8 Best Investing Apps for Beginners 2026

Written By

Showkat Hossain

Last Updated: June 18, 2026

Finding the Best Investing Apps can feel overwhelming when you are new to investing.

However, the right app can make your first steps easier. A good beginner app should offer simple tools, clear fees, useful education, and easy account setup.

Before you invest, remember that all investing involves risk. Also, some platforms require users to meet age and eligibility rules.

1. Robinhood Investing Apps

Robinhood is a popular investing app for beginners who want a simple way to buy and sell stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto. It is known for its clean design and commission-free stock and ETF trading, although other fees may still apply.

Robinhood Investing App

Robinhood works by letting users open an account, connect a bank, deposit money, and choose investments through the app.

For beginners, the biggest benefit is ease of use. You can search for companies, create watchlists, review charts, and place trades quickly.

Robinhood also supports fractional shares. As a result, beginners can start with smaller amounts instead of buying a full share.

Ratings are strong but mixed by platform. On Apple’s App Store, Robinhood shows a 4.3 rating from millions of ratings.

However, beginners should use Robinhood carefully. Its simple design can make frequent trading feel too easy.

Pros

  • Easy-to-use mobile app
  • Commission-free stock and ETF trading
  • Fractional shares available
  • Good for hands-on beginners
  • Offers stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto

Cons

  • Can encourage overtrading
  • Limited personalized guidance
  • Some tools require paid plans
  • Crypto and options add extra risk
  • Fees may still apply in some cases

2. Acorns Investing App

Acorns is a beginner-friendly investing app built around automation.

Instead of asking users to pick individual stocks, Acorns helps them invest through diversified portfolios and simple saving habits.

Acorns Investing App

One popular feature is Round-Ups. This feature rounds up everyday purchases and invests the spare change. For example, if you spend $30.45, Acorns can invest $0.55.

Acorns also supports recurring investments. Therefore, beginners can invest small amounts on a schedule instead of trying to time the market.

The app uses subscription pricing. Acorns says plans start at $3 per month.

Ratings are also strong. On Apple’s App Store, Acorns shows a 4.7 rating from about 952,000 ratings.

Overall, Acorns is one of the Best Investing Apps for beginners who want investing to happen automatically.

Pros

  • Great for automatic investing
  • Round-Ups make saving simple
  • Recurring investments build consistency
  • Beginner-friendly design
  • Diversified portfolios reduce guesswork

Cons

  • Monthly fee can be high for small balances
  • Limited control over investments
  • Not ideal for active traders
  • Returns are not guaranteed
  • Some features need higher plans

3. Betterment Investing App

Betterment is a robo-advisor for beginners who want help managing their investments.

Instead of choosing every stock or ETF yourself, you answer questions about goals, risk, and time horizon. Then, Betterment recommends a portfolio.

Betterment Investing App

Betterment also offers retirement planning tools, cash features, and automated portfolio management.

This makes it useful for beginners who want a guided experience.

Betterment’s fee disclosure says Digital advice costs 0.25% annually for eligible balances or users with qualifying recurring deposits. Otherwise, some users may pay $5 per month. Premium costs more and includes access to financial consultants.

On Apple’s App Store, Betterment shows a 4.8 rating from about 61,000 ratings.

In short, Betterment works best for beginners who prefer automation over stock-picking.

Pros

  • Good for hands-off beginners
  • Automated portfolio management
  • Helpful retirement planning tools
  • Goal-based investing approach
  • Easy account setup

Cons

  • Advisory fees apply
  • Less control than self-directed apps
  • Premium features cost more
  • Not designed for active trading
  • Beginners still need to understand risk

4. TD Ameritrade Investing App

TD Ameritrade was once a major investing app for beginners and active traders.

However, in 2026, TD Ameritrade is no longer a standalone platform. Charles Schwab says TD Ameritrade is now at Schwab after the acquisition.

Because of this, beginners should look at Schwab Mobile and thinkorswim instead.

Schwab Mobile lets users invest, research, trade, and manage accounts in one app. It supports stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and more.

Schwab’s pricing page lists $0 online commissions for listed stocks and ETFs, with options contract fees applying.

On Apple’s App Store, Schwab Mobile shows a 4.8 rating from about 1.2 million ratings.

Therefore, this section is best viewed as “TD Ameritrade now through Schwab.”

Pros

  • Strong research tools
  • Schwab Mobile has high ratings
  • $0 online stock and ETF commissions
  • Good educational resources
  • Useful for beginners who want to grow

Cons

  • TD Ameritrade is no longer standalone
  • Schwab may feel complex at first
  • Options contract fees apply
  • Not as simple as micro-investing apps
  • Beginners may face a learning curve

5. Blooom Investing App

Blooom was a retirement-focused investing service.

It helped users manage workplace retirement accounts such as 401(k)s. Its main goal was to review fees, improve asset allocation, and guide retirement investing.

Blooom Investing App

However, Blooom is not an active consumer investing app in 2026.

PlanAdviser reported that Blooom stopped servicing clients and sold its technology to Morgan Stanley in 2022.

Because of that, Blooom should not be listed as a current beginner app without a clear note.

Its past model was useful for people who had a retirement account but did not know how to choose funds.

Still, beginners now need alternatives. They can look at tools from their retirement plan provider, Betterment, Wealthfront, Schwab, Fidelity, or a qualified financial professional.

Ratings are not useful today because the consumer service is discontinued.

Pros

  • Historically focused on retirement accounts
  • Helped users review 401(k) investments
  • Focused on fees and allocation
  • Beginner-friendly retirement concept
  • Showed why retirement planning matters

Cons

  • No longer active for consumers
  • Not a current 2026 recommendation
  • No standalone app to use today
  • Limited to retirement guidance
  • Users need an alternative tool

6. Wealthfront Investing App

Wealthfront is a robo-advisor and cash management app.

It helps beginners invest through automated portfolios. It also offers a Cash Account and planning tools.

First, users answer questions about goals and risk. Then, Wealthfront builds a portfolio based on those answers.

After that, Wealthfront can manage the portfolio automatically. This includes features such as rebalancing and long-term planning.

Wealthfront says its Automated Investing Account charges a 0.25% annual advisory fee. It also says its Stock Investing Account has no account fees or commissions.

On Apple’s App Store, Wealthfront shows a 4.8 rating from about 17,000 ratings.

Overall, Wealthfront is one of the Best Investing Apps for beginners who want automation, planning, and a clean digital experience.

Pros

  • Strong automated investing tools
  • Good for hands-off beginners
  • Clear advisory fee structure
  • Cash Account available
  • Useful goal-planning features

Cons

  • Limited human advisor access
  • Not ideal for active traders
  • Some accounts may have minimums
  • Automation may feel too hands-off
  • Cash rates can change

7. Fundrise Investing App

Fundrise is different from most investing apps.

Instead of focusing on public stocks and ETFs, Fundrise gives users access to private market investments. These may include real estate, private credit, and venture capital.

Fundrise says users can build portfolios of private market investments through its app. Its App Store listing also says Fundrise serves more than 2 million people.

This makes Fundrise interesting for beginners who want diversification beyond the stock market.

However, beginners should understand liquidity. Private real estate and alternative investments can be harder to sell quickly than stocks or ETFs.

Fundrise’s fee page says its real estate funds charge a 0.85% annual flat management fee. Its Innovation Fund charges a 1.85% annual fee.

Therefore, Fundrise may fit patient long-term investors. However, it is not the best choice for short-term money.

Pros

  • Access to private real estate
  • Can diversify beyond stocks
  • Simple app-based investing
  • Good for long-term investors
  • Passive investing approach

Cons

  • Less liquid than stocks and ETFs
  • Fees can be higher than index funds
  • Not a stock trading app
  • Private assets are harder to understand
  • Not ideal for short-term goals

8. Coinbase Investing App

Coinbase is an app for buying, selling, and managing cryptocurrency.

It is not a traditional stock-and-ETF investing app. Instead, it focuses mainly on digital assets.

Coinbase says users can buy, sell, trade, stake, and manage crypto through its platform.

Beginners usually start by creating an account, verifying identity, connecting a payment method, and choosing a supported crypto asset.

However, crypto can be very volatile. Prices can move quickly, and beginners can lose money fast.

Coinbase fees can also vary. Coinbase says fees and spreads may apply and are disclosed during transactions.

For that reason, Coinbase may belong on a Best Investing Apps list only for beginners who understand crypto risk.

It should not replace a balanced long-term investing plan.

Pros

  • Beginner-friendly crypto app
  • Supports many digital assets
  • Easy buying and selling process
  • Useful crypto education tools
  • Strong brand recognition

Cons

  • Crypto is highly volatile
  • Fees and spreads can vary
  • Not ideal as a first investing app
  • Not focused on traditional ETFs
  • Beginners may take too much risk

Hi, I'm Showkat, a personal finance expert entrepreneur passionate about helping people or students discover new ways to earn money online and save money. As the co-founder of SavetheGuide, I’ve shared insights on Finance, Make Money, and Online Guide to empower readers.

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