How to Invest in the S&P 500 in 2025

The S&P 500 is a stock market index comprising 500 leading US companies, and its performance is usually a good reflection of the overall economy. Historical data shows that the S&P 500 has consistently provided solid long-term returns, making it a relatively reliable choice for growing wealth over time. Since adopting 500 stocks in 1957, the S&P 500 has seen an average annualized return of 10.53%.⁽¹⁾

Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of investing in the S&P 500 and how to add this investment cornerstone to your portfolio.

How to invest in the S&P 500

Being a benchmark for its underlying stocks, you can’t invest directly in the S&P 500 — or any index for that matter. However, there are two methods to invest: buy exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that track the S&P 500 index or buy individual stocks that make up the S&P 500.

1. Buy an S&P 500 index fund

The easiest way to invest in the S&P 500 is to invest in either an ETF or mutual fund that tracks the S&P 500. Funds that track an index like the S&P 500 are known as index funds.

Index funds are designed to track the performance of and achieve approximately the same return as an underlying index. S&P 500 index funds will at the least have exposure to the top constituents — Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, etc. These funds are a great way to add instant diversification to your portfolio at a low cost because a single share purchase gives you exposure to all the underlying stocks.

Since most S&P 500 index funds should, in theory, achieve nearly similar returns, a fund’s performance may not be the most important factor when deciding which to invest in. Investors may want to pay closer attention to expenses, which will likely vary the most between funds.

Best S&P 500 ETFs
The following table comprises four popular ETFs tracking the S&P 500 index.

Source: Google Finance. Fund performance and fees accurate as of September 16, 2025

2. Buy individual S&P 500 stocks

Another option is to buy individual stocks of companies listed in the index, but this isn’t the most economical approach. Unless you invest in a significant number of the constituent stocks, you’ll only capture a portion of the index’s performance.

Besides, managing a portfolio of individual stocks requires significant time and effort to research, analyze and monitor each stock’s performance and financial health. A portfolio of hundreds of stocks would be unmanageable for most. However, investment managers offer this service through a strategy known as direct indexing.

Our top picks for trading platforms to invest in the S&P 500

Top pick for stock bonuses

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• Trade stocks, options, ETFs, mutual funds, alternative asset funds
• $0 commission on stocks, ETFs and options with no options contract fees
• Get up to $1,000 in stock when you open and fund a new account within 45 days
• Access to a financial planner

Disclaimer

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.

Terms and conditions apply*. For 401k rollovers, existing SoFi IRA members must complete 401k rollovers via this link For SoFi members without a SoFi IRA, a SoFi IRA must first be opened, and 401k rollover must be completed utilizing Capitalize via this link. SoFi and Capitalize will charge no additional fees to process a 401(k) rollover to a SoFi IRA. SoFi is not liable for any costs incurred from the existing 401k provider for rollover. Please check with your 401k provider for any fees or costs associated with the rollover. For IRA contributions, only deposits made via ACH and cash transfer from SoFi Bank accounts are eligible for the match. Click here for the 1% Match terms and conditions.

Up to 2% match

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• Trade stocks, ETFs, options, futures and bonds all in one place
• $0 commissions on stocks, ETFs and equity options, with low contract fees
• Deposit or transfer $10,000+ to earn a 2% Match Bonus. Plus: Get a $100 transfer fee reimbursement on your first brokerage transfer of $2,000 or more. T&C apply.

Top pick for intuitive trading tools

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• Trade $0 commission stocks, ETFs, futures and options with as little as $1
• After-hours trading available
• Earn 3.75% interest on uninvested cash with Gold
• 24/7 customer support

Direct indexing
Direct indexing offers investors a unique way to track the performance of the S&P 500 index while customizing their portfolios to align with personal preferences or values. Instead of purchasing an S&P 500 index fund, direct indexing involves buying individual stocks that mirror the constituents of the S&P 500 index.

This approach allows individuals to have more control over their investments, including the ability to exclude certain stocks or overweight others based on specific criteria. Direct indexing can also offer tax advantages by allowing investors to harvest tax losses or manage capital gains more efficiently.

