To some people, the thought of investing is daunting, intimidating, and downright scary, especially if you’ve never done it before. After all, people always like to catastrophize and talk about stock market “crashes” and how people can “lose money” when in reality you only lose money if you sell at a loss. Not to mention the fact that people seem to focus on the negatives and potential downsides, rather than the positives.
In reality, if you’re smart, cautious, and know what you’re doing, investing can be a great way to not only earn money and set yourself up for the future, but to also learn money management and business acumen in the process.
Everybody has to start somewhere, and in investing it’s no different. Even Warren Buffet was once a novice investor, and today he’s considered to be one of the best investors to ever live. The good thing about investing in 2025, is the fact that there are so many apps and tools out there to help you.
If you’re new to investing and are just finding your feet, here are 5 investing apps perfect for beginners in 2025.
Vanguard
Vanguard is, without question, one of the best apps for investors, both new and established alike.
Vanguard is a tried and tested investment app used all over the globe, that is just as beneficial for the casual investor as it is for the seasoned entrepreneurs looking to diversify their portfolios.
For those looking to invest with retirement in mind, Vanguard is particularly useful as it offers numerous retirement account options, along with 401(k) rollovers, Simple IRAs, SEP IRAs, and countless ETFs across a wide range of different sectors.
As well as investing, what we really like about Vanguard is the fact that it helps people plan for the future. The app provides a number of features designed exclusively for retirement and money management in general.
Pros:
- Highly rated
- Automated investment options
- User-friendly
- Wide range of ETFs and money management tools available
- Low costs
- Perfect for beginners
Cons:
- Not ideal for more advanced traders
Robinhood
Robinhood is an app that hasn’t been around as long as some of the more established investment apps out there, yet it’s one that’s growing in popularity all the time.
Having really risen to prominence in 2020, the app is praised for its simplicity and user-friendliness. For people looking for a simple, no-frills way of investing their money, Robinhood is the perfect app.
The app is designed with younger investors in mind. It offers a wide range of stocks and ETFs and is praised for its commission-free trading options. There are even crypto options available.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Perfect for beginners
- Wide range of stocks, ETFs, and crypto options available
- Low fees
Cons:
- Not ideal for people looking for more diverse and complex portfolios
Betterment
Betterment is an investment app that is quickly becoming one of the most popular on the market today.
The app provides low-cost automated investing options ideal for investors old and new. Known as a robo-advisor, Betterment provides users with the tools to easily invest and create diverse portfolios featuring stocks and shares, bonds, Cryptocurrencies, and ETFs.
Whether you’re looking for a low-risk, long-term investment, or perhaps are happy to increase your risk margins with the aim of higher returns, Betterment has it all. The app even provides tools to help create personalized retirement plans, and the ability to set financial goals and targets.
Pros:
- Wide range of investment options available
- Low, medium, and high-risk investment options
- No minimum deposits required
- Financial planning tools
Cons:
- CFP (Certified Financial Planning) can be expensive
SoFi
SoFi is considered by many to be the ultimate investment app for beginners, and based on user feedback and what we’ve seen from it, that may very well be the case.
SoFi is extremely cheap, making it ideal for those on a budget perhaps looking to learn how investing works before they commit any big bucks. With no recurring account or subscription fees, no commissions, and a minimum deposit limit of just $1, it’s one of the most accessible investment apps currently on the market.
SoFi has it all. There are stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies, bonds, and various financial planning options like mortgage advice, credit cards, loans, insurance, and plenty more besides. As well as auto investment options, users also have the flexibility to buy individual stocks and shares of ETFs.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface ideal for beginners
- Low costs and fees
- Numerous financial planning tools available
- Wide range of trading options available
Cons:
- No automatic tax-loss harvesting options
Stockpile
Finally, perhaps the simplest investment app of all is Stockpile.
Stockpile is incredibly user-friendly and simple in design, and that is very much deliberate. The app was designed to help teach kids and novices all about investing and money management. You can gift stocks and monitor the accounts of a minor so you can see how your little ones are getting on.
The app provides trading options for individual stocks, bonds, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies, all with a commission-free structure. There are also fractional shares available, making it a great way to spend a little and learn how the markets work.
While the app may have been developed with young investors in mind, it is equally as useful for people who know nothing about investing, but want to learn.
Pros:
- Very simple to use
- Low costs and fees
- Trade ETFs, stocks, bonds, and crypto with no commissions
- Financial planning tools available
Cons:
- Monthly membership fees
- Perhaps overly simple
*Disclaimer* This is not financial advice. Only invest what you can afford to lose and understand that investments can go down as well as up.