The stock market is an exciting place to be, but it can also be a bit intimidating. There are so many terms and concepts that people don’t understand, and this can make the experience overwhelming. If you’re looking for a way to make sense of it all, we’ve got some great apps for you!
We’ve spent months testing the best apps for stock market, and these are our favorites:
/top_6_apps_for_financial_news-5bfc3459c9e77c0026b6a2bf.jpg)
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Stock Market
The best stock trading apps offer the ability to buy and sell shares of stocks and ETFs with no commissions. They also allow you to research investments, track your portfolio, and easily enter orders to buy or sell.
To make our selections, we considered pricing and fees, investment options, account types, investment platforms, investment research, and educational resources.
Our expert panel for this guide
We consulted financial planners, investing experts, and our own wealth-building reporter to inform our picks for the best stock trading apps. You can find the full transcript of our interviews with these experts at the bottom of this page.
PFI Best Stock Trading Apps Expert Panel
Insider
We’re focusing on what makes a stock trading app and brokerage account most useful. When weighing different apps, it’s best to consider pricing, investment choices, account types, and investment research resources.
Best overall: Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab
Account Minimum
$0 ($5,000 for Schwab Intelligent Portfolios; $25,000 Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium)
Fees
0% ($0 Schwab Intelligent Portfolios; $30/month Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium)
Investment Types
Stocks, ETFs, options, futures, mutual funds, money market funds, bonds, and annuities
Charles Schwab Charles Schwab
4.79/5
Editor’s Rating
LEARN MORE
Pros & Cons
Details
Why Charles Schwab made our list
Charles Schwab’s Schwab Mobile is a strong all-around choice for stock traders. It comes with no account minimums and no recurring fees. You can choose between just about any type of investment account you would want and most types of investments. And for stock trades, the app is well-rounded for both beginners and experts. Schwab also offers a no-fee automated adviser, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios.
The mobile app makes it easy to view your accounts, positions, and balances. You can view market indices and news, research stocks, and enter an array of trade types from the app. One of its features, the Schwab Assistant, gives you voice control to make trades, get quotes, set alerts, and get answers to questions about investments.
Users also have access to the more advanced StreetSmart Mobile. It works well but doesn’t rate among the very best for the most active traders. But Schwab now owns TD Ameritrade and thinkorswim, which is an industry leader for active traders. More on that in the next section.
Best for active traders: thinkorswim
thinkorswim trading platform
Account Minimum
$0
Fees
0%
Investment Types
Stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, futures, forex, IPOs, and bonds
thinkorswim thinkorswim trading platform
4.8/5
Editor’s Rating
LEARN MORE
Pros & Cons
Details
Why thinkorswim made our list
TD Ameritrade’s thinkorswim is a top stock trading app for active traders. TD Ameritrade features accounts with no recurring fees and no minimum balance. It offers a diverse range of accounts and investments, including some investments that are less commonly supported such as futures, forex, and cryptocurrencies. But it stands out for its active trader offering for both experts and those looking to become experts in active trading.
The flagship active trading platform at TD Ameritrade is thinkorswim. Thinkorswim gives you a nearly identical experience wherever you log in, including desktop or mobile. It features advanced charting, advanced trade tools, profit and loss calculations, a live CNBC news stream, and chat support where you can get live help from a TD Ameritrade trading specialist from inside the app.
Important note: TD Ameritrade was acquired by Charles Schwab on October 6, 2020. However, Schwab has announced it plans to keep thinkorswim alongside StreetSmart Edge.
Best for beginners: SoFi
SoFi Invest
Account Minimum
$0 ($1 to start investing)
Fees
0% for active trading and automated investing (1.25% for cryptocurrencies)
Investment Types
Stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies
SoFi SoFi Invest
4.65/5
Editor’s Rating
LEARN MORE
Pros & Cons
Details
Why SoFi made our list
SoFi Invest is one of the best stock market brokerages for new traders. SoFi’s app is less robust than some larger competitors, but that also makes it easy to navigate and understand if you don’t have as much experience in the markets.
