Where to Start Investing: Beginner Apps Compared: Build With AI

Education only. Not financial advice.

Education only. Not financial advice.

We are not paid by any company in this lesson. There are no affiliate links. The right choice depends on you.

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Welcome. Before we start, this video is education only. It is not financial advice. And we are not paid by any company you'll see here. There are no affiliate links. Today we compare popular places where beginners can start investing, using each company's own words. Then we'll share neutral tips for comparing them, how to stay safe, and what legendary investors teach beginners.

First, a few words. A broker holds your account and places your trades. A commission is a fee per trade, but other fees can still apply. A fractional share is a slice of one share, bought with a dollar amount. Paper trading means practice with play money. An IRA is a retirement account with tax benefits. A robo-advisor picks and manages funds for you, for a fee. And SIPC helps if a member brokerage firm fails. It does not cover market losses.

Let's start with three popular beginner apps. Robinhood says, quote, "To open a brokerage account with Robinhood, you don't need to put any money down." End quote. It says there are no commission fees on stocks and ETFs, fractional shares start at one dollar, and it offers Roth and traditional IRAs. We didn't find a paper trading mode on the pages we opened.

Moomoo lists no minimum deposit, and says, quote, "$0 commission trading is available only to U.S. residents trading in the U.S. markets through Moomoo Financial Inc. Other fees may apply." End quote. It has paper trading, and its practice account starts with one million dollars in play money. But Moomoo says it, quote, "does not offer individual retirement account (IRA) or joint account." End quote.

Webull says, quote, "Invest in stocks, ETFs, and options, all commission-free." End quote. It lists no deposit minimums, fractional shares, and Traditional, Roth, or Rollover IRAs. And it says its paper trading lets you practice, quote, "without risking any real money." End quote.

Next, established brokers. Charles Schwab says, quote, "There is no minimum investment needed to open a brokerage account." End quote. It lists zero dollar online commissions for stocks and ETFs, fractional shares from one dollar, five types of IRAs, and practice trading with paperMoney on its thinkorswim platform.

Fidelity says, quote, "No minimums to open an account." End quote. It lists zero dollar commissions for online US stock, ETF and option trades, fractional shares from one dollar, and no minimums for most retirement accounts.

SoFi Invest lists a five dollar minimum to begin investing, commission-free trading for its self-directed accounts, fractional shares from five dollars, and Roth, Traditional and SEP IRAs. Cash App Investing says it doesn't have minimum balance requirements. It also says, quote, "No, Cash App doesn't charge commission fees when you buy or sell stocks or exchange-traded funds (ETFs)." End quote. And it offers fractional shares from one dollar.

Now the hands-off options, called robo-advisors. They charge an advisory fee instead of per-trade commissions, so check each pricing page. Betterment lists no minimum balance for its traditional investment portfolios, and offers traditional, Roth and SEP IRAs. Wealthfront says, quote, "The minimum to open this account is $500." End quote. Its portfolio includes IRAs too.

Our tip: ask Grok to explain a fee table. Paste a company's fee page into Grok and ask it to explain every fee in plain words, and which ones could apply to a beginner who buys one ETF a month. Then check the answer against the page itself.

Now, some neutral tips for comparing brokers. We don't rank or recommend any of them. The right fit depends on your goals. Education only. Not financial advice.

First, fees. Read each firm's own fee page. Zero dollar commissions can still leave other fees, so check the fees for what you plan to do.

Second, minimums. Look for the minimum to open an account, and the smallest amount you can invest, like fractional shares from one dollar.

Third, SIPC protection. Check that the brokerage is a SIPC member, and look it up on FINRA BrokerCheck.

Fourth, account types. Make sure the firm offers the account you need, like a regular account or an IRA. Not every firm offers IRAs.

And fifth, features. Paper trading, fractional shares, automatic investing, or a robo-advisor. Check each firm's own pages. Education only. Not financial advice.

