Some people have a hard time deciding if they should choose mutual funds or individual stocks, but some prefer to choose both. Let me give you the benefits of each investment. Mutual funds offer the following characteristics that many investors find attractive: Professional Management, Diversification, Selection and Convenience. Individual stocks on the other hand have the following characteristics that investors really like: No Fees, Greater Upside Potential and Hands-on Investing. Try to research more on both investments and make sure to choose the kind of investment that you are more comfortable with and can trust since you would be the only one making the decisions.