Accessible platforms to start investing: From $5 to $100 minimum deposit

In 2025, investing with little money is more feasible than ever thanks to modern apps that democratize access to financial markets. If you’re looking for a app to invest from 1 dollar or small amounts, we present five outstanding solutions that allow beginners and experienced traders to operate in currencies, stocks, cryptocurrencies, and indices without requiring large initial capital.

Comparison of minimum deposits and operating costs

The entry barrier is crucial for newcomers. XM stands out with a minimum of just 5 USD, followed by MiTrade with 20 USD and eToro with 50 USD. AvaTrade and Plus500 each require 100 USD. Beyond the initial deposit, operating costs vary significantly: some platforms offer 0% commissions with tight spreads, while others apply inactivity fees between 10 and 15 USD per month.

The five alternatives leading the market in accessibility

MiTrade: Fast execution and deposits from 20 USD

This Australian broker has consolidated 2.4 million users trading with CFD on stocks, currencies, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and indices. Its strength lies in superior liquidity and almost instant execution speed on both web and mobile apps.

Relevant features: accepts payments in USDT, offers negative balance protection, provides 50,000 USD virtual in the demo account, and assigns a 100 USD coupon to new registrants. Leverage reaches 1:200, although it is regulated by ASIC, CIMA, and FSC. Its only drawback is that the demo has a 90-day limit.

XM: The broker with the most accessible deposit

Operating since 2009 in 196 countries with 2.5 million clients, XM allows starting with just 5 USD. The platform stands out for its continuous economic analysis, market information, and educational content that helps anticipate major movements.

It offers four account types, support for MetaTrader 4 and 5, and extremely high leverage of up to 1:1000. Its regulation comes from FCA, IFSC, DFSA, CySEC, and ASIC. Spreads start from 0.01 pip, although there is an inactivity fee of 15 USD after 3 months without trading.

AvaTrade: Technological innovation and automation

This Irish broker (since 2006) combines banking license with proprietary tools like AvaTrade GO optimized for mobile, as well as Zulu Trade and Dupli Trade for strategy automation. It is regulated by FCA, CySEC, and ASIC.

Requires a minimum of 100 USD but offers integrated copy trading and a wide catalog of assets. Leverage is conservative (1:30). Weak points include an annual inactivity fee and withdrawal fees of 5 USD.

Plus500: Simplified interface for experienced traders

Founded in 2008 with 25 million global users, this platform gained fame through successful advertising campaigns and sponsorship of sports teams. Its interface is considered comprehensive but more oriented toward traders with prior experience than beginners.

Available markets include stocks, currencies, commodities, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, and indices. Requires a 100 USD deposit, offers unlimited free demo, but applies a monthly inactivity fee of 10 USD. Regulated by FCA, CySEC, and ASIC with leverage of 1:30.

eToro: Extreme simplicity and dual operation

With over 30 million clients, eToro revolutionized retail investing by enabling both CFD trading and the purchase of real assets (stocks and cryptocurrencies). Its success is based on maximum simplicity: opening an account and establishing positions is accessible even for novices.

Minimum deposit of 50 USD, regulation by FCA, CySEC, and ASIC, and copy trading functionality. Weaknesses: 5 USD withdrawal fees, relatively higher spreads, and a complex KYC process.

Essential criteria for choosing your platform

Security and regulation: Verify that the broker holds licenses from recognized agencies. The main ones are FCA (United Kingdom), CySEC (Cyprus), ASIC (Australia), CNMV (Spain), FSC (British Virgin Islands), FSA (Seychelles), and FINRA (United States). These guarantee that your funds are segregated and legally protected.

Operational speed: In trading, milliseconds matter. Choose platforms with a history of fast execution and no frequent technical issues.

Asset catalog: Diversification requires access to multiple markets. Ensure it includes cryptocurrencies, forex, stocks, indices, and commodities if that’s your goal.

Cost structure: Compare not only spreads but also inactivity fees, withdrawal charges, and other hidden costs. Over the long term, these differences significantly impact your profitability.

Management tools: Stop-loss and take-profit are non-negotiable to limit losses. High leverage (1:500+) increases amplified risk; 1:30 is more conservative for beginners.

24/7 support: Incidents can happen at any time; ensure responsive support in your language.

Conclusion

The landscape of apps for investing in 2025 offers viable alternatives with deposits from 5 USD. Each platform has different strengths: XM for ultra-low access, MiTrade for superior execution, AvaTrade for automation, Plus500 for advanced experience, and eToro for maximum operational simplicity.

Your choice should align with your experience, available funds, assets of interest, and risk tolerance. All offer free demo accounts: take advantage of them to test without risking capital. Once you master the platform and understand your real needs, open an account with your own funds and start building your investment portfolio.