7 Best Real Estate Investing Apps (Top Picks for 2024)

Want a convenient, cost-effective way to invest in real estate? There’s an app for that!

And—lucky for you—we’ve done the hard work of sifting through them all to compile our list of the best real estate investing apps below.

Fundrise

Best Overall

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Concreit

Best For Beginners

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Arrived

Best For Residential

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RealtyMogul

Best For Commercial

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Collab

Best For Student Housing

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AcreTrader

Best For Land

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GroundFloor

Best For Note Investing

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Today, anyone with a smartphone and a few dollars can purchase shares in multi-billion dollar commercial and residential real estate portfolios. And if you’ve got the funds, some real estate apps allow you to buy whole properties with a few thumb swipes.

But which app suits you? Which platform fits your level of risk-taking?

This article will look “under the hood” at the best real estate investing apps. We’ll compare each app’s features, pricing, benefits, and limitations. And then, we’ll make recommendations based on who we think each app is best suited for.

The Best Real Estate Investing Apps: Deep-Dive

1. Fundrise (Best Overall)

Minimum investment: Just $10 to start
Fees: 0.15% advisory fee + 0.85% management fee

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Fundrise is a crowdfunding real estate app that lets users invest in pools of real estate assets—these are typically income-generating properties the company manages or mortgages.

These pools—called eREITs—are similar to REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) but exclusive to Fundrise and not traded publicly, meaning they aren't tied to the stock market. They also offer eFunds, a different pool for developing and selling single-family homes.

Both eREITs and eFunds are proprietary to Fundrise—you won't find them outside the platform.

Pros

Low minimum investment (just $10 for the Starter account)
Low fees
Exposure to different types of funds and eREITs
User-friendly on both desktop and mobile

Cons

Long-term commitment
Limited customer service options

Fundrise is the best real estate investing app on my list. And that's thanks to the sheer number of boxes this platform checks off.

The app runs smoothly on desktop and mobile.
It has a visually pleasing, easy-to-use design.
Includes the quality-of-life features I look for in real estate investment apps (or just investment apps in general), such as dividend reinvesting, auto-deposits, email notifications, tax-form prep, etc.

Fundrise also offers an excellent range of investing strategies to pick from. Their Fixed Income, Core Plus, Value Add, and Opportunistic strategies are each geared toward different asset types and let users “steer” their investment a bit.

Or—if you’re like me—you can spread your investment across multiple asset classes to protect yourself from a sector that might perform poorly…like, I don’t know, shopping malls?

Another major bonus? Fundrise makes an effort to be transparent.

It may be that they’re legally required to do so, but even still, I appreciate it when a company tries to give me information on something before I buy it. It feels like they want me to be informed about where I choose to invest.

2. Concreit (Best for Beginners)

Minimum investment: $1 to start
Fees: $5 per month or 1% of account balance

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Concreit is a real estate investment app ideally suited for new or non-accredited investors who want to build cash flow quickly. Here’s why:

The minimum investment required to invest with Concreit is super low (like single-digits low).
And users get paid weekly, not once every quarter, which is especially exciting for those who like to watch our money grow in real time.

Concreit is unique, too, in that they expose investors to both sides of the investment coin—they’ve built a portfolio of both equity and debt investments.

Pros

Minimum investment of just $1 (yeah, seriously)
Weekly payouts
Historically high-yield/low-risk investment strategy
Simple fee structure
In-depth investment analysis
Automated dividend reinvestment

Cons

Long-term commitment
Limited customer service options

Tip

Real estate debt investments are popular because they tend to offer more reliable returns and are a “safer” part of the capital stack.

Alternatively, equity investments have no cap on returns, and your initial investment can become more valuable through appreciation. It's more risky but potentially more lucrative.

Concreit’s platform essentially uses money from its investors to purchase shares in first-lien mortgages. This isn’t anything new—private lenders have been doing this for decades. But thanks to the JOBS Act, non-accredited investors can now participate in these private-market deals.

Concreit is one of the few real estate crowdfunding apps that bring real estate debt investing to the table. And they do it better than other platforms I’ve looked into.

This platform is excellent for investors who like to hedge their bets. Or those who have more faith in debt than growth.

3. Arrived Homes

Minimum investment: $100
Fees: 3.5% of property purchase price +AUM Fee: 0.15% of property purchase price (quarterly)

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Arrived Homes is a crowdfunding real estate investing platform with a simple offer that can be broken down into four simple steps.

Set up an account with Arrived Homes
Select a rental property you like in the app (they give you the property details upfront)
Use the built-in investment calculator to loosely predict your expected return
Invest your money and wait for your projected return to hit your account

That’s it—four steps, and you’re a bona fide investor with an ownership interest in rental property. Arrived Homes makes real estate investment so friggin’ simple.

If you’ve ever done any joint-venture deals, you know how difficult it can be to get four or five like-minded investors to come together on a deal. This app lets you go in on deals with hundreds of other investors without hassle, haggling, or meetings!

