{"id":11926,"date":"2023-05-25T03:16:27","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T03:16:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/?p=11926"},"modified":"2026-03-05T23:34:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T23:34:29","slug":"micro-investments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/micro-investments\/","title":{"rendered":"What are Micro Investments? Best Apps to Try in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is micro-investing,<\/em> you ask?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short: Investing with tiny amounts of money \u2014 in some cases, just a few dollars; in others, just a few cents. The idea is that these mini-investment can add up over time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I invest in real estate, crypto, and big-time retirement funds, but I still work micro-investing into my portfolio.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, I’ll explain it all: What is micro-investing? How do micro-investments work? Plus, I\u2019ll give you some of my top recommendations for apps and opportunities for turning small amounts of cash into sizable accounts over time.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Our favorite micro-investing app in 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Fundrise<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fundrise gives everyday investors access to a diversified mix of real estate, private credit, and venture capital opportunities, all on a user-friendly, intuitive platform.<\/p>\n

Typically, these types of investments require significant sums of up-front cash. Fundrise is much more accessible.<\/p>\n

I started my Fundrise account with just $20 a couple years ago. With regular recurring investments, it’s grown to a few thousand dollars, with returns that rival the best high-yield savings accounts out there. (For more details, check out WSZ’s Fundrise review<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

But don’t take my word for it \u2014 check it out yourself.<\/p>\n

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Get started on Fundrise<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Note: We earn a commission for this endorsement of Fundrise. <\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Micro-Investments: Are They Worth it in 2026?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The bottom line:<\/strong> There\u2019s no specific definition for what a micro-investment is, but generally speaking, it\u2019s a really small amount of money that you invest. In some cases, that amount could be dollars or even pennies. Over time, those tiny contributions could add up to thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will micro investing apps replace 401(k)s and other retirement accounts? No. But they do make investing more accessible, and they\u2019re great for automated investments and portfolio diversification.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Best Micro-Investing Apps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So \u2026 how do you go about micro-investing, and what are the best investments for beginners? There are a lot of opportunities out there, and the list of options is growing as more and more people turn to fractional investing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve personally used quite a few apps for micro-investing, and the following are the ones I recommend most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Fundrise<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rating:<\/strong> \u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minimums + fees:<\/strong> $10 minimum; fees vary \u2014 see the full fee schedule here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best for:<\/strong> Micro-investors interested in real estate, private credit, and venture capital<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How it works<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fundrise<\/a> is an investing platform that allows you to invest in private real estate, private credit, and venture capital funds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s one of my favorite micro-investing apps because I love<\/em> investing in real estate. It has inherent value, tends to increase in value over time, and can provide some serious returns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fundrise offers two ways to potentially benefit from the real estate market. First, it allows you to invest in a Flagship fund, which is composed of a variety of real estate assets, including multifamily, industrial, and residential properties across the U.S. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, you can invest in the Real Estate Income Fund, which gives you access to private credit in the real estate market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a more recent addition, you can invest in innovative, pre-IPO companies through the Innovation Fund, which gives you exposure to non-public companies like Databricks, OpenAI, and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Need a little more inspiration? Here’s a chart detailing client returns by years on the platform:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The bottom line? I think Fundrise<\/a> offers a fantastic opportunity to invest in asset classes that typically require a large initial investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Check out Fundrise<\/strong><\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Note: We earn a commission for this endorsement of Fundrise. <\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

2. Acorns<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rating:<\/strong> \u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minimums + fees:<\/strong> $5 minimum, fees starting at $3\/month <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best for:<\/strong> Automatic micro-investing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How it works<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Acorns<\/a> allows you to start investing with ease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To start, you link your account to your banking app to set up manual or automatic deposits. From there, the platform will automatically invest your cash based on a strategy that fits your objectives and risk profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s a cool added feature: You can also enable round-ups, which allows you to round up purchases on your chosen credit or debit card and invest that “rounded up” cash. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I use Acorns for round-ups, and I\u2019m continuously surprised by how quickly money adds up. I have it set up so that every purchase I make with my Chase cards gets rounded to the nearest dollar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I never notice the money coming out of my Chase account, and at the end of every month, I have an extra $100 to $200 sitting in my account earning dividends and interest.<\/p>\n\n\n

