Despite the widespread economic pain the pandemic has inflicted across the country, the U.S. stock market indices posted record highs lately, making many investors quite a bit richer. There are real opportunities to build wealth by investing today and you don’t have to miss out. Financial firms have made it easier than ever to invest with smartphone apps that can get you started with just a few dollars.

If you’re new to investing, it’s understandable if you’re not sure which app-based investing platforms are reputable, which ones fit your investing needs, and what the investing requirements of each are. Here’s a quick guide to three of the most reputable app-based brokerage services (as reviewed by Bankrate, NerdWallet, and Forbes) on the market today:

Acorns

When you sign up for this app and link a credit or debit card to it, Acorns will round up your purchases to the nearest dollar and invest your spare change, if you’d like. You can also make recurring contributions for as little as $5 in individual brokerage, retirement, or educational savings accounts. While your investment options are limited to ETFs, Acorns charges only nominal monthly fees, and has a $0 minimum account balance.

Robinhood

This app allows you to trade securities like stocks, options, and even cryptocurrencies commission-free. Robinhood is for investors who want to trade online and has a smooth interface for doing so. Unlike Acorns, it does not offer retirement or other types of tax-advantaged accounts. Still, with a $0 minimum balance requirement and a wide variety of options, investors can easily use Robinhood to build a diverse portfolio of securities.

**E*Trade**

While E*Trade charges a commission for options contracts, investors benefit from an extensive array of commission-free investing choices, including stocks, bonds, ETFs, and mutual funds. They also feature a top-notch investment research library, full of real-time information and analysis, which helps beginners and veteran investors. Like the previous two apps, they do not require you to carry an account balance, nor do they charge you an annual or inactivity fee.

As the stock market continues to surge, don’t miss out. Stock investing is a time-tested method to build wealth, and with these apps, you can get started with just a few dollars. Take some or all of that last stimulus check money and start investing today!

Etrade

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