If you’re new to investing, it can feel totally intimidating. The jargon, the ups and downs, the decisions—so many decisions! But you’re taking a great first step by exploring the best investment apps for beginners.

Now, we won’t inundate you with dozens of options. (However, we do have dozens of options for making money online if that’s what you’re after!) Instead, we’ll share some of our favorite investment apps—plus tips for beginners.

As you get started, keep in mind that investing is not the same as saving. With investing, depending on where you put your money, there are varying degrees of risk involved. Investopedia uses a pyramid structure to illustrate your options.

And the good news? Many investment apps for beginners make recommendations based on your risk tolerance, goals, age, income and more.

With that caveat in mind, let’s get started!

Best Investment Apps for Beginners

How are you feeling so far? Let’s go ahead and jump into seven of the best investment apps for beginners.

1. Acorns

Acorns is an excellent investing app for beginners—and as you get the hang of things, you can expand your horizons.

If you’re just getting started, check out Acorns’ Spare Change feature. It rounds up your everyday purchases to the next dollar and channels that extra bit into a varied investment mix. It’s all automatic, so you don’t have to think about a thing—and it adds up faster than you might think!

Acorns also houses a whole library of educational content to help you learn and build your confidence. As you become more comfortable, explore IRA options (great for retirement planning), checking and savings options and even a money manager.

Best for: Newbies looking to take baby steps; those interested in autopilot

🥷 Pssst… Sometimes KashKick links up with Acorns to offer KashKick rewards when you start investing. Be sure to sign up for KashKick and head to “Deals” to see if it’s available!

2. Ark7

Real estate has long been a popular way to invest money outside of the stock market. But, of course, it takes a good chunk of change to be able to afford a condo, home or even piece of land these days.

Enter Ark7. The real estate investment app, created by an ex-Google engineer, allows you to invest in shares of rental homes starting at $20. Browse and invest in properties across the U.S. from a single-family home in Dallas to a multi-family home in Seattle.

Properties are typically held long-term, but investors have flexibility to sell their shares after a minimum holding period. Each month, distributions go straight to your account. Ark7 holds onto a small percentage of funds to cover property sourcing and management expenses, but otherwise there are no hidden fees.

Best for: The aspiring real estate mogul; those looking to diversify

🥷 If you’re interested in investing in shares of real estate, sign up for Ark7 through KashKick and purchase your first share of $100 or more to get a $40 KashKick reward.

You’re well past the cashout minimum, so go ahead and request a payout to get that cash in the next 1-3 days!

3. Grifin

Here’s a fun investment app for beginners: Grifin. The motto? Stock where you shop.

With Grifin, the premise is simple; you’ll automatically invest in the places where you spend money. So next time you swing by Starbucks for your favorite treat, Grifin will also invest $1 in Starbucks stock. Place an Amazon order? That’s $1 in Amazon! The goal is to build positive, daily investment habits day by day, swipe by swipe.

Of course, you can adjust your settings and personalize how much you want to invest and in what stocks, but otherwise, Grifin makes investing super easy—whether you’re a beginner or seasoned investor.

You can start with as little as $1 and complete access to the app is $5 a month.

Best for: Those looking for a fun twist on investing; frequent card swipers

🥷 Right now on KashKick, you can snag a $5 reward when you start investing with Grifin. Just sign up through KashKick, subscribe and make your first investment. Think about it this way: That $5 KashKick reward basically makes your first month with Grifin free.

4. Public

Public is an investing app that’ll grow with you as you learn more and more. Here, you’ll find opportunities to invest in stocks, bonds, crypto, ETFs and more. Let’s break these down a bit more:

• Stocks: Build a portfolio from over 9,000 stocks and access tools like price alerts, side-by-side stock comparisons and more.
• Bonds: Buy corporate, Treasury and municipal bonds with Public. Not sure what those are? Public, which has tons of resources for beginners, explains.
• Crypto: Want to dabble in crypto? Public offers 40+ assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin and more.
• ETFs: Think of ETFs as pre-packaged baskets of various investments. Investing in ETFs can be less risky than going all in on one stock.

Unlike some investment apps, you don’t need to have a ton of money to start. You can buy your first fractional share for as little as $5.

For newbies, Public also has plenty of tools and resources and even has a community where fellow investors ask questions and share knowledge.

Best for: Beginner to intermediate investors looking for a range of assets to invest in

🥷 Pssst… Sometimes KashKick partners with Public to offer rewards when you start investing. Be sure to sign up for KashKick and head to “Deals” to see if it’s available!

5. Robinhood

Even if you’re totally new to investing, you’ve probably heard of Robinhood. 