To choose for yourself, use the checklist on the lesson page. What's your goal? Does it offer the account you need? What fees apply? Can you start small? Can you practice first? Is the firm on FINRA BrokerCheck and a SIPC member? Can you reach a real person? And did you type the web address yourself?

Here's a practice-first path. Open a paper trading account. Make ten pretend trades, and write down why you made each one. Then ask Grok what patterns it sees in your reasons, and tell it not to say what to buy. Only when you're ready, start small, with money you can afford to lose. Our tip: practice for at least a few weeks. And remember Lesson B4. A great practice record doesn't predict real results.

Now, safety. SIPC says, quote, "SIPC does not protect against the decline in value of your securities." End quote. And, quote, "The limit of SIPC protection is $500,000, which includes a $250,000 limit for cash." End quote. So SIPC is not market-loss insurance.

Check any firm on FINRA BrokerCheck. Search the exact name. Every firm in our tables shows SEC registration "Approved" there.

And watch out for fake apps and social media gurus. The SEC, NASAA and FINRA say, quote, "Claims of high guaranteed investment returns with little or no risk are classic warning signs of fraud." End quote. And, quote, "It is never a good idea to make an investment decision just because someone famous says a product or service is a good investment." End quote. Our tip: type web addresses yourself, get apps only from the store page linked on the company's site, and never share a login or a one-time code.

Finally, what legendary investors teach beginners. Warren Buffett's yearly letters to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders are posted online. No one can promise results, and these quotes don't either. Buffett wrote, quote, "you only need to understand the actions you undertake." End quote. Our tip: if you can't explain it in two sentences, don't buy it yet. He wrote that forming macro opinions or listening to the market predictions of others, quote, "is a waste of time." End quote. Our tip: don't buy or sell because of a headline. He wrote, quote, "Both large and small investors should stick with low-cost index funds." End quote. Our tip: check the fees on everything you own. And about Jack Bogle, he wrote, quote, "For decades, Jack has urged investors to invest in ultra-low-cost index funds." End quote.

Quick check. Does SIPC protect you if your stocks fall? No. Which apps showed paper trading? The firms in the Paper trading row. Someone promises guaranteed returns. What is that? A classic warning sign of fraud. Is there one best app for everyone? No, it depends on you. Practice first, start small, and check BrokerCheck. Education only. Not financial advice.

What you'll learn

What the popular beginner apps and the big established brokers offer, using each company's own words
How to match an app to your situation: practicing first, starting small, saving for retirement, or hands-off
How to check that a firm is real and what SIPC does and doesn't cover
What legendary investors teach beginners

Step 1: Words to know

Broker (brokerage): the company that holds your account and places your trades.
Commission: a fee per trade. Other fees can still apply, so read the fee page.
Fractional share: a slice of one share, bought with a dollar amount.
Paper trading: practice trading with play money. No real money moves.
IRA: an individual retirement account with tax benefits set by the IRS.
Robo-advisor: a service that picks and manages a mix of funds for you, for a fee.
SIPC: helps if a member brokerage firm fails. It does not cover market losses.

Step 2: The comparison

Every cell below comes from the company's own pages, opened Oct 29, 2026. "Not found" means we didn't find it on the official pages we opened, not that it doesn't exist. Rules and offers change, so check the site for current offers and terms.

Beginner apps

	Robinhood	Moomoo	Webull
Account minimum	"To open a brokerage account with Robinhood, you don't need to put any money down."	"Minimum Deposit Requirement": "None"	"no deposit minimums"
US stock and ETF commissions	"no commission fees on stocks, ETFs, and their options"	"$0 commission trading is available only to U.S. residents trading in the U.S. markets through Moomoo Financial Inc. Other fees may apply."	"Invest in stocks, ETFs, and options, all commission-free."
Fractional shares	Yes: "Start with as little as $1"	Yes: "Fractional shares ... are features of Moomoo Financial Inc."	Yes: lists "fractional shares"
Paper trading	Not found	Yes: "Initial virtual assets: $1 million."	Yes: "...without risking any real money." (Webull paperTrade page)
IRA	Yes: "Roth and traditional"	No: "Moomoo Financial Inc. does not offer individual retirement account (IRA) or joint account."	Yes: "Traditional, Roth, or Rollover IRA"
SIPC (company disclosure)	Robinhood Financial LLC "(member SIPC)"	"Member FINRA/SIPC"	"member of ... Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC)"
BrokerCheck (FINRA)	Robinhood Financial, LLC, CRD 165998, SEC registration "Approved"	Moomoo Financial Inc., CRD 283078, SEC registration "Approved"	Webull Financial LLC, CRD 289063, SEC registration "Approved"
Official site	robinhood.com	moomoo.com/us	webull.com

