Best New Zealand Sharing Trading & Investment Apps
Our guide outlines the investment apps, platforms and options for new and experienced investors alike. Whether you have $100 or $100,000+ to invest, our guide explains everything you need to know
Updated 19 February 2025
Finding the Best Investment App for Your Needs
Investing apps have taken New Zealand by storm since the launch of Sharesies in 2017. While web-based platforms such as ASB Securities have existed for years, the 'Sharesies effect' has made investing accessible for everyone. You can invest as little as 1 cent with Sharesies and $1 on many other platforms, and you can do it from your phone. With the arrival of innovative services like Sharesies, Hatch, InvestNow, Stake, Tiger Brokers and specific fund managers, the range of investing apps continues to grow. Best of all, every innovation directly benefits the New Zealand consumer with lower fees and more choice.
This guide outlines investment platforms and apps currently available to anyone residing in New Zealand. We cover:
Know this first: We've included investment platforms that are web-based in our list of investing apps. This is because we believe for the majority of New Zealanders, a web-based interface and an app are both sufficient for the type of investing being conducted. If you do feel as if you need further insights beyond a particular app's offering, we suggest looking at Sharesight as a possible add-on.
Are you looking to understand investment terms? Investment apps can be confusing - our extensive investing glossary outlines must-know words and explains what they mean with relevant New Zealand examples.
Finding the Best Investment App for Your Needs
Investing apps have taken New Zealand by storm since the launch of Sharesies in 2017. While web-based platforms such as ASB Securities have existed for years, the 'Sharesies effect' has made investing accessible for everyone. You can invest as little as 1 cent with Sharesies and $1 on many other platforms, and you can do it from your phone. With the arrival of innovative services like Sharesies, Hatch, InvestNow, Stake, Tiger Brokers and specific fund managers, the range of investing apps continues to grow. Best of all, every innovation directly benefits the New Zealand consumer with lower fees and more choice.
This guide outlines investment platforms and apps currently available to anyone residing in New Zealand. We cover:
- Summary of Best Investment Apps
- Investment Apps Pros and Cons
- Our Favourite Investing Apps (for Specific Purposes)
- Frequently Asked Questions
Know this first: We've included investment platforms that are web-based in our list of investing apps. This is because we believe for the majority of New Zealanders, a web-based interface and an app are both sufficient for the type of investing being conducted. If you do feel as if you need further insights beyond a particular app's offering, we suggest looking at Sharesight as a possible add-on.
Are you looking to understand investment terms? Investment apps can be confusing - our extensive investing glossary outlines must-know words and explains what they mean with relevant New Zealand examples.
Our Favourite Investment Apps
Based on our research and evaluation of the various apps, platforms and interfaces, we believe the five apps stand above the competition based on their offering, features, pricing and service:
Disclaimer: Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Exclusion
At MoneyHub, we are committed to providing reliable and locally relevant financial tools and resources. After careful consideration, we have decided not to include Interactive Brokers (IBKR) in our list of recommended investing apps. This decision is based on the following factors:
We appreciate your understanding and remain committed to helping you navigate your investment options with confidence.
- Hatch: Best App or Platform for New Zealanders Growing their Portfolio while Learning About Investing
- Tiger Brokers (NZ): Best Low-Cost Shares Platform
- Sharesies: Best App or Platform for Beginners and Auto-Investing
- InvestNow: Best App or Platform for Managed Funds
- Kernel: Best App or Platform for Specialised Index Funds
- Simplicity Investment Funds: Best App or Platform for Low-Cost Index Funds
Disclaimer: Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Exclusion
At MoneyHub, we are committed to providing reliable and locally relevant financial tools and resources. After careful consideration, we have decided not to include Interactive Brokers (IBKR) in our list of recommended investing apps. This decision is based on the following factors:
- Regulatory Considerations: Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is not registered with the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) in New Zealand. We prioritise platforms that comply with local regulatory standards to protect investors under New Zealand law.
