7 Best Fractional Share Platforms for Small Accounts (2025 Review)

Have you ever looked at the stock price for a company like NVIDIA, Amazon, or Tesla and felt a sense of sticker shock? When a single share costs hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars, it can feel like the world of investing is reserved for the wealthy. As someone just starting out, you might think you need a massive savings account just to get in the game. But what if I told you that you could own a piece of these powerhouse companies for as little as $1 or $5? That’s not a gimmick; it’s the power of fractional shares.

Fractional shares solve the biggest problem for new investors: a high barrier to entry. They allow you to buy a small slice of a share, giving you ownership in the companies you know and love without needing to buy the whole thing. This completely changes the game for those of us with small accounts. In this guide, we’ve done the heavy lifting for you. We’ve researched, tested, and analyzed the landscape to identify the absolute best fractional share platforms for your small account in 2025, helping you choose the perfect starting point for your investment journey.

What Are Fractional Shares and Why Do They Matter?

In the simplest terms, a fractional share is exactly what it sounds like: a fraction of a single share of a company’s stock. Think of it like buying a slice of a pizza instead of the whole pie. If a whole pizza (one share of stock) costs $200, but you only have $20, you can’t buy the whole thing. But with fractional shares, you can buy a 1/10th slice for your $20. You still get to enjoy the pizza and benefit if it becomes more popular (its value goes up), but you did it on your own budget.

This innovation is a game-changer for new investors, especially those with smaller accounts. The single greatest benefit is accessibility. You’re no longer priced out of owning shares in high-growth, blue-chip companies. The second major advantage is diversification. Instead of putting your entire $100 into one or two cheaper stocks, you can spread that same $100 across 20 different companies by buying $5 slices of each. This spreads out your risk and is a cornerstone of smart, long-term investing. This approach is central to the concept of micro-investing, a powerful strategy for building wealth over time. For a deeper dive, our ultimate micro-investing guide explains how to make this work for you.

Finally, fractional shares empower you to start investing with whatever amount you have, right now. Whether it’s $5 from your morning coffee budget or a spare $50 at the end of the month, you can put that money to work immediately. This removes the mental block of “I’ll start when I have more money” and helps you build the crucial habit of consistent investing. It’s a much smarter approach than gambling on highly speculative assets; understanding the differences in our penny stocks vs fractional shares analysis makes this clear.

How We Chose the Best Platforms for 2025

With so many apps and brokerages competing for your attention, it can be overwhelming to know which one is truly right for you. To cut through the noise, we developed a strict set of criteria focused specifically on the needs of new investors with small accounts. Our goal isn’t just to list a few popular names; it’s to provide you with a trustworthy, well-researched guide that respects your hard-earned money and sets you up for success. We believe transparency is key, so here’s exactly what we looked for.

Minimum Investment & Fees

For someone starting with a small account, every dollar counts. A platform that requires a $1,000 minimum deposit is an immediate non-starter. We prioritized platforms with minimums of $5 or less, and in many cases, no minimum at all. This ensures you can get started with literally any amount you’re comfortable with.

Equally important are the fees. A $5 trading commission might not seem like much on a $10,000 trade, but on a $10 trade, it’s a staggering 50% loss right off the bat. That’s why we exclusively focused on platforms offering $0 commissions on U.S. stock and ETF trades. We also dug into their fee schedules to check for hidden monthly maintenance fees or other “gotchas” that could eat away at a small portfolio’s growth.

User Experience (Especially Mobile)

Let’s be honest: in 2025, if an app isn’t intuitive and easy to use, you’re not going to stick with it. A clunky, confusing interface is one of the biggest deterrents for new investors. We placed a heavy emphasis on the mobile experience, as we know this is how most of our audience manages their finances. We looked for clean designs, simple navigation, and a process for buying and selling that feels straightforward, not intimidating.

