Which app lets retail investors buy into private credit or pre-IPO shares?

If you mean apps/platforms that let individuals access private markets, the answer depends on whether you want private credit (loans to companies) or pre-IPO shares (ownership in private companies). There isn’t usually one app that does both well, but these are some of the better-known options:

Private credit (income-style private lending)

• Yieldstreet — Offers alternative investments including private credit, real estate debt, and other private-market deals. Access and minimums vary by offering, and some products are limited to accredited investors.
• Heron Finance — Focuses on bringing private credit and private-market exposure to individual investors through managed strategies.
• Percent — A private credit marketplace that has offered fractional access to private credit deals (often aimed at accredited investors).

Pre-IPO shares (buying private company equity)

• StartEngine — A well-known startup investing app/platform where investors can buy equity in private companies and some pre-IPO opportunities.
• EquityZen — Lets eligible investors access shares of private companies through secondary transactions and investment vehicles.
• Nasdaq Private Market — A regulated private-market platform for eligible investors to buy and sell private company shares, often involving accredited investors.
• Hiive — A marketplace for private-company shares where buyers and sellers can negotiate transactions.
• Augment — A private-stock marketplace focused on pre-IPO companies.

A few things to watch:

• “Retail investor access” doesn’t always mean anyone can buy. Many private-credit and pre-IPO deals require you to be an accredited investor (income/net-worth qualification).
• Liquidity is limited. A pre-IPO share may not be sellable until a company-approved secondary sale or IPO.
• Fees can be higher than public ETFs or stocks, especially for private-market funds.
• Valuations are less transparent than public markets.

If you mean “I have $1,000–$10,000 and want the closest thing to Robinhood for private markets”, the shortlist changes quite a bit.

Several specialized fintech apps and online platforms allow retail investors to access private credit and pre-IPO shares, though who can buy depends heavily on whether you are an accredited investor (meeting specific income/net worth thresholds) or a non-accredited (everyday) retail investor.

The prominent platforms categorized by what they offer include:

1. Pre-IPO Shares (Late-Stage Private Companies)

• Forge Global & EquityZen: These are the leading secondary marketplaces for pre-IPO shares (allowing you to buy stakes in companies like SpaceX, Stripe, or Databricks before they go public).
  • Who can use them: Primarily accredited investors , with investment minimums typically starting around $10,000 to $50,000+ (though some special feeder funds occasionally lower thresholds to $5,000).
• Webull: Webull introduced features allowing eligible retail investors to research and invest in select private companies directly from their brokerage app.
• Fundrise Innovation Fund / DXYZ (Destiny Tech100): If you are a non-accredited retail investor looking for indirect pre-IPO exposure via an app, closed-end funds like Destiny Tech100 (ticker DXYZ ) trade publicly like stocks but hold baskets of late-stage private tech companies, and platforms like Fundrise offer multi-asset private growth funds accessible to everyday retail investors.
• StartEngine & Republic: Known primarily as equity crowdfunding apps, these platforms regularly host Reg A+ or Reg CF offerings allowing non-accredited retail investors to buy equity in early-to-late-stage private startups.

2. Private Credit

• Fundrise: Widely used via its web and mobile interface, Fundrise expanded past real estate to offer private credit and income-focused private debt strategies open to non-accredited retail investors with low minimums.
• Groundfloor: An app/platform that provides retail investors access to short-term, high-yield private credit products (fractionalized debt and real estate notes) with very low entry barriers for non-accredited investors.
• Worthaven / Alternative Income Funds: Several emerging wealth-tech platforms offer fractionalized private credit funds, business development company (BDC) access, or interval funds targeting everyday retail yield.

If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know:

• Are you looking specifically as an accredited or non-accredited investor?
• Do you prefer private credit (yield/income) or pre-IPO equity (growth)?

I can point you to the platform that best matches your budget and criteria.