- Local Relevance: Our focus is on promoting investment platforms that cater specifically to New Zealand residents, offering features, support, and services that are directly relevant to our users. By including IBKR, we will have to include any other app available to New Zealand investors, which is not something we wish to do.
- Consumer Safety and Trust: Our top priority is ensuring the safety and security of your investments. By listing platforms that meet New Zealand regulatory requirements, we can better guarantee a high standard of consumer protection and trust.
- We have reviewed IBKR extensively.
We appreciate your understanding and remain committed to helping you navigate your investment options with confidence.
Know This First: Tiger Brokers (NZ) is our Favourite Low-Cost Shares and ETF Platform in our 2024 Editor's Choice Awards:
MoneyHub’s Editor Christopher Walsh says: "Tiger Brokers is aggressively priced for global investors. At a time when some platforms are raising fees or lacking innovation, Tiger Brokers is around half the cost of its nearest competitor for US stock trades. With an Auckland-based team, NZ regulation, and continued innovation (auto-invest, fractional shares, and its own TigerGPT chatbot), it’s a standout choice for cost-conscious investors and one that I use for US and Hong Kong share investments for the reasons outlined above". |
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Summary of New Zealand's Best Investment Apps
Investment Platform |
Investment Opportunities |
Commission & Fees |
Minimum Purchase |
More Information |
NZ Shares, NZ ETFs, NZ Managed Funds (unlisted), ASX Shares, ASX ETFs, US Shares, US ETFs |
1.90% on the trade with caps: $25 NZD (NZX shares) $15 AUD (ASX shares) $5 USD (US shares) + 0.50% FX conversion fee (for AU or US trades) |
1 cent |
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US Shares and ETFs |
US$3 per trade (buy and sell) 0.50% FX conversion fee |
$1 |
||
US Shares and ETFs |
$3 per US trade up to $30,000, or 0.01% per US trade $30,000 or greater. Users pay regulatory fees 1% FX conversion fee |
$1 |
||
ETFs Managed Funds and Index Funds |
No platform fees, fund management fees vary |
$250 |
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US Shares and ETFs Australian Shares and ETFs Asian Markets Options Futures |
Varies based on market, but cheaper than Sharesies, Hatch and Stake for US trades |
$1 |
||
NZ and Australian Shares |
$15 ( < NZ$1,000) $30 (NZ$1,000 - NZ$10,000) 0.30% (> NZ$10,000) Australian trades: AU$30 |
$1 |
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Index Funds |
0.10% or 0.31% p.a. management fee |
$1,000 per fund |
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Index Funds |
0.25% p.a. (core funds management fee) |
$1 per fund |
How do I use an Investment App?
- Signing up: For most investment apps, you'll need to be 16 years or older, a New Zealand resident with a New Zealand bank account. There will usually be an anti-money laundering check after you apply. Once approved, you'll set up a login and password.
- Investing: You'll be able to see the range of investments offered, which depending on the app, can be anything from 4 to 4,000+. The investment app will guide you through how to fund your account, either by setting up a regular automatic payment from your bank account, or transferring in a one-off sum. Once your account is funded, you can buy and sell investments based on the current market price.
- Monitoring: Most investment apps have tools so you can see the performance of your investments, helping you make ongoing decisions.
MoneyHub Founder Christopher Walsh Shares his thoughts on shares vs funds (and why it's normal to invest in both):
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While it's exciting to pick shares and invest given the potential for significant returns, it's a strategy that few people succeed with over the long term. Research consistently shows that index funds and ETFs, and, in some instances, actively managed funds, tend to outperform individual share portfolios, especially for those without the time, expertise, or resources to research and monitor their investments consistently.
