Best Stocks for Beginners with Little Money in 2025: Start with $1!

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Fractional shares let you invest with a specific dollar amount, as low as $1, instead of needing enough money to cover the entire share price. It’s a game-changer in investing, allowing even those investing with small budgets to build diversified portfolios.

Assuming you use a broker that offers fractional share trading, you’re then free to build a portfolio according to your goals and risk tolerance.

If you’re a beginner, targeting stocks that combine stability and growth potential might be a wise decision as you build a foundation of investing knowledge. There’s also some merit in learning through risk, so you shouldn’t discount riskier investments either.

Here are the best stocks for beginners with little money and tips on making the most of your limited capital as you start investing.

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4 best stocks for beginners with little money

These stock ideas are tailored for novice investors with limited capital.

1. Growth stocks

Growth stocks are shares in companies that are expected to grow at a faster rate than the average stock in the market.⁽¹⁾ These stocks are characterized by several distinct features:

• High revenue and earnings growth rates
• Low or no dividends
• High valuation ratios, like price-to-earnings
• Innovative products that give them a competitive advantage
• Volatility
• Higher level of uncertainty

While these stocks can offer significant growth, their high valuations, volatility and market sensitivity increase your risk.

Examples of growth stocks include:

Source: Google Finance. Returns accurate as of market close on July 1, 2025.

For beginners with little money, growth stocks offer these benefits:

• Potential for high returns. Growth stocks are known for their potential to deliver significant returns through price appreciation.
• Exposure to emerging trends. Growth stocks often dominate industries with high-growth potential like technology, healthcare and e-commerce, exposing investors to future trends and innovations.
• Potential for both income and capital appreciation. While growth stocks are not known for their dividends, dividend-paying growth stocks can provide both capital appreciation and passive income.
• Adaptability to change. Growth-focused companies are typically well-positioned to adapt quickly to market changes, consumer trends or technological disruptions.

Why growth stocks are good for beginners with little money
Growth stocks offer the potential for significant returns through capital appreciation.

2. Blue chip stocks

Blue chip stocks are renowned for their stability, reliability and long-standing performance in the stock market, making them a compelling option for beginner investors with limited funds.

These stocks represent shares of well-established, financially sound companies with a history of strong performance and leadership in their respective industries.

Blue chip companies typically have large market capitalizations, established brand names and a track record of generating consistent profits and dividends over time.

Examples of blue chip stocks include:

Source: Google Finance. Returns accurate as of market close on July 1, 2025.

For beginners with little money, blue chip stocks offer several advantages:

• Stability and safety in an otherwise volatile market. Due to their established reputations and solid financial positions, blue chip companies are less susceptible to market fluctuations and economic downturns than smaller or riskier companies.
• Dividends. Blue chip stocks often pay dividends to shareholders, providing a reliable source of income for investors. Dividend payments from blue chip companies are typically stable and predictable, making them attractive for investors seeking to generate passive income from their investments.
• Relatively easy to research and analyze. Many blue chip companies are household names with widely available financial information and analysis, making it easier for investors, specifically those who may not have the time or expertise to conduct in-depth stock analysis, to make informed investment decisions.
• Potential for long-term growth and capital appreciation. While they may not deliver the same level of explosive growth as smaller, high-growth companies, blue chip stocks have historically provided steady returns over the long term. This makes them a reliable option for building wealth.

Why blue chip stocks are good for beginners with little money
They’re great options due to their stability, dividend income, ease of research and long-term growth potential.

3. Dividend stocks

Dividend stocks represent shares of companies that regularly distribute a portion of their profits to shareholders in the form of dividends.

These dividends provide investors with a steady stream of passive income, making dividend stocks particularly appealing for beginner investors looking to grow their wealth over time.

Examples of dividend stocks include:

Source: Google Finance. Returns accurate as of market close on July 1, 2025.

For beginners with little money, dividend stocks offer these benefits:

• Supplemental source of income. Dividends provide passive income that can help cover expenses, be reinvested to purchase additional shares or be saved for future financial goals.
• More stability and less volatility than non-dividend-paying stocks. Companies that pay dividends typically have established business models, strong cash flows and a track record of profitability, making them less susceptible to economic shocks and industry disruptions.
• Acceleration of wealth accumulation through compounding. By reinvesting dividends to purchase additional shares of stock, investors can take advantage of exponential growth, allowing their investment to grow faster than if dividends were taken as cash.
• Potential for both income and capital appreciation. While dividend payments provide a reliable source of income, the underlying stock price can also appreciate over time, further increasing the value of the investment.

Why dividend stocks are good for beginners with little money
They’re a good option due to their income-generating potential, stability and long-term growth prospects.

