Best Micro-Investing Apps Australia – Top Apps for Beginners Revealed
Micro investing apps are getting more and more popular with Australians that wish to access the financial markets with small stakes. Not only does this allow the Average Joe to invest on a tight budget, but it also enables you to create a highly diversified portfolio of assets with ease.
If you’re interested in finding the best micro investing apps in Australia, this page reviews the top providers to consider in 2023.
Contents
Key Points on Stock Apps in UK
- ▪ The best micro investing apps let you deposit and invest small amounts of money directly into your trading account.
- ▪ Trading platforms that provide micro investing apps make online trading more accessible for beginner traders.
- ▪ eToro is the best micro investing app in Australia as it offers commission-free stock trading as well as fractional share trading.
68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Top Micro Investing Apps 2023
Don’t have time to read our guide in full and want to get started with the best micro investing apps Australia right now? Check out the list below to see which providers stand out from the crowd!
- eToro – Overall Best Micro Investing App Australia – 0% Commission
- Raiz – Best Micro Investing App Australia for Investing Spare Change
- Spaceship Voyager – Best Micro Investing App Australia for Low-Cost Diversification
You can scroll down to read a full review of each micro investing app that made the cut.
Best Online Micro Investing Apps Reviewed
In choosing a micro investing app, your main priority is likely to be a provider that allows you to invest with small amounts. However, there are many other metrics that need to be considered too.
For example, how safe is the micro investing app and does it support your preferred financial market? Additionally, you also need to explore payment methods, customer support, and the app’s user experience.
To help clear the mist, below we review the best micro investing apps Australia in 2023.
eToro – Overall Best Micro Investing App Australia
In reviewing dozens of providers, we found that the best micro investing app Australia is eToro. This top-rated Australian stock app supports fractional ownership on all of its supported markets. In simple terms, this means that you no longer need to buy a full stock, cryptocurrency, or ETF.
On the contrary, Australians can now purchase just a ‘fraction’ of one asset. On the eToro app, this starts at just $25 when investing in cryptocurrencies. This means that you can buy Bitcoin and other expensive digital assets with really low stakes. If stocks are more your thing, eToro allows you to invest from just $50 upwards.
This is particularly useful if you’re interested in tech stocks like Tesla, Amazon, or Google – many of which run into the thousands of dollars per stock. Irrespective of which asset you invest in on this top-rated micro investing app – you won’t pay a single cent in commission or ongoing fees. Instead, it’s just the spread that needs to be taking into account – which is the difference between the bid and ask price of your chosen asset. Did you know that eToro is one of the best share trading platforms Australia? Read our in-depth guide for more details.
When it comes to safety, you’ll be pleased to know that eToro is authorized and regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). The micro investing app is also licensed by the FCA and CySEC. You can easily get started with this top-rated trading app by depositing funds with an Australian debit card, credit card, e-wallet, or bank transfer. You’ll pay a small FX fee on your deposit of 0.5%, but after that, you’ll be able to enjoy a truly commission-free trading experience.
Still not convinced on the eToro investment app? Read our comprehensive eToro app review to find out more about what this app offers and why it’s one of the best crypto apps to use in 2023.
Pros
- Regulated by the FCA, CySEC, and ASIC
- Trusted brand with over 17 million client accounts worldwide
- Buy stocks without paying any commission or share dealing charges
- Social and copy trading
- Buy stocks or trade CFDs with leverage
- 2,400+ stocks listed on multiple international markets
- Personalised eToro account where you can set up trading price alerts
Cons
- Not suitable for advanced traders that like to perform technical analysis
68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Raiz – Best Micro Investing App Australia for Investing Spare Change
Raiz is an interesting micro investing app that allows Australians to invest their ‘spare change’ into the financial markets in a fully autonomous manner. By this, we mean that every time you use your debit or credit card (which you’ll need to link with your Raiz investment account), the micro investment app will round it up to the nearest dollar.
Then, the difference between the two values will be invested in your portfolio. For example, let’s suppose that you buy a cup of coffee for $4.50. Riaz will round this transaction up to $5, with the $0.50 balance being invested in your chosen portfolio. This is a great way of building your exposure to the financial markets without needing to keep making manual deposits.
With that said, Raiz does support traditional payment methods nonetheless, so you invest lump sums as and when you wish. In terms of where your money goes, you will have 7 investment portfolios to choose from. All portfolios contain between 4-7 ETFs, and the one you opt for is dependent on your financial goals and attitude to risk. To give you an idea, the most aggressive portfolio will contain emerging stocks and even Bitcoin. The most conservative portfolio will typically focus on bonds and cash.
In terms of fees, the standard account will cost you $2.50 per month, and an annual maintenance fee of 0.275%. If you select the super account, this will cost $2 per week and an annual fee of 0.373%. We like the fact that Raiz does not have a minimum account balance and the minimum deposit to get started is just $5. Finally, your money is never locked away at this top-rated micro investing app, meaning you can withdraw your cash at any time – fee-free.