Examples of investing platforms that offer direct indexing are Frec, Wealthfront, Charles Schwab and Fidelity Investments. Annual advisory fees for these managed accounts typically range from 0.10% to 0.40% annually.

What is the S&P 500?

The S&P 500 is a market capitalization-weighted stock market index of 500 leading US companies in the most prominent industries of the US economy, traded on either the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or Nasdaq.

The index was first introduced in 1957. Today, the S&P 500 covers approximately 80% of the available market cap and is widely regarded as the best single measure of US stock market performance.⁽²⁾

Though known officially as the S&P 500, the index actually contains 503 stocks. The index includes two share classes of stock from News Corp (NWS), Fox Corp (FOX) and Alphabet (GOOGL).⁽³⁾

What companies are in the S&P 500?

The S&P 500 includes some of the most recognizable and popular stocks in the world. The top ten constituents make up over 39% of the entire S&P 500, with Apple, Nvidia and Microsoft representing over 20% of the total index.⁽⁴⁾ This is why when any of these stocks are down, the entire index feels it.

The top 10 constituents of the S&P 500 by index weight as of September 15, 2025 are:

How is the S&P 500 doing?

Take a look at the last half-decade or so historical performance of the S&P 500.

S&P 500 calculator

Project the potential growth of investing in the S&P 500 by considering various factors such as initial investment, additional contributions, contribution frequency, expected rate of return, compound frequency and your investment time horizon.

Pros and cons of investing in the S&P 500

Pros

• Exposure to America’s leading companies. Gain exposure to America’s most influential companies, including Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Tesla, with a single purchase.
• Instant diversification. Buying a single share of an S&P 500 index fund will give you exposure to the stocks of all its underlying companies, immediately diversifying your portfolio.
• Competitive long-term performance. Over the past 25 years, the S&P 500 has produced total returns of 9% — or 6.8% when adjusted for inflation.⁽⁵⁾
• Ease of investing. Buying shares of an S&P 500 index fund limits the time you need to spend researching and gets you in the market quicker.

Cons

• It includes only US companies. The S&P 500 includes only stocks of US companies and excludes companies in other parts of the world.
• It includes only large-cap companies. The S&P 500 includes only large-cap stocks, so you won’t gain any exposure to small-cap or mid-cap stocks, which tend to grow at faster rates than their large-cap counterparts.

Compare more brokers to invest in the S&P 500

Compare brokers by available asset types, minimum deposit, stock trade fee and more. Select Go to site to sign up for an account or select More Info to read our comprehensive review.