The best platforms make you feel empowered and in control, not overwhelmed by complex charts and jargon you don’t understand yet. A great user experience removes friction and makes it easier to build and maintain the habit of investing, which is one of the most critical factors for long-term success.

Range of Available Investments

While your initial goal might be to buy fractional shares of a few well-known stocks, your needs will grow as you become a more experienced investor. A great beginner platform should be able to grow with you. We looked at the breadth of investment options each brokerage offers.

Does the platform only offer a limited list of stocks, or can you access thousands of U.S. stocks and ETFs? Do they offer fractional shares of just stocks, or ETFs too? Some platforms even provide access to cryptocurrency or alternative assets. While you may not need these features on day one, having them available means you won’t have to go through the hassle of switching brokerages down the line.

Educational Resources & Tools

The best modern brokerages do more than just execute trades; they help make you a smarter investor. We believe education is a crucial part of the journey, so we gave high marks to platforms that invest in their users. This includes providing a library of easy-to-understand articles, videos, and tutorials explaining basic concepts like diversification, market volatility, and different types of investments.

Beyond articles, we also looked for practical tools that help you make informed decisions. This could be anything from simple stock screeners, clear portfolio performance trackers, or news feeds integrated directly into the app. These resources can help you move from simply buying a stock you’ve heard of to building a thoughtful, well-researched portfolio aligned with your financial goals.

The 7 Best Fractional Share Platforms of 2025

After a thorough review based on our criteria, we’ve narrowed down the field to the seven best platforms for investors with small accounts. Each of these brokerages excels in different areas, so the “best” one for you will depend on your personal goals and preferences. Whether you want a simple, no-frills mobile app or a robust, full-featured platform that can handle your finances for the next 40 years, you’ll find a great option here.

1. Fidelity: Best Overall for Long-Term Investors

Fidelity is a titan in the investment world, long trusted by millions for retirement and brokerage services. For years, they were seen as a more traditional choice, but they have aggressively adapted to the modern investor’s needs, creating an offering that is arguably the best of both worlds. They combine the rock-solid reputation and powerful tools of an established institution with the accessibility features, like $0 commissions and fractional shares, that new investors demand.

Their “Stocks by the Slice” feature allows you to invest in over 7,000 U.S. stocks and ETFs with just a single dollar. This makes Fidelity an incredible choice for someone who is serious about starting their long-term investing journey. You get the beginner-friendly entry point without sacrificing any of the advanced research tools, educational content, and outstanding customer support you’ll want as your knowledge and portfolio grow. It’s the rare platform that is perfect for your first $100 and your first $100,000.

• Best for: Beginners who want a trusted, full-service brokerage that will grow with them.
• Pros:
  • Invest with as little as $1 (“Stocks by the Slice”).
  • Huge selection of stocks and ETFs.
  • No account fees or commissions on US stocks/ETFs.
  • Top-tier research tools and educational content.
  • Excellent customer service.
• Cons:
  • The mobile app can feel more complex than fintech-focused competitors.
• Key Details for 2025:
  • Minimum Investment: $1
  • Account Fees: $0
  • Key Feature: Robust platform that supports you from your first dollar to retirement.

2. Charles Schwab: Best for Excellent Service & Banking Integration

Charles Schwab is another legacy brokerage that has built an impeccable reputation over decades, particularly for its world-class customer service. If you value the peace of mind that comes with knowing you can get a knowledgeable, helpful human on the phone 24/7, Schwab is hard to beat. They entered the fractional share space with “Schwab Stock Slices,” a feature designed to make investing in America’s largest companies incredibly straightforward.

With Stock Slices, you can buy a piece of any company in the S&P 500 for as little as $5. While this is slightly more restrictive than Fidelity’s offering, it covers all the household-name companies that most beginners are interested in. Where Schwab truly shines is in its ecosystem. They offer one of the best high-yield checking accounts on the market (with no foreign transaction fees on the debit card), which integrates seamlessly with your brokerage account. This makes it an amazing all-in-one financial hub for saving, spending, and investing.

