Fundrise Review 2026: Is It Actually Worth It?
Fundrise lets you invest in real estate starting with $10 — no landlord headaches, no accreditation required. After investing real money on the platform, here's our honest take on whether it lives up to the hype.
Fundrise is the easiest way to start investing in real estate without buying property. The $10 minimum is the lowest in the industry, fees are reasonable at 1% total, and you get quarterly dividends. It's not a get-rich-quick play — think of it as a long-term wealth builder that gives you real estate exposure most people can't access. Over 2 million investors and $7B+ under management speak for themselves.
Start Investing With $10 →What Is Fundrise?
Fundrise is a real estate investment platform that gives everyday investors access to private real estate, private credit, and venture capital — asset classes that were previously only available to wealthy, accredited investors.
Think of it like this: instead of saving up $100,000+ for a down payment on a rental property, you can invest $10 into a diversified portfolio of real estate projects across the U.S. Fundrise handles everything — finding deals, managing properties, collecting rent — and you earn returns through quarterly dividends and property appreciation.
The company has been around since 2012, manages over $7 billion in assets, and has more than 2 million investors on the platform. They're one of the largest and most established real estate crowdfunding platforms in the industry.
How Fundrise Works
Create Your Account
Sign up in minutes. No accreditation needed — anyone in the U.S. can invest. You'll choose an investment plan based on your goals: Supplemental Income, Balanced Investing, Long-Term Growth, or Venture Capital.
Invest Starting at $10
Your money goes into the Flagship Real Estate Fund at the starter level. As you invest more ($1K, $5K, $10K), you unlock additional funds and features like IRA accounts and more specialized strategies.
Earn Quarterly Dividends
Fundrise collects rent and generates returns from its real estate portfolio. You receive dividend payments every quarter, deposited into your bank account or automatically reinvested via their DRIP program.
Watch Your Investment Grow
Beyond dividends, your shares can appreciate in value as the underlying properties increase in worth. You can redeem shares quarterly, though a 1% fee applies if you've held them for less than 5 years.
Investment Plans & Account Tiers
Fundrise offers four investment strategies. When you sign up, a quiz helps match you with the right one based on your risk tolerance and goals:
Supplemental Income focuses on properties generating strong cash flow. Best if you want higher quarterly dividends and steady passive income.
Balanced Investing is a mix of income and growth properties. You'll earn moderate dividends while also benefiting from appreciation. This is the most popular choice.
Long-Term Growth targets properties expected to appreciate significantly. Lower dividends now, but potentially higher total returns over 5+ years.
Venture Capital (Innovation Fund) invests in pre-IPO tech companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Databricks. This is Fundrise's newest offering with an annualized return of ~15% since inception in 2022.
Account tiers unlock as you invest more: Starter ($10), Basic ($1,000 — adds IRA access), Core ($5,000 — wider fund selection), Advanced ($10,000 — full access including the Income Fund, eFunds, and Opportunity Zone Fund).
Fees Breakdown
Fundrise's fee structure is straightforward and competitive. The total annual fee is 1%, split between two charges:
| Fee Type | Amount | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Asset Management Fee | 0.85%/year | Covers property acquisition, management, and operations |
| Advisory Fee | 0.15%/year | Covers investment strategy and portfolio management |
| Early Redemption | 1% | Only applies if you sell shares within 5 years |
| IRA Fee | $75/year | Only if you use a Fundrise IRA account |
| Innovation Fund | 1.85%/year | Higher fee for the venture capital fund |
At 1% total for real estate, Fundrise is cheaper than over 90% of comparable non-traded REITs. For context, traditional private real estate funds typically charge 2% management fees plus 20% of profits.
Historical Returns
Fundrise has delivered an average income return of 4.81% annually from dividends. Total returns (including appreciation) have ranged from -7.45% to 22.99% depending on the year and market conditions. 2021 was an exceptional year, while 2022-2023 saw lower returns amid rising interest rates.
The real estate funds have outperformed public REITs in dividend yield (4.81% vs 4.21%) and offer significantly lower volatility than publicly-traded real estate stocks. Returns are after fees, so what you see is what you actually earn.
The Innovation Fund (venture capital) has performed strongly with an annualized return of ~15% since its 2022 launch, though this comes with higher risk and lower liquidity.
Important: Past performance doesn't guarantee future results. Real estate can and does lose money in certain years.
Ready to Start Investing?
Join 2 million+ investors. Start with just $10.
Get Started With Fundrise →Pros & Cons
What We Like
- $10 minimum — lowest in the industry
- 1% total fee is very competitive
- No accreditation required
- Quarterly dividends with DRIP option
- Multiple asset classes (RE, credit, VC)
- 2M+ investors, $7B+ AUM track record
- IRA accounts available
- User-friendly app and dashboard
What Could Be Better
- Illiquid — money is tied up long-term
- 1% early redemption fee under 5 years
- Returns aren't guaranteed
- Customer service is email-only
- Dividends taxed as ordinary income
- Can't pick individual properties
- Not correlated to stock market (can underperform in bull runs)
Our Experience With Fundrise
I started with the minimum just to test it out. The signup process took maybe 5 minutes, and within a week I could see my dashboard with actual properties my money was going into. The quarterly dividends aren't going to make you rich on a small investment, but it's real money hitting your account. What I appreciate most is the transparency — you can see exactly which properties you're invested in, where they are on a map, and dig into the financials. The app is clean and the auto-invest feature makes it genuinely passive. It's not exciting, but that's kind of the point. Long-term wealth building, not day trading.
The platform is best suited for patient investors who want real estate exposure without the headaches of being a landlord. If you need your money within a year or two, this isn't the right play. But if you can let it sit for 5+ years and reinvest your dividends, the compound effect is meaningful.
Who Should Use Fundrise?
Fundrise is ideal for: Beginner real estate investors who want the lowest possible barrier to entry. Long-term investors looking for portfolio diversification beyond stocks and bonds. People who want passive real estate income without managing properties. Anyone interested in gaining exposure to private markets (real estate, credit, and venture capital) through a single platform.
Fundrise might not be for you if: You need your money within the next 1-2 years. You want to pick individual properties (check out Arrived or Ark7 instead). You're looking for high-yield short-term returns. You're an accredited investor who wants access to larger commercial deals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compare With Other Platforms
Start Building Wealth With Real Estate
$10 minimum. No accreditation required. Quarterly dividends.
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