SoFi offers taxable accounts, retirement accounts, and a more limited set of investment choices. But stocks and ETFs are well represented. SoFi also offers a no-fee automated investing platform, and it lets you invest in fractional shares through a product it calls Stock Bits.
The stock trading section of the SoFi app offers basic fundamental information and recent price charts for supported investments. Beginners will enjoy browsing through groups of stocks by category to get ideas for how to invest. The app also includes education articles accessible from stock account pages.
If you are brand new to the markets, SoFi offers a way to get started with a small investment and no fees. That’s a good combination for learning how to trade stocks.
Best for no commissions: Vanguard
Vanguard
Account Minimum
$0 ($3,000 for Vanguard Digital Advisor; $50,000 for Vanguard Personal Advisor Services)
Fees
0% (0.20% to 0.30% for professionally managed portfolios)
Investment Types
Stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, mutual funds, and CDs
Vanguard Vanguard
4.6/5
Editor’s Rating
LEARN MORE
Pros & Cons
Details
Why Vanguard made our list
Vanguard has investment options for just about every type of investor. In addition to its Jack Bogle-created index funds, the brokerage offers commission-free trading on several investments, automated investing through Vanguard Digital Advisor (with the additional choice of one-on-one advisor guidance, thanks to Vanguard Personal Advisor Services), IRAs and other retirement resources, and market research and educational resources.
In addition to its iOS and Android mobile apps, Vanguard also offers trusts, 529 plans, custodial accounts, small business retirement plans and more.
Best for long-term investing: Fidelity
Fidelity
Account Minimum
$0 ($25,000 Fidelity Personalized Planning & Advice)
Fees
0% ($0, $3/month, or 0.35% for robo-advisor)
Investment Types
Stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, bonds, CDs, annuities, and IPOs
Fidelity Fidelity
4.86/5
Editor’s Rating
LEARN MORE
Pros & Cons
Details
Why Fidelity made our list
Fidelity offers a wide range of accounts and investments that could meet the needs of virtually any investor, but it stands out as a great choice for stock market inventors looking to buy and hold for long-term goals like retirement. It offers a wide range of investing products, including fractional shares.
In addition to common tools that allow you to research and trade stocks, Fidelity offers apps and tools to help you reach retirement goals and other long-term plans. For example, the new Fidelity Spire app is a goal-oriented app that encourages good saving and investing habits to reach the goals you’ve specified.
Fidelity is best for beginners, but it also suits active traders, passive investors, and long-term-focused investors.
Best for expert traders: Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers
Account Minimum
$0 ($100 Interactive Advisors automated accounts)
Fees
$0 for IBKR Lite; $0 IBKR Pro (per-share commissions apply)
Investment Types
Stocks, options, futures, currencies, metals, bonds, ETFs, cryptocurrencies, mutual funds, hedge funds
Interactive Brokers Interactive Brokers
4.6/5
Editor’s Rating
LEARN MORE
Pros & Cons
Details
Why Interactive Brokers made our list
For expert traders looking for a slick, Wall Street-style trading platform, Interactive Brokers is a great choice. Sometimes called IBKR for short, Interactive Brokers offers multiple types of accounts, including ones that work well for retail investors all the way up to professional and institutional investors. It gives investors access to a very wide range of assets including, of course, stocks.
Interactive Brokers’ mobile app, IBKR Mobile, is a fully-functioning investment platform with advanced trading tools in your pocket. Advanced quotes and research contain 50 columns of data in a very similar format to the desktop platform. It’s cutting edge and works best for those with at least some investment experience.