• Best for: Investors who also want integrated checking/banking services from a highly reputable broker.
• Pros:
  • “Schwab Stock Slices” lets you buy fractional shares of any S&P 500 company for $5.
  • No commissions or account fees.
  • Outstanding 24/7 customer support.
  • Seamless integration with Schwab Bank high-yield checking.
• Cons:
  • $5 minimum per slice is higher than some competitors.
  • Fractional shares are limited to S&P 500 companies.
• Key Details for 2025:
  • Minimum Investment: $5 per “slice”
  • Account Fees: $0
  • Key Feature: Unmatched customer service and all-in-one financial ecosystem.

3. M1 Finance: Best for Automated Portfolio Investing

M1 Finance offers a unique and innovative twist on investing that is perfect for people who want to build a diversified portfolio but don’t want to manage it day-to-day. Instead of focusing on buying and selling individual stocks, M1 is built around creating custom portfolios, which they call “Pies.” You choose the stocks and ETFs you want in your Pie and set a target percentage for each (e.g., 20% Apple, 15% VOO, 10% Tesla, etc.).

From there, M1 does the rest. Every time you deposit money, it’s automatically invested across your slices to keep your Pie balanced according to your targets. This is a brilliant use of fractional shares, enabling true, automated portfolio allocation. It’s designed for a “set it and forget it” approach, making it ideal for long-term investors who prefer to be hands-off. The sleek, modern interface makes building and tracking your Pies a visually satisfying experience.

• Best for: Hands-off investors who want to build and automate a custom portfolio (a “Pie”).
• Pros:
  • Create custom “Pies” of stocks and ETFs that automatically stay balanced.
  • All investments are fractional by nature, enabling true portfolio allocation.
  • Sleek, modern interface.
  • No trading commissions.
• Cons:
  • Less control over individual trade timing (trades execute during one or two daily “windows”).
  • Better for long-term portfolio building than active trading.
• Key Details for 2025:
  • Minimum Investment: $100 to start
  • Account Fees: $0 for basic account
  • Key Feature: “Pie” based investing for effortless, automated diversification.

4. Robinhood: Best for User-Friendly Mobile Experience

Robinhood is the platform that arguably made fractional shares mainstream and pioneered the commission-free trading revolution. Its core strength remains its mobile-first user interface, which is the gold standard for simplicity and ease of use. For a complete beginner who feels intimidated by traditional brokerage apps, Robinhood offers the smoothest and most streamlined entry point into the world of investing.

Opening an account takes minutes, and buying your first fractional share for as little as $1 is incredibly intuitive. While it has faced controversy in the past regarding payment for order flow and trading halts, it remains a massively popular choice for new investors due to its undeniable accessibility. While its simplicity is its main draw, it’s worth comparing it to other micro-investing focused apps. For a detailed breakdown, see our Acorns vs Robinhood comparison. For those who may later want to explore other asset classes, Robinhood also offers easy access to options and cryptocurrency trading within the same app.

• Best for: New investors looking for the simplest, most streamlined mobile-first trading experience.
• Pros:
  • Extremely intuitive and easy-to-use interface.
  • Buy fractional shares for as little as $1.
  • No account minimums or commissions.
  • Also offers options and cryptocurrency trading.
• Cons:
  • Educational resources and research tools are less comprehensive than traditional brokers.
  • History of controversy regarding payment for order flow and trading halts.
• Key Details for 2025:
  • Minimum Investment: $1
  • Account Fees: $0
  • Key Feature: The gold standard for a simple, gamified user interface.

5. Public.com: Best for Community and Investment Ideas

Public.com takes a unique approach by blending a brokerage platform with a social media network. This creates an environment where investing is a shared, community-driven experience. On the app, you can follow experienced investors, friends, and financial creators to see what they are buying and selling (in real-time) and read the reasoning behind their trades. This can be a fantastic way for beginners to learn and discover new investment ideas.

