">Deposit Account Agreement</a>.<br></p>

Since many micro-investing apps have little to no fees and zero commissions, you can use them without spending money that would cut into your returns. I’ve been using Robinhood and Acorns since 2020. While both are micro-investing apps, each functions a little differently. With Robinhood, I buy stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and fractional shares that interest me. With Acorns, I set up monthly recurring withdrawals from my bank account, which are invested in a portfolio that the platform automatically created for me based on my risk tolerance and financial goals.

Let’s look at six of the best micro-investing apps available and how they differ in terms of cost, features, asset options, and ease of use.

How we evaluate products

When selecting micro-investing apps to feature in this article, we focused on several key factors, such as ease of use, available investment options, required fees and account minimums, as well as financial tools and resources. Our goal was to highlight platforms that primarily cater to more novice investors. Therefore, we didn’t include all the options that are available on the market. Additionally, some of these products may be current or past FinanceBuzz partners.

Best micro-investing apps

• Stash
• Acorns
• Robinhood
• SoFi Active Invest
• Webull
• Interactive Brokers

Micro-investing app	Best for	Account minimum	Account fees
Stash	Earning stock	$1	$3 per month for Stash Growth $9 per month for Stash+
Acorns	Spare change rounups	$0 to open, $5 to invest	$3 per month for Acorns Bronze $6 per month for Acorns Silver $12 per month for Acorns Gold
Robinhood	Commission-free trading	$0	$0 for a standard Robinhood account $5 per month for Robinhood Gold
SoFi Active Invest4 <p><b>INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED •&nbsp;</b><b>MAY LOSE VALUE</b></p> <p>Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, member FINRA(<a href="https://www.finra.org/">www.finra.org</a>)/SIPC(<a href="https://www.sipc.org/">www.sipc.org</a>).</p>	IPO investing	$0 to open, $1 to invest 5 <p class="">Other fees, such as exchange fees, may apply. Please view our fee disclosure to view a full listing of fees.<br></p>	$0
Webull	Trading practice	$0	$0
Interactive Brokers	Access to global markets	$0	$0

Stash

Stash will build a portfolio for you based on your risk tolerance and financial goals, and you can invest money from roundup transactions. You can choose from over 4,000 stocks and ETFs rather than let the robo-advisor select and automatically balance your portfolio.⁷ <p class="">Stash has full authority to manage a “Smart Portfolio,” a discretionary managed account. Diversification and asset allocation do not guarantee a profit, nor do they eliminate the risk of loss of principal. Stash does not guarantee any level of performance or that any client will avoid losses in their account.<br></p> ⁸ <p> The Diversification Analysis feature does not rebalance portfolios. No asset allocation strategy is a guarantee against loss of principal. </p>

To use Stash, you must subscribe to one of two available plans. The Stash Growth plan is best suited for beginner investors, and it costs $3 per month ($32 per year). The upgraded Stash+ plan costs $9 per month ($97 per year) and is better if you’re looking for more market insights or want to open custodial portfolios for your kids.

