If you’re looking for the best apps for stocks reddit, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will tell you everything you need to know about these apps, including what they are, how they work, and how you can use them to make money.
If you’re looking for a way to make money on the side or even make your fortune while sitting at home in your pajamas, then this article is going to teach you exactly how to do it.
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Best Apps For Stocks Reddit
If you are at all interested in investing, you’ve almost certainly heard of Robinhood. The investing app is a favorite among everyday traders who congregate in online forums like Reddit’s r/WallStreetBets, and has surpassed 18 million active users since its launch in 2013.
The Silicon Valley darling — which grew its following amid an investing surge during the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing cryptocurrency boom — is a commission-free trading platform, meaning users can invest in everything from ETFs to Dogecoin without going through a traditional brokerage.
Robinhood went public in July 2021, trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol HOOD. While the company’s revenue hit $565 million in the second quarter — thanks in part to a surge in crypto trading — its third-quarter revenue dropped significantly to $365 million.
The platform has seen its fair share of criticism. In June, the company faced the largest financial penalty ever issued by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, agreeing to pay $70 million for various regulatory allegations, including system outages, misleading users and approving customers to trade options — a risky investing move — when it was not appropriate to do so. In early 2021, Robinhood curtailed users’ ability to trade certain meme stocks like GameStop and AMC, generating the wrath of U.S. traders and lawmakers. Last December, Robinhood was fined $65 million, by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for allegedly misleading customers about one of its revenue sources. (Robinhood uses a practice called “payment order flow,” in which a brokerage firm sends customer orders to high-speed trading firms in return for cash payments).
The platform’s model allows users to make trades at no cost, but according to financial planner Tara Falcone, that comes at a steep price.
“It’s made many people think, ‘this is how you invest, this is how you build wealth,’ Falcone says. “And while trading individual stocks IS one way to build wealth, that’s not where most young people should be starting.”
Here’s everything you need to know about the trendiest (and most controversial) financial app of the year — and whether or not you should use it.
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Who uses Robinhood?
The app is popular among young, first-time investors, as evidenced by its game-like interface, including celebratory animations and push notifications when there are updates in the market.
It’s not limited to only Redditors taking on risky investment moves. If you do some proper research, Robinhood can, at the very least, serve as a good introduction to investing. But no matter how savvy you are at picking stocks, you’re highly unlikely to beat the market over the long term. (Which is why Money has always advised new investors to start with passively-managed index funds with proven track records instead.)
The truth is, there’s no crystal ball predicting where the stock market will go next. Just look at what’s happened over the last year: The stock market crashed when COVID-19 hit the U.S. in March of 2020. But by August of 2021, the S&P 500 — a benchmark commonly used to measure the broader stock market — was up 100% compared to its pandemic low on March 23, 2020. And despite some turbulence here and there, like a dip attributed to investors’ concerns about the high debt levels of one of China’s largest real estate developers, stocks keep soaring to record highs. In October, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq experienced their best monthly performances since last November. Still, market experts say a market correction (generally considered a dip of 10% to 20% in stock prices) will likely be here before long.
Day traders will always try to game the system — even if it’s usually next to impossible to make boatloads of cash that way. And since Robinhood lets anybody with a bank account buy and sell risky financial products, its appeal is no surprise.
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How to invest with Robinhood (the right way)
Before you download any sort of investing app, figure out what your motivation is, Falcone suggests. Are you doing this to make some quick cash? Because you have Reddit-induced FOMO? Or because you want to put your money to work responsibly, and are prepared to think about long-term strategies?
“That should help you put blinders on to what you might be seeing on social media or hearing from your friends,” Falcone says. “If [certain] types of stock don’t fit into your strategy, then you should immediately know to ignore those suggestions.”
If you’re approaching this through a financial planning lens, make sure you’ve already paid off all your credit card and high-rate consumer debt. You should also be contributing enough to your employer-sponsored plan to maximize any potential match benefit — that’s an immediate, guaranteed return on your investment that you can’t expect from the stock market.
“Once you are on track for retirement and have additional cash to invest, you may want to consider adding some individual stocks to your portfolio,” Falcone says. “However, it is recommended to secure your financial future with diversified securities first … either through your employer’s plan or an IRA.”
You’ll also want to set some investing goals before you start trading, Falcone says. Maybe you want to invest to help pay for a new couch, a trip to the Bahamas, an engagement ring, or a downpayment on a future home.
“Determine how much that goal will cost, how long of a time horizon you have to achieve it, how much money you have to invest toward it today, and how much you’ll have to contribute on a weekly or monthly basis to reach that goal using a reasonable expected return for your time horizon,” Falcone says.
