@Sergeantedwards, since you said you had $500, which is what you want to invest in crypto for a start, I would suggest you start with Bitcoin first.
Although $500 will purchase 0.0128 Bitcoin for you (that's with the current price of $39,230), if you hold that small fraction until Bitcoin gets to $100k by next year or this year, your profit will be about $780 dollars. If you also keep accumulating gradually, depending on the inflow of cash, you should be able to accumulate more fractions of bitcoin, which will give you a tangible profit in the bull market.
If you are yet a newbie that is still starting your journey into crypto with that $500, Bitcoin will be good for you. Maybe after you have more knowledge about altcoins and their risks, you can invest.