Both plans come with the Stock-Back Debit Card, which acts like a cash back card that lets you earn stock on your transactions.⁹ <p>Investment advisory services offered by Stash Investments LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser. Investing involves risk and investments may lose value. Holdings and performance are hypothetical. Stash Banking services provided by Stride Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. The Stash Stock-Back® Debit Mastercard® is issued by Stride Bank pursuant to license from Mastercard International. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated. Any earned stock rewards will be held in your Stash Invest account. Investment products and services provided by Stash Investments LLC, not Stride Bank, and are Not FDIC Insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, and May Lose Value. In order for a user to be eligible for a Stash banking account, they must also have opened a taxable brokerage account on Stash.</p> ¹⁰ <p class="">All rewards earned through use of the Stash Stock-Back® Debit Mastercard® will be fulfilled by Stash Investments LLC and are subject to <a href="https://lp.stash.com/stride-stash-stock-back-rewards-terms-and-conditions/" target="_blank">Terms and Conditions</a>. You will bear the standard fees and expenses reflected in the pricing of the investments that you earn, plus fees for various ancillary services charged by Stash. In order to earn stock in the program, the Stash Stock-Back® Debit Mastercard must be used to make a qualifying purchase. Stock rewards that are paid to participating customers via the Stash Stock Back program, are Not FDIC Insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, and May Lose Value.<br></p> If you’re a Stash Growth subscriber, you can earn up to 1% in stock, while you can earn up to 3% in stock as a Stash+ member.¹¹ <p>Stash Banking services provided by Stride Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. The Stash Stock-Back® Debit Mastercard® is issued by Stride Bank pursuant to license from Mastercard International. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated. Any earned stock rewards will be held in your Stash Invest account. Investment products and services provided by Stash Investments LLC, not Stride Bank, and are Not FDIC Insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, and May Lose Value. In order for a user to be eligible for a Stash banking account, they must also have opened a taxable brokerage account on Stash.</p> <p>All rewards earned through use of the Stash Stock-Back® Debit Mastercard® will be fulfilled by Stash Investments LLC. You will bear the standard fees and expenses reflected in the pricing of the investments that you earn, plus fees for various ancillary services charged by Stash. In order to earn stock in the program, the Stash Stock-Back® Debit Mastercard must be used to make a qualifying purchase. What doesn’t count: Cash withdrawals, money orders, prepaid cards, and P2P payment. If you make a qualifying purchase at a merchant that is not publicly traded or otherwise available on Stash, you will receive a stock reward in an ETF or other investment of your choice from a list of companies available on Stash. 1% Stock-Back® rewards are subject to <a href="https://lp.stash.com/stride-stash-stock-back-rewards-terms-and-conditions/">terms and conditions</a>. Stock rewards that are paid to participating customers via the Stash Stock Back program, are Not FDIC Insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, and May Lose Value. Stash reserves the right to amend this program and the terms and conditions thereof and/or cancel this program at any time, for any reason, upon notice to you. See <a href="https://lp.stash.com/stride-stash-stock-back-rewards-terms-and-conditions/">terms and conditions</a> for more details.</p> ¹² <p>1% Stock-Back® rewards available only on Stash+ ($9/mo) and only for client’s first $1,000 of Qualifying Purchases in each calendar month program. See <a href="https://lp.stash.com/stride-stash-stock-back-rewards-terms-and-conditions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Terms and Conditions</a> for details.</p>

Visit Stash | Learn more in our Stash review

Acorns

Acorns is a micro-investing platform that caters to beginner investors who want to grow their money without picking individual stocks.¹³ <p>*Important Risk Disclosure</p> <p>Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Please consider, among other important factors, your investment objectives, risk tolerance and Acorns’ pricing before investing. Investment advisory services offered by Acorns Advisers, LLC (Acorns), an SEC-registered investment advisor. Brokerage services are provided to clients of Acorns by Acorns Securities, LLC, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member <a href="https://www.finra.org/#/">FINRA</a>/<a href="https://www.sipc.org/">SIPC</a>.</p> <p>Round-Ups® investments are transferred from your linked funding source (checking account) to your Acorns Invest account, where the funds are invested into a portfolio of selected ETFs. If you do not maintain an adequate amount of funds in your funding source sufficient to cover your Round-Ups® investments, you could incur overdraft fees with your financial institution.</p> <p>Only purchases made with Round-Up accounts linked to your Acorns account with the feature activated are eligible for the Round- Ups® investment feature. Round-Up investments from your funding source will be processed when your Pending Round-Ups® investments reach or exceed $5.</p> <p>For additional important risks, disclosures and information, please visit <a href="https://www.acorns.com/terms/">https://www.acorns.com/terms/</a>. </p> Once you sign up, you can set up automatic daily, weekly, or monthly transfers from a checking or savings account to Acorns. You can also have credit or debit card transactions automatically rounded up so the extra change goes into your Acorns account for investing.¹ <p>Important Risk Disclosure</p> <p>Acorns Invest is an individual investment account which invests in a portfolio of ETFs (exchange-traded funds) recommended to customers based on their responses to the Acorns investor profile questionnaire.</p> <p>Spare change invested with Round-Ups® is transferred from your linked funding source (checking account) to your Acorns Invest account when activated. Round-Up investments from an external account will be processed when your Pending Round-Ups reach or exceed $5.</p> <p>Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Please consider, among other important factors, your investment objectives, risk tolerance and Acorns’ pricing before investing. Investment advisory services offered by Acorns Advisers, LLC (Acorns), an SEC-registered investment advisor. Brokerage services are provided to clients of Acorns by Acorns Securities, LLC, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member <a href="https://www.finra.org/#/">FINRA</a>/<a href="https://www.sipc.org/">SIPC</a>.</p> <p>For additional important risks, disclosures and information, please visit <a href="https://www.acorns.com/terms/">https://www.acorns.com/terms/</a>.</p>

For example, if you used your debit card to buy something for $3.50, the actual charge would be $4, with $0.50 going into your investment account. roundups are invested once they reach $5.