Investors—from beginners to experts—love this app because it’s user-friendly and offers commission-free trading. Like Public, you can also invest in fractional shares and dabble in crypto. It also has a “Prediction Markets” feature now (though KashKick has a better recommendation!)

If you’re looking to invest in stocks, getting started is easy and you can even get your first stock for free! (With limitations, of course.) 

If you’re wanting to save more money and invest for retirement, look into Robinhood Gold. For $5 a month, you can put your uninvested cash into an account with 3.25% APY, much higher than the average savings account. Then, when you contribute to an IRA, Robinhood will give you a 3% match. 

Best for: Those looking to accomplish several financial goals

🥷 Pssst… Sometimes KashKick partners with Robinhood to offer rewards when you start investing. Sign up for KashKick and head to “Deals” to see what’s available!

6. Streetbeat

If you’re looking for a hands-off investing approach, you may have found your match with Streetbeat. 

Streetbeat’s big selling point is its AI-powered advisor. Interested in investing in the top generative AI companies? Ask the advisor and they’ll get you sorted. You can also have the advisor monitor analyst ratings, news articles, earnings, regulatory and stock prices and ask it to rebalance your portfolio daily, weekly or monthly. 

Basic plans start at $8 per month (or $96 billed annually) and include three monthly queries and one personal portfolio. If you upgrade to the Prime plan, it’s $10 per month (or $120 billed annually).

Transparently, this is one of the more expensive investment apps on the list. However, KashKick occasionally partners up with Streetbeat to offer cash rewards when you sign up through them, so be sure to keep an eye on KashKick’s “Deals.”

Best for: Investors who prefer auto-pilot; those who love a good ChatGPT convo

How to Choose the Best Investment App for Beginners

Still not sure where to start? Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Understand your main goal: Before you get started, consider your goals. Is it long-term growth? Passive investing? Learning the ropes of trading? The app you choose should align with your goals, timeline and risk tolerance. 
• Check the minimum amount to start: Many beginner investment apps let you start with $0 to $5. These no or low minimums make it easy to start investing without feeling the need to risk large amounts of money.
• Prioritize low fees and zero commissions: High fees can eat into your returns, so look for apps that offer zero-commission trades and low monthly fees if applicable.
• Look for in-app lessons for beginners: Education tools, tutorials and articles are extremely helpful when you’re just getting started.
• Verify regulation and security features: Check to make sure the app you choose is regulated by the SEC and offers protections like SIPC insurance and two-factor authentication. Security is very important when it comes to investing money!
• Check ease of use and reviews: If you open an app and immediately feel overwhelmed (this can happen when it comes to investing apps), then you may want to find a different option. Read online reviews to gauge if the app is the best fit for you.
• Confirm available investment options: Some investment apps only offer opportunities to invest in crypto while others offer stocks and ETFs. Determine what you’re most interested in and go from there.

How To Maximize Earnings on Investment Apps for Beginners

There’s no magic formula to hit it big, but here are a few steps you can take to build a sustainable, long-term investment strategy no matter how green you are.

• Turn on automatic weekly or monthly investing: Even investing a few bucks each week can add up.
• Start with a small, sustainable amount: Here’s the key to investing: Only invest what you can afford to leave untouched for the long term. Don’t be afraid to start small.
• Choose apps with zero-commission trading: If you’re interested in trading, look for the apps that don’t take a commission from trades. These can add up quickly, especially for beginners who might make frequent, small trades.
• Avoid frequent trades: Constantly buying and selling and trying to “time the market” can lead to unnecessary losses. Long-term investing—and riding out the market’s ups and downs—tends to yield better results.
• Focus on broad, low-cost index funds or ETFs: Index funds and ETFs offer diversification and lower risk for new investors. They’re a smart foundation for any beginner investment portfolio!
• Consider automated or robo-advisor portfolios: Robo-advisors can build and manage diversified portfolios based on your goals. They’re hands-off and can reduce overwhelm for beginners.
• Take advantage of sign-up bonuses, cashback and round-ups: Some investment apps offer bonuses, round-ups and even cashback cards (where the cashback is stock). These can be great options if you’re looking to level up.

Multiply Your Money with the Best Investment Apps for Beginners

The key to investing is to have some extra money you can spare. You don’t want to put money into investments—just to pull it out a few days later.

If you have a fixed income or you’re looking to add some room in your budget, no need to wait for a windfall, like your tax refund.

Instead, head to KashKick. The free app rewards you for playing games, taking surveys, trying new apps and shopping online. You don’t even have to leave your house! As soon as you earn $10, you can cash out through PayPal—then invest that money.

For more, head over to this beginner’s guide to investing.

To start earnings, get started with KashKick.