Getting started with investing can feel overwhelming. There are dozens of platforms competing for your money, and most of them use language designed to confuse rather than clarify. This guide cuts through all of that.
What Beginners Actually Need
Before diving into specific platforms, let's be clear about what a beginner investor actually needs — because it's not what most ads suggest.
You need:
- Low or zero fees — fees compound just like returns. Small percentages matter a lot over decades.
- No account minimums — you should be able to start with whatever you have
- Simple interface — investing should feel manageable, not like flying a plane
- Educational resources — good platforms teach you while you invest
You probably don't need: complex options trading, margin accounts, or 50 different chart types.
Our Top Picks for Beginners
1. Fidelity — Best Overall for Beginners
Fidelity is consistently our top recommendation for new investors, and the reasons are straightforward. There are no account minimums, no fees on stock and ETF trades, and no account maintenance fees. Their mobile app is clean and intuitive without being oversimplified.
What sets Fidelity apart is their educational content. They have genuinely useful articles, videos, and guided tools that help you understand what you're doing — not just what buttons to click.
Best for: Long-term investors, retirement accounts (IRA), total beginners2. M1 Finance — Best for Automated Investing
M1 takes a different approach. Instead of picking individual stocks, you build a "pie" — a portfolio of assets with target percentages. M1 then automatically rebalances every time you add money. It's investing on autopilot.
There's no minimum to start (beyond a $100 initial deposit to activate automation), and their basic account is completely free.
Best for: Set-it-and-forget-it investors, people who want automation without paying for a robo-advisor3. Robinhood — Best for Learning by Doing
Robinhood gets a lot of criticism, some of it fair. But for a beginner who wants to learn by actually buying stocks — even fractional shares for just a few dollars — Robinhood remains one of the easiest entry points. The interface is minimal and beginner-friendly.
Just go in with realistic expectations: it's a place to start, not necessarily where serious long-term investors end up.
Best for: Absolute beginners, people who learn by doing, fractional share investingOne Thing Every Beginner Should Do First
Before you open any account, decide whether you're investing in a taxable brokerage account or a retirement account (like a Roth IRA). If you won't need the money for 10+ years and you're under certain income limits, a Roth IRA should almost always come first. Your gains grow tax-free. That matters more than which platform you choose.
All three platforms above offer Roth IRAs with no minimums.
The Bottom Line
For most beginners, Fidelity is the right answer. If you know you want automation, M1 is excellent. If you want the absolute lowest barrier to entry and a simple app to poke around in, Robinhood works — just keep your long-term money somewhere with more structure.
Disclosure: This article is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice. We are not licensed financial advisors. Always do your own research before making investment decisions.