You choose your risk tolerance level when you first sign up with Acorns, and the platform recommends ETF portfolios that can help you meet your financial goals. Acorns also offers Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) portfolios if you want to put your money behind sustainable, environmentally friendly companies. Plus, the app offers automatic portfolio rebalancing and dividend reinvestment.

You can pick from three different monthly subscription options: Acorns Bronze for $3, Acorns Silver for $6, and Acorns Gold for $12. The Acorn Bronze level offers everything you need to get started investing. The benefits of upgrading to the Silver or Gold level include a 25% to 50% match for bonus investments, a 1% to 3% match on IRA contributions, and a high annual percentage yield (APY) on checking and emergency fund accounts.

Visit Acorns | Learn more in our Acorns review

Robinhood

Robinhood is a pioneer in providing access to investing and trading for all, regardless of their level of knowledge.² <p>All investments involve risk including loss of principal. Interest is earned on uninvested cash swept from your brokerage account to program banks. Robinhood is not a bank. For margin enabled customers, to earn interest through the cash sweep program, a cash balance is needed. If you have a margin balance, there is no cash balance to earn interest.</p> With no account minimums or commission fees, it's easy to open an account and start buying stocks, ETFs, fractional shares ($1 minimum), and more.¹⁴ <p>Fractional shares are illiquid outside of Robinhood and are not transferable. Not all securities available through Robinhood are eligible for fractional share orders. For a complete explanation of conditions, restrictions and limitations associated with fractional shares, see the Fractional Shares section of the Robinhood Customer Agreement. All investments involve risk and loss of principal is possible.</p> <p>Robinhood Financial LLC (member SIPC), is a registered broker dealer.</p> Plus, the platform gives you a free stock just for signing up.

When I signed up in 2020, Robinhood gave me a free share of AMC stock, which was valued at $2.79 at the time. That was, of course, before it became a popular meme stock and the value skyrocketed. I sold that share about a year later for over $27.

With Robinhood, you can also invest in cryptocurrencies and initial public offerings (IPOs), which aren’t available with some other micro-investing apps. However, there are a number of assets that Robinhood doesn’t support, such as mutual funds, bonds, and foreign stocks.

As a micro-investor, you can get what you need to start investing with the platform’s free account. But if you want to get a 3% match on IRA contributions and earn a high APY on your uninvested cash, you can upgrade to Robinhood Gold for $5 per month.¹⁵ <p>Annual Percentage Yield. Rate valid as of April 12, 2024. To earn interest, a cash balance is needed. If you have a margin balance, there is no cash balance to earn interest. Interest rates for cash sweep and margin investing can change at any time. Fees may reduce interest earnings.</p> ¹⁶ <p>The 3% matching on contribution requires a subscription with Robinhood Gold (fees apply), must be subscribed to Gold for 1 year after your contribution to keep the full 3% match. You must have compensation (wage income) in order to contribute to an IRA. The funds that earned the match must be kept in the account for at least 5 years to avoid a potential Early IRA Match Removal Fee. For more information refer to the <a href="https://robinhood.com/us/en/support/articles/ira-match-faq/">IRA Match FAQ</a>.</p> <p>Robinhood Gold is offered through Robinhood Financial LLC and is a subscription offering premium services for a monthly fee.</p> <p>You must have earned (wage) income in order to contribute to an IRA. The funds that earned the match must be kept in the account for at least five years to avoid a potential Early IRA Match Removal Fee. For more information, see the IRA Match FAQ. </p> <p>Funds being contributed into or distributed from retirement accounts may entail tax consequences. Contributions are limited and withdrawals before age 59 1/2 may be subject to a penalty tax. Robinhood does not provide tax advice; please consult with a tax adviser if you have questions. </p> <p>The Robinhood IRA is available to any of our U.S. customers with a Robinhood brokerage account in good standing. </p> <p>Robinhood Financial LLC (member SIPC), is a registered broker dealer. Robinhood Securities, LLC (member SIPC),is a registered broker dealer and provides brokerage clearing services. All are subsidiaries of Robinhood Markets, Inc. (‘Robinhood’).</p> ¹⁷ <p>The IRA Match is automatically added after eligible contributions from an external account. Keep the contributions in your IRA for at least 5 years from the date you contribute. IRA Match <a href="https://robinhood.com/us/en/support/articles/ira-match-faq/">FAQ</a>.</p> <p>You must have earned income to contribute to an IRA. Funds being contributed into or distributed from retirement accounts may entail tax consequences. Contributions are limited and withdrawals before age 59 1/2 may be subject to a penalty tax. Robinhood does not provide tax advice.</p> <p>This is not a recommendation to roll over. Before taking any action with a former employer's retirement plan, be sure to consider the various options: <a href="https://www.finra.org/investors/investing/investment-accounts/retirement-accounts#loans-and-rollovers">https://www.finra.org/investors/investing/investment-accounts/retirement-accounts#loans-and-rollovers</a></p><p>The Robinhood IRA is available to any customer with a Robinhood brokerage account in good standing.</p><p>Other fees may apply. See our Fee Schedule for details.</p><p>Recommendations are not available to Massachusetts residents. All investments involve risk and loss of principal is possible. Robinhood Financial LLC (member SIPC), is a registered broker dealer. Robinhood Securities, LLC (member SIPC), is a registered broker dealer and provides brokerage clearing services. All are subsidiaries of Robinhood Markets, Inc. (‘Robinhood’).</p>

