If you’re wondering what all the talk around Pearler is, you’re not alone. It’s the new investing platform, born and bred in Australia. It’s rapidly growing with over fifty thousand members strong.

Pearler is an online broker. It all began a few years back in 2018 when some friends got together. They had limited options when showing their mates how to invest. They either had to use a complicated, boring platform or a costly, gimmicky micro investment app. Neither was very appealing.

They decided to develop their own platform and after a lot of hard work, Pearler was born.

Here are 10 reasons that you’ll love Pearler:

1. Simple

I love that Pearler is simple to sign up for and easy to use. As a brand new investor, I haven’t found it overwhelming. There is not an information overload. Less options means less decisions.

2. Buy and hold

Pearler is all about holding for the long term. There’s no shortcuts or get rich quick schemes here. Buy and hold is the way to go to become successful investors.

3. Local and International

Pearler allows people to invest directly into shares and ETFs. They are able to dabble in both local and international markets. This helps to create a more diversified portfolio.

4. Set and forget

Members can auto-invest to allow them to set and forget if that works for them, manually buy shares if that is easier, or a combo of both. This encourages people to stress less about the stock market and the rise and falls. If you wait to time the market, you will often miss out on the compound interest that works if you just continue to invest.

5. Relational

The customer service team at Pearler are quick to answer questions and don’t make you feel like you’re being annoying (even if you are!). They want to make sure you figure it all out and have a positive experience. You can seek help via their app, website or on Instagram.

6. Community

Members can join the Pearler community of like-minded individuals and see what other people are doing. This is a handy feature for the newbie investor as it can help to follow a similar approach or investing strategy. People can browse a number of Finfluencers on the platform to pick up some tips and tricks from those in the know.

7. Generous

When you refer a friend to Pearler, you can choose whether you keep your credits or donate them to charity. They partner with First Nations Foundation to help create a wealthier world. In March 2022, Pearler doubled each contribution by donating to the Red Cross Ukraine cause.

8. Micro

Micro investing is here! This will help make investing accessible to virtually everybody. It’s a great way for people to dabble their toes in investing. Upon signing up to Pearler Micro, you receive $5 cash credit to invest. Your mate you referred you will receive $10 credit on fees once you have $100 in Micro.

9. Low cost trades

Pearler have competitive pricing at only $6.50 per trade. If you’d like to support an Aussie start up, you can get $20 credit towards brokerage costs (capped at $6.50 a month for 3 months). The person who refers you gets the same.

10. Investing for kids

This is a new and exciting feature. Parents can now invest for their children with Pearler Headstart. It helps to give them a financial headstart.

As a relatively newbie investor, I found the idea of buying shares intimidating. Now that I’ve started, I can honestly say that Pearler make it easy. They have removed many of the barriers to first time investing and work hard to make it a positive experience. I invited my mum to try it and even though she’s not tech savvy, she figured it out too. I love that Pearler is helping to enable people from all walks of life give investing a go.

Pearler has it’s very own podcast, The ‘Get Rich Slow Club.’ Hosted by the lovely Ana and Tash, it’s one worth listening to.

It’s worth downloading the Pearler app and having a look. I think you might be pleasantly surprised with what you find and might just get hooked too. I’d love to see you over there and become a part of the investing community. It’s the place to be.

Please note that there are plenty of fabulous brokerage platforms out there. Find one that’s right for you. Others to consider are Sharesies, CommSec and Nabtrade. My hubby prefers CommSec because he enjoys the detailed information and fine print. Me? Not so much. I prefer to keep it simple. That’s okay – that’s why we choose to invest separately so we can do it the way we want.

If you are interested in checking out Pearler, feel free to click here. This helps me save money on brokerage costs. Every little bit helps! It doesn’t cost you any more and I don’t receive any other perks. It’s all above board.

If you are overwhelmed by the idea of investing but curious to learn more, here are some resources that helped me on my journey.

• Mindful Money by Canna Campbell
• Money School by Lacey Filipich
• The Barefoot Investor by Scott Pape
• Investing With She’s On The Money by Victoria Devine
• Strong Money Australia by Dave Gow
• Kids Ain’t Cheap by Ana Kresina
• Get Started Investing by Alec Renehan & Bryce Leske
• Meet The Frugalwoods by Elizabeth Willard Thames
• The Joyful Frugalista by Serina Bird

These are fabulous books written by fabulous people. You can follow them on social media too. Canna Campbell, Serina Bird and Victoria Devine have a podcast. Captain Fi has a comprehensive website and podcast.

[Disclaimer: I’m not trained in finance so don’t take it from me. Feel free to grab ideas from this post but always see a professional for advice that is relevant and personal to your situation.]