Investing Simple Logo
Get 1 Free Stock Worth Up To $200 From Robinhood!
Sign up with Robinhood, deposit any amount and get 1 Free Stock. It takes less than 3 minutes to sign up and claim your Free Stock Bonus.
Earn 5.00% APY with M1 High-Yield Savings Account
M1 Plus members can earn 5.00% APY on their deposits with no minimum balance required.
Get Access To Institutional Quality Real Estate Deals
CrowdStreet is the nation's largest online real estate investing platform. Offerings include diversified funds, individual real estate deals, professionally managed portfolios and even opportunity zone investments.
Written by Logan Robison on August 8, 2021
Category: 
FTC Disclosure: Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. Read our full disclaimer here.

Fundrise vs EquityMultiple 2024: Best Real Estate Platform?

This is a paid endorsement of Fundrise, we earn a commission if you decide to invest with Fundrise.

Real estate is an important asset to hold in your investment portfolio. Relying too much on one asset can cause investors to be ill prepared in the case of economic downturn.

Investing in real estate is just one way to prevent a slowdown in the economy from ruining your nest egg. 

Diversifying between stocks, bonds and real estate is how most experts recommend diversifying. However, in the past, it has been difficult to invest in real estate. It often involves being a landlord and managing rentals, something many investors do not want to do. 

For this review, we will take a look at two investment platforms that make real estate investing easy; Fundrise vs EquityMultiple.

Fundrise is a crowdfunded real estate investing platform that lets you get in on private deals with as little as $10. It is open to all investors. 

EquityMultiple is a newer crowdfunding real estate investment platform for accredited investors only with a minimum investment of $5,000.

Learn More: Robinhood Retirement 3% Match

Robinhood is a popular "all-in-one" investing app.

While they are most well-known for their commission free stock trading, they've recently shaken up the Retirement Investing World too.

Introducing Robinhood Retirement; home of the biggest IRA match on the market.

Robinhood IRA Boost

Here's what you need to know:

  • Robinhood offers 2 types of retirement accounts - the Roth IRA and Traditional IRA
  • All Robinhood investors will get a 1% Match on what they Contribute or Transfer
  • Robinhood Gold members will get a 3% Match - the biggest on the market

And don't worry, this comes with a Portfolio Builder Tool. You don't have to construct your investment portfolio from scratch if you don't want to.

Lastly, you'll even get a free stock worth up to $200 when you open a new Robinhood account using our link.

Best Free Stock Promotions

BrokeragePromotionLink
Robinhood Logo1 Free Fractional Share Worth Up To $200Learn More
Webull LogoEarn Up To 75 Free Fractional SharesLearn More
Moomoo Logo5 Free Stocks When You Deposit $100+Learn More
Acorns Logo$20 Bonus When You Invest $5+Learn More

Summary: Fundrise vs EquityMultiple

  • Fundrise is a crowdfunded real estate investing platform that specializes in making private real estate deals available to the common person
  • EquityMultiple is a crowdfunding real estate investment platform for accredited investors
  • The minimum to invest with Fundrise is just $10 for the Starter Portfolio
  • EquityMultiple’s minimum investment is $5,000
  • Fundrise collects an annual fee of 1%
  • EquityMultiple has a more variable fee structure discussed below
  • In addition, EquityMultiple keeps 10% of the profits
  • Fundrise is more accessible to average retail investors since you do not have to be accredited
FeatureFundriseEquityMultiple
Investment FocusResidential, CommercialCommercial
Requires AccreditationNoYes
Minimum Investment$10$5,000
Fees1%1% + profit sharing
Best forNovice to expert investorsExpert investors

What Is Fundrise?

Fundrise, founded in 2010, focuses on investing in real estate via crowdfunding and is considered a pioneer in this field.

In the past, it was difficult for average investors to get access to private real estate deals. Since the launch of Fundrise, there have been a number of other crowdfunding real estate platforms, but Fundrise has led the way since 2010.

The average investor, without a trust fund to rely on, was usually shunned by the real estate investing world. They did not have the capital or the connections.

That is until the REIT came along. REITs allow investors to purchase shares of real estate, just like a stock. No matter your income level or net worth, you can participate in real estate by buying REITS (Real Estate Investment Trust).

Fundrise simply offers private REITs, meaning they are not available to the general public. This has numerous benefits, including greater transparency and the possibility for higher returns. 

Fundrise Investment Strategy

Fundrise allows individuals to invest in low-cost diversified portfolios of real estate assets.

Investors choose a portfolio of real estate containing both debt and equity. Investors earn returns from interest payments on debt investments, asset appreciation and rental income from properties. 

