By goal

Browse by investor goal

Start with the reason you are looking at alternatives in the first place. The right platform is very different for income, long-term growth, and diversification, and the wrong one usually comes from solving for category buzz before solving for portfolio role.

Income

For investors prioritizing real cash flow and willing to compare yield against defaults, duration, and liquidity risk.

Growth

For investors willing to accept long timelines, wide outcome ranges, and a real chance of permanent capital loss in search of asymmetric upside.

Diversification

For investors building a non-stock sleeve and trying to separate useful diversification from expensive complexity.

Income path

Income-oriented platforms

For investors prioritizing real cash flow and willing to compare yield against defaults, duration, and liquidity risk.

View Income roundup

Mixed access

Yieldstreet

Research pick

Editorial score

3.4 / 5

Selective Fit

Private-markets platform spanning credit, real estate, and specialty alternatives for investors willing to evaluate deals and lockups more carefully.

Return caseYieldstreet is a yield-and-diversification play where returns depend on underwriting, deal selection, and whether private cash flows justify the lockup.

Minimum: $10,000
Liquidity: Usually multi-year holds with limited liquidity
Fees: Varies by offering, with platform and deal-level economics to review closely
Return focus: Income
Risk level: High
Hold period: 2 to 5+ years

private credit exposurehigher-yield alternativesmulti-asset access

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Non-accredited access

Groundfloor

Research pick

Editorial score

3.9 / 5

Strong Fit

Shorter-duration real-estate debt investing with lower minimums and a more loan-by-loan decision flow.

Return caseGroundfloor can make money through private real-estate debt yield, but that return depends on borrower performance and loan underwriting rather than property appreciation alone.

Minimum: $10
Liquidity: Typically tied to loan duration with limited liquidity before maturity
Fees: Loan returns are net of servicing and platform economics that vary by note
Return focus: Income
Risk level: High
Hold period: 6 months to 2 years

shorter-duration private creditsmall minimumshands-on note selection

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Non-accredited access

Fundrise

Research pick

Editorial score

4.4 / 5

Top Pick

A broad private real estate and venture platform with low entry minimums and evergreen-style funds.

Return caseFundrise gives smaller investors a way to compound through diversified private real estate and venture exposure instead of betting on a single deal.

Minimum: $10
Liquidity: Quarterly windows with limitations
Fees: Typically around 1% annually depending on plan
Return focus: Balanced
Risk level: Moderate
Hold period: 3 to 7+ years

beginner-friendly accesslow minimumslong-term diversification

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Growth path

Growth-oriented platforms

For investors willing to accept long timelines, wide outcome ranges, and a real chance of permanent capital loss in search of asymmetric upside.

View Growth roundup

Mixed access

Republic

Research pick

Editorial score

3.5 / 5

Selective Fit

Broad-access private investing marketplace spanning startups and other private deals, with retail-friendly access but highly variable opportunity quality.

Return caseRepublic can make sense when you want access to private-company and niche opportunities that are otherwise hard to reach from a retail account.

Minimum: $150
Liquidity: Usually illiquid and dependent on the underlying investment structure
Fees: Issuer and platform economics vary widely by deal
Return focus: Growth
Risk level: High
Hold period: 3 to 10+ years

startup accessbroad retail participationhigher-risk exploratory capital

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Non-accredited access

StartEngine

Editorial score

3.6 / 5

Selective Fit

Large startup investing marketplace for retail investors looking for broad deal flow and speculative private-company exposure.

Return caseStartEngine is a high-variance private-company strategy where returns depend on finding rare winners and holding them for a long time.

Minimum: $100
Liquidity: Mostly illiquid with occasional secondary opportunities that should not be treated as guaranteed
Fees: Deal terms and platform economics vary by issuer
Return focus: Growth
Risk level: High
Hold period: 5 to 10+ years

broad retail startup deal flowspeculative upside seekerssmall venture-style sleeves

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Accredited access

AngelList

Editorial score

2.9 / 5

Specialist Only

Startup and venture access platform built for investors who want private-company exposure and can tolerate high dispersion.

Return caseAngelList is a venture-style growth strategy where a few winners drive returns and long timelines are part of the bargain.

Minimum: $1,000
Liquidity: Very low liquidity with long timelines to exit
Fees: Carry, management, and syndicate economics vary
Return focus: Growth
Risk level: High
Hold period: 7 to 12+ years

startup exposureventure allocationslong-duration accredited capital

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Diversification path

Diversification-oriented platforms

For investors building a non-stock sleeve and trying to separate useful diversification from expensive complexity.

View Diversification roundup

Non-accredited access

Fundrise

Research pick

Editorial score

4.4 / 5

Top Pick

A broad private real estate and venture platform with low entry minimums and evergreen-style funds.

Return caseFundrise gives smaller investors a way to compound through diversified private real estate and venture exposure instead of betting on a single deal.

Minimum: $10
Liquidity: Quarterly windows with limitations
Fees: Typically around 1% annually depending on plan
Return focus: Balanced
Risk level: Moderate
Hold period: 3 to 7+ years

beginner-friendly accesslow minimumslong-term diversification

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Accredited access

AcreTrader

Research pick

Editorial score

3.2 / 5

Selective Fit

Farmland platform focused on direct land exposure and long-term appreciation plus rental income.

Return caseAcreTrader works when you want farmland exposure tied to lease income and land value rather than public REIT pricing.

Minimum: $10,000
Liquidity: Long holds with limited or no interim liquidity
Fees: Management and transaction costs vary by offering
Return focus: Balanced
Risk level: Moderate
Hold period: 5 to 10+ years

farmland exposurereal-asset diversificationpatient accredited capital

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Non-accredited access

Masterworks

Research pick

Editorial score

3.6 / 5

Selective Fit

Fractional art investing platform built around curated paintings and secondary market liquidity claims.

Return caseMasterworks is a long-duration growth bet on blue-chip art appreciation, with return potential driven by eventual exits rather than ongoing income.

Minimum: $15,000
Liquidity: Illiquid with limited secondary market access
Fees: Upfront sourcing plus ongoing management and performance economics
Return focus: Growth
Risk level: High
Hold period: 5 to 10+ years

art exposurehigher-risk alternativescollectibles diversification

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