Chime is expanding into investing — here's what you need to know
If you already use Chime1 to manage your money, you can now invest there, too. The fintech company has launched Chime Invest, a new platform that lets users buy stocks and ETFs commission-free or choose an expert-managed portfolio, with no account minimum required.
By adding investing to the same app customers already use to do their banking, Chime is making it easier to keep more of your financial life in one place. Here’s who Chime Invest is best for, how it works and alternatives to consider.
Chime Invest
Who is Chime Invest best for?
Chime Invest is a natural fit for existing Chime customers who want to keep their banking and investing in one place. It’s also worth considering if you’re looking for a new financial home, since Chime pairs its investing platform with fee-free checking, a high-yield savings account and a secured credit card, the Chime Card2, designed to help users build credit.
Chime® Checking + High-Yield Savings
Chime ® banking services, credit and debit card provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC.
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Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
Chime® Checking (no interest), required to enroll in Chime High-Yield Savings 3.75% APY. *
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Minimum balance
$0, no minimum deposit or balance
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Fees
No monthly maintenance or overdraft fees. SpotMe® service with eligibility for no-fee overdraft up to $200.*
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Perks
Paycheck available up to two days early with direct deposit. Automatically save part of your direct deposits of $1 or more. Round Ups feature transfers spare change from purchases to savings. Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing of the submission of the payment file from the payer. Generally, these funds are available on the day the payment file is received, which may be up to 2 days earlier than the scheduled paymedate.
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Maximum transactions
Cash withdrawals from checking up to $515 per day at any ATM or as an over-the-counter bank withdrawal. $2,500 maximum daily spend, including any withdrawals, purchases and incurred fees.
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ATMs
47,000+ in-network no-fee ATMs.*
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Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and over the counter advance fees may apply except at MoneyPass ATMs in a 7-Eleven, or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATM.
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Mobile check deposit
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Terms apply.
ATMs: Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and over the counter advance fees may apply except at FCTI® ATMs in a 7-Eleven® or Speedway, or any Allpoint® or Visa® Plus Alliance ATM participating in the Allpoint network. SpotMe: SpotMe® on Credit is an optional, no interest/no fee overdraft line of credit tied to the Secured Deposit Account. SpotMe on Debit is an optional, no fee service attached to your Chime Checking Account (individually or collectively, “”SpotMe””). Eligibility for SpotMe requires $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits to your Chime Checking Account each month. Qualifying members will be allowed to overdraw their Chime Checking Account and/or their Secured Deposit Account up to $20 in total, but may be later eligible for a higher combined limit of up to $200 or more based on member’s Chime account history, direct deposit frequency and amount, spending activity and other risk-based factors. Your SpotMe Limit will be displayed to you within the Chime mobile app. You will receive notice of any changes to your SpotMe Limit. SpotMe for Credit and SpotMe on Debit share a single SpotMe limit. Your SpotMe Limit may change at any time, at Chime or its banking partners’ discretion. Although there are no overdraft fees, there may be out-of-network or third-party fees associated with ATM transactions or OTC cash withdrawal fees at retailers. SpotMe won’t cover non-card transactions, including ACH s, Pay Anyone s, or Chime Checkbook transactions. SpotMe terms and conditions. APY: 3.75% Annual Percentage Yield (“APY”) applies if you maintain Chime Prime status, otherwise 3.00% Chime Plus APY (if eligible) or 0.75% standard APY will apply. APYs are effective as of 01/29/2026, are variable and subject to change. No min. bal. required.
Pros
- 3.75% APY on Chime High-Yield Savings
- No minimum deposit or balance required
- No monthly service fee
- No overdraft fee, transactions for unavailable funds are denied; SpotMe® for overdraft up to $200 with $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits over previous 34 days and an activated Chime debit card.
- Paycheck funds available up to two days early with direct deposit
- Automated transfer 10% of direct deposits of at least $200 to savings
- Purchases with Chime Visa® Debit Card rounded up to the next dollar and difference automatically transferred to savings
- Access to over 47,000 in-network ATMs for no fee, including MoneyPass ATMs in 7-Eleven and Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATMs
- Mobile check deposit
- Security features include blocking transactions for a lost card, providing daily balance updates, sending real-time transaction alerts and protecting from unauthorized charges with Visa *Zero Liability. *You must notify your financial institution immediately of any unauthorized use. For specific restrictions, limitations and other details, please consult your issuer.
Cons
- Chime checking account required to opening Chime savings account
- No APY on Chime Checking; Chime High-Yield Savings APY above national average but lower than other high-yield savings accounts
- Can’t withdraw money directly from savings, must transfer to checking
- With checking, $2.50 fee for out-of-network ATMs and over-the-counter bank withdrawals
- Checking withdrawals limited to $515 per day at any ATM or as over-the-counter bank withdrawals using Chime Visa® Debit Card. $2,500 daily max spend, including incurred fees, withdrawals, funds withdrawn at a point of sale and purchases.
- 5% cash back rewards on category of choice for **Chime Prime members. Prime eligibility is unlocked with $3,000+ in qualifying direct deposits.
- No annual fee
- No credit check or minimum security deposit
- Prime members get **3.75% APY with qualifying direct deposits on a **Chime savings account
- Card access paused if statement balance is not paid within 24 hours.
Rewards
- 5% cash back on category of choice
Foreign transaction fee
How Chime Invest works
Chime Invest is geared toward beginner and casual investors who want to manage their banking and investing from a single app.
Members can choose between two ways to invest:
Managed Portfolio: If you’d rather take a hands-off approach, you can invest in an expert-built, diversified portfolio tailored to your goals and risk tolerance. Portfolios are managed by Atomic Invest, an SEC-registered investment adviser. There are no account minimums, and you can get started with as little as $1.
