The easiest way to start investing in the UK if you only have a little bit of money is to use a robo-advisor like Wealthify, Moneyfarm, or IG Smart Portfolios. These are great for beginners because you can invest in a pre-made diversified portfolio with low account fees.
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are also a good place to start as these track indexes like the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100, sectors such as technology and healthcare, and themes such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. InvestEngine is great for beginners investing in ETFs, as there is no account or dealing commissions.
Best Stocks For Beginner Investors To Buy For 2026
If, however, you are a beginner and want to buy individual stocks in the UK, you can do this cost-effectively through platforms such as Freetrade, Lightyear, and CMC Invest. These let you buy shares for free or with very low commissions, which is important as if you are investing with only a small amount of money large fees can really eat into your profits.
But what are the best stocks for beginners with little money to invest in?
Amazon
If you are starting a stock portfolio, it makes sense to begin with some solid large-cap stocks that can be the foundation of your portfolio. One company that could be ideal here is Amazon (AMZN:NASDAQ).
What’s great about Amazon is that it’s a very diversified company. Today, it operates in a range of growth industries including online shopping, cloud computing, AI, digital advertising, video streaming, robotics, self-driving cars, and space satellites, so it has many ways to win.
Another thing to like from an investment perspective is that its profits are rising sharply. In the long run, it’s profits that drive a company’s share price higher.
On the downside, competition from Big Tech rivals in areas such as cloud computing and AI is a risk. However, with the company trading at a valuation that is well below its 10-year historical average valuation, the risk-reward set-up is looking attractive at present.
JP Morgan
In the Financials sector, JP Morgan (JPM:NYSE) could be worth a look as a beginner stock. It’s the largest banking organisation in the US.
Like Amazon, this company is well-diversified and has many ways to win. Today, it generates revenues from consumer banking, investment banking (IPOs and M&A, etc.), trading, and wealth management.
Looking ahead, JP Morgan’s investment arm should benefit from a pickup in capital markets activity (2026 is expected to be a blockbuster year for IPOs). Meanwhile, high equity markets should boost the company’s wealth management division as the bank earns fees on assets under management.
A downturn in the US economy is a risk to consider – this could lead to more loan defaults and lower levels of profitability for the bank. At present though, analysts expect the US economy to perform well in 2026 thanks to lower interest rates, fiscal stimulus, and efficiency gains from AI.
Visa
Another stock in the Financials sector that could be a solid pick for beginners is Visa (V:NYSE). It’s one of the world’s largest electronic payment companies.
One thing to like about Visa is that it has a huge ‘economic moat’. As the operator of a global payments network for credit and debit cards (it takes a small slice of each transaction), it can’t easily be displaced.
Another plus from an investment perspective is that it doesn’t actually issue credit cards itself. This means that unlike a company like American Express, it faces no loan default risk.
It’s worth noting that new regulation in the credit card space is a risk in the near term. Taking a longer-term view, however, the outlook is attractive – in the decade ahead, trillions of transactions are set to shift from cash to card.
Uber Technologies
In the transportation space, Uber Technologies (UBER:NYSE) could be well suited to beginner investors. It operates the world’s largest rideshare network.
While Uber has been around for a while now, it still has significant growth potential. Not only is the company likely to launch its platform in new cities and towns in the years ahead, but it’s also likely to add new features to its app, giving consumers more travel options (e.g. car pooling).
But that’s not the only thing to like about this stock. Some other attractions include a strong brand (its name is a verb), dominant market positions in many major cities, and a large share buyback programme (which should boost earnings per share).
Now, some investors see Tesla’s robotaxis as a threat to Uber’s business model. Uber has partnerships with over 15 other autonomous driving companies however, so realistically, it’s unlikely to be majorly disrupted by Tesla.
Diageo
Finally, in the Consumer Staples space, Diageo (DGE:LON) could be worth a look. An alcoholic beverages powerhouse, it’s the owner of Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Smirnoff, Guinness, and many other well-known brands.
This stock has fallen a long way in recent years on the back of concerns that people are drinking less. As a result, it now looks very cheap.
Additionally, it now has a high dividend yield. Currently, the yield is about 4.5% meaning that the stock could provide some nice income for shareholders (dividends are never guaranteed).
Of course, the fact that attitudes towards alcohol are changing does add some uncertainty here. Fears look overblown though – with the right strategy the company should be able to continue growing in the long run.
Based in London, Edward is a distinguished investment writer with an extensive client portfolio comprising a diverse array of prominent financial services firms across the globe. With over 15 years of hands-on experience in private wealth management and institutional asset management, both in the UK and Australia, he possesses a profound understanding of the finance industry.
Before establishing himself as a writer, Edward earned a Commerce degree from the prestigious University of Melbourne. Complementing his academic background, he holds the esteemed Investment Management Certificate (IMC) and is a proud holder of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) qualification.
Widely recognised as a sought-after investment expert, Edward’s insightful perspectives and analyses have been featured on sites such as BlackRock, Credit Suisse, WisdomTree, Motley Fool, eToro, and CMC Markets, among others.
To contact Ed, please see his Invesdaq profile.
