“I don’t have enough money to invest.” I hear this all the time. And I get it — when you picture investing, you probably think of someone in a suit buying 100 shares of Apple at $200 each. That’s $20,000 for a single trade.
But that’s not how investing works anymore. In 2026, you can start with $100. Or $10. Or even $1. The apps below make it possible, and I’ve used most of them personally.
1. Acorns — Best for “Set It and Forget It”#
Minimum to start: $5 (round-ups) or $0 (recurring investments)
Acorns rounds up your everyday purchases to the nearest dollar and invests the spare change. Buy a $3.75 coffee? Acorns invests the $0.25 difference.
I know that sounds too small to matter. But here’s what actually happened when I tried it: in my first year, I accumulated $680 in round-up investments without ever thinking about it. That’s $680 I would have spent on nothing memorable.
What you invest in: Diversified ETF portfolios based on your risk tolerance (conservative to aggressive).
Cost: $3/month for the basic plan. This is the catch — if you only have $100 invested, $36/year in fees is a 36% expense ratio. It only makes sense once you have $1,000+ in the account.
Best for: People who want zero effort and don’t mind small monthly fees.
2. Robinhood — Best for Buying Individual Stocks#
Minimum to start: $0
Robinhood pioneered commission-free trading and fractional shares. You can buy $10 worth of Apple stock even though a full share costs $200+.
What I like: The interface is dead simple. No confusing jargon. You type in a stock or ETF, choose how much to buy, and you’re done.
What concerns me: The app makes trading feel like a game. There’s a confetti animation when you buy stocks. That’s… not great for encouraging thoughtful investing.
Best for: People who want to buy specific stocks or ETFs with small amounts and don’t need hand-holding.
3. Fidelity — Best for Long-Term Index Fund Investing#
Minimum to start: $0 (no minimums on any account)
Fidelity isn’t a sexy startup app. It’s a 75-year-old financial institution. But here’s why it’s on this list: Fidelity Zero — a line of index funds with literally zero expense ratios and zero minimum investment.
FZERO (Fidelity Zero Total Market Index Fund) gives you exposure to the entire US stock market for free. No annual fee. No minimum. This is arguably the best deal in retail investing.
What I like: They also offer fractional shares on stocks and ETFs, so you can build a diversified portfolio with $100.
Best for: People who want the lowest possible fees and are investing for the long term (10+ years).
4. M1 Finance — Best for Custom Portfolios#
Minimum to start: $100 to start investing
M1 lets you create a “pie” — a custom portfolio of stocks and ETFs with whatever allocation you want. Want 60% total stock market, 20% international, 10% real estate, 10% tech stocks? Build that pie and M1 automatically maintains the balance.
What I like: It combines the customization of picking your own investments with the automation of a robo-advisor. Every deposit automatically rebalances to your target allocation.
The catch: $100 minimum to start, and $250 minimum for subsequent investments. Not ideal if you’re literally starting with $10.
Best for: People who want control over their asset allocation but don’t want to manually rebalance.
How to Invest Your First $100#
Don’t overthink this. Here’s what I’d do:
If you want zero decisions: Put $100 into Fidelity Zero Total Market Index Fund (FZROX). Done. You now own a piece of every significant US company.
If you want to learn by doing: Put $50 into a broad ETF (like VOO or FZROX) and use the other $50 to buy 2-3 individual stocks you’re interested in. The ETF is your “real investment.” The stocks are your tuition for learning how the market works.
If you want it fully automated: Set up Acorns with a $20/week recurring investment. In 5 weeks you’ll have your $100 invested, and it’ll keep growing automatically.
The App Doesn’t Matter Nearly as Much as You Think#
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: which app you choose matters less than the fact that you start. $100 invested in a total market index fund will grow roughly the same regardless of whether you use Fidelity, Robinhood, or M1.
The differences between apps are mostly about user experience and fees. And at $100, the fee differences are measured in cents. What matters is:
- Starting now instead of waiting
- Adding money regularly — even $25/month
- Not selling when the market drops — because it will, and that’s normal
I spent two years “researching” which app to use before I finally started. That paralysis cost me more than any fee ever would. Don’t make my mistake. Pick one and start today.
Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. I’m sharing my personal experience, not recommending specific investments. Always do your own research and consider talking to a financial advisor for your specific situation.