About Sprout
The money mentor most young investors never had.
Most of us learn about money from feeds built to keep us scrolling, not to help us build wealth. Sprout gives you a plan for your situation, honest math, and a coach that helps you think before you act.
The problem
Young people are investing. Mostly, they're figuring it out from their feeds.
Starting young is the biggest advantage an investor can have. But the loudest teachers online are rewarded for clicks, not results. The result: buying on hype, skipping the safety net, paying fees nobody explained, and selling in a panic when markets drop.
48%
of US Gen Z investors learn about investing mainly from social media.
Source: FINRA Foundation & CFA Institute, 202350%
say they've made an investment because of FOMO, the fear of missing out.
Source: FINRA Foundation & CFA Institute, 202352%
of Gen Z trust financial influencers, and 18% already use AI tools for money advice.
Source: ASIC & YouGov, Australia, 202656%
of US Gen Z who don't invest say not knowing enough about investing holds them back.
Source: FINRA Foundation & CFA Institute, 2023
Why it matters
Small decisions in your twenties turn into big numbers.
Starting early
Investing $200 a month until 65:
- Starting at 22
- $655,226
- Starting at 32
- $308,813
Ten extra years puts in $24,000 more but ends up $346,413 ahead. That's compound growth doing the work.
Fees you never notice
$300 a month for 40 years in a fund charging:
- 0.05% a year
- $776,475
- 1% a year
- $597,447
A fee that sounds tiny costs $179,027 by the end. Sprout shows you what yours cost.
Debt first
A credit card at 24% a year:
A guaranteed 24%
Every dollar you pay off saves 24% a year in interest, a return no investment can promise. That's why Sprout's roadmap clears expensive debt before investing.
Calculated with Sprout's own tested calculators, assuming a 7% average yearly return with monthly contributions. Returns aren't guaranteed and real markets go up and down along the way.
What Sprout does about it
A tool for each mistake that costs young investors the most.
The mistake
Investing before the basics are in place
Your money roadmap puts first things first: a cash buffer, then high-interest debt, then your employer match, then investing. It shows exactly which step you're on, with your own numbers.
Build my planThe mistake
Buying whatever is trending
The before-you-buy check runs any ticker you saw online through the questions that matter: what it is, how big a slice of your money it would be, how wild it has been, and whether your foundations are ready. It never says yes or no; it helps you decide.
Check a stockThe mistake
Hidden fees and accidental bets
Portfolio X-ray shows what you actually own: too much in one company, funds that hold the same stocks twice, and what your fees cost over 30 years. Then it shows how to rebalance with new money instead of selling.
X-ray my portfolioThe mistake
Panic-selling when markets fall
Markets, explained puts today's moves in context with live charts, the biggest drops along the way, and six major crashes since 1973 with how long each recovery took. Then it shows what a fall would mean for your money.
See the marketsThe mistake
Advice that doesn't know you
The AI coach reads your plan and portfolio (only if you let it), so its guidance fits your goals, debts and timeline. Every number comes from tested calculators, never the model's own arithmetic.
Ask the coachThe mistake
No idea where the money goes
Import your bank's CSV to see spending by category, subscriptions and trends, and plan each month's budget against the 50/30/20 guideline. Your plan is remembered month to month.
Open the dashboardThe mistake
Never being taught any of this
Twenty short lessons, from why invest at all to spotting scams, with quizzes, worked examples and a plain-English glossary. Start anywhere; the coach links you to the right lesson when it helps.
Start learning
How it's different
Where young investors usually learn, and where Sprout fits.
| Feature | Social media & finfluencers | General AI chatbots | Sprout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knows your goals, debts and timeline | |||
| Puts your safety net before investing | sometimes | ||
| Numbers from tested calculators | |||
| Earns nothing from what you buy | rarely | ||
| Checks a hot tip before you act on it | sometimes |
Our promises
Built to be trusted with your first dollars.
Money advice is only useful if you can trust where it comes from. These are the rules Sprout is built on, and they're enforced in code and checked by an automated test suite of more than 40 tricky scenarios, from “just tell me yes or no on this stock” to scam messages and panicky crash-day questions.
Every calculation has unit tests behind it.
No stock picks, no hype
Sprout teaches you how to decide. It never tells you to buy or sell a specific stock or coin, and never promises returns.
No conflicts of interest
No ads, no commissions, no affiliate links. Sprout earns nothing from the investments you choose, so it has no reason to push you toward anything.
Math you can check
Projections, fees and budgets come from open, tested code, with the assumptions stated, like the 7% yearly return on this page, which isn't guaranteed.
Your data, your call
Your plan, portfolio and transactions stay in your browser unless you log in to sync them, and reach the AI only when you choose to share them.
Honest about limits
Sprout is education, not a licensed advisor. For big or complicated decisions, it tells you to talk to a fee-only fiduciary or a tax professional.
Questions
Good to know
Is Sprout free?
Sprout is free to use while it's in development. Pricing may change once it launches fully.
Do I need an account?
No. Everything works in your browser. An account (email or Google) keeps your plan, portfolio, budget, chats and course progress in sync across your devices.
Will Sprout tell me what to buy?
No. It explains strategies (like low-cost, diversified index funds and asset allocation ranges that fit your timeline) and helps you judge specific investments yourself. It never gives buy or sell calls.
Is Sprout financial advice?
No. Sprout is an educational tool and isn't a licensed financial advisor. For large sums, taxes, or complicated situations, talk to a qualified professional such as a fee-only fiduciary advisor.
Can Sprout move my money or connect to my bank?
No. Sprout can't place trades or move money. You can import a CSV export from your bank, and enter your holdings yourself. Never share account numbers or passwords with Sprout, or with anyone online.
Where does market data come from?
Prices and market history come from Financial Modeling Prep and may be delayed. Sprout shows when the data is from, and says so plainly when it's unavailable instead of guessing.
Start with five minutes.
Take the risk quiz and add a few numbers. You'll get your roadmap, your next step, and a coach that already knows your situation.