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How to start investing with Robinhood
Investing through Robinhood is as easy as opening an account. All you need is to be 18 years or older, have a valid Social Security number, and a U.S. address.
If you’re new to investing, start with a small amount of money you’re OK with losing, and stick to stocks and ETFs.
Falcone suggests creating a diversified portfolio with at least fifteen stocks across different industries and company sizes that you’ve already done your due diligence on. Thanks to fractional shares, you can start investing with just a few dollars.
As you dip your toe in, Falcone suggests getting familiar with investing news sites (like Money.com!) and timely content from verified financial planners like herself. Morningstar.com is another good resource for staying up to date on fund performance, investment strategy, and fees.
You can also use a stock market simulator to create a “practice portfolio”, which will help you learn how the market fluctuates over time, and how to make healthy investing habits (like not checking your account a million times a day).
In other words: Learn to walk before you run, and take the time to understand what you’re actually buying and selling.
This story has been updated to reflect news that Robinhood redesigned some of the app’s animations and the company’s initial public offering.
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More from Money:
Wall Street Bets and Gamestop: How the Reddit Group Can Make a Stock Soar
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best app to buy and sell stocks
- TD Ameritrade
Best for: Diverse investing on the go
TD Ameritrade shines beyond just its free trading app, which is among the best we’ve come across. Combining TD Ameritrade’s app capabilities with its highly-regarded customer service, array of investment vehicles, diversity of account types, and best-in-class trading platforms explains why the broker is a top pick to consider. This isn’t to say that TD Ameritrade nails everything, though. For example, investors wanting to invest in fractional shares or cryptocurrencies will need to look elsewhere.
iOS rating: 4.5/5 stars
Android rating: 3.5/5 stars
Pros
Commission-free stock and ETF trades
Diverse investing vehicles available
Great customer service
Robust active trading platforms
Cons
No fractional shares investing
No cryptocurrency investing
Open Account
- Robinhood
Best for: No-frills stock and options trading.
Robinhood is a user-friendly trading app that allows for trading in stocks, options, and cryptocurrencies (including Bitcoin). Robinhood users have access to a cash management feature that allows interest to be earned on cash balances, and the $5 per month Robinhood Gold premium version of the platform allows for $1,000 of interest-free margin and access to Morningstar stock research reports. One of the standout features is $0 options commissions and no fee per contract. Even many of the best options brokers charge a fee per contract, but Robinhood doesn’t.
There are some downsides, however. Specifically, there are few educational tools or advanced trading tools. There are also no mutual funds or IRAs. All this suggests Robinhood is designed more for traders, not long-term investors.
iOS rating: 4.1/5 stars
Android rating: 3.8/5 stars
Pros
No commissions
User-friendly trading platform
Allows fractional share investing
Functionality includes options and cryptocurrencies as well as stocks
Cons
Few educational resources
No access to stock research unless you pay for an upgraded account
No mutual fund investing or robo-advisory service
Open Account
- SoFi Invest
Best for: Investors who want access to other financial products as well.
SoFi Invest offers both active investing (stock trading) and automated investing (robo-advisory) services. It also allows investors to trade cryptocurrencies. And unlike several other tech-focused investment apps, SoFi offers traditional and Roth IRAs. The best part — all of these features (lending, saving, investing, and more) are available through a single, highly-rated app.
One big differentiator is that SoFi, which is short for Social Finance, is designed to be an all-in-one financial community. In addition to its investment platform, the SoFi app also offers personal loans, mortgages, private student loans, credit cards, and high-yield savings accounts.
iOS rating: 4.8/5 stars
Android rating: 4.4/5 stars
RELATED: See The Ascent’s side-by-side review of SoFi vs Webull
Pros
Offers stock investing, automated investing, and cryptocurrency trading
Fractional shares are available
Retirement accounts are available
Lots of other financial products
Cons
No options or mutual fund trading
Doesn’t offer stock research or an advanced trading platform
Open Account
- E*TRADE
Best for: Easy-to-use platform for average investors, and an advanced app for active traders
ETRADE scores high marks from our experts as a one-stop-shop for most things an investor needs in a trading app. In fact, ETRADE actually sports two apps: the regular ETRADE app and the Power ETRADE app designed for active traders. Both apps are free.
Users of the regular E*TRADE app get an easy-to-use app that gives them access to most of the features that an average investor would expect: an intuitive platform for placing trades, managing your account, staying up-to-date on news, and performing stock research and screening.
