Is there any benefit to investing in single stocks vs mutual funds/index funds?  I know some stocks pay quarterly dividends you can DRIP but looking at my portfolio as a whole and trying to decide

MUFU's diversify your portfolio for you.  They also dilute the value of hot stocks.

Imagine if you'd spent $10K on Apple when it was $20 a share.  When it hits $200 your $10K is now worth $100K

$10K in a MUFU that features Apple (say 10% of the fund's holdings) might have only gained $2K in value over the same time period.

Now, when Apple collapses to $2 a share (and you didn't sell at $200) you'll have lost $19K on your original investment.  The MUFU, on the other hand, might have only lost $2K, because of all the other equities it's holding.

In short, MUFU's are less prone to radical increases and decreases in value.  Stocks are more for gamblers.  Bigger payoffs and bigger losses.

I'm sure someone will come along and tell me I have no idea what I'm talking about...

An ETF is like a mutual fund that trades like a stock.

Usually probably passively managed, but expenses are low.

Mutual funds have an expense ratio that you pay the fund managers. They keep a percentage of the return in exchange for managing the fund.

If you manage your own stocks you keep your own returns minus any commissions.

The dividends from the underlying stocks in a mutual fund you receive if you own the fund and they can automatically be reinvested. Choose index funds like those offered by vanguard. The fees are very low. The diversification is great. Single stocks are very risky.

I guess this was kind of what I was wondering, if the dividend for a fund is equal to having the singular stocks?

You get your "share" of the dividend. More shares, bigger dividend

Yes it is.