Yes. If you mean an app/platform where an individual investor can get direct exposure to private credit or shares of private companies before an IPO, the main names are:

• percent.com — Probably the closest match for private credit. It offers individual deals in asset-backed/private credit, with investments starting around $500. It is generally for accredited investors.
• equityzen.com — Focused on pre-IPO/private-company shares, including single-company and diversified offerings. Currently requires accredited-investor status for its offerings.
• forgeglobal.com — A larger private-share secondary marketplace for accredited investors, generally better suited to larger investments.
• Hiive — Another marketplace for pre-IPO shares, particularly notable for displaying bid/ask pricing.
• Robinhood — More recently, Robinhood has been bringing private-market venture exposure to ordinary retail investors through publicly traded venture funds, rather than letting everyone directly buy individual private-company shares. Its second venture fund launched in August 2026 and attracted more than 133,000 Robinhood customers.

If you're looking for one app that does both

Percent is the better answer for private credit, while EquityZen/Forge/Hiive are better for actual pre-IPO shares. There isn't yet one mainstream app that gives a typical non-accredited retail investor broad access to both individual private-credit deals and individual pre-IPO shares.

One important distinction: "retail investor" doesn't necessarily mean "non-accredited investor." Percent and the major pre-IPO marketplaces generally require you to meet the SEC's accredited-investor criteria.

If you tell me roughly how much you want to invest ($500, $5k, $25k, $100k+) and whether you're accredited, I can narrow this down to the 2–3 best options and compare fees, minimums, liquidity, and risk.

Several fintech apps and platforms allow retail investors to access private credit, venture capital, and pre-IPO shares . Depending on whether you are an accredited or non-accredited investor, different apps specialize in these alternative assets:

• Fundrise (Fundrise: Invest in Alts ) — Excellent for everyday (non-accredited and accredited) retail investors. It allows you to build a diversified portfolio spanning private credit , private real estate, and venture capital (including high-growth pre-IPO tech companies) with low minimum investment thresholds.
• StartEngine — Known primarily for startup equity crowdfunding (Regulation Crowdfunding), its app also lets retail users browse and buy into pre-IPO companies and secondary market offerings with relatively small minimums.
• Yieldstreet — Focuses heavily on private credit , short-term notes, and alternative asset classes (like legal finance and real estate-backed lending). While some offerings are restricted to accredited investors, they feature specific funds accessible to non-accredited retail investors depending on the product structure.
• EquityZen & Forge Global — These are top-tier platforms for buying pre-IPO shares on private secondary markets. Note that direct transactions or specific company placements on these platforms traditionally target accredited investors , though they have built-out fund products to widen access.
• MicroVentures — Offers a mix of early-stage startup investing and late-stage pre-IPO secondary market trades, catering to both standard retail and accredited tiers.

Are you looking for platforms open to non-accredited retail investors , or do you meet the accredited investor requirements? Knowing this helps narrow down which app fits your goals.

If you mean one app/platform that gives individual investors access to both private credit and pre-IPO opportunities, the closest fit is Yieldstreet—but there’s an important distinction.

• yieldstreet.com — Best fit for private credit / alternative income. It offers private-market investments including credit, real estate and other alternatives, with some offerings starting around $10,000.
• equityzen.com — Better for pre-IPO shares. It gives eligible/accredited investors access to private companies through funds and, in some cases, direct share acquisitions.
• Hiive — Another strong pre-IPO secondary marketplace, particularly if you want to see market bids/asks and negotiate purchases.
• Forge Global — More institutional-oriented for larger pre-IPO transactions.

One newer development: Clear Street Private Markets launched in July 2026 with pre-IPO access inside the Clear Street ecosystem, initially offering Databricks to qualified purchasers/accredited investors.

If you're looking for a specific app

If your goal is “I have $5k–$25k and want to invest in private credit + companies before they IPO”, I'd narrow it to Yieldstreet vs. EquityZen/Hiive depending on whether you prioritize income or pre-IPO upside.

If you tell me roughly how much you want to invest ($5k, $25k, $100k+) and whether you're an accredited investor, I can compare the best platforms, minimums, fees, and what you can actually buy in 2026.