If you’re an active trader, you’ll want to opt for the more advanced Power E*TRADE app. This app provides real-time technical analysis of stocks, advanced options trading features, futures trading, and excellent charting capabilities. Looking at app store reviews, it seems there may be some technical issues with the Android app that appear to be less of an issue on iOS, so that is perhaps something to take into consideration.
Unfortunately, neither app allows for cryptocurrency, forex, or fractional share trading, so you’ll want to look elsewhere if this is important to you.
iOS rating:
E*TRADE app: 4.6/5 stars
Power E*TRADE app: 4.5/5 stars
Android rating:
E*TRADE app: 4.2/5 stars
Power E*TRADE app: 3.7/5 stars
Pros
Feature-packed, easy-to-use regular app
Advanced app ideal for active traders
Strong in-app news and research offerings
Commission-free stock and ETF trades
Cons
Does not support fractional share investing
Does not support cryptocurrency investing (except some futures trading)
Does not have access to international exchanges
Open Account
- Webull
Best for: Active investors who want a simple and user-friendly trading platform.
Webull is a mobile-based stock trading platform that offers more features than most of its app-based rivals. Customers can trade stocks and options with no commissions whatsoever and no account minimums. For investors who use margin, Webull has some of the lowest rates we know of. New investors can take advantage of Webull’s “Paper Trading” feature, a virtual trading simulator where you can learn investing without risking your hard-earned money.
iOS rating: 4.7/5 stars
Android rating: 4.4/5 stars
RELATED: See The Ascent’s Webull vs. E*Trade review
Pros
Commission-free stock trading
Options trading is available
More features than most other app-based trading platforms
Offers traditional IRAs
Allows investors to trade cryptocurrencies
Cons
Does not support fractional shares
Investors cannot trade mutual funds or OTC stocks
Few educational resources
Most market data and research require subscriptions
Open Account
- Merrill Edge
Best for: Investing and banking in one
Merrill Edge, its brokerage offerings, and the investing app are a clear great fit for Bank of America banking customers. But that’s not the only audience Merrill Edge is a fit for. Merrill Edge is a top stock broker to consider for anyone focused on finding one place to manage the majority of their money needs under one roof. Importantly, Merrill Edge’s mobile investing app integrates well with Bank of America’s banking app and this is reflect with its high iOS and Android app ratings. But investors wanting a leading trading platform or access to invest in cryptocurrencies will want to consider alternatives.
iOS rating: 4.7/5 stars
Android rating: 4/5 stars
Pros
Commission-free stock and ETF trades
Wide array of account types offered
Nation-wide branch access
Preferred Rewards program
Cons
Trading platforms can be beat
No cryptocurrency investing
- Fidelity
Best for: Investors who want to trade stocks and other investments with all the features of Fidelity’s brokerage.
Fidelity is a highly-rated mobile app. For a non-app-based broker, this is impressive, especially when you consider the impact some of the disruptive “trading apps” have had on the industry. The app’s trading platform is user friendly and highly customizable. Through the app, users can set up a customized news feed, view stock research, and even deposit checks and pay their bills.
iOS rating: 4.8/5 stars
Android rating: 4.4/5 stars
Pros
Fractional share investing (on S&P 500 stocks only)
Highest-rated mobile app among brokers that aren’t primarily app-based
One of only a few brokers to allow trading on international stock exchanges
Cons
Higher margin rates than many peers
Options commissions are on the higher end of the spectrum
No cryptocurrency functionality
- Ally Invest
Best for: Investors who want their bank and investment accounts in the same place.
In addition to being able to buy and sell stocks, ETFs, options, and mutual funds, Ally Invest also offers the Managed Portfolios robo-advisory service, a high-yield savings account, checking accounts, CDs, mortgages, auto loans, personal loans, and more.
Ally Invest is more than just a trading app. In a nutshell, Ally is a great financial app that also has impressive investing functionality, making it an excellent choice for people who want to trade stocks in the same place where their checking and savings accounts are maintained.
iOS rating: 4.7/5 stars
Android rating: 4.1/5 stars
Pros
A feature-packed, app-based trading platform
One of the lowest mutual fund commissions we know of
IRAs are available for retirement saving
Offers banking and investment accounts in one app
Cons
No sophisticated trading platform for serious traders
Doesn’t offer no-transaction-fee (NTF) mutual funds
- Charles Schwab
Best for: Serious investors who want to build a portfolio for the long term.