Beyond its social features, Public is a robust platform in its own right. It offers fractional investing in thousands of stocks and ETFs starting with just $1. What sets it apart is its growing range of alternative assets, allowing you to invest in slices of collectibles like rare sneakers, trading cards, and even fine art. For the modern investor who wants to build a diverse portfolio and learn from a community, Public offers a compelling and transparent experience.

• Best for: Investors who want to learn from a social community and follow other investors’ trades.
• Pros:
  • Social feed lets you see what others are buying and selling.
  • Invest in stocks, ETFs, crypto, and alternative assets (like art and collectibles).
  • Clean interface with a strong focus on investor education.
  • Low $1 minimum for fractional shares.
• Cons:
  • The social aspect can be distracting for some investors.
• Key Details for 2025:
  • Minimum Investment: $1
  • Account Fees: $0
  • Key Feature: A social investing network combined with a brokerage.

6. SoFi Invest: Best for an All-in-One Finance App

SoFi has rapidly evolved from a student loan refinancing company into a full-fledged financial “super app,” and its investment platform is a core part of that ecosystem. If you already use SoFi for banking, personal loans, credit cards, or a mortgage, SoFi Invest is an incredibly convenient choice. It allows you to manage all aspects of your financial life—spending, saving, borrowing, and investing—under one roof and with a single login.

With SoFi Invest, you can buy “Stock Bits” (their term for fractional shares) starting at just $5. The platform offers both active investing, where you pick your own stocks and ETFs, and an automated robo-advisor service for those who prefer a hands-off approach. While its research tools are more basic than what you’d find at Fidelity or Schwab, its strength lies in its seamless integration and convenience for existing SoFi members.

• Best for: Users who already use SoFi for banking, loans, or other financial products.
• Pros:
  • Seamlessly manage investing alongside banking, loans, and credit cards.
  • Buy “Stock Bits” starting at $5.
  • Offers both active (you pick) and automated (robo-advisor) investing.
  • No commissions on trades.
• Cons:
  • Investing tools are more basic compared to dedicated brokerages.
  • Fewer investment options than Fidelity or Schwab.
• Key Details for 2025:
  • Minimum Investment: $5
  • Account Fees: $0
  • Key Feature: The ultimate financial “super app” for one-stop money management.

7. Stash: Best for Guided Investing & Education

Stash positions itself less as a brokerage and more as a financial subscription service designed to teach you how to invest. It is built from the ground up for absolute beginners who feel they need structure and guidance to build good financial habits. The app constantly prompts you with educational content and encourages you to set goals and invest small, regular amounts of money to achieve them.

The entire experience is designed to be empowering and educational. A standout feature is the “Stock-Back® Card,” a debit card that rewards you with fractional shares of stock related to your purchases. However, this guidance comes at a cost. Unlike the other platforms on this list, Stash charges a monthly subscription fee (starting around $3/month). While this can be a worthwhile investment for someone who needs the extra coaching, it can be a significant drag on returns for very small accounts, so you’ll need to decide if the value is worth the fee.

• Best for: Absolute beginners who need guidance and a structured way to build investing habits.
• Pros:
  • Strong focus on education and goal-setting.
  • Prompts users to invest small amounts regularly.
  • Offers a “Stock-Back® Card” that rewards you with fractional shares.
• Cons:
  • Requires a monthly subscription fee (starting around $3/month), which can be high for very small accounts.
  • Less freedom than a traditional brokerage.
• Key Details for 2025:
  • Minimum Investment: $1
  • Account Fees: Monthly subscription fee (e.g., $3/mo for Stash Growth)
  • Key Feature: A subscription-based coaching app that helps you learn to invest.

