There are hundreds of websites that profess to make it easy for beginners to start investing in stocks or mutual funds. But which sites deliver on their promises? We researched the most popular sites and identified the best for beginners who want to get started investing.
Here is a list of the ten best sites designed with the newcomer in mind:
1. Investopedia.com
Investopedia stands out among its competitors with a comprehensive glossary of investing terms and an extensive list of resources designed to help beginners get their feet wet. The site also features a section on basic investment principles, including essential topics like asset allocation and risk tolerance.
In addition to a definition of investment lingo, Investopedia provides an extensive list of resources designed to help beginners get their feet wet. The site also features a section on investing basics that includes helpful video tutorials.
2. Investools.com
Investools boasts the largest interactive online instructional course for beginning investors. The nine-module course takes users through stocks, bonds, mutual funds and alternative investments like options and futures trading.
3. Wikinvest.com
The motto here is ‘Investing for Everyone.’ The community-based site includes a wiki Q&A board, an interactive glossary and a wealth of information on individual stocks and mutual funds. (Wikinvest is owned by the same company that owns Investopedia.)
4. Learnvest.com
Learnvest takes a unique angle to investing; they advise against it completely until users have addressed their credit card debt and emergency fund situation first.
5. AboutInvesting.com
The About Investing website is designed for investors to learn how to invest in the market, including choosing investments and avoiding pitfalls. The site also includes links to online forums where users can interact with other investors and stock pickers.
6. Bogleheads.org
The Bogleheads website features investment basics and links to popular online tools, including an Excel-based portfolio tracker . The site also describes Boglehead’s philosophy, including the idea that it is better to invest in index funds than in individual stocks. (The website is owned by the Vanguard Group.)
7. Motley Fool.com
Motley Fool offers a wide array of investing information, as well as articles from contributors who are well-known in the field. The site also features an extensive stock screener that allows you to run an unlimited number of screens that compare multiple stocks or funds at once..
8. Investing for Dummies.com
Investing for Dummies is an extremely well-known website maintained by the publishers of the same name. It offers information on every facet of investing, from selecting a broker to understanding how to avoid financial scams.
9. The Common Sense Show
The Common Sense Show takes the topics discussed on Investools and expands on the teaching by discussing it with a unique twist; they call their commentary ‘Common Sense Investing.’
10. New York Times ‘Five Tips’
The New York Times advice column offers five easy ways to boost your investment knowledge.
Conclusion
Of course there are many others, but these are the best we found at this time. Feel free to check them all out and find the best one suited for you. If you know of a good site that we missed, please comment below.