For investors who want to be able to buy and sell stocks on the go but also benefit from a full-featured brokerage account, Charles Schwab could be the brokerage with the trading app for you. Schwab has top-notch customer service and a great selection of mutual funds. It also supports a variety of different account types and allows customers to buy and sell fractional shares of stock. And for those who want to put some or all of their investing on autopilot, Schwab also has one of the best platforms for robo-advisors, called “Schwab Intelligent Portfolio.” RELATED: See The Ascent’s comparison of Charles Schwab vs Robinhood.
iOS rating: 4.8/5 stars
Android rating: 3.6/5 stars
Pros
One of the most feature-packed brokers in the United States
Allows fractional share trading
Lots of educational features and research offerings
Great selection of mutual funds, including Schwab’s proprietary products
Users with Schwab 401(k) plans can access their account through the app
Cons
No cryptocurrency trading
Margin rates are on the high end
What the best free stock trading apps offer
There’s no such thing as the best investment app for every investor. And if there is, we certainly haven’t found it. Some investors want things like stock research and educational tools, while others simply don’t care about having access to that and just want a user-friendly way to buy and sell stocks. With that in mind, here are some things the best stock trading apps might offer. Before making your choice, you should decide which features are most important to you.
Commission-free stock trading
The ability to buy fractional shares of stock
Support for different account types, such as IRAs, custodial accounts for minors, joint accounts, and more
Cryptocurrency trading
Options trading
Competitive margin rates
Mutual funds — and preferably a good selection that are available with no transaction fees
User-friendly trading platform
Sophisticated trading tools for active investors
Other financial products like bank accounts, loans, credit cards, etc.
Educational tools
Access to stock research
Free stock trading apps pros and cons
Pros
The advantages to using free trading apps like these for your investment needs generally have to do with convenience. With these apps, you can buy and sell stocks with the click of a button, anywhere in the world where you have a data connection. This makes them great brokers for beginners and for seasoned investors.
Cons
The major downside to using any free stock trading apps — even those offered by best stock brokers — is that you’re never going to get as much functionality as you would with a desktop-based trading platform. Many apps don’t have features like stock research and educational resources, even if the web-based versions of their platforms offer such features.
How much does it cost to start trading stocks?
There’s no official minimum amount of money you need to start buying stocks.
Some brokerages have minimum required deposits, but many online brokerages have none. Those let you buy in with as little as a few dollars, purchasing fractional shares of stocks instead of full shares.
If you want to buy a full share of a specific stock, the minimum amount you’ll need to get started is the cost of that stock — which varies widely across companies. To ensure a diversified portfolio, we often suggest buying a minimum of 10 stocks, so that would put your minimum investment at the cost of those 10 stocks plus any commissions and fees paid to your brokerage.
What investments can you buy with free trading apps?
The free trading apps listed here will let you buy stocks, but the actual investment universe available depends on the particular app. For example, some of the apps allow trading in over-the-counter (OTC) stocks, while others don’t. Some allow you to buy stocks directly on foreign stock markets in addition to U.S. exchanges. And some offer the ability to buy and sell options and mutual funds, while others are limited to only stock trading.
In addition, some of these apps offer automated investing or robo-advisory services, which essentially create and maintain an investment portfolio for you. The bottom line is that investment selection varies from one trading app to another and should certainly be a factor when deciding which to use.
How to choose a stock trading app as a beginner
No broker is perfect for everyone, but some brokers are better aimed at beginners.
Here are some of the factors to consider when you pick an online stock broker:
Cost structure: Do they charge monthly fees or commissions on trades?
Account minimums: Note the minimum deposit needed to open your account. For some brokerages, there’s no minimum, but some might be as high as $500.
Variety of funds: As a beginner, you might not want to choose individual stocks. Look for brokerages that invest in no-fee mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) so you can invest without being a stock market expert.
Features and support: If you want to grow your investing knowledge and skills over time, look for an app that includes educational resources and strong customer support.
How to invest in stocks as a beginner
Follow these steps to get started investing in stocks:
Determine your investing approach. You could be hands-on, selecting individual stocks, or hands-off, letting a robo-advisor manage your portfolio. You could fall somewhere in between, working with a broker to choose low-effort index funds for your portfolio.
Choose how much to invest. Don’t invest money you’ll need within five years — your investments aren’t liquid funds, and short-term investments are too vulnerable to volatility. Before deciding how much to invest, make sure you’ve set aside an emergency fund, any vacation savings, short-term education costs, and other short-term savings like a down payment for a home or car.
Open an investment account with a brokerage. Choose a brokerage like the ones we’ve listed above to manage your investments. Open your account with at least the minimum investment.
Diversify your stocks. If you’re investing in a self-directed account — where you pick individual stocks — choose stocks from businesses you understand across an array of industries. Avoid high-volatility stocks for now, or choose an ETF or index fund to skip having to choose altogether.
Continue investing. Continue to contribute to your investment accounts and hold on to the investments long term in order to get the best and most stable returns on your investments.
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