Established brokers

	Charles Schwab	Fidelity	SoFi Invest	Cash App Investing
Account minimum	"There is no minimum investment needed to open a brokerage account."	"No minimums to open an account"	"$5 Minimum to begin investing"	"we don't have minimum balance requirements"
US stock and ETF commissions	"$0 online commission" (stocks and ETFs; OTC equities excluded)	"$0 commissions for online US stock, ETF, and option trades."	"$0 commissions for SoFi self-directed individual cash or margin brokerage accounts that trade U.S. listed and OTC securities (including ETFs)"	"No, Cash App doesn't charge commission fees when you buy or sell stocks or exchange-traded funds (ETFs)."
Fractional shares	Yes: "Start investing with as little as $1."	Yes: "as little as $1 using fractional shares"	Yes: "You can start with as little as $5."	Yes: "as little as $1"
Paper trading	Yes: "Practice trading on thinkorswim with paperMoney."	Not found	Not found	Not found
IRA	Yes: "Traditional, Roth, Rollover, Inherited, and Custodial IRAs"	Yes: "no minimums for most retirement accounts"	Yes: "Roth, Traditional, and SEP IRAs"	Not found
SIPC (company disclosure)	"Member SIPC"	"Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, Member NYSE, SIPC"	"SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC"	"Cash App Investing LLC is a member of SIPC"
BrokerCheck (FINRA)	Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., CRD 5393, SEC registration "Approved"	Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, CRD 7784, SEC registration "Approved"	SoFi Securities LLC, CRD 151717, SEC registration "Approved"	Cash App Investing LLC, CRD 144076, SEC registration "Approved"
Official site	schwab.com	fidelity.com	sofi.com/invest	cash.app/investing

Hands-off options (robo-advisors)

These charge an advisory fee instead of per-trade commissions. Check each pricing page for the current fee.

	Betterment	Wealthfront
Account minimum	"no minimum balance" (for traditional investment portfolios)	"The minimum to open this account is $500." (Wealthfront Portfolio)
IRA	Yes: "traditional, Roth, and SEP IRAs"	Yes: the Wealthfront Portfolio "includes taxable, individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”)"
SIPC (company disclosure)	"Betterment Securities, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA / SIPC"	"Wealthfront Brokerage LLC (”Wealthfront Brokerage”), member FINRA / SIPC"
BrokerCheck (FINRA)	Betterment Securities, CRD 47788, SEC registration "Approved"	Wealthfront Brokerage LLC, CRD 153407, SEC registration "Approved"
Official site	betterment.com	wealthfront.com

SoFi also offers a robo-advisor: its fee schedule lists "$50 Minimum to begin investing" for it.

Our tip: ask Grok to explain a fee table. Paste a company's fee page text into Grok and ask: "Explain every fee on this page in plain words. Which ones could apply to a beginner who buys one ETF a month?" Then check the answer against the page itself.

Step 3: Neutral tips for comparing brokers

We don't rank or recommend any broker. The right fit depends on your goals. Use the tables above as a starting point, then compare on these five things. Education only. Not financial advice.

