
Top 5 Online Investment Companies in the Philippines
How We Picked
1. First Metro Securities

Website: https://www.firstmetrosec.com.ph/fmsec/
Main Office: 18F PSBank Center, 777 Paseo de Roxas, Makati, 1226 Metro Manila, Philippines
Contact Information: [email protected]
Category: Stocks, Mutual Funds, ETF (Exchange-traded fund)
Minimum Investment: P2,500 for the initial deposit (except for for Metrobank or PSBank account holders – no initial deposit required)
Facebook reviews | 4.5/5 |
Google reviews | 3.7/5 |
Total reviews | 4.1/5 |
Score consistency | 4/5 |
Credibility | 5/5 |
Real return | 4.5/5 |
Accessibility | 4/5 |
Friendly interface | 5/5 |
Pros
- Offers the assistance of a seasoned broker
- Easy-to-navigate User Interface
- Responsive technical support team
Cons
- Reports of down time when there is a high volume of users
- Needs improvement on providing real-time updates on the market
First Metro Securities is a great starting point for people who want to try out online investing.
What sets it apart is the option for the user to be assisted by a seasoned broker. Optionally, they may also choose to take the big leap and navigate the platform on their own.
With Metrobank backing this brokerage house, First Metro Securities is one of the most stable and reliable companies in the stock market industry. This provides added peace of mind for clients who are still testing the waters.
Not only that, they were named Best Broker in the Philippines by Hong Kong-based financial firm FinanceAsia in 2017, which says a lot about their credibility and track record.
Thankfully, they’ve made it easier for Metrobank users to open an account where one can directly deposit using their bank account. Meanwhile, those who do not have a Metrobank account just need to fill out a separate form to deposit using their preferred bank.
We’re also loving their User Interface (UI), which has been designed to put all the essential data in one place for easy viewing. We hear clients are a fan of how easy it is to navigate their platform.
However, it seems that it takes time for First Metro Securities to provide real-time market updates, which can be a turn-off for some users.
We’re also just a bit disappointed that there is some lag time when using the platform during peak hours.
On a brighter note, we hear that they have a responsive technical support team. This is reassuring for first-time users who will probably need a little more hand-holding when they get started.
2. COL Financial

Website: https://www.colfinancial.com
Main Office: 2403-B East Tower, PSE Center, Exchange Road Ortigas Center, Exchange Rd,
Ortigas Center, Pasig, 1605 Kalakhang Maynila, Philippines
Contact Information: [email protected]
Category: Stocks
Minimum Investment: P5,000 for a starter account
Google play reviews | 4.2/5 |
Google reviews | 3.5/5 |
Total reviews | 3.85/5 |
Score consistency | 4/5 |
Credibility | 5/5 |
Real return | 4.5/5 |
Accessibility | 4/5 |
Friendly interface | 3.5/5 |
Pros
- Offers a starter account
- Comes with a downloadable COL financial calculator
- Has been in the stock industry for more than 20 years
Cons
- Slow loading time during operation hours
- Outdated platform
A popular choice in the Philippine stock market is COL Financial. It is a participant of both the Securities Clearing Corporation of the Philippines (SCCP) and Securities Investors Protection Fund, Inc. (SIPF), which is a testament to its integrity.
We recommend this platform to traders that are experienced in the stock market industry, since they offer premium plans that have more access to stock market data.
Once you have availed of their COL Premium plan, you will be assigned a personal relationship manager that will assist you with your investments. We think this adds a convenient personal touch to their services.
Also, a personal relationship manager can help provide expert insight and advice when it comes to handling your stocks. For those who are still developing their instinct and confidence, their perspective may come in handy.
That being said, we’re not really a fan of COL Financial’s UI. Most users report consistent lag times during their logins – in fact, it takes minutes just to load the dashboard, which can be quite a momentum-killer.
A lot of users also commented that the platform seems to be outdated, with the site constantly experiencing downtime.
Hopefully, COL Financial would up the ante in terms of improving their platform and tweaking these interface issues.
3. eToro