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I strongly recommend Acorns for the beginner investor. The best way to invest and save money, in my opinion, is to do it automatically, and I think Acorns is the perfect medium to do that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an added bonus for WallStreetZen readers, you can get a $20 bonus when you set up your first recurring investment!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Get your $20 bonus on Acorns<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

3. Robinhood<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rating:<\/strong> \u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minimums + fees:<\/strong> Minimums based on stock prices, regulatory fees only (none under $500)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best for:<\/strong> Investing in specific stocks or cryptocurrencies<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How it works<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

You fund your Robinhood account<\/a> using your bank account. You then use the search function to find your preferred stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrencies to purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also personally use Robinhood to invest in particular stocks and cryptocurrencies. It\u2019s what I used to earn a few thousand dollars on the Gamestop (NYSE: GME<\/a>) fiasco and to invest in Bitcoin and Dogecoin when they were super hot commodities.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Robinhood doesn\u2019t have any options for automatic investing like Acorns<\/a> does, so I recommend this for more seasoned investors who know specifically which stocks, ETFs, crypto coins, or stock options they want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robinhood does have the benefit of minimal fees. Fees only apply when you sell over $500 worth of an asset, and those fees are mandated by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Check out Robinhood<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

4. M1 Finance <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rating:<\/strong> \u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minimums + fees:<\/strong> $100 minimum, regulatory fees only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best for:<\/strong> Investors who have a little more cash to spend<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How it works<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Much like with Acorns, you fund your M1 Finance<\/a> account using a checking or savings account. You can then use the funds to invest automatically \u2014 in indices or individual stocks \u2014 all without paying company-specific commissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M1 Finance is not as user-friendly as Acorns, in my opinion, and the significantly higher minimum will keep some investors from using the app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the total lack of fees, other than regulatory fees, makes M1 a great option for beginner investors with a little extra money to start with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While M1 Finance offers robo-investing, which is automated, it doesn\u2019t currently have a round-up feature like Acorns, so you\u2019ll still have to fund your account manually. This is a pretty significant downside, in my opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Check out M1 Finance<\/strong> <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

5. Public <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rating:<\/strong> \u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minimums + fees:<\/strong> No minimums, only regulatory fees on standard services<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best for:<\/strong> Investors looking for alternative investments<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How it works<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

You can fund your Public<\/a> account manually using a checking account, and then you can purchase individual stocks, fractional stocks, cryptocurrencies, and more using your funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coolest thing about Public, in my opinion, is that it opens the door to alternative investments, like collectibles. Just take a look at some of the items you can invest in below:<\/p>\n\n\n

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While the returns might not be quite as predictable as, say, real estate, the ability to invest in an unopened copy of Super Mario Bros. is just really exciting. The company has other alternatives, too, like blue-chip art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public is also great because it allows for round-ups, although the automated investing you could get with Acorns is missing here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Check out Public<\/strong> <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What is Micro-Investing? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Micro-investing is when you put a small amount of money \u2014 the amount depends on whom you ask \u2014 into an account that invests your balance in stocks, index funds, ETFs, or some other asset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my opinion, a micro-investment would be anything under $100, but some people set lower limits of $10 or even $1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Micro-Investments Work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are two main types of micro-investing opportunities: those that are manual and those that are automatic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Manual Micro-Investing Apps<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

With a manual micro-investment, you log in to your account on whichever site or app you\u2019re using for micro-investing, add funds, and that money gets invested in a designated asset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re using a real estate crowdfunding app, for example, then your money gets pooled with funds from other investors and gets used to buy and manage a piece of real estate. You can usually choose the real estate deal you\u2019re interested in funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re using an investment app like Robinhood<\/a>, then you add funds in a similar way, and then you choose the stocks or cryptocurrencies you want to buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Automatic Micro-Investing Apps <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In the case of an automatic micro investment app, you link your account to your bank\u2019s app (Chase, BoA, etc). The app tracks every purchase you make with credit or debit cards, rounds up to the nearest dollar, and incrementally funds your account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Automatic micro-investing apps typically have everything automated for you. You might be able to choose where you want your money invested, but most apps \u2014 like Acorns<\/a> \u2014 ask some questions about your risk tolerance and time to invest and make choices for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Much Can You Make Micro-Investing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The amount you can make through micro-investments varies quite a lot depending on many factors, but you can earn hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands over years or decades of micro-investing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with any investment, it\u2019s important to note that it\u2019s also possible to lose money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a few factors at play that determine how much you can make:<\/p>\n\n\n\n