July 8, 2025
January 29, 2026
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️ 8 min read
By Don Briscoe, a personal finance educator with over 12 years of experience guiding everyday people through smarter banking, credit, and money decisions.
TL;DR – Quick Summary
- Micro-investing apps round up purchases and invest spare change automatically — no manual transfers needed
- Acorns and Stash lead for automation with $3–9/month fees covering investing, banking, and retirement accounts
- Wealthsimple and M1 Finance offer robo-management with portfolio customization and lower percentage-based fees
- Watch fee-to-balance ratios closely — flat monthly fees can outpace returns on small balances under $1,000
- Scale investments with multipliers and recurring deposits to accelerate compounding beyond spare change alone
You grab coffee. You swipe your card. Three dollars and forty-seven cents. What if that extra 53 cents could build wealth instead of disappearing into your transaction history?
That's the promise of spare change investing apps — automated platforms that round up your everyday purchases to the nearest dollar and invest the difference. No spreadsheets. No manual transfers. Just passive wealth-building that happens in the background while you live your life.
But here's what most articles won't tell you: not all micro-investing apps work the same way, and choosing the wrong one can cost you more in fees than you'll earn in returns. Some apps prioritize automation. Others give you control over stock selection. A few focus on robo-advisory services with diversified ETF portfolios.
This guide breaks down the best spare change investing apps available in 2026 — how they work, what they cost, and which one actually fits your financial situation. No fluff. Just the framework you need to decide if micro-investing belongs in your wealth-building strategy.
What Is Micro-Investing and How Does Round-Up Automation Work?
Micro-investing turns small amounts — often less than $5 per transaction — into investable capital. Instead of waiting until you have "enough" to open a brokerage account, these apps let you start building a portfolio with pocket change.
Here's the mechanical process behind round-up investing:
- Link your checking or credit card — The app connects to your primary spending accounts
- Automatic rounding — Every purchase rounds up to the nearest dollar (e.g., $3.47 becomes $4.00)
- Spare change accumulation — The app tracks the difference (53 cents in this example) across all transactions
- Batch transfers — Once your round-ups hit a threshold (usually $5), the app initiates an ACH transfer from your bank
- Portfolio allocation — Funds are invested into fractional shares of stocks, ETFs, or pre-built portfolios based on your risk profile
The key advantage: you never miss the money. Because amounts are small and spread across dozens of transactions, most people don't notice the transfers happening. Over time, these nickels and dimes compound into meaningful balances — especially when combined with recurring deposits or round-up multipliers.
Now let's look at which apps actually deliver on this promise.
Top Apps to Automatically Invest Spare Change
Acorns – All-in-One Investing + Banking Platform
Best for: People who want complete automation with minimal decision-making
Core Features:
- Round-up automation with optional 2x, 5x, or 10x multipliers
- Found Money cashback program with partner brands
- Retirement accounts (Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, SEP IRA)
- Kids investment accounts (UTMA/UGMA)
- Checking account with debit card and direct deposit
- Diversified ETF portfolios managed based on risk tolerance
Pricing:
- Personal: $3/month (investing only)
- Premium: $6/month (investing + retirement)
- Premium Plus: $12/month (investing + retirement + kids accounts + expert advice)
Investment Options: Automated ETF portfolios only — no individual stock selection
Why it works: Acorns handles everything. You set your risk level once, link your cards, and the platform invests automatically. The Found Money program adds cashback rewards that go directly into your portfolio, and the banking integration means you can manage spending and investing in one place.
Watch out for: Monthly fees eat into returns on small balances. If you're investing less than $100/month, the $3–12 monthly fee represents 3–12% of your contributions — far exceeding typical expense ratios. This works better once your balance exceeds $1,000.
Stash – Personalized Stock Selection with Round-Ups
Best for: Investors who want some control over their portfolio without full DIY management
Core Features:
- Round-up automation with Smart-Stash recurring deposits
- Fractional shares of individual stocks and ETFs starting at $1
- Portfolio themes (clean energy, tech innovation, dividend stocks)
- Stock-Back rewards with partner retailers
- Banking with debit card and early paycheck access
- Retirement and custodial accounts available
Pricing:
- Beginner: $3/month (investing + banking)
- Growth: $9/month (investing + banking + retirement accounts + custodial accounts + advanced tools)
Investment Options: Choose from 3,000+ stocks and ETFs or use pre-built portfolios
Why it works: Stash splits the difference between full automation and DIY investing. You can let the app handle everything through Smart Portfolios, or hand-pick specific companies you believe in. The educational content helps new investors understand what they're buying instead of blindly trusting an algorithm.