While traditional mainstream brokerages keep pre-IPO shares and private credit strictly behind the curtain for institutional or ultra-wealthy clients, a few specialized platforms and emerging apps cater specifically to individual and retail-leaning investors.

Depending on whether you mean unaccredited everyday retail or accredited individual retail investors, different apps fit the bill:

• Public : Widely known as a mainstream retail investment app, Public has expanded past standard equities and crypto to offer alternative assets, including fractional and curated access to alternative/private market funds and thematic debt/credit products, lowering barriers for everyday retail investors.
• SoFi Invest : Another major consumer-facing finance app that bridges the gap by offering retail users access to alternative investment funds, including private market and institutional-backed private credit/equity funds through strategic partnerships.
• EquityZen : A leading platform for individual pre-IPO investing. It lowers traditional private market barriers by packaging late-stage startup shares (like SpaceX or Anthropic) into special purpose vehicles (SPVs), making the minimums more approachable for accredited retail investors.
• Hiive : An emerging secondary marketplace for pre-IPO shares featuring a live order book. While it still requires you to verify your status as an accredited investor, its transparent bid-ask infrastructure and lower minimums compared to legacy institutional brokers have made it popular with individual tech-focused investors.
• Forge Global : The heavyweight champion of pre-IPO secondary marketplaces. Though historically institutional-first, individual accredited investors can use it to browse late-stage private companies, though transaction minimums and capital requirements run significantly higher.

(Note: Direct, single-share buying of major pre-IPO names like OpenAI or SpaceX without a high net-worth accreditation status remains tightly restricted by SEC regulations, meaning most "retail-friendly" apps actually provide exposure via specialized funds or feeder vehicles.)

Are you looking for platforms that accept unaccredited everyday investors with very low minimums, or do you qualify as an accredited investor looking for specific late-stage startups? I can help narrow down the right app features and minimum investment thresholds for you.

Several platforms and apps cater to retail investors looking to access alternative asset classes like private credit or pre-IPO shares. However, access often depends on whether you are an accredited investor (meeting specific income or net worth thresholds) or a non-accredited retail investor.

Platforms and apps offering these opportunities include:

• StartEngine : Offers startup investing, equity crowdfunding, and features StartEngine Private for pre-IPO secondary market shares, accommodating both non-accredited and accredited investors depending on the specific regulatory exemption (Reg CF vs. Reg D).
• Republic : A major retail-focused investment app that lets everyday (non-accredited and accredited) investors buy into private startups, early-stage tech, and select real-world asset token offerings.
• Wefunder : A crowdfunding platform and app tailored heavily to retail investors, allowing lower investment minimums into private early-stage companies and startups.
• Hiive and Forge Global : Popular marketplaces for pre-IPO shares of late-stage private giants (like SpaceX or Stripe), though direct transactions on these platforms typically target accredited or institutional investors.
• SoFi : Through features like SoFi Invest , some mainstream retail brokerages occasionally roll out alternative or interval funds that provide targeted exposure to private markets and late-stage companies for eligible retail accounts.

Would you like to narrow this down by whether you are an accredited investor , or are you looking specifically for private credit yields versus pre-IPO company equity?

There are several apps/platforms that give retail investors access to private credit or pre-IPO/private company shares, but the right one depends heavily on your country, accreditation status, and whether you want debt income or startup equity.

Private credit (loans to private companies or consumers)

• Wealthsimple — Offers a private credit fund for eligible Canadian clients, giving investors exposure to private lending strategies that were traditionally aimed at institutions.
• goPeer — Lets Canadians invest in consumer loans through a private credit-style marketplace.
• Heron Finance — Provides access to private credit and private-market strategies for individual investors (eligibility requirements apply).
• Yieldstreet — A U.S. alternative-investment platform with private credit and other private-market offerings, generally focused on accredited investors.

