Investing in the stock market has become more accessible than ever, thanks to the rise of stock trading apps. These apps offer a range of features, from commission-free trading to educational resources and expert insights, to cater to different investment styles.
With so many options available, finding the best stock trading app can be overwhelming. However, we’ve got you covered.
In this article, we’ll explore the top picks for the best stock trading apps that you can use to build a passive portfolio, actively trade stocks, or explore the world of cryptocurrencies.
Best Trading Apps of 2024
Here are the top stock trading apps that provide free trades, robust mobile trading platforms, and excellent user ratings. These are our recommendations for the best stock apps available.
1. Interactive Brokers
IBKR Mobile is liked by both Apple and Android users for its powerful trading tools. These tools, like advanced charts and analyst ratings, are usually only found on web or desktop platforms. They give you a lot of information about the market. IBKR also has easier platforms for beginners, like IBKR GlobalTrader and IMPACT.
IBKR lets you trade stocks and ETFs without paying commissions, and you can trade in 150 markets worldwide. That’s why it’s seen as the best stock trading app.
| Available asset types | Stocks, Bonds, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Futures, Forex, Treasury Bills |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | 0% |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
| Cash sweep APY | 3.83% Lite 4.83% Pro |
| Cash sweep insured | FDIC |
| Cash sweep insurance amount | $250,000 |
Pros:
- Offers three different mobile trading platforms: IBKR Mobile for powerful features and IBKR GlobalTrader for beginners.
- Provides tools for traders of all experience levels.
- Allows you to invest in fractional shares.
- Gives access to 150 markets in 33 countries.
Cons:
- Live chat support might not always work well.
- IBKR’s robo-advisor isn’t available on mobile.
2. tastytrade
tastytrade is mainly for trading derivatives. It offers a lot of trading products with good prices for options and futures contracts. Options trading doesn’t have closing fees, and you don’t pay commissions for trading stocks and ETFs.
Its trading platforms are strong and have advanced tools for trading, research, and analysis. Some tools for options trading include visuals for profits and losses and a quick way to roll over your option positions.
tastytrade also has a learning center with videos and live demos to help you get better at options trading.
| Retirement account types | Roth, Traditional, SEP, Rollover, Beneficiary Traditional, Beneficiary Roth |
|---|---|
| Available asset types | Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Futures |
| Annual fee | 0% |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get $100-$5,000 |
| Cash sweep APY | N/A |
| Cash sweep insurance amount | N/A |
Pros:
- The trading platform is highly customizable.
- Offers a wide range of tradable derivative assets.
- Competitive fee structure for options.
- Provides helpful educational resources and live programming.
Cons:
- The trading platform can be complex to navigate.
- Does not offer a robo-advisor service.
3. SoFi Invest®
With SoFi®, you can easily trade stocks, options, ETFs, and crypto using a simple mobile app. Plus, as a member, you get a free robo-advisor, financial advice without paying extra, and access to other financial services all in one app.
SoFi Invest® has an easy-to-use trading platform. It gives you straightforward access to the markets, and you can even automate your investing with the free robo-advisor. What’s cool is that SoFi also gives you unlimited access to certified financial planners for free.
Normally, this service can cost a lot elsewhere. So, before making any big financial decisions, you can talk to a professional without worrying about extra fees.
| Available asset types | Stocks, Options, ETFs |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | 0% |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get up to $1,000 in stock |
| Cash sweep APY | 0.01% |
| Cash sweep insured | FDIC |
| Cash sweep insurance amount | $2.5 million |
Pros:
- You can trade stocks, ETFs, and options without paying any fees.
- Get a free robo-advisor.
- Talk to certified financial planners from SoFi for free.
- Use one platform for banking, loans, insurance, and other financial services.
Cons:
- There aren’t many investment options.
- You might have to pay a $25 fee if you don’t use your account.
4. Robinhood
Robinhood changed how people buy and sell stocks by offering commission-free trades and a user-friendly mobile app.
Their app is easy to use and has made investing simple for everyone. They’ve added more ways to invest over time, like 24/5 trading and IRAs with matching contributions.