Of course, it is always wise to reinvest these received dividends in order to reap the full advantage of compound interest. Fundrise allows you to do this in an easy, automated fashion.

A common phrase in real estate is "you make money on the purchase, not the sale."

Fundrise looks for undervalued properties that make a good case for returning serious profits.

When a property is identified, Fundrise managers connect with developers, contractors, and inspectors to complete the necessary works to make the property ready for tenants.

These changes can come in the form of repositioning these properties, rehabilitating the property and subsequently increasing rent, or simply holding it until an opportunity for a sale arises. 

Fundrise Portfolios

These accounts range from a minimum investment of $10 to $100,000 each with their own unique perks.

Starter ($10 Minimum)

  • Access to 5-10 projects
  • Minimum investment $10
  • Blend of growth and income investments

Basic ($1,000 Minimum)

  • Access to 5-10 projects
  • Minimum investment $1,000
  • Dividend reinvestment + auto-invest
  • IRA account support

Core ($5,000 Minimum)

  • Choose from 3 investment profiles (growth, income, blended)
  • Minimum investment $1,000
  • Access to 40+ projects
  • Dividend reinvestment + auto-invest
  • IRA account support
  • 3 months of advisory fee waived for each friend you refer to Fundrise

Advanced ($10,000 Minimum)

  • Everything from Core plus the ability to diversify into specialized funds
  • Minimum investment $10,000
  • Access to 80+ projects
  • More sophisticated real estate strategies 
  • 6 months of advisory fees waived for each friend invited

Premium ($100,000 Minimum)

  • Access to private funds (specialized, truly illiquid private equity funds with even longer time horizons — but carry the potential for outsized performance)
  • Minimum investment $100,000
  • Includes all Advanced features
  • Priority access to the team to ask questions
  • 12 months of advisory fees waived for each friend invited

Investment Dashboard

In your account dashboard, you will be able to see each individual property in your portfolio.

One of the most impactful aspects of real estate investing is unlike stocks or bonds, owning a piece of real estate is investing in something tangible. These buildings can be renovated, expanded, updated and even demolished.

From the account dashboard, you can learn about progress with the buildings in your portfolio. These bits of information include new rehab projects, building permit approvals, and sales affecting the properties.

A key difference between Fundrise and a publicly traded REIT is this level of transparency. With a publicly traded REIT, it is very difficult to determine what exactly your money is invested in. 

Fundrise Fees

Fundrise collects an annual fee of 1%.

This fee breaks down into an advisory fee and an asset management fee.

Early Redemption Fee

You should not invest with Fundrise unless you are comfortable with the lack of liquidity and have a 5+ year time horizon.

Fundrise has stated they retain the right to deny requests for liquidation during times of economic uncertainty. For example, in March 2020, Fundrise published a notice that they had “suspended redemption's for our mature eREITs and eFunds in order to maximize cash reserves." 

Fundrise Pros

  • Hands off approach to real estate investing
  • Very transparent about investments and fees
  • Multiple account options
  • IRA investing available
  • Low $10 minimum
  • Dividend reinvestment available

Fundrise Cons

  • Highly illiquid
  • Distributions are not guaranteed
  • Minimum time commitment of 5 years, or you pay fees to redeem early

What Is EquityMultiple?

EquityMultiple is a crowdfunding real estate investment platform for accredited investors with a minimum investment of $5,000.

This means that this investment platform was built with very specific investors in mind; accredited investors. These are investors who meet at least one requirement in terms of income, net worth, asset size, governance status or professional experience. 

Most people reading this article won’t be able to invest with EquityMultiple, but in the hopes that one day you will, let’s dive into the details.

Investment Strategy

EquityMultiple allows investors to be completely hands off as the experts search for real estate deals. These are real estate properties like malls, office buildings, multifamily and more. 

These investment opportunities are not limited to just one area. Investors can choose from a variety of building types, locations, and expected returns in order to reach their goals. As of recently, EquityMultiple has completed more than $80 billion in real estate transactions since inception in 2015.

Currently, EquityMutiple has over $2.5 billion in assets and has returned nearly $24 million to investors.

Investment Portfolios

Users can choose how they want to invest their money by choosing one, or all, of EquityMultiple’s predetermined investment strategies. 

Direct Investing

Individuals who are focused on a slower growth of their real estate portfolio will most likely opt for the direct investing strategy.

Through this, investors focus on one property at a time and are able to hold this for a shorter duration. Generally investors prefer to hold these assets for as little as 6 months up to 5+ years. Again, this investment comes with a high minimum investment of $10,000.

