Are you interested in investing but have no idea where to start? The financial world of investing, budgeting, and saving can be daunting for the first-timer. The good news is some amazing investing apps can walk you through the process and get your financial life on track.
Whether you are looking for financial education, an up-to-date view of the stock market, a place to monitor your financial portfolio, or an app to invest in stocks, there is something here for everyone.
Here are the twelve best investing apps to get your finances organized and invested. Every investing app mentioned in this list is great for beginners and helps make your financial education journey a breeze!
Key points
Investing apps are designed to make the financial world more accessible and understandable. Depending on the app you choose, you can invest and trade stocks, commodities, and mutual funds.
An investing app eliminates the need for a broker, saving you valuable time and money.
All apps in this article are established and secure and provide proper protection and support. If you choose to download an investing app that is not from this list, make sure the app is registered with the appropriate regulatory bodies.
Some of the best investment apps for beginners include Acorns, Wealthfront, and Fidelity.
If you are a novice investor looking for the best app for financial education, try Headway.
1. Headway — best app for financial education
You’re probably wondering why an app about books has topped our charts for the twelve best investment apps of 2023. That’s because our Headway app is unparalleled in its summarized insights from the top non-fiction books. We choose titles from reputable lists such as The New York Times bestsellers, Amazon best sellers, and the Harvard Business Review to deliver users the best and most accurate content.
Headway is the perfect solution for the first-time investor looking for comprehensible and insightful investor education. On the Headway app, you can listen to or read the main insights from the world’s best investors and financial thinkers in less than fifteen minutes.
The Headway app’s highly personalized approach picks every piece of bite-sized content according to your needs and goals. If you are looking for investor education, Headway will feed you the best content, such as John Bogle’s famous text, The Little Book of Common Sense Investing. Check out our book lists like 8 Best Financial Literacy Books of All Time and 12 Best Books on How to Make Money for some book summary inspiration.
Another unique element of the Headway app is its spaced repetition feature. This recall technique helps turn your favorite insights into flashcards so you can turn to your most treasured investment advice whenever you want.
Download the Headway app to start your financial literacy journey today!
2. Acorns — best investing app for saving
Acorns is one of the easiest investing apps out there. If you like your investments being automated and are interested in a more hands-off approach to your financial life, this app is for you. Once you set up your account, you can set your investing life on cruise control.
The Acorns app works by rounding up the total of your purchases to the next dollar and then investing that difference into an ETF portfolio (an ETF is an exchange-traded fund and tends to be more secure than investing in a single stock due to diversification). This app costs a modest $3 per month for a personal account. Link your debit and credit cards, and let your retirement savings climb!
3. Wealthbase — best investing app for games and contests
Looking to have a little bit of fun on your investing journey? Wealthbase is one of the best investing apps in the world of stock market games. This investing app marries the concept of social media with stock picking. On Wealthbase, you can access your friends and colleagues’ feeds, what stocks they are picking, and daily updates on who is winning.
You can set up games with friends that span from 15 days to just 12 hours. This investing app allows you to trade crypto and is a great jumping-off point for beginner investors who want to understand how investing works.
4. Ellevest — best investing app for socially responsible investing
Do you want to invest with the environment and our future in mind? Ellevest is one of the best investing apps for its top-rated robo-advisors and mission to support female investors. Although anyone can download and use Ellevest, the app focuses on investments that positively impact women.
This platform creates financial portfolios that account for the differing circumstances of women, such as their investing tendencies and lower lifetime earnings. Ellevest is one of the best stock apps to successfully incorporate ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investing and supports companies with female leaders, affordable housing, community services, and high sustainability standards. If you want to invest your money towards something you feel good about, Ellevest is a great option.
5. Stash — best investing app for beginners
Stash is one of the top apps for investing if you are brand new to the financial world. If you want to learn the ropes of investing through a mixture of educational content, games, and practical investing, Stash is for you.
This beginner investing app allows you to customize your financial goals based on your focus and actively track your progress. With zero inactivity fees and a $5 investment minimum, Stash is a low-stakes choice when it comes to investment apps. Check out this app if you want to work with value-based investing and suggestions to build your portfolio.
6. Wealthfront — best investing app for automated investments
In terms of investing apps, Wealthfront is one of the largest independent robo-advisors. All you need to do is deposit money into your account, and Wealthfront manages your portfolio to help you reach your pre-determined financial goals.