Visit Robinhood Visit Robinhood | Learn more in our Robinhood review

SoFi Active Invest

SoFi® provides a number of financial products, such as bank accounts, credit cards, and loans. It also offers investing through SoFi Active Invest, which lets you trade stocks and ETFs on your own or have the platform create a portfolio based on your risk tolerance and goals. There are no commissions, monthly fees, or account minimums, and you only need $1 to invest.

SoFi Active Invest has several assets for you to choose from, including stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, alternative funds, and fractional shares ($5 minimum).¹⁹ <p>There are limitations with fractional shares to consider before investing. During market hours fractional share orders are transmitted immediately in the order received. There may be system delays from receipt of your order until execution and market conditions may adversely impact execution prices. Outside of market hours orders are received on a not held basis and will be aggregated for each security then executed in the morning trade window of the next business day at market open. Share will be delivered at an average price received for executing the securities through a single batched order. Fractional shares may not be transferred to another firm. Fractional shares will be sold when a transfer or closure request is initiated. Please consider that selling securities is a taxable event.</p> However, it differs from many other micro-investing apps because it lets you invest in IPOs and special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) before they start trading on the market exchanges.²⁰ <p>Investing in alternative investments and/or strategies may not be suitable for all investors and involves unique risks, including the risk of loss. An investor should consider their individual circumstances and any investment information, such as a prospectus, prior to investing. Interval Funds are illiquid instruments, the ability to trade on your timeline may be restricted. Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA(<a href="www.finra.org" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">www.finra.org</a>) /SIPC (<a href="www.sipc.org" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">www.sipc.org</a>).</p>

Another unique SoFi Active Invest feature is advice from certified financial planners who can help you create a budget, build an emergency fund, learn how to invest, and reach your financial goals. These planners are fiduciaries and legally obligated to put your needs first.

Visit SoFi | Learn more in our SoFi Active Invest review

Webull

Webull is a trading platform that you can use for micro-investing without commissions or account fees.²¹ <p>Webull Financial LLC, Member SIPC, FINRA. Regulatory and other fees may apply. Webull is not a bank. Rates subject to change. More info: <a href="https://www.webull.com/disclosures">www.webull.com/disclosures</a></p> It’s a bit more complex than some of the other apps available and is designed more for investors with some level of experience. However, if you’re interested in practicing stock trading, you can use Webull’s paper trading feature without spending a penny.

You won’t need to make a minimum investment to open a basic Webull account. You can trade stocks, options, ETFs, futures, fractional shares ($5 minimum), and more within the app. Plus, when you deposit at least $500 into your account and maintain it for 30 days, you can earn free fractional shares.²² <p>Free stock offer available to new users only. Complete terms and conditions available at <a href="https://www.webull.com">webull.com</a>. Securities trading is offered to self-directed customers by Webull Financial LLC, member SIPC, FINRA. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. You should consider your investment objectives carefully before investing. This is not a recommendation, investment advice, or a solicitation for the purchase or sale of a security.</p>

Visit Webull | Learn more in our Webull review

Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers is an advanced trading platform for global markets. It offers two account levels without account minimums or monthly maintenance fees: IBKR Lite and IBKR Pro.