Watch out for: More choices mean more decisions. If you're prone to analysis paralysis or emotional trading, Stash's flexibility can backfire. Stick to automated portfolios if you tend to overthink investment moves.
Wealthsimple – Robo-Advisory with Human Support
Best for: Investors who want professional portfolio management without high minimum balances
Core Features:
- Round-up automation (available in Canada, limited US rollout)
- Robo-managed ETF portfolios with automatic rebalancing
- Access to human financial advisors
- Socially responsible investing (SRI) portfolio options
- Tax-loss harvesting on Premium accounts
- No minimum balance requirement
Pricing:
- Basic: 0.5% annual management fee
- Premium: 0.4% annual fee (balances over $100,000 get advisor access and tax-loss harvesting)
Investment Options: Diversified ETF portfolios based on risk assessment — no individual stock selection
Why it works: Wealthsimple operates like a traditional robo-advisor with spare change functionality added. You get professional-grade portfolio management (rebalancing, diversification, risk-appropriate allocation) without needing $10,000 to get started. The advisor support helps when life changes require strategy adjustments.
Watch out for: Percentage-based fees scale with your balance. While 0.5% sounds small, it compounds over decades. On a $50,000 portfolio, you're paying $250 annually — manageable for hands-off management, but something to track as your balance grows.
M1 Finance – Customizable Pie Portfolios with Automation
Best for: Detail-oriented investors who want precise control over asset allocation
Core Features:
- Create custom "pie" portfolios with up to 100 slices
- Automatic rebalancing to maintain target allocations
- Dynamic rebalancing (new deposits fill underweight positions first)
- Fractional shares across all holdings
- Retirement accounts (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA)
- M1 Spend checking account with debit card
Pricing:
- M1 Basic: Free (standard features, one trading window per day)
- M1 Plus: $95/year (multiple trading windows, lower margin rates, higher FDIC insurance on cash)
Investment Options: Choose from 6,000+ stocks and ETFs or use expert-built pies
Why it works: M1 Finance gives you robo-efficiency with full customization. You decide exactly which stocks and ETFs belong in your portfolio and what percentage each should represent. The platform then handles all buying, rebalancing, and allocation maintenance automatically. This works especially well for long-term investors who want a specific asset mix (e.g., 70% total market index, 20% bonds, 10% REITs).
Watch out for: The learning curve is steeper than Acorns or Stash. If you don't have a clear investment thesis or target allocation, M1's flexibility becomes overwhelming. Start with an expert pie if you're unsure what to build.
Qapital – Gamified Savings Rules with Investment Options
Best for: Behavioral savers who need extra motivation through gamification
Core Features:
- If-this-then-that automation rules (e.g., "save $5 every time I skip coffee")
- Round-up investing with customizable multipliers
- Goal-based saving buckets
- Partner rewards that boost savings
- Payday divider (automatically split deposits into spending/saving)
Pricing:
- Basic: $3/month (saving only)
- Complete: $6/month (saving + investing)
- Master: $12/month (all features + personalized coaching)
Investment Options: ETF portfolios managed based on risk tolerance
Why it works: Qapital treats money management like a game. You set creative rules that automatically move money into savings or investments based on your behavior. The visual goal-tracking keeps you motivated, and the automation removes willpower from the equation.
Watch out for: The gamification appeals to certain personality types but feels gimmicky to others. If you prefer straightforward automation without achievement badges, Acorns or M1 deliver better value.
How to Choose the Right Spare Change Investing App
| App | Automation Level | Cost Structure | Control Level | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acorns | Fully automated | $3–12/month | Low (set and forget) | Beginners wanting simplicity |
| Stash | Automated + manual | $3–9/month | Medium (stock selection) | Learners building confidence |
| Wealthsimple | Robo-managed | 0.4–0.5% AUM | Low (advisor-guided) | Hands-off investors |
| M1 Finance | Custom automation | Free or $95/year | High (full customization) | Detail-oriented planners |
| Qapital | Rule-based triggers | $3–12/month | Medium (gamified) | Behavioral savers |
Your decision framework:
If you want zero thinking: Choose Acorns. The platform handles portfolio selection, rebalancing, and allocation automatically. You just link cards and let it run.
If you want to learn while investing: Choose Stash. The educational content and stock selection options help you understand what you own without requiring advanced knowledge.
If you want professional management: Choose Wealthsimple. Access to human advisors and tax-loss harvesting (on Premium) makes this a true robo-advisory service with spare change features added.
If you want precise control: Choose M1 Finance. Build your exact target portfolio and let automation maintain it perfectly over time.