Fund Investing

This form of investing is best for those looking for diversification across the portfolio.

Investors that find this most helpful are those that have a timeline of at least 1.5 years all the way up until 10+ years. Unfortunately, this kind of diversification comes at a cost. The minimum investment for this type of portfolio is $20,000. 

Tax-Deferred Investing

Investors who have already realized large, or will soon recognize large capital gains taxes can take advantage of a 1031 exchange to invest with EquityMultiple in the Tax-Deferred category.

These investors have a much longer horizon of 5 to 10+ years. Investors should come prepared with a minimum investment of $40,000.

Types Of Investments

Preferred Equity

Investment in preferred equity allows investors to have preference over other investors when cash flows are present.

Similar to preferred shares of a publicly traded company, holders of preferred equity are first in line for cash flow payments once the properties are free and clear of debt and until the preferred return has been met.

Common Equity

Again, as is common with shares of publicly traded companies, common equity holders have a higher risk to reward ratio. Their spot is less of a priority for cash flows from a property but because of the increased risk, the return is also greater for these types of investors.

Syndicated Debt

When investors loan their money to a certain project, this comes in the form of syndicated debt. This money is pooled together from several different investors and is used to fund a project. These investors receive more confidence as deals completed using syndicated debt go through an extra layer of diligence.

EquityMultiple Fees

As with every investment, fees play an important part in the equation.

Servicing Fee

All investments receive this same servicing fee. This fee of 1% compensates EquityMultiple for asset management, reporting, record keeping, tax preparation, distribution administration and other services. 

Profit Sharing

EquityMultiple takes a cut of the upside in addition to the 1% servicing fee.

10% of all profits are redirected to EquityMultiple after the original investment amount has been returned.

Flat Fee

EquityMultiple charges a flat $30 fee per year for each investment.

EquityMultiple Pros

  • 1031 exchange capabilities
  • Strict due diligence
  • Commercial property focused
  • Geared towards high net worth investors

EquityMultiple Cons

  • $5,000 minimum investment
  • Accredited investors only
  • Complex fee structure 

Conclusion: Fundrise vs EquityMultiple

Fundrise and EquityMultiple are for very different investors. Fundrise allows non-accredited investors to begin investing with as little as $10 while EquityMultiple requires at least $5,000.

Both Fundrise and EquityMultiple both have great systems to automate the process of purchasing new properties. However, one important distinction is that EquityMultiple will only invest in commercial properties. 

It goes without saying that Fundrise is much more suited to investors who are just beginning to invest in real estate while also offering premium packages for those with more than $100,000 to invest.

Both platforms are illiquid in nature, and not a good fit for short term investors or those who prioritize liquidity, or the ability to sell at a moments notice.

Article written by Logan Robison
Logan graduated with a degree in finance from Brigham Young University and currently works in merchandising for a large retailer. In his free time he loves to hike and camp with his wife and son. Logan is also heavily involved in real estate investing and owns properties in Utah and Arkansas.

Read more

Power Your Investing

Choosing the right product and service is essential for your investing. Here are some of the tools and services to help your portfolio grow.
Robinhood
Robinhood provides an easy-to-use free trading platform for beginner investors. Robinhood has $0 account minimums. Get a free stock when you open an account below.
Try Robinhood
M1 Finance
M1 Finance offers a free investing platform where users can build portfolios of stocks and ETFs. Users can also choose from a variety of pre-built portfolios offered for free.
Try M1 Finance
Fundrise
Passively invest in private real estate deals with as little as $10. Fundrise allows you to own residential and commercial real estate across the U.S. starting at a 1% annual fee.
Try Fundrise
Copyright © 2018 – 2024 Investing Simple LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Investing Simple is a financial publisher that does not offer any personal financial advice or advocate the purchase or sale of any security or investment for any specific individual. Members should be aware that investment markets have inherent risks, and past performance does not assure future results. Investing Simple has advertising relationships with some of the offers listed on this website. The information on Investing Simple could be different from what you find when visiting a third-party website. All products are presented without warranty. For more information, please read our full disclaimer.
Website managed by Stallion Cognitive™
magnifiermenuchevron-downcross-circlechevron-down-circle

Get 1 Free Stock Worth Up To $200 From Robinhood!

Don't Miss This Opportunity!

Investing Simple readers can claim a free stock from Robinhood worth up to $200 when they open a brokerage account and deposit any amount.

For US Residents only. Investing Simple is affiliated with Robinhood, and we may earn a commission when you sign up for Robinhood.

18749
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram