Starting to invest with just a few dollars is easier than ever. We compared the top apps for micro-investing — Robinhood, Acorns, Fidelity, and Schwab — looking at minimum deposits, fractional shares, and fees so you can start building wealth with whatever you've got.
You don't need thousands of dollars to start investing. Fractional shares let you buy a piece of a stock for as little as $1, and a growing number of apps have dropped account minimums to zero. Whether you want to pick your own stocks or set investing on autopilot, there's an app for your budget.
Here are the best investment apps for small dollar investing right now.
Robinhood pioneered the zero-commission model and remains the go-to for hands-on investors who want to trade stocks, ETFs, and crypto without fees. There's no minimum deposit to open an account, and fractional shares start at just $1.1
The app is fast, clean, and designed for mobile-first trading. If you want to build a portfolio one small buy at a time and stay in control of every trade, Robinhood is the easiest on-ramp.
Best for: Active traders with small amounts to deploy.
Acorns takes a different approach: it rounds up your everyday purchases to the nearest dollar and invests the spare change automatically. You don't have to think about it. Link a card, set a recurring contribution, and Acorns builds a diversified portfolio of ETFs based on your risk tolerance.
There's no minimum to start, though the basic plan has a $3/month fee. For people who struggle to save consistently, the "set it and forget it" model is genuinely effective.
Best for: Passive investors who want to invest without thinking about it.
Fidelity combines professional-grade research and tools with investor-friendly terms. There's no account minimum and you can buy fractional shares of stocks and ETFs for as little as $1.2
Fidelity also offers a cash management account, a huge library of no-transaction-fee mutual funds, and excellent customer support. It's the best choice if you want room to grow without switching platforms later.
Best for: Long-term investors who want full-service brokerage features at no cost.
Schwab's "Stock Slices" let you buy fractional shares of any S&P 500 company for as little as $5 per slice.3 Combined with no account minimum and a strong reputation for customer service, it's a solid pick for investors who want to focus on blue-chip US stocks.
The $5 minimum per slice is higher than Robinhood or Fidelity's $1, but Schwab's research tools and banking integration make it a compelling all-in-one option.
Best for: Investors who want to buy S&P 500 stocks in small increments.
| Feature | Robinhood | Acorns | Fidelity | Schwab |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min. deposit | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fractional shares | From $1 | N/A (ETF portfolios) | From $1 | From $5 |
| Fee structure | $0 trades | $3/mo basic | $0 trades | $0 trades |
All four apps remove the biggest barrier to entry: cost. With zero minimum deposits and fractional shares, you can start building a portfolio with the price of a coffee. The differences come down to style:
For small accounts, fees matter. Robinhood, Fidelity, and Schwab all offer commission-free trading with no monthly charge. Acorns charges $3/month, which is worth it only if the automation genuinely helps you invest more than you would otherwise.
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