With hundreds of ETFs to choose from, this app strategically puts your money into funds based on your risk tolerance and desire for liquidity. Wealthfront also offers features like tax-loss harvesting, effectively covering the 0.25% annual management fee. With comprehensive financial planning tools and a thoughtful mobile experience that optimizes functionality, Wealthfront is one of the best investment apps on the market.
7. Fidelity — best investing app for managing all your money in one place
Fidelity Investments is one of the best investing apps if you are looking for a fully integrated financial experience. This app allows you to open an investment account, retirement account, checking account, savings account, credit card account, and a place to pay your bills.
Getting all of your finances in one concise location is helpful for the beginner investor to learn about budgeting. Fidelity also offers numerous educational resources on its investing app so users can learn while they go. With over 3,500 mutual funds for users to choose from, no account minimum, and no fees or commission on trading, this investing app checks all the boxes for getting your finances in order.
8. Robinhood — best investing app for traders
Do you want a more hands-on approach to your investment portfolio? Robinhood is the best investment app for active traders who want to buy and sell their stocks, crypto, ETFs, and options easily.
The simple interface makes this investment app easy to use and offers consistent news stories that keep investors informed on what is happening in the stock market. This investing app is a great option if you’re an experienced investor looking for free, simple, and consistent trading. We recommend starting with a more beginner platform or learning some investing basics before trading frequently.
9. Stockpile — best investing app for gifts
This family-centric investing app empowers families to invest and learn how to invest in their future. Stockpile allows its users to buy fractional shares of stocks to grow their portfolios gradually.
A great feature of Stockpile is its gift feature. This allows users to send monetary gift cards to their fellow Stockpile friends and family. With no monthly fees and a gifting feature that helps young investors get started, Stockpile is a great option for novice investors looking to save for retirement.
10. Public — best investing app for company information
This investing app is geared towards the eager new investor. If you want to learn business basics and delve into the financial life of the companies you are investing in, Public is the app for you.
Public allows you to trade stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrency. It also boasts a “town hall” feature that includes meetings with business leaders and a podcast titled “Public Live.” Users are also given access to a social feed where they can discuss their stock picks with friends and other investors.
11. Betterment — best investing app for a tax-friendly portfolio
Betterment was one of the first investing apps to offer a robo-advisor (a financial planning service made up of automated algorithms). Since then, Betterment has expanded to become one of the top investment apps that manage accounts with taxes in mind. This minimizes your losses and allows your portfolio to be professionally managed at a low cost.
Betterment is a great option for beginners as it offers retirement account management, phone support from certified financial advisors, and no minimum investment required. This investment app is personalized to each user, calibrating your investments in relation to your risk tolerance and when you may need access to your money. You can choose to invest with higher risk, craft a socially responsible portfolio, or plan to build a safety net within a few years with minimal risk.
12. Fundrise — best investing app for real estate
If you are interested in investing in commercial real estate but do not want to take on the huge financial commitment it requires, Fundrise may be the app for you. This investing app gives users information about deals managed and sourced by experts in the field.
Fundrise provides users with information on potential deals that they can participate in. The investing app boasts an impressive track record on deals sourced through its platform — 80% return over seven years for the average investor! Another great feature is that Fundrise allows you to reinvest your dividends in the property.
Get started with the Headway app
We hope this listicle has inspired you to delve into the financial world and download a beginner investing app. It can be difficult to take the leap since there is always a level of risk that comes with investing.
The Headway app is a great place to start if you are hesitant. Search for “investing” in the Headway app, and hundreds of titles will come up — from Stock Investing for Dummies to The Psychology of Money. With easy-to-understand 15-minute audio and book summaries, you can learn essential financial information from some of the world’s most intelligent investors and advisors.
Download the Headway app to embark on your financial education journey today.
FAQs
What is the best investment app for beginners?
The best investment app for beginners depends on what you are looking for and your financial education level. The Headway app is a great place to start if you are a novice. With hundreds of 15-minute book summaries on the best financial literacy books ever written, you will surely find some investing wisdom to take with you moving forward.
How much do investment apps cost?
Researching before downloading an investing app and depositing your money is crucial. Many investing apps can have hidden fees that eat away at your investments over time. Most of the beginner investment apps in this list offer zero-commission trades and are free to download.
How much money should I invest?
There is no “should” regarding your financial life and investments. Everyone’s financial situation is different, and people have varying financial goals depending on their future plans. Frequent contributions and proper money management will inevitably lead to savings and growth.
