Investing is definitely the thing of the moment — we quite simply love to see it. Over the past few years, we’ve seen investing become more and more accessible to the everyday person, and with investment apps allowing you to start growing wealth with as little as $5, there’s something for all levels. Today, we’ve got a handy guide for our Aussies, sharing six investment apps in Australia that may suit your investing needs.
Sharesies
Certified B-Corp Sharesies has hit Australian shores after huge success when it first launched in New Zealand. The ultra-user-friendly app experience breaks down investing into a simple, easy-to-understand process that, in their words, gives someone with $5 the same investment opportunities as someone with $5 million. We like.
With Sharesies, you can invest with as little as $5, making it one of Australia’s most cost-accessible micro-investing apps. You can invest in US, Australian and New Zealand markets, across a raft of direct shares and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).
Shares you buy through Sharesies are not owned under your Holder Identification Number (HIN) and are not CHESS sponsored. Instead, they’re held under a group HIN owned by Sharsies, but you are the full beneficial owner of your shares.
Raiz
Another of Australia’s most popular micro-investing apps, Raiz allows you to invest your spare change by rounding up your transactions. And trust us, if you’ve never used round-ups before, you’ll be amazed at how much you can stash away without even noticing.
If round-ups aren’t your bag, you can just make a regular transfer, or invest lump sum amounts whenever you like. With Raiz, you’ll choose from one of their own portfolios based on your risk tolerance, making it great for beginner investors.
As with Sharesies, your shares are not CHESS sponsored or owned under your HIN, but you are the beneficial owner.
Pearler
Pearler is one of Australia’s most well-known investment platforms. Specializing in “boring investing”, Pearler advocates for long-term buy-and-hold investment styles over flashy get-rich-quick trading. Their neat auto-invest feature allows you to invest little and often, and build it into your budget. You can set target FIRE (financial independence retire early) dates if that’s your thing, or just commit to a slow and steady investment strategy for the long term.
As a direct brokerage, all your investments bought through Pearler are CHESS sponsored and owned under your own HIN. You can buy Australian and US shares and funds, too. Plus, they’ve recently launched Pearler Micro — a micro-investing solution for beginners.
Selfwealth
Selfwealth offers the most markets of any Australian investment platform, so if you’re looking to trade in the Australian, US and Hong Kong markets, this could be the platform for you. If you’re crypto-curious, that’s coming soon too.
Your shares are owned in your HIN, and you’ll get flat-fee trades at $9.50.
Stake
Ultra-low-fee trading app Stake has a modern user experience that makes investing simple. At just $3 brokerage for trades under $30,000 across their AU and US markets, you can do more for less. Plus, trades are CHESS sponsored.
Sharesight
While not an investment platform where you can actually buy shares and funds, Sharesight is every investor’s best friend when it comes to tracking, monitoring, oh, and tax time. It’s a portfolio tracking software that allows you to see all your investments in one place — yes, even if they were bought through multiple platforms, including micro-investing platforms. Ummm, keen! Plus, at tax time you can easily export the reports you need to remain compliant.
Tracking your investments with PocketSmith
PocketSmith can import data from all of these listed platforms, making it even easier to integrate your investments into your money management routine. Keep an eye on your net worth, set goals and forecast when you’ll reach big milestones.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog about investing apps is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. PocketSmith are not accountable for any actions or decisions made based on the information presented.
