Micro-Investing, Revisited: Is Raiz Still Worth It?
Three years on from my original Raiz review, the rails for small-balance investing in Australia have changed. Here's the honest update.
Raiz pioneered round-up investing in Australia and made portfolios accessible at $5. That was genuinely important. In 2026 the landscape has more options, and the right answer depends on what you're optimising for.
Where Raiz still wins
Behaviour. The round-up mechanism turns spending into saving without willpower. For anyone who has never invested before, that habit is worth more than a fee delta.
Where it doesn't
On larger balances the monthly fee starts to bite versus a direct ETF brokerage like Pearler or Stake. If you're disciplined enough to DCA into VAS/VGS yourself, you'll keep more of the return.
My take
Use Raiz to *start*. Move to direct ETFs once your balance is meaningful and the habit is set. The platforms are tools, not religions.
Try Raiz with my invite
If you want to give round-up investing a go, sign up with my invite link, click here. You get a small starting bonus, and I get a small thank-you when you do.