The biggest misconception about investing is that you need a large sum to start. The truth: you can begin building a real investment portfolio with as little as €10. And starting small now is far better than waiting until you have 'enough' to begin.
Fractional shares: Own Amazon for €10
Fractional shares let you buy a portion of a single share rather than a whole share. Amazon trades at ~€200/share. With fractional shares, you can buy €10 worth of Amazon — 5% of one share. Most major EU brokers now offer fractional shares: XTB, eToro, and Trade Republic all support fractional investing from €1–€10 minimum.
This removes the previous barrier where expensive US tech stocks (Apple, Tesla, Nvidia) were inaccessible to investors without hundreds or thousands of euros.
ETF savings plans: The best way to start small
An ETF savings plan (Sparplan in German) lets you automatically invest a fixed amount — as little as €25/month — into an ETF at zero or very low commission. Trade Republic, Scalable Capital, and XTB offer savings plans starting from €10–€25/month.
Set up a €50/month plan into a global ETF, automate it, and forget about it. In 20 years at 7% average return, €50/month = €52,000. This is the single best option for small-amount investors.
What to avoid with small amounts
High per-trade commissions: If you invest €100 and pay €10 commission, you've immediately lost 10% — you need a 10% return just to break even. Use zero-commission brokers for small investments. Crypto with small amounts: The volatility of crypto means a €100 investment can easily become €40. Start with stocks/ETFs and only add crypto when you have a larger base. Complex products: CFDs and leveraged products are completely inappropriate for small investors. Stick to simple stocks and ETFs.