Eight apps made CNBC Select’s latest micro-investing list, with Acorns, Stash, Robinhood, Public, Betterment, Wealthfront, SoFi Invest and Chime Invest each winning a category.
Acorns led the spare-change segment because users can open an account with no minimum and start investing at $5 through automated Round-Ups, though its $3-to-$12 monthly fee can weigh on very small balances.
The list split the market by use case: Stash for learning, Robinhood for commission-free active trading, Public for AI-powered research, and Betterment or Wealthfront for hands-off robo investing.
Entry barriers stayed low across most picks, from Chime Invest’s $1 starting point and Robinhood’s $1 fractional shares to SoFi’s no-account-minimum setup, while Wealthfront stood out with a higher $500 investment minimum.
CNBC Select said it ranked the apps on fees, accessibility, automation, investment choice and ease of use, focusing on platforms that let beginners invest small sums regularly and scale up over time.