If you’re a micro-investor with limited experience in trading and investing, IBKR Lite may be the better option because it offers unlimited commission-free trading on U.S. stocks and ETFs. However, if you’re interested in investing in global markets, you’ll have to upgrade to the IBKR Pro plan, which involves fixed or tiered commissions. Also, commission-free trading with the Lite plan is limited, so you'll have to pay to trade options, futures, bonds, or mutual funds.

Interactive Brokers’ most significant advantage is its wealth of market information and research, but this is also a disadvantage if you’re a novice who may have difficulty navigating all the information. Therefore, this platform is better suited for advanced investors.

Visit Interactive Brokers

What is micro-investing?

Micro-investing is a way to invest small amounts of money in stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and other financial products. This type of investing is typically done using a mobile app that enables you to buy stock or fractional shares, automatically invest monthly contributions, or invest the spare change rounded up from your everyday purchases.

Micro-investing is best suited for beginner or novice investors who may have a limited amount of capital to invest upfront. It enables you to build a portfolio slowly that can add up over time. While you may not have enough money to invest in high-value stocks, you could buy fractional shares of those stocks with micro-investing.

For example, a large online retailer’s share price of about $212 may be out of your price range. However, for just $1, you can buy a 0.00471 fractional share in that company.

While I have a traditional IRA, I’ve also been micro-investing using Acorns and Robinhood for the past couple of years. I use Acorns to round up the spare change from my purchases and add it to a portfolio of four ETFs I have on the platform. With Robinhood, I’ve bought shares and fractional shares in several stocks, as well as cryptocurrency, without having to pay the commissions that traditional investing platforms often charge.

How to get started with micro-investing apps

To get started, you should research the different micro-investing apps available and choose one that fits your financial goals and means. Factors to consider when selecting a micro-investing app include the fees, required account minimums, investment options (stocks, ETFs, bonds, crypto, etc.), ease of use, level of guidance, and other features.

Because the cost of many micro-investing apps is usually minimal, you may want to play around with a couple of them to see which best meets your needs. For example, if you want more of a set-it-and-forget-it app, you may want to use Acorns to set up automatic weekly or monthly contributions or roundups from your purchases. But if you want to play around with picking stocks, an app like Robinhood may be a better choice.

You’ll need to connect your checking or savings account to whichever micro-investing app you use, especially if it involves automated deposits or roundups.

Most apps let you start micro-investing with as little as $1, so you can start with whatever is comfortable for your financial resources and budget. For example, consider canceling one of your streaming services and allocating that $15 per month to automatically go into your investment account. Or, maybe take the extra cash you get at Christmas and invest it. With micro-investing, every little amount helps grow your investments over time.

However, micro-investing has some drawbacks and risks you should be aware of before starting. If your micro-investing app charges fees, they could cut into your returns. Also, like with any investing, micro-investing can be risky, especially in a volatile market. You must be ready to navigate the ups and downs in the market without pulling money out at the first dip in value.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, travel stocks tanked because most people weren’t traveling, so I bought a few shares in Norwegian Cruise Lines, thinking they could only increase in value. However, with the volatility in the market over the past couple of years, I saw those shares dip even below the low price I bought them for. Thankfully, I held onto them with some confidence they would eventually bounce back, which they did.

One way to reduce the risk of losing a significant amount of money is diversifying your portfolio with a mix of different assets. For example, rather than putting all your money into a single stock or investment, you might spread your investments across assets like stocks, bonds, and ETFs. That way, if one of your assets performs poorly, it doesn’t destroy your whole portfolio.

FAQs

Bottom line

Using a micro-investing app can be a smart money move and an excellent way to start building wealth, especially if you are a beginner or have limited funds. Platforms like Acorns, Robinhood, and SoFi Invest make it easy to invest consistently without having to pay commissions or management fees. However, some do charge monthly fees and offer limited asset options.

While micro-investing is a useful tool for growing your money over time, it’s not a shortcut to instant wealth. To maximize your returns, you have to focus on consistency, diversification, and long-term planning. With the low point of entry for most micro-investing apps, you may want to try out different ones and see which aligns best with your financial goals and investing style.