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Finder Score	Available asset types	Stock trade fee	Minimum deposit	Cash sweep APY	bullet point infobox
Promoted Finder score 9.4 Excellent Robinhood	Finder score 9.4 Excellent	Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Futures, Event contracts, High-yield cash account	$0	$0	3.50%	Get a free stock when you successfully sign up and link your bank account. T&Cs apply.	Trade stocks, options, crypto and more, with advanced trading tools, fractional shares and exclusive perks for Gold members.	Go to site More info	loading
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Promoted Finder score 9 Excellent Public.com	Finder score 9 Excellent	Stocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Investments, Retirement, Treasury Bills, High-yield cash account	$0	$0	3.6%	Get up to $10,000 and transfer fees covered when you move your portfolio to Public. T&Cs apply.	Build a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, ETFs and crypto, with a high-yield cash account and options contract rebates.	Important information *Yield as of 04/09/2025. Learn more.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9 Excellent SoFi Active Invest	Finder score 9 Excellent	Stocks, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Alternatives	$0	$0	0.01%	Get up to $1,000 in stock when you open and fund a new account. T&Cs apply.	Trade stocks, ETFs, and options with zero commissions, invest in IPOs or automate your portfolio, with exclusive perks available through SoFi Plus.	Important information INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE Other fees, such as exchange fees, may apply. Please view our fee disclosure to view a full listing of fees. Investing in alternative investments and/or strategies may not be suitable for all investors and involves unique risks, including the risk of loss. An investor should consider their individual circumstances and any investment information, such as a prospectus, prior to investing. Interval Funds are illiquid instruments, the ability to trade on your timeline may be restricted. Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org) /SIPC(www.sipc.org). There are limitations with fractional shares to consider before investing. During market hours fractional share orders are transmitted immediately in the order received. There may be system delays from receipt of your order until execution and market conditions may adversely impact execution prices. Outside of market hours orders are received on a not held basis and will be aggregated for each security then executed in the morning trade window of the next business day at market open. Share will be delivered at an average price received for executing the securities through a single batched order. Fractional shares may not be transferred to another firm. Fractional shares will be sold when a transfer or closure request is initiated. Please consider that selling securities is a taxable event. Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire investment Before trading options please review the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Utilizing a margin loan is generally considered more appropriate for experienced investors as there are additional costs and risks associated. It is possible to lose more than your initial investment when using margin. Please see https://www.sofi.com/wealth/assets/documents/brokerage-margin-disclosure-statement.pdf for detailed disclosure information SoFi Plus members can schedule an unlimited number of appointments with a financial planner during periods in which the SoFi Plus member meets the eligibility criteria set forth in section 10(a) of the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions. SoFi members who are not members of SoFi Plus can schedule one (1) appointment with a financial planner. The ability to schedule appointments is subject to financial planner availability. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this benefit at any time with or without notice. Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Information about SoFi Wealth’s advisory operations, services, and fees is set forth in SoFi Wealth’s current Form ADV Part 2 (Brochure), a copy of which is available upon request and at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. 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 Robo Advisor: Automated investing is offered through SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. 0.25% fee is based on your account value. The wrap program fee may cost more or less than purchasing brokerage, custodial, and record keeping services separately. Terms and conditions apply*. For 401k rollovers, existing SoFi IRA members must complete 401k rollovers via this link For SoFi members without a SoFi IRA, a SoFi IRA must first be opened, and 401k rollover must be completed utilizing Capitalize via this link. SoFi and Capitalize will charge no additional fees to process a 401(k) rollover to a SoFi IRA. SoFi is not liable for any costs incurred from the existing 401k provider for rollover. Please check with your 401k provider for any fees or costs associated with the rollover. For IRA contributions, only deposits made via ACH and cash transfer from SoFi Bank accounts are eligible for the match. Click here for the 1% Match terms and conditions.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9.4 Excellent Webull	Finder score 9.4 Excellent	Stocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Futures, Money market funds	$0	$0	3.60%	Deposit or transfer $100,000+ to earn a 4% Match Bonus, or $2,000+ to earn a 3% Match Bonus. Plus: Get a $100 transfer fee reimbursement on your first brokerage transfer of $2,000 or more. T&Cs apply.	Trade stocks, ETFs and equity options commission-free, with access to futures, advanced charting tools, a robo-advisor and event trading powered by Kalshi.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9.2 Excellent Interactive Brokers GlobalTrader	Finder score 9.2 Excellent	Stocks, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Cryptocurrency	$0	$0	3.83% Lite 4.83% Pro	Trade in a simulated trading environment and access a wide range of tradable assets.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 8.2 Great eToro	Finder score 8.2 Great	Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Investments	$0	$0	3.75%	No commission stock, ETF and options trades, with 3.9% interest on your options account balance and no options contract fees. See full disclosure.	Important information eToro securities trading offered by eToro USA Securities, Inc. (‘the BD”), member of FINRA and SIPC. Investing involves risk, and content is provided for educational purposes only, does not imply a recommendation, and is not a guarantee of future performance. Finder is not an affiliate and may be compensated if you access certain products or services offered by the BD.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 8 Great Acorns	Finder score 8 Great	Stocks, ETFs	$0	$0	N/A	Get a $20 bonus when you set up an account and make your first recurring investment (min. $5). T&Cs apply.	Automate investing with recurring contributions starting at $5 and invest spare change from everyday purchases.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 7.4 Great Stash	Finder score 7.4 Great	Stocks, ETFs	$0	$0	0.1%	Get $5 when you sign up and deposit $5. T&Cs apply.	Bank, automate your portfolio or invest in individual stocks and ETFs for as low as $3 per month.	Important information Investment advisory services offered by Stash Investment LLC, a SEC registered investment advisor. Investing involves risk and investments may lose value. Holdings and performance are hypothetical. *Offer is subject to T&Cs	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9 Excellent Wealthfront	Finder score 9 Excellent	Stocks, ETFs, High-yield cash account	$0	$500	3.75%	Get a $50 bonus when you sign up and fund a taxable automated investing account with at least $500. T&Cs apply.	Automate your stock and bond portfolio or trade individual stocks for as little as $1 apiece. Plus, earn 3.50% APY on your cash.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 7.2 Great J.P. Morgan Personal Advisors	Finder score 7.2 Great	Mutual funds, ETFs	$0	$25,000	N/A	Financial planning, advice and portfolio management. T&Cs apply.	Get ongoing access to an advisory team with personalized financial planning and expert-built portfolios. Provider terms & conditions apply	Important information INVESTMENT PRODUCTS ARE: NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE.	More info	loading
Finder score 8.2 Great M1 Finance	Finder score 8.2 Great	Stocks, ETFs, Cryptocurrency	$0	$100	4.00%	Build a custom portfolio of stocks and ETFs with automatic rebalancing. Plus, earn 4.00% APY with a high-yield cash account.	Important information M1 Finance, LLC does not charge commission, trading, or management fees for self-directed brokerage accounts. You may still be charged other fees such as M1’s platform fee, regulatory fees, account closure fees, or ADR fees. For a complete list of fees M1 may charge visit M1 Fee Schedule. M1 is not a bank. M1 Spend is a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of M1 Holdings Inc.. M1 High –Yield Savings Accounts are furnished by B2 Bank, NA, Member FDIC. Obtaining stated APY (annual percentage yield) with the M1 High-Yield Savings Account does not require a minimum account balance. Stated APY is accrued on account balance. APY is solely determined by M1 Spend LLC and its partner banks, and will include account fees that will reduce earnings. Rates are subject to change without notice. M1 High-Yield Savings Account is a separate offering from, and not linked to, the M1 High-Yield Cash Account offered by M1 Finance, LLC. M1 is not a bank.	More info	loading