Pros
- Invest your spare change by rounding up debit/credit card payments
- No minimum account balance
- Choose from 7 portfolios based
- Great for newbies
- Get started with a deposit of just $5
- Withdraw your cash at any time
- Polpular with Millennials
Cons
- Unable to buy individual stocks
- No say in which investments are added to your portfolio
- Only 4-7 ETFs per portfolio – which isn’t overly diversified
Your capital is at risk when using this micro investing app
Spaceship Voyager – Best Micro Investing App Australia for Low-Cost Diversification
After that, you will pay an annual fee that starts from just 0.05% – depending on which portfolio you choose to invest in. There are three portfolios offered by this micro investment app, each of which has its own financial objectives and risks.
The Spaceship Universe Portfolio, for example, invests mainly in growth stocks – such as the likes of Square, Tesla, and Spotify. This portfolio saw returns of 30.33% between May 2018 and November 2020. A more diversified option is to perhaps consider the Spaceship Origin Portfolio.
This will give you access to a basket of large blue-chip stocks – such as Johnson & Johnson, Berkshire Hathaway, Alphabet, and Amazon. The third option to consider is the Spaceship Earth Portfolio, which invests in companies that have a positive impact on people.
This portfolio saw returns of 10.93% between May 2018 and November 2020. If you like the sound of Spaceship Voyager, this top-rated micro-investing app does not have a minimum deposit policy in place. This allows you to invest an amount that your budget permits. Finally, the Spaceship Voyager app is regulated by ASIC.
Pros
- No fees on the first $5,500 invested
- The annual fee starts from 0.05% annually on everything over $5,500
- Easy to use
- No minimum investment
- Regulated by ASIC
Cons
- Just 3 portfolios to choose from
- Many of the same stocks appear in all three portfolios
- Unable to access a broad range of markets
- Terminology used by the platform is a bit juvenile
Your capital is at risk when using this micro-investing app
Micro Investing Apps Explained
In other words, the barriers often found at traditional brokerage platforms – such as account minimums and high fees – are removed. Instead, the best micro-investing apps in Australia allows you to invest in the financial markets with really small stakes.
For example, our top-rated provider eToro supports fractional shares, meaning that you don’t need to buy a full stock. Instead, as long as you meet a small minimum purchase of $50 – you can invest as little as you like.
In some cases, micro-investing apps in Australia allow you to round up your debit/credit card transactions. For example, you might spend $9.70 on a book and the app will round up the transaction to $10. The balance of $0.30 will then be added to your investment portfolio.
How to Choose the Best Micro Investing App Australia for You
There are many micro-investing apps available to Australians in 2023. As we briefly noted earlier, you should never open an account with a provider just because they support micro-investments. Instead, there are many other metrics that you need to cross off before taking the plunge.
This includes:
Regulation
All of the best micro-investing apps Australia discussed on this page are authorized and regulated by ASIC. This means that you’ll be protected by several safeguards – such as client funds being held in segregated, tier-one bank accounts.
ASIC-regulated micro-investing apps must have strong financial stability, clearly display the risks associated with investing, and have their books audited on a regular basis.
Crucially, if you come across a micro-investing app that isn’t regulated by ASIC – avoid it.
Assets
One of the main drawbacks with micro-investing apps is that in the vast majority of cases – you won’t be able to pick and choose your own investments. Instead, platforms like Riaz, FirstStep, and Spaceship Voyager ask you to select a pre-packaged portfolio that is based on your financial goals and attitude to risk.
While this might suit those of you that wish to invest passively, such a strategy can be restrictive. For example, Riaz portfolios can contain as little as 4 ETFs, while Spaceship Voyager portfolios often contain many of the same stocks.
This is why we much prefer eToro, which offers the best of both worlds. That is to say, you can elect to invest passively via a CopyPortfolio or by utilizing the Copy Trading tool.
The latter allows you to mirror a successful eToro trader like-for-like. Most importantly, eToro also allows you to pick and choose your own individual investments. This includes over 2,400 stocks from 17 exchanges, more than 250 ETFs, and 16 digital currencies.
Fees
Even the best micro investing apps Australia charge fees. After all, they are in the business of making a profit. In some cases, micro investing apps charge a flat monthly fee.
For example, Raiz charges $2.50. But, the app also charges an annual fee of 0.275% – which is multiplied against the amount you have invested. Spaceship Voyager is very competitive in this respect, as you will only pay a fee when you invest more than $5,500.
Even then, the fee starts at just 0.05% per year. eToro goes one step further – as it charges no platform fees whatsoever. In fact, you won’t pay a commission when you buy or sell assets, either.
Other fees that you need to factor in include:
- Deposit/Withdraw Fees
- ETF Expense Ratio
- Spreads
- Early Redemption Fee
Ultimately, we found that the best micro investing apps Australia are very transparent about the fees they charge.
Tools and Features
When reviewing the best micro investing apps Australia, we came across a number of notable features that you might find of interest.
