Up until a few years ago, only accredited investors and companies could invest in startups. Now, anyone over the age of 18 can invest in these companies in their nascent years, before they make it to the stock market – that is, if they ever do. There is potentially a lot of money to be made from investment in startups, but it’s important to understand that your money is at risk in anything you do, no matter how much trust you have in that company. There are a host of crowdfunding platforms now that allow the average Joe to start making investments in companies they deem to have potential. 

Top 7 Best Investing Software for Startups

  1. SeedInvest – Best Software for Low Investment Minimum 
  2. Wefunder – Best Software for Meeting Individual Needs 
  3. Republic – Best Software for Portfolio Diversification 
  4. StartEngine – Best Software for Investing in Innovation
  5. Seedrs – Best Software for UK Investors 
  6. SeedBlink – Best Software for Investing in Techh 
  7. AngelList Venture – Best Software for Advanced Features 

1. SeedInvest – Best Software for Low Investment Minimum 

PRICING: Investment fee of 2%

Founded in 2012 by two investment bankers, SeedInvest has seen rapid growth in its lifetime. It’s proud to have funded over 160 startups and has hosted nearly 200,000 investors. It has strict criteria for startups looking to gain a place in their network, so you can rest assured that you are being shown only the creme de la creme of new companies. 

KEY FEATURES:

  • Private equity investments 
  • Different payment methods  
  • Opportunities to diversify 

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Lower investment minimums than market alternatives, although companies are free to set this figure themselves 
  • Highly secure 
  • 2% investment fee if the company fails to meet their goal 

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Limited choice of startups in which to invest 

2. Wefunder – Best Software for Individual Needs 

PRICING: 2% – 3.5% investment fees 

Wefunder is a California-based investing platform aimed at connecting investors to startups across a range of industries. It showcases early-stage companies involved in anything from beer brewing to scientific innovation, so it’s an interesting and relevant way to invest in something that matters to you, or the world at large. 

KEY FEATURES:

  • Access to very early stage startups 
  • Diversification opportunities
  • Referral program 

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Friendly UI 
  • Easy to diversify your portfolio 
  • Range of markets 

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • As a fairly new platform there is limited historical analysis of investment performance 
  • Risky 

3. Republic – Best Software for Portfolio Diversification

PRICING: No fees for investors 

Republic offers a slick service for investing in startups as well as other markets such as real estate, crypto and gaming – if you wanted to expand your portfolio whilst sticking to the same software. It’s a relatively new platform – founded in 2016 – so there are some limits to the information available on how previous investments and startups have fared, but overall it’s an exciting service for keen investors. 

KEY FEATURES:

  • Autopilot investing 
  • Networking for accredited investors 
  • Profiles on top investors 

REASONS TO BUY:

  • All companies are vetted and undergo strict due diligence 
  • No fees – a rarity 

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Poor customer service 

4. StartEngine – Best Software for Investing in Innovation  

PRICING: Free for investors, although some companies will pass on their costs to the investor 

Founded in 2014, StartEngine presents an exciting range of investment opportunities that will appeal to investors wanting to put their money into high-potential businesses rooted in scientific innovation. It offers both Reg CF (regulation crowdfunding) and Regulation A crowdfunding, so you can further identify the company that’s right for you. There’s also the very manageable minimum investment amount of $100. 

KEY FEATURES:

  • Bonus share offers for new investors 
  • Dedicated account manager 
  • $100 investment minimum 

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Growing userbase 
  • Makes investing accessible to a greater number 

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • As with most investing, potential gains are long-term rather than short-term 

5. Seedrs – Best Software for UK Investors

PRICING: Fees from 1%

Seedrs is a London-based equity crowdfunding platform that offers an excellent, clean service for getting involved with innovative startups before they go public. For now, it’s only available to investors in the UK and some areas of Europe, but on its current trajectory of growth and success, this is open to change in the future. As of 2020, Seedrs had raised close to £1 billion since its founding, and had supported over 1000 startups. 

KEY FEATURES:

  • Mailing list and in-site updates from company 
  • Private deal room for high net worth investors 

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Wide range of projects 
  • Easy to use  
  • Helpful customer support 
  • Well distributed market 

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Lacks a mobile app  

6. SeedBlink  – Best Software for Investing in Tech 

PRICING: $5000/year minimum investment 

SeedBlink is itself essentially still a start up, founded in 2019 and quickly becoming one of the fastest growing investing platforms. It specialises in sourcing and championing European tech startups, with a focus on creating a community network connecting businesses and investors. Their strong values of trust and transparency make it an attractive options for those who are unsure where to start in their investing journey. It’s certainly one to watch. 

KEY FEATURES:

  • Club membership for premium diversification 
  • Performance dashboard for each business 

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Alumni portfolio for insider info
  • Community network for support and tips 
  • Projected growth 

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • High minimum investment 

7. AngelList Venture – Best Software for Advanced Features 

PRICING: Fees starting from 1% of fund size. 

The AngelList name encompasses all things startup: investing, job searching, and the sharing of new products. It has a decent range of businesses looking for investment, and it encourages long-term investment rather than hasty buying and selling. The rolling fund and syndicate features add an extra layer of interest and security. 

KEY FEATURES:

  • Syndicate option for deal-by-deal investing 
  • Dedicated AngelList access fund 
  • Rolling funds for a quarterly investment subscription 

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Opportunities to get involved with business decisions 
  • Simple central dashboard 

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Other platforms demonstrate more stringent vetting processes 
  • Infrequent reports 

References and Links

  • https://www.seedinvest.com
  • https://thecollegeinvestor.com/35735/seedinvest-review/ 
  • https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/investing/brokers/wefunder 
  • https://financebuzz.com/republic-review 
  • https://yourmoney.lumio-app.com/seedrs-review/#ftoc-heading-7 
  • https://mergersandinquisitions.com/angellist-review/ 
  • https://seedblink.com 
  • https://emerging-europe.com/business/seedblink-crowd-investing-not-crowd-funding/