Back in 2012, I opened my first brokerage account. I was clueless, not earning much money, and kind of nervous, to be honest. But I knew I had to start investing — so I jumped in with the few dollars that I had.
Fast forward to today, and I’ve built a healthy investment portfolio that I can confidently retire on someday.
Now I teach others how to start doing the same. If you’re just getting started, there’s one tool I recommend beginning your journey with: SoFi Active Investing.
A simple way to start investing
I’m not surprised SoFi Active Investing just got our 2025 award for best broker for beginners.
You can open an account and manage everything right from the mobile app. Transferring money, buying stocks or ETFs — it only takes just a few taps to do things.
And if you don’t have big bucks to invest, no worries. You can start investing with as little as $5 thanks to fractional shares (like, buying half of a share or less, instead of a whole one).
Here’s what I love about SoFi Active Investing:
- No account minimums to get started
- No commissions on stock and ETF trades
- Fractional shares so you can invest with just a few bucks
- Mobile-first design that’s clean and easy to use
I remember how intimidating it was opening my first brokerage account. I promise, you don’t have to have it all figured out on day one.
You just have to start. Then take things one step at a time.
And that first step?… It’s simply opening an account. You don’t even have to fund it right away. Just setting it up puts you on the path.
Get started with SoFi Active Investing today.
IRA with a match? Yes, please
What’s better than a broker with no fees? One that pays you for using them.
Right now, SoFi Invest® offers a 1% match on both IRA contributions and rollovers, with no minimum required.
That means whether you’re putting in new money to an IRA or rolling over an old 401(k), SoFi Invest® will reward you just for taking action.
You can open a traditional or Roth IRA directly in the SoFi® app — it only takes a few minutes. And that 1% match gives your retirement savings a head start, without any extra effort on your part.
When you’re just starting out, every dollar counts.
Need help investing? SoFi® has a robo-advisor
Not everyone wants to pick stocks — I certainly don’t!
SoFi® also offers a robo-advisor, which helps people build (and rebalance) a portfolio based on their individual goals and risk levels.
Here’s why it’s worth considering:
- You don’t have to pick stocks. Just let the experts create a portfolio plan for you
- Your investments will be based on your goals and how much risk you’re comfortable with
- Everything stays balanced automatically (no manual upkeep required)
- You can talk to a real financial advisor if you want help — no huge balance needed
Traditional financial advice can be really expensive — some advisors charge flat fees of thousands per year, or take 1% to 2% of your portfolio annually. That adds up fast, especially when you’re just starting out.
You get smart, hands-off investing that grows with you — without the stress, and without the heavy price tag!
Learn more about SoFi Robo Investing here and see how easy it is to build a portfolio that fits your goals.
Checking and savings in the same place
Most people keep their banks and brokers separate — one place to save money, another place to invest it.
SoFi® makes it easy to keep everything under one roof. You can manage checking, savings, and investing all from the same app. It’s like a streamlined dashboard for all your money moves.
Even better, the SoFi Checking and Savings (Member FDIC) account pays a really good interest rate (up to 3.80% APY). So your cash doesn’t just sit there, it actually grows while you wait to invest.
Honestly, it’s just nice knowing your money’s all in one spot. The less you need to transfer between different banks, the easier life is.
Take the first step
So, those are just a few of the reasons I recommend SoFi Active Investing for beginners. It’s simple, low-cost, and built to help you grow.
The most important thing is just getting started. Open that first account, transfer a small amount of money, and begin your journey.
Open a SoFi Active Investing account today and take the first step toward building your future.