That said, it's completely understandable to want some exposure to higher-risk, high-reward opportunities, and there's a place for that within a balanced investment strategy. A sensible approach is to build a strong foundation with managed funds (index and/or actively managed) and ETFs that provide steady growth while allocating some funds regularly to a portfolio to growth and/or dividend-focused individual shares if you enjoy the process and are willing to accept the risks. Successful investing isn't about chasing the highest returns but achieving consistent, long-term growth. Diversification is what keeps your investments robust against market ups and downs - by investing in funds, ETFs, and shares, investors can find a balance that suits their risk tolerance and financial goals. Remember, it's not about beating the market every year - it's about growing your wealth steadily over time. Please don't rush into share investing - there's a lot to learn, and it's best to start small while you learn more about local and global markets". |
Christopher Walsh
MoneyHub Founder |
Tiger Brokers (NZ) is our Favourite Low-Cost Shares and ETF Platform in our 2024 Editor's Choice Awards:
MoneyHub’s Editor Christopher Walsh says: "Tiger Brokers is aggressively priced for global investors. At a time when some platforms are raising fees or lacking innovation, Tiger Brokers is around half the cost of its nearest competitor for US stock trades. With an Auckland-based team, NZ regulation, and continued innovation (auto-invest, fractional shares, and its own TigerGPT chatbot), it’s a standout choice for cost-conscious investors and one that I use for US and Hong Kong share investments for the reasons outlined above". |
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​Investment Apps: Pros and Cons
Pros:
Cons:
- Low minimum investment – many platforms have a $5 or $10 minimum investment, which allows you to start investing right away. Sharesies, for example, innovates further with a 1 cent minimum investment.
- Low fees for smaller accounts – if a platform charges are membership fee, it will (usually) be less than $30/year. Others only charge a transaction fee, so there’s no ongoing cost unless you buy and sell investments. In contrast, others such as Hatch, Sharesies, InvestNow and Stake don’t charge anything.
- Simple to use – design and user experience are at the heart of keeping investors happy. This means you can sign up for an account in minutes and, after your details are approved, quickly fund your account. You can then track the progress of your investments, visualise your profits, and view investment options.
- Automatic investments - many platforms offer automatic investing, meaning you can actively save for your future. Sharesies, for example, lets you allocate regular contributions to one (or many) or its funds to help grow your balance.
- Socially responsible investing (SR) opportunities are highlighted – many apps categorise their investment options under SRI and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) so you can invest in things that are important to you. For example, Sharesies offers the Pathfinder funds which invest in sustainable businesses.
Cons:
- You may under-invest – if you add $5 or $10 to your investment balance, it’s unlikely to add up to anything significant unless you commit to the long term. An investment app with a balance of $500 or $1,000 after 2+ years of contributing isn’t substantial in the scheme of things. To protect your future, a solid savings plan is needed – sporadic (and small) top-ups are unlikely to provide a suitable long-term strategy.
- Fees can eat into profits – Before investing, check what the platform fees are (per month) and calculate the annual costs and how that affects your expected returns. For example, if a platform charges $30/year to be a member and you invest $1,000, the $30 represents an annual fee of 3%. This is relatively high and means your returns must be above 3% per year to break even.
- Limited account options – right now, most investments apps don’t offer joint accounts or the opportunity to invest on behalf of your business. Only some apps offer managed funds, and investing with Hatch, Stake and Sharesies means a foreign exchange risk if your investments are held in USD (which may increase or decrease against the NZD, affecting the local value of the investments).
- Investing based on hype and buzz can have consequences – there has been a surge of investing Whatsapp and Facebook groups established in the last couple of years. While the intentions are genuine, many ‘tips’ are shared around New Zealand, encouraging inexperienced investors to buy and sell particular shares. If you’re going to actively pick shares to invest in, you have to accept that there is risk and your investment could fall in value. With any investment, the best approach is to diversify your portfolio so that you’re not overly exposed should one asset drop in value.