4. Index funds

Index funds are exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that aim to replicate the performance of a specific market index, such as the S&P 500 or the Nasdaq.

Instead of trying to beat the market, index funds passively track the performance of the underlying index by holding the same stocks in the same proportions.

And because these funds are passively managed, their fees are significantly lower than actively managed funds. The average expense ratio for index equity mutual funds was 0.05 percent in 2024, compared to 0.64 percent for actively managed mutual funds.⁽²⁾

Examples of index funds include:

Source: Google Finance. Returns accurate as of market close on July 1, 2025.

Index funds provide several benefits:

• Instant diversification. Index funds invest in a broad range of stocks. This diversification helps spread risk across multiple companies and industries, reducing the impact of individual stock fluctuations on your overall portfolio.
• Cost-effectiveness. Index funds have low expense ratios, which are the fees charged by the fund manager for managing the portfolio. Since index funds passively track the performance of an index, they require minimal active management, resulting in lower expenses than actively managed funds.
• Easy to understand and suitable for long-term investing. Beginner investors can choose an index fund that aligns with their investment goals and risk tolerance, and then hold onto it for the long haul. This passive approach to investing eliminates the need for frequent trading and market timing, which can be daunting for new investors.
• Exposure to the overall stock market’s growth potential. Over the long term, the stock market has historically delivered positive returns, around 7% after inflation, making index funds a reliable option for building wealth over time — even with small initial investments.

Why index funds are good for beginners with little money
They’re a good option due to their diversification, affordability, simplicity and long-term growth potential.

How to start with fractional shares

Fractional shares make it easier for everyone to invest in the stock market, regardless of how much money they have, by allowing the purchase of partial shares instead of the whole ones. This lets you buy into expensive stocks with specific dollar amounts, as low as $1, rather than needing to afford entire shares, making it particularly beneficial for beginners looking to diversify their portfolios without a large initial investment.

Additionally, fractional shares offer flexibility and precision, letting you build and tailor your portfolio to match your investment goals and risk tolerance and allocate your funds exactly how you desire. Examples of brokers that offer fractional share trading include SoFi Invest®, Robinhood and Charles Schwab.

Why fractional shares are good for beginners with little money
Fractional shares are a game-changer for beginner investors with limited funds, allowing them to participate in the stock market and build wealth over the long term, even with small initial investments.

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7 tips to make the most of your limited capital

1. Start with what you can afford. Begin with a realistic investment amount that won’t strain your finances.
2. Focus on low-cost options. Look for investments with minimal fees, such as index funds or commission-free stocks and ETFs.
3. Prioritize diversification. Spread your investments across different asset classes, sectors and geographic regions to reduce risk.
4. Reinvest dividends. Instead of taking dividends as cash, reinvest them to purchase more shares and accelerate growth. Many brokers offer automatic dividend reinvestment.
5. Take advantage of fractional shares. Invest in high-priced stocks, or stocks of any price for that matter, by purchasing fractional shares, allowing you to diversify your portfolio with smaller amounts.
6. Stick to a long-term strategy. Avoid frequent trading and stay committed to your investment plan to benefit from compounding over time.
7. Educate yourself. Continuously learn about investing principles, market trends and risk management to make informed decisions and maximize returns.

Bottom line

Growth stocks, blue chip stocks, dividend-paying companies and index funds are top choices for beginner investors with limited funds. Accessibility, diversification, stability and growth potential make these options ideal for building a strong investment portfolio, setting the stage for long-term financial success.

Whichever you choose, the best brokerage accounts will give you commission-free access to all these beginner-friendly investment options.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best stocks to buy for beginners with little money?

Index funds like SPY and blue-chip stocks like Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) are great for beginners due to their low risk and potential for steady returns.

Can I invest as little as $100?

With as little as $1, you can buy fractional shares of stocks or ETFs on platforms like Charles Schwab, Robinhood and SoFi Invest.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Alexa Serrano Cruz as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Matt Miczulski

Investments editor

Matt Miczulski is an investments editor at Finder. With over 450 bylines, Matt dissects and reviews brokers and investing platforms to expose perks and pain points, explores investment products and concepts and covers market news, making investing more accessible and helping readers to make informed financial decisions. Before joining Finder in 2021, Matt covered everything from finance news and banking to debt and travel for FinanceBuzz. His expertise and analysis on investing and other financial topics has been featured on CBS, MSN, Best Company and Consolidated Credit, among others. Matt holds a BA in history from William Paterson University. See full bio

Matt's expertise

Matt has written 199 Finder guides across topics including:

• Trading and investing
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