Fees. Read each firm's own fee page, not just the ads. "$0 commission" can still leave other fees, like account transfer, wire or advisory fees. Check the fees for what you actually plan to do.
Minimums. Look for two numbers: the minimum to open an account, and the smallest amount you can invest (for example, fractional shares from $1). Our tables quote each firm's own words.
SIPC protection. Check that the brokerage is a SIPC member, and look it up on FINRA BrokerCheck. Remember, SIPC helps if a member firm fails. It does not cover market losses.
Account types. Make sure the firm offers the account you need, like a regular taxable account or a Traditional or Roth IRA. Not every firm offers IRAs.
Features. List the features that matter to you, like paper trading for practice, fractional shares, automatic investing, or a robo-advisor that manages funds for you. Then check each firm's own pages to see if it has them.

Our tip: write your top needs on paper first, then compare two or three firms side by side on their own pages. Education only. Not financial advice.

Step 4: How to choose (checklist)

[ ] What is my goal? Practice, small regular amounts, retirement, or hands-off?
[ ] Does it offer the account I need (regular account, IRA)?
[ ] What fees apply to what I plan to do? (Read the fee page. Ask Grok to explain it.)
[ ] Can I start with a small amount (fractional shares)?
[ ] Can I practice first (paper trading)?
[ ] Is the firm on FINRA BrokerCheck, and is it a SIPC member?
[ ] Can I reach a real person for help?
[ ] Did I type the web address myself, or download the app from the official store?

Step 5: Practice first, then start small

Practice: open a paper trading account at a firm that offers one (see the Paper trading row in our tables). Make 10 pretend trades and write down why you made each one.
Review: ask Grok, "Here are my 10 practice trades and my reasons. In plain words, what patterns do you see? Don't tell me what to buy."
Start small: only when you're ready, and only with money you can afford to lose.

Our tip: stay with paper trading for at least a few weeks. Remember Lesson B4: a great practice record does not predict real results.

Step 6: Stay safe

SIPC is not market-loss insurance. SIPC says: "SIPC does not protect against the decline in value of your securities." It also says: "The limit of SIPC protection is $500,000, which includes a $250,000 limit for cash." (SIPC: What SIPC Protects)

Check the firm. Search the exact firm name on FINRA BrokerCheck. Every firm in our tables shows SEC registration "Approved" there.

Beware fake apps and social media "gurus". The SEC, NASAA and FINRA say: "Claims of high guaranteed investment returns with little or no risk are classic warning signs of fraud." They warn that scammers "might use AI technology to produce realistic looking websites or marketing materials to promote fake investments or fraudulent schemes." And: "It is never a good idea to make an investment decision just because someone famous says a product or service is a good investment." (Investor.gov alert; FINRA)

Our tip: type the web address yourself, get apps only from the official app store page linked on the company's site, and never share your login or a one-time code.

Step 7: What legendary investors teach beginners

Warren Buffett's yearly letters to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders are posted on berkshirehathaway.com. Here are lessons from his own letters, each turned into one beginner habit. No one can promise results, and neither do these quotes.

Understand what you buy. "But omniscience isn't necessary; you only need to understand the actions you undertake." (2013 letter) Our tip: before you buy anything, explain it in two sentences. If you can't, don't buy it yet.
Stay in your lane. "It's vital, however, that we recognize the perimeter of our “circle of competence” and stay well inside of it." (2013 letter) Our tip: stick to what you know, and learn before you widen.
Ignore predictions. "Forming macro opinions or listening to the macro or market predictions of others is a waste of time." (2013 letter) Our tip: don't buy or sell because of a headline or a forecast.
Keep costs low. "Both large and small investors should stick with low-cost index funds." (2016 letter) Our tip: check the fees on everything you own.
Learn about low-cost index funds. Buffett wrote: "If a statue is ever erected to honor the person who has done the most for American investors, the handsdown choice should be Jack Bogle." And: "For decades, Jack has urged investors to invest in ultra-low-cost index funds." (2016 letter) Our tip: learn what an index fund is (see our Stocks guide) before picking single stocks.