Pros

Low minimum investment
Very easy to learn & use
Quarterly dividend payouts
Cash-out equity if the property gets sold
FUN

Cons

A limited selection of properties
Several fees

Arrived is the most fun app on this list because it allows users to invest in small-time, one-off real estate deals.

It feels like driving for dollars, yet unlike “d4d,” there is no pressure to find owner details or scope out repair costs. Instead, the app lets users invest in residential rental properties on the fly.

And there are no high stakes—you don’t have to worry about haggling with sellers, going to closings, or managing tenants. You can invest a few hundred dollars and then sit back to watch the property's performance.

Easy to learn, easy to use, inexpensive to get started, and—so far— I’ve been impressed with the deals the Arrived Homes team finds.

4. RealtyMogul

Minimum investment: $5,000
Fees: 1%--1.25% on most investments

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RealtyMogul is a window into the bustling world of commercial real estate properties.

Whether it's an office tower, shopping center, or parking lot, this app connects you to opportunities many investors never think to aim for (or otherwise think are out of reach).

And if it’s your first time delving into commercial real estate, don’t worry—RealtyMogul has a treasure trove of educational content in the form of blog articles, webinars, and tools.

The cherry on top? RealtyMogul gives frequent updates on your investments and maintains a high level of transparency. If you want information, they’ll provide it.

Pros

Various commercial real estate investments (skyscrapers to skating rinks)
Transparency. They offer a lot of information to users
Great educational resources - articles, webinars, tutorials, etc.
Well-designed and user-friendly app
Self-directed IRA options

Cons

Medium to Long-term investments, so liquidity is a concern
Minimum investment is slightly higher than competitors (could be a turn-off for some)
Information can be overwhelming sometimes

RealtyMogul is a bit too serious for my blood. And I’ll explain why.

The app has many great features, a strong track record for returns, and probably the most diverse bag of investment properties I’ve found on a real estate investing app…

But I feel like it’s geared more toward accredited, “professional” investors who don’t mind reading the fine print and digging through analytics.

And I think RealtyMogul would agree with my assessment because they’ve gone to great lengths to produce educational resources around their products.

All-in-all, it’s a great platform and deserves its spot on this list, but I wouldn’t recommend this app for beginners.

5. Collab

Minimum investment: $500
Fees: 2% management fee

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Collab is a real estate crowdfunding platform focusing on the student housing sector. And that means they can offer everyday investors tailored insights, data, and support for a niche that can be difficult for retail investors to break into.

But what's unique about Collab is how they encourage/incentivize investors and tenants to help manage the property portfolio. I provide a more in-depth breakdown of this investor/operator concept. See my take below for details.

Overall, Collab is your best bet if you’re looking for an easy way to find, analyze, and participate in real estate investment opportunities for student housing.

Pros

Access to the student housing sector (high demand/low competition niche)
Top-level property analysis
Monthly dividend payouts
Reg A+ with the SEC gives access to a wider pool of investors
Multiple ways to make $$$ (passive and earned income)

Cons

No secondary market to buy or sell shares
No diversification

Collab is different from almost all of its competitors in several unique ways:

They don’t ‘muddy’ their real estate portfolio just for the sake of diversification. They stick to student housing properties.
Collab works closely with investors and offers in-depth analysis of any deals. This “personal touch” is something you don’t often see with larger, more generalized investment platforms.
After joining the platform, you can take on property management tasks as a registered vendor.

Note: These tasks are optional, but if you’ve got property maintenance skills—like painting or replacing air filters—you can get paid to work on properties in Collab’s portfolio.

Passive and earned income wrapped up in one app. Pretty clever.

6. AcreTrader

Minimum investment: $10,000
Fees: 0.75% annual management fee + closing fees for individual investments

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AcreTrader breaks away from the somewhat stale investment property landscape, focusing instead on an overlooked gem: farmland.

Each farm is vetted heavily by the AcreTrader team, and only a few make the cut; this scrutiny ensures users only invest in land with potential for yield and appreciation.

Returns come from annual rent payments from lessees (usually farmers) in the form of dividends and appreciation as the value of the land goes up.

AcreTrader manages everything from tenant relationships to insurance and property taxes and ensures the land is used sustainably.*

Fun fact*

I learned from conducting this review that sustainability for farmland isn’t a marketing gimmick. Using land sustainably is good for the earth, and it’s good for profitability, too.

Pros

Access to raw land investments without needing to manage them, bridging the gap between urban investors and rural assets.
Diversification. Acretrader offers a wide range of farmland spread across different regions, growing various crops.
Clear fee structures and regular property updates.
The customer support team is top-notch, and the company has few (if any) negative reviews online. Rare.

Cons

Accredited investors only 🙁
A limited number of deals to invest in

AcreTrader presents an opportunity to diversify your portfolio by putting your money into the soil that feeds nations.

That sounds a little dramatic, but land investors are on to something. Some of the advertised returns on AcreTrader investments hover around 15% Realized IRR!