Website: https://www.etoro.com/
Main Office: No Philippine address
Contact Information: [email protected]
Category: Crypto, Stocks, Foreign Exchange, Commodities, Index Funds, and ETF (Exchange-traded fund)
Minimum Investment: $50
Apple app store reviews | 4.2/5 |
Google play store reviews | 3.8/5 |
Total reviews | 4/5 |
Score consistency | 4/5 |
Credibility | 4.5/5 |
Real return | 3.5/5 |
Accessibility | 4/5 |
Friendly interface | 4.5/5 |
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Keeps up with the latest trends and updates the platform regularly
- Offers earning opportunities for those who aren’t technically traders
Cons
- High-risk investments only
eToro is a different form of online investment since it’s under social trading, which allows you to copy someone else’s portfolio but still earn from it. This might be for you if you want to invest for the long term.
We were pleasantly surprised with how easy it is to open an account with them. You can open an account for free and use professional tools without spending anything.
They also do not charge any management fee, which means that you can copy other traders and invest in different portfolios. Some platforms charge for exchange-traded funds, which allows you to diversify your portfolio while lowering the investment risks, while eToro does not.
This is a great option if you do not want to spend so much on unnecessary fees. We took into consideration how these fees would eventually add up and cost a lot of money.
A lot of users have noticed how fast and efficient eToro’s mobile app is when they are using it. They can also easily access all the data needed inside the app.
We also like CopyTrader™, an innovative tool under eToro which allows users to automatically copy the moves of other investors. One of the biggest pros of using CopyTrader is that you can copy the actions of the master trader in real-time.
If you are an aggressive investor, then eToro is for you. That being said, we think this platform is best for extremely experienced users who are comfortable with high-risk movements.
4. Investa

Website: https://www.investa.ph/
Main Office: Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines
Contact Information: [email protected]
Category: Mutual Funds
Minimum Investment: PHP 50
Facebook Reviews | 4.9/5 |
Apple App Store | 4.7/5 |
Total reviews | 4.8/5 |
Score consistency | 4.5/5 |
Credibility | 3.5/5 |
Real return | 3.5/5 |
Accessibility | 4/5 |
Friendly interface | 4.5/5 |
Pros
- Low minimum investment
- Local company
Cons
- Fairly recent establishment
Investa is possibly the most affordable option when it comes to online investment. This aligns well with the company’s mission to encourage more Filipinos to invest.
This form of investment falls under mutual funding, which means that Investa collates money from different people and invests it in different stocks, bonds, or other assets.
We think that Investa is one of the safest and easiest ways to invest your money without all the nitty-gritty.
We could recommend Investa to first-timers who want to build their confidence in investing. But of course, it must be noted that the downside of a low-risk investment is a low-risk return.
Initially they are a learning tool that helps people simulate what it is like to experience buying and selling stocks, now they have over 1 million users.
We were impressed with how accessible it is to new investors. They have added graphs and statics in their interface that make it easier for users to understand the system. It also allows you to trade with only P50.
A common comment from its users is that it is a very intuitive app. They are able to go about their day while the money works for them because Investa does not need much monitoring compared to other types of investments.
5. Bonds.PH

Website: https://bonds.ph/
Main Office: Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines
Contact Information: [email protected]
Category: Bonds
Minimum Investment: PHP 5000
Facebook reviews | 3.5/5 |
Apple App Store | 4.2/5 |
Total reviews | 3.85/5 |
Score consistency | 4/5 |
Credibility | 4/5 |
Real return | 3.5/5 |
Accessibility | 4/5 |
Friendly interface | 4.5/5 |
Pros
- Easily accessible
- Backed by a reputable bank (UnionBank)
- User-friendly app
- No maintaining balance
Cons
- Poor customer service
Bonds.PH was launched in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic by the Bureau of the Treasury, with the aim to make bond investing more convenient.
You can invest in government bonds through their app since everything is digitized, which we like. Bonds are debt-based investments that help fund the government wherein they give you back the agreed interest rate.
Bonds.PH’s process is very simple and straight-forward. You can do everything from the app, from opening an account to selling off your investment.
Just open a dollar account with UnionBank and fund it – it’s that easy! We recommend it to people who are interested in investing in bonds but are not sure where to start.
Their customer service is open 24/7 and you can cash in through any bank, any e-wallet and they offer other payment channels as well. However, many users have noted that they received poor customer service.
The developers have nailed the interface of Bonds.PH. When you login, you’ll be greeted by an easy-on-the-eyes dashboard with an overview of your bonds.
We just wish that they would be more responsive via their customer support channels, as we’ve heard stories of clients’ messages gathering dust in their inbox.