Best for banking and stock trading: Ally Invest
Ally Invest
Account Minimum
$0 ($100 for Robo Portfolios)
Fees
0%
Investment Types
Stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, mutual funds, and forex
Ally Ally Invest
4.08/5
Editor’s Rating
LEARN MORE
Pros & Cons
Details
Why Ally made our list
If you’re interested in a simple and straightforward investment platform that goes hand-in-hand with some of the best checking and savings accounts on the market today, Ally could be the right fit. Ally Invest has no minimum and no recurring fees and shares the same login for accounts with Ally Bank.
With Ally Mobile, you can view your investments and enter stock trades with just a few taps. The app includes basic research and charting, recent news, and the ability to quickly enter a trade. It doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as some stock trading apps, but it covers the basics and makes it easy to trade for a very low cost.
Other brokerages we considered
E*TRADE: E-Trade offers a great stock trading platform for a wide range of investors. It was recently acquired by Morgan Stanley.
Robinhood: Robinhood is a brokerage service offering commission-free trades on stocks, ETFs, and options. The investing platform also offers fractional shares and specialty investment products like cryptocurrencies, but its investment selection is limited.
Webull: Webull and Robinhood share many similarities. Both brokerages offer cryptocurrencies and commission-free trading on stocks, ETFs and options, but Webull also offers IRAs. A drawback, however, is that it doesn’t offer automated accounts, mutual funds, or joint brokerage accounts.
Tastyworks: Tastyworks is best for traders who are more interested in active options trading.
Firstrade: Firstrade offers commission-free trades for most assets, but its trading apps are not quite as strong as some others.
Public: Public is best for traders looking to learn how to trade from others. It includes “public” trading where you can view what others are doing to learn more and improve your trading skills.
How we determined the winners
The best stock trading apps come from brokerages that offer low-fee accounts and feature-filled mobile trading platforms. When compiling the best investment platforms for stock trading, we considered pricing, available investments, account types, and investment research resources.
Frequently asked questions
What are brokerage accounts?
A brokerage account is a financial account that gives you access to buy, sell, and hold stocks and other supported investment assets. Like a bank account, you can deposit and withdraw cash. But unlike a bank account, you can use your cash balance to buy stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, futures, forex, bonds, and other assets.
How do brokerage accounts work?
Brokerage accounts are connected to the US financial system. You can generally add funds using your brokerage’s mobile app by check. You can also add or withdraw using electronic funds transfers, wire transfers, and other supported methods from your brokerage.
In the US, brokerage accounts are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulation Authority (FINRA). While investment assets can lose value, accounts are insured by the US government through the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC).
Who should use a brokerage account?
You can’t buy and own stocks and other assets without a brokerage account, so anyone who wants to invest should get one. If you’re heavily in debt, you may want to pay off high-interest debts before funnelling too much of your budget into the stock market.
Remember that while most people buy stocks with the intention of making money, stocks and other investments can go down in value. Make sure you learn about what you’re investing in so you understand the risks and potential return.
How much should a brokerage account cost?
In the 2020s, brokerage accounts should be free for the most part. You should be able to open and maintain an account with no minimum balance requirement, no recurring fees, and no activity requirements, with a few exceptions for active traders and managed portfolios.
In 2019, most brokerages got rid of commissions for trading stocks and ETFs, as well as base fees for options. This makes investing accessible to just about anyone. For instance, some of the other brokerages that offer commission-free trading include Merrill Edge and TradeStation.
How do I choose an online brokerage?
Every investor has different goals and preferences. You should pick a brokerage that offers platforms and tools that are comfortable to you and products that align with your investment style. Fees can take a huge portion out of your investment gains, so always look at commissions, fees, and pricing for any activity you may need so you don’t get surprised with an unexpected charge.
best stock trading platform
Want to trade stocks? You’re going to need an online broker, and that broker should offer a reasonable investment minimum, high-quality trading tools, robust access to customer service and no hidden account fees. On these measures, the brokerage firms below earned their place on our list of the best online brokers for stock trading.