And if cats like Bill Gates are getting into the farmland game, you might want to pay attention.

Rising competition and sky-high interest rates in the residential and commercial markets have been chaotic and unpredictable. Consumables (read: food), like corn, soybeans, etc., are almost recession-proof and steadier than a brain surgeon's hands.

It sucks that the platform only caters to accredited investors (for now), but if you’re in that group of people, check AcreTrader out. Invest in a little piece of the American breadbasket.

7. GroundFloor

Minimum investment: $10 after funding your account with $1,000
Fees: None

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Groundfloor specializes in lending for real estate, allowing investors to fund short-term, high-yield loans secured by residential properties.

The process is simple: investors pick through a list of property loans, each with a detailed breakdown of the potential risks and returns. Investors can then choose exactly where their dollars go, whether it's flipping houses in Atlanta or refurbishing condos in Charlotte.

The short-term nature of these loans aims to offer a quicker ROI than traditional real estate investments. Returns are generated as borrowers repay the loan.

Groundfloor is appealing for real estate investors wary of the rollercoaster nature of the stock market or the long-term real estate market.

Pros

You can invest in deals with as little as $10
Better liquidity with short-term loan investments
Exposure to various real estate projects (fix n’ flips, rehabs, new construction, etc.)
No management fees

Cons

Reports of high default rates on loans 🙁
Few monthly dividend opportunities

Groundfloor gives you a peek into the world of hard-money lending. You can play banker from your couch—no Armani suit or hair gel required!

You’ll get to cherry-pick which loans you want to help fund and stay relatively liquid at the same time. GroundFloor loans typically land in the 6-12 month range.

The company could do with a tighter default rate and some customer service overhaul, but there aren’t a lot of apps with GroundFloor’s history and tech—so you take some good with the bad here.

This app suits real estate investors wanting a break from investment trusts or managing rental properties.

Honorable Mention: Elevate Money

Elevate Money is a true crowdfunding platform, not a fintech company or established lender that decided to get into the crowdfunding space.

So, if you want an easy entry point into the commercial investment space and like that “startup energy” feel, check them out.

Sidenote: Elevate Money is also teaming up with Boxabl to tackle the ongoing affordable housing crisis in the US. As of 11/3/2023, you can even become a part-owner of Elevate Money as they raise capital from investors for this next brave step.

What Are Real Estate Investing Apps?

Real estate investing apps allow users to invest their money in real estate, whether by purchasing fractional shares in a property or shares in a REIT (real estate investment trust).

A few real estate apps go so far as to let users purchase whole properties—slab to shingles—with a few thumb swipes.

How We Rank Real Estate Investing Apps

The criteria we use are a mix of what we look for in an investment platform (or any software, for that matter) AND what users most complained about with apps they DIDN'T like.

Here are the five major things we looked for:

The app must deal mainly with real estate. And while apps like Fundrise do offer "alternative investments," the vast majority of the apps on this list deal primarily in real estate assets.
The app (or parent company) must have a stellar reputation. This is based on customer review sites (Google, Trustpilot, etc.) and public forums (BiggerPockets, Reddit, Quora).
Ease-of-use. If we can't figure out how to use the app, we won't recommend it.
The pricing and/or fee structure needs to be reasonable and with clear terms. No sneaky contract shenanigans or hidden fees.
Every app must have intuitive QoL (quality-of-life) features, such as mobile compatibility, easy transfers/deposits, clever automation, customer support features, etc.

These items aren’t the only ones we considered, but they establish a solid basis for ranking/reviewing real estate apps.

Frequently Asked Questions About Real Estate Investing Apps

Are real estate investment apps worth it?

Real estate investment apps can be worth it if you're looking for a convenient entry point into real estate without the need to manage properties or invest a lot of money. Plus, they offer diversified portfolios (think commercial and residential) and are useful for learning about the overall market.

Where can I invest $1,000 in real estate?

With $1,000, you can start investing in real estate through crowdfunding platforms like Fundrise or REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts). Both options pool money from many investors to buy property or mortgage loans.

How to invest in real estate with little money?

Real estate crowdfunding platforms offer a way to invest smaller amounts in property-backed projects. Another option is wholesaling real estate, which requires very little capital investment to get started.

What is the most profitable real estate to invest in?

Generally, commercial real estate or residential properties in high-demand areas offer the highest returns. However, these can also come with higher risks, so due diligence is crucial.

Final Thoughts

Real estate investing apps are arguably the most passive way to invest in real estate assets.

And like any well-designed financial application, they aim to make investing as easy and affordable as possible. But whether you win or lose is not their concern.

If you’re a seasoned investor, you're probably used to financial apps and won't have trouble navigating those listed here. But if you’re new to investing apps (or just investing in general), please educate yourself before investing any of your hard-earned money.

That said, if you want a low-cost way to get into the game, check out Fundrise. It's a rock-solid option for most investors; it's easy to learn, easy to use, has low minimums, and has great tech—it's the app to beat.