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If you currently use Stash to help you invest, you might be wondering whether any alternatives would serve you better. It doesn’t take more than a few minutes on Reddit or social media to read stories of people making good money through investing, so we’re here to help you become a success story too.
In this article, check out other apps like Stash to see how they compare (and if you haven’t already, check our Stash app review!)
Acorns app
Acorns is very similar to Stash in that you can get started investing with very little money. Acorns links to your bank account and whenever you make a purchase, it rounds up your spare change to the nearest dollar and invests it into a ready-made diversified portfolio. Acorns automatically rebalances your portfolio too!
Let’s say for example, that you did some grocery shopping and spent $36.24. Acorns would round up your purchase to $37, setting aside your change of 76 cents. When your spare change amounts to $5, Acorns transfers the savings from your checking account to your investment account.
Acorns makes it easy to invest, even if you can’t afford to save much. The price for the app starts at $1 per month for its investment service. You can add on another product, called Acorns Later, which is a retirement account, for $2 per month. And, if you want to take advantage of Acorns Spend, a checking account which comes with its very own debit card as well as Acorns and Acorns Later, it’ll cost you $3 per month.
If you’re interested in the Acorns app, it’s available to download for Android and iOS. The app scores 4.3/5 on Google Play and 4.7/5 in the App Store.
Robinhood app
Robinhood allows you to trade U.S. stocks and ETFs commission free. Because they are an online service with very low overheads, they can afford to do this. The app predominantly makes money through an optional add-on product called Robinhood Gold. This is a premium margin account that starts at $6 per month.
Unlike Stash and Acorns, the Robinhood app doesn’t recommend a portfolio based on your risk tolerances and preferences. Instead, Robinhood provides a platform where investors can pick and choose from around 5,000 stocks listed on major U.S. exchanges, including ETFs and most U.S. equities. Robinhood offers options trading too.
As far as micro investing goes, Robinhood offers fractional shares, so it’s possible to invest with small amounts of money.
The Robinhood app scores a respectable 4.8 / 5 over at the App Store and 4.6 / 5 at Google Play.
Betterment app
With Betterment, you can build a personalized portfolio of ETFs and stocks based on your savings goals and attitude to risk. Betterment recommends how much you need to be investing initially and saving over time to meet your goals. It differs from some other investment apps by offering access to human advisors who can provide support.
Betterment offers two different plans: Digital and Premium. Their Digital plan has no minimum balance requirements and comes with an annual fee of 0.25% of assets managed. You’ll need a minimum balance of $100,000 to sign up for their Premium plan which has an annual fee of 0.40% of your account balance.
Both plans include personalized financial advice, low-cost globally diversified portfolios, automated rebalancing, and advanced tax-loss harvesting strategies, as well as access to Betterment’s customer support team seven days per week.
The Premium plan also includes advice on investments outside of Betterment such as 401Ks, loan apps and access to Betterment’s team of CFPs for guidance on saving for life events (marriage, kids’ college funds, etc.).
Betterment scores 3.7 / 5 over at the App Store and 4.4 / 5 on Google Play.
Which investment app is right for you?
Each of these apps, including Stash, brings different pros and cons to the table. Which investment app is best for you depends on your financial goals, how much you’re willing to pay in fees and whereabouts you are in your investing journey.
For example, Stash, Acorns, Vanguard, and the Betterment Digital plan might be better suited to beginner investors that are looking to invest amounts as small as $50 when they can afford to and would appreciate a recommended portfolio.
Whereas the Robinhood app is perhaps more suited to the hands-on investor, who is comfortable selecting stocks to trade and is looking to keep costs to a minimum.
Watch: More Stash App Reviews
How we picked these apps
To come up with this list of investing apps, we picked 4 apps like Stash, downloaded them onto our phones, and got to work testing them out. We considered features including fees (upfront or hidden), eligibility, educational support, and investment advice. We also looked for additional features that might benefit people looking to upskill their investing game. We may receive a referral fee if you purchase or use some of the products described in this article.
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Mitchel holds a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance from The Goizeta School of Business at Emory University and a Masters of Business Administration from The Haas School of Business at The University of California.