We evaluated brokerage firms and investment companies on the services that matter most to different types of investors. For example, for active traders, we’ve noted online brokers with low or no commissions and robust mobile trading platforms. For people venturing into investing for the first time, we’ve included the best online brokers for educational resources (including webinars, video tutorials and in-person seminars) and on-call chat or phone support.
Read on to see our picks for the best online brokers, alongside links to our investing experts’ in-depth reviews on each.
SHOW MORE
Best Online Brokers for Stock Trading
on Merrill Edge’s website
Merrill Edge
4.5NerdWallet rating
Fees$0
per trade
Account minimum$0
PromotionUp to $600
when you invest in a new Merrill Edge® Self-Directed account.
View details
on Fidelity’s website
Fidelity
5.0NerdWallet rating
Fees$0
per trade for online U.S. stocks and ETFs
Account minimum$0
PromotionGet $100
when you open a new, eligible Fidelity account with $50 or more. Use code FIDELITY100. Limited time offer. Terms apply.
View details
on TD Ameritrade’s website
TD Ameritrade
5.0NerdWallet rating
Fees$0
per trade
Account minimum$0
PromotionNone
no promotion available at this time
View details
on E*TRADE’s website
E*TRADE
4.5NerdWallet rating
Fees$0
per trade
Account minimum$0
PromotionGet up to $600 or more
when you open and fund an E*TRADE account
View details
on Interactive Brokers’s website
Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite
5.0NerdWallet rating
Fees$0
per trade
Account minimum$0
PromotionNone
no promotion available at this time
View details
on Webull’s website
Webull
4.5NerdWallet rating
Fees$0
per trade
Account minimum$0
PromotionGet 5 free stocks
when you open and fund an account with Webull. Promotion ends 5/16/2022.
View details
on Ally Invest’s website
Ally Invest
4.5NerdWallet rating
Fees$0
per trade (on eligible US securities)
Account minimum$0
Promotion$100-$3,000
in cash bonus with qualifying deposit.
View details
on TradeStation’s website
TradeStation
4.5NerdWallet rating
Fees$0
per trade
Account minimum$500
Promotion$50-$5000
cash credit with a minimum deposit of $5,000.
View details
on Zacks Trade’s website
Zacks Trade
4.0NerdWallet rating
Fees$0.01
per share
Account minimum$2,500
PromotionNone
no promotion available at this time
View details
Want to compare more options? Here are our other top picks:
- Firstrade
- Charles Schwab
Last updated on April 22, 2022
You may also like these
People often identify opening a savings account as their next money move.
Marcus by Goldman Sachs Online Savings Account
5.0NerdWallet rating
APY0.60%
With $0 min. balance for APYLEARN MORE
at Marcus by Goldman Sachs, Member FDIC
Discover Bank Online Savings
5.0NerdWallet rating
APY0.60%
With $0 min. balance for APY
Bonus$200
Requirements to qualifyLEARN MORE
at Discover Bank, Member FDIC
LendingClub High-Yield Savings
5.0NerdWallet rating
APY0.85%
With $0.01 min. balance for APYLEARN MORE
at LendingClub Bank, Member FDIC
Methodology
NerdWallet’s comprehensive review process evaluates and ranks the largest U.S. brokers by assets under management, along with emerging industry players. Our aim is to provide an independent assessment of providers to help arm you with information to make sound, informed judgements on which ones will best meet your needs. We adhere to strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
We collect data directly from providers through detailed questionnaires, and conduct first-hand testing and observation through provider demonstrations. The questionnaire answers, combined with demonstrations, interviews of personnel at the providers and our specialists’ hands-on research, fuel our proprietary assessment process that scores each provider’s performance across more than 20 factors. The final output produces star ratings from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars). Ratings are rounded to the nearest half-star.
For more details about the categories considered when rating brokers and our process, read our full methodology.
Conclusion
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Check out other publications to gain access to more digital resources if you are just starting out with Flux Resource.
Also contact us today to optimize your business(s)/Brand(s) for Search Engines