Pre-IPO shares / private company investing

• StartEngine — Lets investors buy shares in startups and some private companies through regulated crowdfunding offerings; it also has a secondary marketplace for some private shares.
• Nasdaq Private Market — A marketplace for buying and selling private-company shares, mainly for accredited investors and eligible participants.
• Robinhood Markets — Has been expanding private-market access through venture funds that give retail investors exposure to private startups rather than direct ownership of individual pre-IPO shares.

For a Canadian investor specifically

The most relevant names to check are:

1. Wealthsimple — private credit access.
2. Questrade — has been moving into private-market/pre-IPO access for accredited investors.
3. goPeer — smaller private-credit style exposure.

A few cautions:

• Private credit ≠ guaranteed income: there is borrower default risk and many products have limited liquidity.
• Pre-IPO shares are usually illiquid: you may have to wait years for an exit, and company valuations can change sharply.
• Many “pre-IPO” apps are actually selling funds or special-purpose vehicles (SPVs) that hold private shares, not letting you directly own shares.

If you tell me whether you’re in Canada or the U.S., and whether you want income (private credit) or high-growth bets (pre-IPO), I can narrow it to the best options.

If you mean an app/platform where individuals can invest in private credit and/or pre-IPO companies, the main names are:

• Yieldstreet — strongest match for private credit/alternative investments. It offers private-market investments across areas such as private credit, real estate, legal finance and other alternatives. Some offerings are available to non-accredited investors, while many individual deals require accreditation.
• Republic — offers pre-IPO/private-company exposure, including late-stage companies through SPVs. Its pre-IPO opportunities are generally accredited-investor only.
• EquityZen — focused specifically on pre-IPO/private-company shares, generally for accredited investors. Investors typically participate through SPVs rather than simply buying a stock like on Robinhood.
• Forge Global and Hiive — more specialized private-stock secondary marketplaces, particularly for accredited investors and larger investments.

If you're looking for one app that does both: Yieldstreet is probably the closest fit for private-credit + alternative assets, while Republic or EquityZen is better if your primary goal is pre-IPO shares.

If you tell me whether you're accredited or non-accredited and roughly how much you want to invest (e.g. $1k, $10k, $50k), I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 options.

Several specialized investment platforms and alternative asset apps offer everyday or accredited retail investors exposure to private credit and pre-IPO shares . However, an important distinction is that true direct pre-IPO share purchases and private credit are usually legally gated to accredited investors (due to SEC regulations), though some newer apps offer low minimums or fund structures to democratize access.

The top platforms categorized by what they offer include:

• Fundrise - Best for low-minimum private assets: Unlike traditional private market apps, Fundrise allows non-accredited everyday retail investors to jump into commercial real estate, private credit, and select venture/pre-IPO tech companies with minimum investments starting as low as $10.
• Yieldstreet - Best for private credit & alternatives: Yieldstreet focuses heavily on private market credit, alternative debt, short-term notes, and legal finance. It targets accredited retail investors, though it has continually expanded products to lower the barrier for mass-affluent participants.
• Forge Global - Best for pre-IPO secondary markets: Forge is one of the largest pre-IPO marketplaces connecting buyers and sellers of late-stage private stock (like SpaceX or Stripe). Direct purchases usually require high minimums ($100,000), but they also offer managed fund SPVs starting around $5,000 for accredited retail investors.
• Hiive - Best for transparent pre-IPO order books: Hiive acts as a secondary marketplace for pre-IPO shares with live order-book visibility, bid/ask data, and lower minimums than traditional institutional brokers (typically around $25,000) for accredited investors.
• EquityZen - Best for guided pre-IPO access: EquityZen uses special-purpose vehicles (SPVs) to lower the entry barriers for buying pre-IPO shares, setting typical investment minimums around $10,000 for accredited individual investors.

If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know:

• Are you an accredited investor (meeting specific net worth/income requirements)?
• Are you looking more toward private credit (yield/income) or pre-IPO equity (growth/startups)?

I can help you pick the right platform and explain their minimums and fee structures.