Sources: Berkshire Hathaway 2013 letter; Berkshire Hathaway 2016 letter

Check yourself

Does SIPC protect you if your stocks fall in price? (Answer: No)
Which apps in our tables showed a paper trading mode? (Answer: the firms in the Paper trading row)
Someone on social media promises guaranteed returns. What does the SEC call that? (Answer: a classic warning sign of fraud)
Is there one best app for everyone? (Answer: No. It depends on you.)

Caution box Investing involves risk, including the loss of money you put in. SIPC "does not protect against the decline in value of your securities." (SIPC) Our tip: practice first, start small, check BrokerCheck, and never follow a "guru" who promises returns. We are not paid by any company named here. Education only. Not financial advice.

Builds on

AI Helps You Learn Stocks guide
AI for Investing Basics
AI Money Scams
Lesson B3: Build a stock "watcher" agent that only alerts
Lesson B4: Backtest honestly and spot fake AI trading bots

Sources

Robinhood: https://robinhood.com/us/en/learn/articles/3fIjIU3bey2l8fwYQdYHBI/what-is-a-brokerage-account/ ; https://robinhood.com/us/en/invest/ ; https://robinhood.com/us/en/about/retirement/
Moomoo: https://www.moomoo.com/us ; https://www.moomoo.com/us/pricing ; https://www.moomoo.com/us/support/topic4_275 (account types: no minimum deposit, no IRA) ; https://www.moomoo.com/us/support/topic3_966 (paper trading rules)
Webull: https://www.webull.com/ ; https://www.webull.com/pricing (no deposit minimums) ; https://www.webull.com/paper-trading
Charles Schwab: https://www.schwab.com/pricing ; https://www.schwab.com/stock-slices ; https://www.schwab.com/ira ; https://www.schwab.com/trading/thinkorswim/desktop
Fidelity: https://www.fidelity.com/trading/commissions-margin-rates ; https://www.fidelity.com/trading/fractional-shares ; https://www.fidelity.com/retirement-ira/overview
SoFi Invest: https://www.sofi.com/wealth/assets/documents/sofi-invest-fee-schedule.pdf ; https://support.sofi.com/hc/en-us/articles/how-to-buy-a-fractional-share-stock-bit ; https://www.sofi.com/invest/
Cash App Investing: https://cash.app/investing
Betterment: https://www.betterment.com/pricing ; https://www.betterment.com/
Wealthfront: https://www.wealthfront.com/static/documents/form_crs.pdf ; https://www.wealthfront.com/legal/disclosure
SIPC: https://www.sipc.org/for-investors/what-sipc-protects
FINRA BrokerCheck: https://brokercheck.finra.org/
SEC, NASAA and FINRA joint alert: https://www.investor.gov/introduction-investing/general-resources/news-alerts/alerts-bulletins/investor-alerts/artificial-intelligence-fraud ; https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/artificial-intelligence-and-investment-fraud
Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letters: https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/letters/2013ltr.pdf ; https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/letters/2016ltr.pdf

Creator credits

Accounts linked from each company's own homepage, checked Oct 29, 2026: - xAI (Grok): X https://x.com/grok , https://x.com/spacexsi - Robinhood: X https://twitter.com/RobinhoodApp , YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY55VHsy1umgvR35gl5bmUw - Moomoo: X https://x.com/moomoo (the "Follow us" link in the moomoo.com/us footer) - Webull: X https://twitter.com/WebullGlobal , YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/WebullGlobal - Charles Schwab: X https://twitter.com/charlesschwab , YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCToe3dspZyw2L_JY-JmP3Mw - Fidelity: X https://x.com/fidelity , YouTube https://www.youtube.com/fidelityinvestments - SoFi: X https://twitter.com/SoFi , YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sofi - Cash App: X https://twitter.com/cashapp - Betterment: X https://x.com/betterment - Wealthfront: X https://x.com/Wealthfront - FINRA: X https://x.com/FINRA , YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@finra - SIPC, Investor.gov and Berkshire Hathaway: source links only.