Self-directed investing: If you prefer to build your own portfolio, you can buy and sell a broad selection of U.S. stocks and ETFs commission-free.
Managed Portfolio fees depend on your Chime membership:
- Chime Prime: No management fee
- Chime Plus: 0.10% annual management fee
- Standard Chime membership: 0.25% annual management fee
Self-directed investing is commission-free regardless of your membership. Securities held in Chime Invest accounts are protected by SIPC for up to $500,000 (including up to $250,000 for cash), though SIPC protection doesn’t cover investment losses. Chime Invest is also rolling out gradually, so if you don’t see it in your app yet, you may gain access in the coming weeks.
Chime Invest™
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Minimum deposit and balance
No account minimum for either self-directed investing or Managed Portfolios.
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Fees
Fees vary depending on which option you choose. Self-directed investing has zero commission fees for trading stocks and ETFs. Managed Portfolios charges no management fee for Chime Prime members, 0.10% annually for Chime Plus members and 0.25% annually for all other Chime® members.
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Bonus
No welcome bonus currently offered
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Investment vehicles
Managed Portfolios: expert-built, diversified portfolio managed by Atomic Invest, an SEC-registered investment adviser
Brokerage and trading: Chime self-directed investing -
Investment options
U.S. stocks and ETFs
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Educational resources
Chime® offers a Financial Progress Resource Hub in the app, plus bite-sized, gamified lessons through a partnership with Zogo, where members can earn rewards for completing them.
Terms apply.
Pros
- No account minimums for either investing option
- Commission-free trading on stocks and ETFs
- No management fee for Chime Prime members
- Managed Portfolios are personalized and run by an SEC-registered adviser
- Investing lives in the same app as your Chime checking and savings
Cons
- Management fee applies unless you’re Chime Prime (0.10% Plus, 0.25% everyone else)
- Only U.S. stocks and ETFs, no options, crypto, or mutual funds
- No IRA or retirement account options mentioned
- No fractional shares mentioned
- Rolling out gradually, so access may take a few weeks
Alternatives to Chime Invest
If Chime Invest isn’t the right fit, there are a few other platforms worth considering depending on what you’re looking for.
SoFi Invest is a strong alternative if you want to keep your banking and investing in one place. It offers commission-free trading on stocks and ETFs, fractional shares starting at $5 and an automated investing option with no advisory fee. Since SoFi also offers checking, savings, loans and credit cards, it’s a good choice if you’d rather manage most of your finances through a single provider.
SoFi Invest®
On SoFi’s site
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Minimum deposit and balance
Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. No account minimum for active or automated investing, or to participate in IPOs. $5 minimum to own a fractional share of a company.
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Fees
Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Active investing has zero commission fees for trading stocks and ETFs (exchange and fund management fees may apply). Automated investing has zero management fees
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Bonus
Get up to 1,000 in stock when you open & fund a new Active Invest account.
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Investment vehicles
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Investment options
Stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, alternative funds, fractional share and IPO participation
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Educational resources
SoFi offers a detailed help center with hundreds of searchable articles, market insights and access to certified financial planners at no additional cost to all members.
Terms apply.
Pros
- $0 minimum deposit for active, automated investing and IPO participation
- Ability to purchase fractional shares ($5 minimum) and participate in IPOs before they trade on the public market
- Commission-free trading on stocks, ETFs and options (including no per-contract options fees)
- No management fees for automated investing
- Variety of bonuses being offered
- All members get access to certified financial planners at no extra cost; SoFi Plus members get unlimited sessions
- 1% match on eligible IRA contributions and rollovers
Cons
- Minimums required for fractional shares ($5)
- Exchange and fund management fees may apply with active investing
- $25 annual inactivity fee (waived if you log in at least once every six months)
- No tax-loss harvesting for automated investing
*Probability of Member receiving $1,000 is a probability of 0.026%; If you don’t make a selection in 45 days, you’ll no longer qualify for the promo. Customer must fund their account with a minimum of $50.00 to qualify. Probability percentage is subject to decrease.
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC
Automated investing is offered through SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser.
If you’d prefer a platform that’s focused primarily on investing, Robinhood is another option. It offers commission-free trading on stocks, ETFs, options and crypto, with fractional investing starting at just $1. Robinhood also has managed portfolios, though they’re only available to Robinhood Gold subscribers. Unlike Chime and SoFi, however, Robinhood isn’t designed to be your primary bank, so it’s a better fit if you’re looking for an investing-first experience.
Robinhood
On Robinhood’s site
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Minimum deposit and balance
Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. No minimum required to open an account or to start investing
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Fees
Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Commission-free trading; regulatory transaction fees and trading activity fees may apply
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Bonus
Get a free stock added to your brokerage account when you link your bank account and fulfill the promotion conditions (keep it or sell after 2 trading days)
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Investment vehicles
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Investment options
Stocks, ETFs, options, fractional shares, IPOs, and select cryptocurrencies Robinhood Crypto (availability varies by location)
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Educational resources
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Terms apply. *(Review Robinhood disclosures here.)
Pros
- $0 minimum deposit to open an account and start investing immediately
- Commission-free trading on stocks, ETFs, options and crypto
- Get a free stock just for linking your bank account
- Access to fractional shares (own a piece of stock for just $1)
- Beginner-friendly app with built-in educational content
Cons
- No human advisor or managed portfolio option
- Fees outside of commissions may apply
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1Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC.
2Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC. The Chime Visa® Debit Card and The secured Chime Visa® Credit Card are issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A. pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit and credit cards are accepted. Please see the back of your Card for its issuing bank.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.