Our Favourite Investing Apps (for Specific Purposes)
- Hatch: Best App or Platform for New Zealanders Growing their Portfolio while Learning About Investing
- Tiger Brokers (NZ): Best Low-Cost Shares Platform
- Stake: Best platform for Education
- Sharesies: Best App or Platform for Beginners and Auto-Investing
- InvestNow: Best App or Platform for Managed Funds
- Kernel and Simplicity Investment Funds: Best Platforms for Ultra-Low-Cost Index Funds
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Hatch: Best App or Platform for Low-Cost Investing in the US Markets
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Tiger Brokers (NZ): Best Low-Cost Shares Platform
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​Stake: Best Platform for Education
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Sharesies: Best App or Platform for Beginners and Auto-Investing
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InvestNow: Best App or Platform for Managed Funds
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Kernel: Best Platform, Alongside Simplicity, for Ultra-Low-Cost Index Funds
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Simplicity Investment Funds: Best Platform, Alongside Kernel, for Ultra-Low-Cost Index Fund
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Reminder: Tiger Brokers (NZ) is our Favourite Low-Cost Shares and ETF Platform in our 2024 Editor's Choice Awards:
MoneyHub’s Editor Christopher Walsh says: "Tiger Brokers is aggressively priced for global investors. At a time when some platforms are raising fees or lacking innovation, Tiger Brokers is around half the cost of its nearest competitor for US stock trades. With an Auckland-based team, NZ regulation, and continued innovation (auto-invest, fractional shares, and its own TigerGPT chatbot), it’s a standout choice for cost-conscious investors and one that I use for US and Hong Kong share investments for the reasons outlined above". |
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Investment Apps - Frequently Asked Questions
Investing apps are increasingly simple to use, but there are some must-know facts. Our FAQs below explain what's important for making the right choice.
How much money do I need to invest?
$1 is the minimum investment for most (but not all) investment apps and platforms. New Zealanders who do the best out of their investing activities, i.e. make the most money, tend to invest regularly, are diversified and stay committed for the long term.
Our list of apps above generally works best when you invest at least $100 to avoid ongoing fees eating into returns. A sensible amount to start with is at least $100 to $500 and then contribute regularly.
Our list of apps above generally works best when you invest at least $100 to avoid ongoing fees eating into returns. A sensible amount to start with is at least $100 to $500 and then contribute regularly.
​What investment app is best for buying shares?
It depends on the amount you’re buying and selling. In the summaries above, we have itemised the apps based on price (which is trading costs and ongoing member fees), app features and investing minimums.
​I’m new to investing – what is the best app?
For new investors wanting to learn as they go, Sharesies is arguably New Zealand’s most popular option with hundreds of thousands of users. Sharesies lets you invest in New Zealand, Australian and US sharemarkets, as well as invest in a select number of New Zealand-based managed funds. It has several useful features, such as regular contributions and top-ups helping users invest for the long-term. There’s also a highly active Facebook group to help new investors.
​What assets can I buy and sell using these apps?
It depends on the app and platform; some offer shares, ETFs and index funds (such as Sharesies), whereas others offer US shares only (Hatch and Stake). Others specialise in ETFs and funds (InvestNow), while Simplicity and Kernel exclusively offer their branded index funds.
Is my money safe?
All New Zealand-based apps and platforms are highly regulated. Popular services such as Sharesies, Hatch, Stake, InvestNow and ASB Securities have a strong custodial structure in place to prevent you losing any of your investment in the case that the services fail financially. Our dedicated guide explains custodians in detail and how they protect investors. A custodian exists with one purpose - to hold assets on behalf of specific beneficiaries. It can't go bust as it is tightly regulated and regularly monitored.
However, it’s essential to be aware of the risks of investing. The decisions that you make, i.e. what you invest in, are not protected. This can mean the balance of your investments can drop, and you’ll lose money if you then sell or redeem.
However, it’s essential to be aware of the risks of investing. The decisions that you make, i.e. what you invest in, are not protected. This can mean the balance of your investments can drop, and you’ll lose money if you then sell or redeem.
How many investment apps should I sign up for?
It depends. It's unwise to double-up on apps that charge membership fees as you're paying twice for access to the same (or similar) investment opportunities. A new investor would be prudent to pick two apps to use, and then, once established and experienced, look for further opportunities.
How can I quit or leave an investing app?
The standard practice is to sell, transfer or redeem your investments (so your balance is $0). You can then notify the client/customer service team to close down access. Many investing apps charge ongoing membership fees which will be avoided by cancelling the account.