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Frequently asked questions

How should a beginner invest in the S&P 500?

Investing in the S&P 500 is just a simple as making any other investment. You can either invest in a S&P 500 index fund tracks the entire index performance (like the Vanguard S&P 500 index fund) or you can buy shares of the individual companies that make up the index (like Microsoft, Google and Amazon). The steps to buy are the same:

1. Choose an online stock trading platform. Choose from our table above or jump straight to the best stock trading apps of 2025.
2. Sign up for an account. Provide your personal information and sign up.
3. Set up a funding method to pay for the transaction. Deposit funds into your account by linking your banking information.
4. Choose the stocks or ETF you want to buy. Search for the stock or index fund by name or ticker symbol.
5. Place your order. Buy the stock. It’s that simple.

Can I invest $100 in the S&P 500?

Yes! If you invest in an index fund there is usually no minimum. If you sign up with a stock broker that offers fractional share trading, then you can also purchase fractional shares of the individual companies that make up the index.

What would $100 invested in the S&P 500 return?

The return on $100 invested in the S&P 500 depends on the time frame. Over the long term, the S&P 500 has historically provided around 7% annual returns after inflation, but year-to-year returns can fluctuate dramatically. Assuming you invest $100 in the S&P 500, make no further contributions and let the money grow for 20 years at a rate of 7% each year, $100 invested in the S&P 500 would return around $385. Use our investment calculator to get a better idea how much your money might grow and return over time.

Is the S&P 500 a good first investment?

A stock market index of 500 leading US companies in the most prominent industries of the US economy, the S&P 500 is a great first investment. Index funds that track the S&P 500 are convenient and affordable ways to start investing.

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Written by

Matt Miczulski

Investments editor and market analyst

Matt Miczulski is an investments editor and market analyst at Finder. With over 450 bylines, Matt dissects and reviews brokers and investing platforms to expose perks and pain points, explores investment products and concepts and covers market news, making investing more accessible and helping readers to make informed financial decisions. Before joining Finder in 2021, Matt covered everything from finance news and banking to debt and travel for FinanceBuzz. His expertise and analysis on investing and other financial topics has been featured on Yahoo Finance, CBS, MSN, Best Company and Consolidated Credit, among others. Matt holds a BA in history from William Paterson University. See full bio

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