{"id":18402,"date":"2023-06-08T14:14:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-08T14:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/?p=18402"},"modified":"2025-05-23T14:35:42","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T14:35:42","slug":"best-stock-market-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/best-stock-market-alternatives\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Best Stock Market Alternatives (Non-Stock Investment Options & Ideas)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When researching the best investment options, stocks are a standard pick. Not only are they one of the oldest financial products, but they’re liquid, well-regulated, and easily accessible online (FWIW, our favorite brokerage is eToro<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, just because stocks are super popular doesn’t mean they’re the only <\/em>way to put your money to work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, buying equities has attractive features, but there are many exciting stock market alternatives in today’s investing landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to walk away from Wall Street, take a peek at the best non-stock investments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At-a-Glance: 13 Best Things to Invest in (That Aren\u2019t Stocks)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Asset Class \/ Investment<\/div><\/th>
Suggested Platform<\/div><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Private credit <\/div><\/td>
Percent<\/a>\u00a0(Accredited investors only)<\/div><\/td><\/tr>
Residential real estate<\/div><\/td>
Arrived Homes<\/a><\/div><\/td><\/tr>
Commercial real estate<\/div><\/td>
RealtyMogul<\/a><\/div><\/td><\/tr>
Farmland<\/div><\/td>
AcreTrader<\/a>\u00a0(Accredited investors only)<\/div><\/td><\/tr>
Art + Collectibles <\/div><\/td>
Masterworks<\/a>, Public.com<\/a><\/div><\/td><\/tr>
Gold<\/div><\/td>
Birch Gold Group<\/a><\/div><\/td><\/tr>
High-yield savings<\/div><\/td>
Empower<\/a><\/div><\/td><\/tr>
Fine wine<\/div><\/td>
Vinovest<\/a><\/div><\/td><\/tr>
Startups + private companies <\/div><\/td>
Hiive<\/a> (Accredited investors only)<\/div><\/td><\/tr>
Money Management <\/div><\/td>
Empower<\/a><\/div><\/td><\/tr>
Yourself <\/div><\/td>
Skillshare<\/a><\/div><\/td><\/tr>
Peer-to-Peer Lending <\/div><\/td>
Fundrise <\/a><\/div><\/td><\/tr>
Crypto <\/div><\/td>
eToro<\/a><\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now, let\u2019s look at the best investment options (that aren\u2019t stocks). <\/p>\n\n\n

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eToro securities trading is offered by eToro USA Securities, Inc. (\u201cthe BD\u201d), member of FINRA and SIPC. Cryptocurrency is offered by eToro USA LLC (\u201cthe MSB\u201d) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk, and content is provided for educational purposes only, does not imply a recommendation, and is not a guarantee of future performance. https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com is not an affiliate and may be compensated if you access certain products or services offered by the MSB and\/or the BD.<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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

1. Explore Private Credit Investing <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Buying bonds is a “bread and butter” stock market alternative, but did you know you could rake in more interest with private credit investing? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, private credit might be one of the best alternative investment strategies<\/a> for consistent cash flow \u2014 provided you’re OK with extra risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since private credit isn’t as regulated as standard bonds, there are usually higher odds of a default. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the flip side, private credit gives borrowers and lenders more flexibility when setting up terms, which could mean higher interest rates and shorter repayment schedules. <\/p>\n\n\n

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So, how do you put your money into private credit?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simple: Provided you\u2019re an accredited investor, you can sign up for Percent<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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With a Percent account, you’ll have access to hundreds of private debt opportunities \u2014 including diversified “Blended Notes” \u2014 to suit your investment strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interested in this interest strategy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

2. Invest in Residential Real Estate  <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Like bonds, residential real estate is a traditional stock market alternative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People are always in the market for homes, and the prices of properties have been trending up for decades<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there’s never a guarantee the condos, vacation houses, or single-family homes you choose will move up and to the right, they are valuable and reliable assets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus, with crowd-funding sites like Arrived Homes, you don’t have to take care of properties to generate tenant revenue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With an Arrived Homes account, you’ll own shares in residential properties throughout the USA and get dividend payouts straight to your account.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Learn more about how this platform works on WallStreetZen’s Arrived Homes Review<\/a>, or visit the link below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Check out Arrived Homes<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

3. Invest in Commercial Real Estate <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Like residential property, commercial real estate is a stock market alternative with a long history of favorable returns. However, there are unique risks associated with going the commercial rather than residential route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although commercial real estate may offer higher revenues, it might be more volatile due to business turnover. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, since commercial properties are tied to consumer spending, they’re more vulnerable to economic shocks like recessions.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another downside of commercial real estate is it’s difficult for average investors to break into this field \u2014 that is, until crowd-funding opportunities like RealtyMogul<\/a> hit the scene. <\/p>\n\n\n

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With a RealtyMogul account, you can choose from various commercial, industrial, or mixed-use properties and collect dividends. There are also residential properties on RealtyMogul to diversify your real estate portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n

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While many real estate investing sites are only available to accredited investors, RealtyMogul<\/a>\u00a0is open to both accredited and non-accredited investors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

For some of the best real estate investment opportunities out there, click the link below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

4. Invest in Farmland <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Residential and commercial properties aren’t the only hot options in the real estate market. For instance, did you know farmland is one of the best things to invest in right now? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get this: The value of arable acres hit an all-time high<\/a> in 2022, making it one of today’s most attractive stock market alternatives. <\/p>\n\n\n

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While there’s no guarantee farmland will continue to post record-shattering returns, it’s a conservative option considering how significant farmland is for, you know, food!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And don’t worry about studying different soil types or tractor safety guidelines. There are ways to add acreage to your portfolio without managing a farm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, on the crowd-funding site AcreTrader<\/a>, accredited investors can buy shares of farmland and monitor their value over time.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Are you an accredited investor? Great news \u2014 there are all sorts of cool opportunities available to you. Check out our article about the best investments for accredited investors<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n

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

5. Explore Art + Collectibles Investing <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It used to be that art investing was reserved to billionaires and investors with monocles. (Kidding. Sort of.) Masterworks<\/a>, an art investing platform, has changed that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Masterworks, 64,000+ investors have started buying into a market that used to be restricted to the billionaire class: postwar and contemporary art. What do they know that you don’t?<\/p>\n\n\n\n