Best ETF Investments for Financial Freedom
Automate Investments: Grow Wealth Without Thinking About It
What if I told you the secret to getting rich wasn’t timing the market, wasn’t picking the next Tesla, and wasn’t working 80-hour weeks?
It’s automation.
Automating your investments is the ultimate cheat code to building wealth without stress, emotion, or the constant urge to “do more.” You don’t need to become a stock-picking wizard. You just need to get out of your own way and let compound interest work for you — month after month, year after year.
Let’s break down how to automate your investments, from setting up recurring top-ups to choosing brokers that support autopilot investing, no matter where in the world you live.
Why Automate?
Because your brain is the worst financial advisor you’ll ever have.
We panic when markets drop. We get greedy when they rise. We forget to invest when life gets busy. Automation takes all that off the table. When you automate:
- You pay yourself first before spending.
- You invest consistently, regardless of market noise.
- You remove emotions, delays, and procrastination.
You build wealth by habit, not hustle.
Step 1: Choose the Right Broker
Your first step is choosing a brokerage that supports recurring deposits and, ideally, automatic investing or portfolio rebalancing. Below is a breakdown by region — all with affiliate links so you can get started immediately (and support the site):
🇺🇸 United States
- Fidelity – Great for zero-commission ETFs and recurring transfers. Also allows automatic dividend reinvestment (DRIP).
- Vanguard – Best for long-term investors with access to legendary low-cost index funds. Recurring investments supported.
- Charles Schwab – User-friendly, fractional shares available, supports automatic investments.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Freetrade – Offers recurring investment plans and fractional shares. Simple app-based experience.
- Trading212 – Create “pies” (portfolios) and set recurring top-ups. Fully automated investing.
- Hargreaves Lansdown – More traditional, but allows scheduled investments and access to a wide range of funds.
🇪🇺 Europe (Eurozone)
- Trade Republic – Based in Germany, supports savings plans (Sparpläne) with recurring ETF investments.
- DEGIRO – Low fees, wide access, but more manual — combine with recurring SEPA transfers.
- Scalable Capital – Fully automated investing with robo-advisor options. Recurring deposits available.
🇨🇦 Canada
- Wealthsimple – True robo-advisor. Automated deposits, automated investing, no action needed.
- Questrade – More flexibility, lower fees for ETF purchases, supports recurring contributions.
- TD Direct Investing – Traditional but supports recurring investments and DRIPs.
🇦🇺 Australia
- Pearler – Built for long-term investing. Automate both deposits and ETF investing.
- SelfWealth – Flat-fee trades, supports recurring deposits.
- CommSec Pocket – Micro-investing app tied to CommBank. Easy to automate.
🌏 Rest of World / International Options
- Interactive Brokers – Global access. Set up recurring funding via wire/ACH and build rules-based investing via APIs or manual automation.
- eToro – Offers recurring investments into portfolios or copy trading strategies.
- Revolut – In-app investing, can be combined with recurring top-ups from your main account.
Step 2: Set Up Recurring Contributions
In your broker account or bank:
- Pick an amount you won’t miss. Even €50/$50 a month beats doing nothing.
- Set a recurring transfer (weekly or monthly) to your brokerage account. Use your bank or the broker’s internal auto-transfer system.
If possible, tie the transfer to your payday. That way, you invest before you’re tempted to spend.
Step 3: Automate Reinvestments (Or Do It Manually)
This is where brokers differ. Your options:
Automatic Investment Plans
Some brokers let you pre-select ETFs or funds, and your money is invested automatically each month (e.g., Trade Republic’s ETF Plans or Trading212’s “pies”).
Auto-Dividend Reinvestment (DRIP)
Make sure to toggle this on — it reinvests any dividends straight back into your holdings, compounding faster.
Use a Robo-Advisor
Apps like Wealthsimple, Scalable, or Pearler automate the entire investing experience, from deposit to allocation.
Manual (Still Works)
If your broker doesn’t offer auto-invest, just schedule a monthly calendar reminder to buy your favorite ETF or index fund right after your top-up hits.
Best ETFs to Automate (Globally)
If you’re wondering what to invest in automatically, here are global ETF picks that are low-cost, diversified, and ideal for long-term automation:
- Vanguard Total World Stock (VT) – One ETF, global exposure.
- iShares Core MSCI World (IWDA) – Perfect for Europeans investing in developed markets.
- Vanguard S&P 500 (VOO) – US-focused but highly liquid and popular.
- SPDR MSCI ACWI IMI (ACWQ) – Covers all investable global equities.
Final Thoughts: Make Wealth a Habit
Investing should be boring, predictable, and consistent. That’s how it works best. By automating your contributions and (when possible) your investments, you’re not just building a portfolio — you’re building a habit. And habits are what separate the dreamers from the wealthy.
So choose your broker, set your amount, and let it ride. The hardest part is getting started.