If you struggle with saving consistently: Choose Qapital. The behavioral triggers and gamification work especially well if willpower is your weak point.
Maximizing Returns from Round-Up Investing
Spare change alone won't build substantial wealth. A typical person might generate $50–100 in monthly round-ups. That's useful, but not transformative. To accelerate growth:
1. Use round-up multipliers strategically
Most apps let you multiply round-ups by 2x, 5x, or 10x. A $3.47 purchase normally rounds up by 53 cents. At 5x multiplier, it becomes $2.65. This accelerates portfolio growth without requiring separate transfers. Just make sure your checking account can handle the higher withdrawal volume.
2. Add recurring deposits on top of round-ups
Set a weekly or monthly auto-transfer of $50–200 depending on your budget. This removes market timing decisions while building consistent contribution habits. Round-ups become the bonus, not the foundation.
3. Link all spending accounts
Don't limit round-ups to one card. Link your primary credit card, debit card, and any other accounts you use regularly. More transactions = more round-ups = faster growth.
4. Watch fee-to-balance ratios closely
If you're paying $3–12/month on a $500 balance, those fees represent 0.6–2.4% of your portfolio annually — before market returns even factor in. These apps work best once you have $1,000+ invested and fees represent less than 1% of your balance.
5. Treat micro-investing as entry-level training
These apps excel at building habits and removing psychological barriers. Once your balance reaches $5,000–10,000, consider whether a traditional brokerage with lower fees makes more sense for your situation. Spare change investing shouldn't be your forever strategy — it's the on-ramp to serious wealth-building.
Ready to Build a Complete Investment Strategy?
Spare change investing solves the "getting started" problem — but it's just one piece of a comprehensive wealth-building system. If you're ready to move beyond pocket change and develop a framework for automated investing for beginners, our complete guide walks you through portfolio allocation, risk management, and scaling strategies that work alongside your day-to-day spending.
Want to combine automated investing with smarter payroll management? Check out our guide on FinTech payroll apps that streamline direct deposits and help you allocate funds across savings, investing, and spending accounts before money hits your checking account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are spare change investing apps safe?
Yes. All major micro-investing platforms use SIPC insurance (up to $500,000 protection for securities) and FDIC insurance for banking features (up to $250,000 per depositor). Your investments are held in regulated brokerage accounts, not the app company's bank account. If the platform goes bankrupt, your securities transfer to another broker.
Can fees outpace my returns on small balances?
Absolutely. A $3 monthly fee on a $200 balance represents 1.5% annually before any market returns. If your portfolio grows 8% in a year, you net 6.5% after fees — still positive, but significantly reduced. The fee impact decreases as your balance grows. Once you hit $1,000+, the percentage impact becomes more reasonable.
How quickly can I withdraw my money?
Most apps process withdrawals within 3–5 business days. You'll sell your holdings (which may take 1–3 days to settle), then the cash transfers to your linked bank account via ACH (another 1–2 days). Emergency liquidity isn't the strength of these platforms — keep 3–6 months of expenses in a high-yield savings account for urgent needs.
What are fractional shares and why do they matter?
Fractional shares let you own partial pieces of expensive stocks. If a share of Amazon costs $3,000 and you have $50 to invest, you can buy 0.0167 shares instead of waiting until you save the full amount. This matters because it means every spare dollar can be fully invested rather than sitting as uninvested cash.
Should I use a spare change app or just invest manually once a month?
It depends on your psychology. If you reliably transfer $100–500 to a brokerage account monthly and invest it yourself, manual investing costs less in fees. But if you struggle with consistency or never seem to have "enough" to invest, spare change automation removes that barrier. The best investment strategy is the one you'll actually stick with.
Can I use these apps for retirement savings?
Yes. Acorns, Stash, Wealthsimple, and M1 Finance all offer IRA accounts (Traditional, Roth, and SEP options). You can round up spare change directly into tax-advantaged retirement accounts instead of taxable brokerage accounts. Just be aware of annual IRA contribution limits ($7,000 for 2026, or $8,000 if you're 50+).
Resources & Related Content
Government & Official Sources:
- SEC: Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) — Official explanation of how ETF investing works
- FINRA: Fractional Share Investing — Regulatory perspective on partial stock ownership
- FDIC: Deposit Insurance Coverage — How banking features are protected
Related PersonalOne Articles:
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investment decisions should be based on your individual financial situation, goals, and risk tolerance. All investing involves risk, including potential loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. Fees, features, and availability of investment apps are subject to change. PersonalOne is not affiliated with Acorns, Stash, Wealthsimple, M1 Finance, or Qapital. This content may contain affiliate links.