Comparison Table: Best Fractional Share Platforms at a Glance

Platform	Minimum Investment	Account Fee	Best For
Fidelity	$1	$0	Overall value & long-term growth
Ch. Schwab	$5	$0	Customer service & banking integration
M1 Finance	$100	$0 (Basic)	Automated portfolio “Pie” investing
Robinhood	$1	$0	Simple, mobile-first user experience
Public.com	$1	$0	Social community & investment ideas
SoFi Invest	$5	$0	All-in-one finance app users
Stash	$1	Monthly Sub.	Guided investing and education

How to Get Started with Fractional Shares in 4 Simple Steps

Feeling motivated? The great news is that getting started is easier than ever. You can go from reading this article to being a shareholder in a major company in less than 15 minutes. Here’s all it takes:

1. Choose Your Platform: Based on our review, pick the platform that best fits your goals and comfort level. Don’t overthink it—you can always open another account later. The key is to just start.
2. Open and Fund Your Account: This process is done entirely online or through the mobile app. It usually takes just a few minutes. You’ll need to provide some basic personal information like your Social Security number (for tax purposes) and connect a bank account to transfer funds.
3. Find Your First Stock or ETF: Once your account is funded, use the search bar to look for a company you believe in, like Apple (AAPL), or a broadly diversified ETF like the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO).
4. Place Your First Trade: Instead of choosing the number of shares, you’ll select the option to trade in dollars. Enter the amount you want to invest (e.g., $10), review the order, and submit it. Congratulations, you’re officially an investor!

Conclusion: You Don’t Need to Be Rich to Invest

For decades, the idea of “investing” was associated with wealth and exclusivity. Fractional shares have completely shattered that barrier, democratizing the stock market for everyone. You no longer need thousands of dollars to build a diversified portfolio of high-quality companies. You can start today with the money in your pocket, and that is a truly powerful shift.

As we’ve covered, a platform like Fidelity offers the best overall value for long-term growth, providing a robust system that can serve you for life. Meanwhile, an app like Robinhood offers the absolute easiest entry point for those who prioritize simplicity above all else. No matter which path you choose, the most important thing is to take action. The power of compounding works best with time, and every day you wait is a day of potential growth you can’t get back. The most important step is the first one. Pick a platform and start your investing journey today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Are fractional shares safe and are they real shares?

Yes, they are completely safe and represent real, legal ownership. When you buy a fractional share, you have a genuine equity stake in the company. Your brokerage holds the full share in what’s called “street name,” and you are listed as the “beneficial owner” of your specific fraction. Furthermore, your account is protected by SIPC (Securities Investor Protection Corporation) insurance, which covers your investments up to $500,000 in the unlikely event the brokerage fails.

How do dividends work with fractional shares?

You receive dividends that are directly proportional to the fraction of the share you own. It’s a simple calculation. If a company pays a $1.00 dividend per full share and you own 0.10 of a share, you will receive $0.10 in cash, which will be deposited directly into your brokerage account. It’s one of the great perks of ownership, no matter how small your slice is.

Can I buy a fractional share of any stock or ETF?

Not always, but the selection is typically very broad. Most platforms that offer fractional shares do so for a large list of securities, usually including all S&P 500 companies and many other popular U.S. stocks and ETFs. However, some brokers may have limitations. For example, Charles Schwab currently limits its “Stock Slices” to companies within the S&P 500. It’s always a good idea to check the platform’s specific list of eligible securities before you open an account if you have a specific niche stock in mind.

What is the main difference between fractional shares and ETFs?

This is a great question that often confuses beginners. A fractional share is a piece of a single company’s stock (e.g., buying 0.5 shares of Apple). An ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund) is a single share that represents a whole basket of different stocks (e.g., one share of the ETF “VOO” gives you a tiny piece of all 500 companies in the S&P 500). The best part is that you can combine these concepts: you can buy a fractional share of an ETF. This is an incredibly powerful way for someone with a small account to achieve massive diversification. For as little as $5, you can own a piece of the entire market.