Chime spent years as a fee-free checking and savings app. In 2026 it added Chime Invest, letting members buy U.S. stocks and ETFs or hand the wheel to a managed portfolio — all inside the same app they already use for direct deposit. The timing matters: when Chime reported its third-quarter 2025 results on November 5, 2025, it showed revenue up 29% year over year to $544 million and 9.1 million active members. Investing is a core part of how the company plans to deepen those relationships, so it’s worth understanding exactly what you’re getting.
This guide breaks down the two ways to invest, what each Chime tier pays in fees, how the $1 minimum works, and — importantly — whether your money is protected.
The Two Flavors of Chime Invest
Chime Invest runs through a single investment account but gives you two distinct approaches:
- Self-directed investing: You pick individual U.S. stocks and ETFs and buy them yourself, commission-free. There’s no per-trade charge to buy or sell.
- Managed portfolios: You answer questions about your goals and risk tolerance, and a professionally managed portfolio is built and maintained for you. The underlying investing is handled by Atomic Invest LLC, Chime’s registered investment-advisor partner.
You don’t have to choose one forever — both options live in the same account, so you can hold a managed portfolio and still buy a few individual stocks on the side.
The $1 Minimum and No Account Minimums
One of the headline features is accessibility. There are no account minimums, and you can start investing with as little as $1. That’s possible because stocks and ETFs are bought as fractional shares — so even a $1 deposit can buy a sliver of a share that otherwise trades for hundreds of dollars.
Worked example: Suppose a share of an ETF trades at $500. With $1, you’d own 0.002 of a share. If that ETF rises 10% over a year, your $1 becomes about $1.10. Tiny in isolation — but the point is you can start the habit immediately and add to it with every paycheck instead of waiting until you’ve saved a “real” amount.
Tier Fees: How Prime and Plus Change What You Pay
Commission-free means no charge on self-directed trades. The managed portfolio, however, carries an annual management fee — and here’s the twist: that fee depends on your Chime membership tier. The higher your qualifying direct deposits, the lower (or zero) your management fee.
| Chime tier | How you qualify | Managed portfolio fee (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Chime (standard) | Open to all members | 0.25% of managed assets |
| Chime Plus | A single qualifying direct deposit of $200+, or $400+ cumulatively, in the prior 34 days | 0.10% of managed assets |
| Chime Prime | $3,000+ in qualifying direct deposits in the prior 34 days | $0 — no management fee |
Crucially, none of the tiers is a paid subscription. There’s no monthly fee for Plus or Prime — you reach them purely by routing direct deposits into your Chime account. Self-directed stock and ETF trading stays commission-free regardless of tier; the tier only affects the managed-portfolio fee.
Worked example: what the management fee actually costs
Say you put $5,000 into a Chime managed portfolio and leave it for a year:
- Standard Chime (0.25%): roughly $12.50 for the year.
- Chime Plus (0.10%): roughly $5.00 for the year.
- Chime Prime (0%): $0.
For comparison, a typical robo-advisor charges around 0.25% — so standard Chime is in line with the market, and Plus or Prime undercut it. Note that the ETFs inside any managed portfolio may carry their own fund expense ratios, which are separate from Chime’s management fee.
Is Chime Invest SIPC-Safe?
Short answer: yes, it carries SIPC protection — but that is not the same as FDIC insurance. This is the single most important thing to understand before moving money in.
Your investments and investing account are held at Atomic Brokerage LLC, a FINRA-registered broker-dealer and a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). SIPC protects customers of member firms up to $500,000, including up to $250,000 for cash that isn’t currently invested, if the brokerage itself fails.
Here’s the nuance people miss: SIPC does not protect you against market losses. If you buy a stock and it drops 40%, that’s your loss — SIPC only steps in if the brokerage holding your securities goes under and your assets go missing. Investments through Chime Invest are expressly:
- Not FDIC insured
- Not bank guaranteed
- May lose value
By contrast, the cash in your regular Chime checking and savings accounts is held at Chime’s partner banks and is FDIC-insured. Moving money from your Chime spending account into Chime Invest moves it out of FDIC coverage and into the investing world’s rules.
Who Chime Invest Is Good For
Chime Invest fits best if you already bank with Chime, want to start small, and value simplicity over a deep research platform. The $1 entry point and commission-free trades remove the usual excuses to put off investing. Prime members routing a steady paycheck get an especially clean deal: a managed portfolio with a 0% management fee.
It’s a weaker fit if you want options trading, mutual funds, bonds, crypto, or advanced charting and research tools — those aren’t the focus here. Serious traders will find the feature set basic by design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Chime charge commissions on stock trades?
No. Self-directed buying and selling of U.S. stocks and ETFs is commission-free on every Chime tier. The only investing fee is the annual management fee on managed portfolios, which is 0.25% for standard members, 0.10% for Chime Plus, and $0 for Chime Prime.
Is my money in Chime Invest FDIC insured?
No. Investments are securities held at Atomic Brokerage LLC and are not FDIC insured, not bank guaranteed, and may lose value. They do carry SIPC protection (up to $500,000, including up to $250,000 in cash) against brokerage failure — but SIPC never covers losses from the market going down.
How do I qualify for Chime Prime or Plus to lower my fee?
Both tiers are based on qualifying direct deposits in the preceding 34 days, not on paying a subscription. Chime Plus needs a single qualifying direct deposit of $200+ (or $400+ cumulatively). Chime Prime needs $3,000+ in qualifying direct deposits. Neither tier charges a monthly fee.
What’s the least I can invest?
You can start with $1, and there are no account minimums. Fractional shares let small amounts buy partial shares, so you can begin and then add to it over time with each deposit.
The Bottom Line
Chime Invest turns the app millions already use for everyday banking into a low-friction on-ramp to the market: commission-free stocks and ETFs, managed portfolios from $1, and management fees that drop to zero if you’re a Prime member. Just keep the key distinction front of mind — your invested dollars are SIPC-protected against brokerage failure, not FDIC-insured and never guaranteed against losing value. Start small, understand the risk, and let your direct deposit do the heavy lifting on your fee tier.
WalletWisp is an informational resource and does not provide financial, investment, or tax advice. Verify current fees and terms with Chime before acting.