This includes:
Debit Card Round-Up
Some micro investing apps allow you to round up your debit card transactions. As we covered earlier, this is a great way to invest your spare change into the financial markets. Although the specific amounts will be minute, this can quickly add up if you keep the round-up feature activate for several years.
Portfolio Rebalancing
The best micro investing apps Australia will take full control over your portfolio. This means that you can sit back and invest in a completely passive nature – not least because the provider will rebalance the assets in your portfolio on a regular basis.
Automated Investments
We also like micro investing apps in Australia that allow you to set up an automatic investment plan. For example, you might decide to invest $10 every Friday or $100 at the end of each month. Either way, app provider will automatically debit your account on your chosen date – and when invest the money into your chosen portfolio.
Savings Goals
A lot of micro invest apps will also allow you to set up specific savings goals. For example, you might be saving money towards a new car. By entering the amount you wish to save and the date you need to reach your target – the micro investing app will give you regular updates on your progress.
Device Compatibility
Micro investing apps are still relatively new in the Australian market. As such, you might find that a new provider will initially release their app on just one operating system.
In turn, you need to ensure that the app is compatible with your device. The good news is that all of the best micro investing apps discussed on this page are available on both iOS and Android phones.
Payments
In order to use a micro investing app, you will first need to make a deposit. Most of the apps that we came across support bank account transfer only. Some – such as those listed on this page, also accept debit card payments. In the case of our top-rated micro investing platform – eToro, you can also deposit and withdraw funds with an e-wallet like Paypal.
Customer Support
Baring in mind that micro investing apps are typically aimed at Australians with little to or no investment experience, you’d expect the provider to offer top-notch customer support.
Unfortunately, we came across a number of apps that allow offer support via email. This means that you might need to wait a couple of days before you receive a response to your query.
On the other hand, most of the micro investing apps that we have reviewed today offer an in-build Live Chat facility. This is great, as you speak with an advisor at any time.
How to Get Started with a Micro Investing App
If you think that micro investing apps mirror your financial goals and investment experience – we are now going to show you how to get started. The walkthrough below you show you how to get set up with our top-rated micro investing provider – eToro.
You will first need to visit the eToro website via your mobile web browser. Look out for the ‘Join Now; button to begin the account opening process.
Here, you will need to provide some personal information – such as your name, home address, Australia Tax Identification Number, email, and mobile number.
Once you have opened an account, eToro will redirect you to the Google Play or Apple Store download page. This is the safest way to obtain the app, as you can be 100% sure you are downloading the official version, up-to-date version.
You are now ready to make some micro investments. As noted earlier, the minimum crypto investment is just $25 and stocks can be purchased from just $50. Most ETFs can also be invested in from just $50.
To find your chosen asset, use the search box at the top of the page. Then, click on the ‘Trade’ button to load up the order form.
All you need to do here is enter the amount that you would like to invest – ensuring that they meet the minimum for the respective asset class.
Finally, click on the ‘Open Trade’ button to complete your commission-free micro investment!
The Verdict
No longer do you need to invest large amounts to gain access to the global stock markets. Instead, by using the best micro-investing apps in Australia, you often get started with just a couple of dollars. As we have discussed on this page, the best providers give you access to a broad range of markets at very competitive fees.
If you’re looking to get started with the best micro-investing app Australia right now, eToro is well worth considering. This ASIC-regulated app supports thousands of markets – so you can pick and choose the stocks, ETFs, or cryptocurrencies that wish to invest in. Plus, this commission-free micro-investing app supports automated trading – so you can invest in a completely passive manner.
eToro – Overall Best Micro Investing App with 0% Commission
68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
FAQs
What is the best micro-investing app Australia?
After reviewing dozens of providers, we found that eToro is the best micro-investing app Australia. By going through a quick 10-minute account opening process, you can invest from just $25 upwards.
How do micro-investing apps work?
Most micro-investing apps initially ask you to outline your financial goals and tolerance to risk. Then, you will be offered a pre-built portfolio that aligns with your profile. Once you have selected a portfolio, it's then just a case of funding your account. It is important to remember that micro-investing apps cannot offer you financial advice - unless authorized to do so from ASIC.
Are micro-investing apps worth it?
Whether or not micro-investing apps are worth it will depend on your investing experience and financial goals. For example, if you have virtually no knowledge of trading and wish to passively invest a few dollars here and there - then micro-investing apps are great. But, if you're looking to pick and choose your own investments and want full control over where your money goes - you might find micro-investing apps a bit restrictive.
Are micro-investing apps in Australia legit?
All of the best micro-investing apps discussed on this page are authorized and regulated by ASIC. As such, you can be sure the application is legit. However, we also came across micro-investing apps that are unregulated or simply licensed in shady offshore locations. These apps should be avoided.
What is the minimum micro investment?
The minimum investment amount will be determined by the app provider. With that said, most micro-investing apps in Australia have a minimum deposit requirement that is just a few dollars. In some cases, there is no minimum account balance at all.