Robinhood’s mobile platform lets you trade stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto without paying any fees. You can even buy parts of shares, and they offer customer support around the clock.
| Available asset types | Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | 0% |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get a free stock |
| Cash sweep APY | 1.5%, or 5.25% with Robinhood Gold |
Pros:
- You can trade stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto without paying any fees.
- Customer support is available 24/7.
- The mobile app and web trading platforms are easy to use.
- You can get matching contributions for your IRA.
- You can buy fractional shares.
Cons:
- You’ll need to upgrade to Robinhood Gold for more advanced tools.
- They don’t offer a robo-advisor service.
5. Public.com
If you want to buy and sell stocks, treasuries, ETFs, crypto, and other investments all in one place, Public’s trading app is easy to use. It’s made for anyone to understand quickly, so you can start investing without any hassle.
Public’s app has tools to help you analyze investments, like reports from Morningstar, earnings estimates, and ratings from analysts. You can also see what other people on Public are trading and get ideas for your investments.
Plus, Public lets you buy not just stocks but also other things like treasuries. Overall, it’s a good choice for people who want to trade and invest in different things.
| Available asset types | Stocks, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Art, Treasury Bills, Collectibles |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | 0% |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
| Cash sweep APY | 5.1% |
| Cash sweep insured | FDIC |
| Cash sweep insurance amount | $5 million or $250,000 per program bank |
Pros:
- You can buy a part of a share, so you don’t need to buy a whole one.
- Access to things like treasuries and different assets, like art and music royalties.
- See what others are trading and get ideas with social trading.
- Get quick help with live chat support.
Cons:
- There aren’t tools to help you pick stocks or fancy charts to look at them.
- The best analysis tools are only for people who pay $8 a month for Public Premiums.
- They don’t have a robo-advisor service.
6. eToro
eToro’s app has a lot of cool features. It shows analyst ratings, hedge fund activity, and advanced charts in an easy-to-use way. You can trade stocks and ETFs without paying fees, and options trading is also free.
It’s known for social investing, where users can learn from each other. One neat feature is CopyTrader. It lets you automatically copy other people’s crypto trades and earn money if others copy yours.
Even though CopyTrader is only for crypto right now, it’s a big reason why eToro is great for social investing.
| Available asset types | Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | 0% |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | FINDER EXCLUSIVE: Get a guaranteed $15 bonus |
| Cash sweep APY | 4.90% |
| Cash sweep insured | FDIC |
| Cash sweep insurance amount | $5 million |
Pros:
- No fees for stock trading and no annual fee.
- You can trade fractional shares.
- Interact with over 25 million social traders.
- Access to 20 cryptocurrencies.
- CopyTrader feature allows you to automatically copy other traders’ moves.
Cons:
- Not available in New York, Nevada, Minnesota, and Hawaii.
- Offers limited account types.
7. Moomoo
Moomoo is a really good trading app with lots of cool features. You can customize charts and use professional tools like analyst ratings and real-time market data for free.
It helps you track market trends and gives you quick info on technical stuff. You can choose from many indicators and drawing tools. There’s also a desktop platform and a way to practice trading without using real money.
| Available asset types | Stocks, Options, ETFs |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get 5 or 15 free stocks |
| Cash sweep APY | 5.10% |
| Cash sweep insured | FDIC |
| Cash sweep insurance amount | $500,000 |
Pros:
- You can trade stocks, ETFs, and options without paying any fees.
- Practice trading with $1 million in fake money using paper trading.
- Get access to advanced tools on an easy-to-use platform.
- Earn 5.1% interest on your money that you haven’t invested yet, without needing to have a minimum balance.
Cons:
- You can’t buy parts of shares.
- They don’t let you trade cryptocurrencies.
8. Webull
Webull’s trading app is easy to use and has lots of useful tools for traders. You can customize filters, use different types of orders, and see advanced charts with drawing tools and indicators.
It also gives you quick summaries of stocks with analyst ratings and technical signals. Webull’s app is very user-friendly compared to others.
They also have a learning center with over 500 courses, and you can practice trading with fake money using their paper trading feature.
| Available asset types | Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | 0% |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get up to 70 free fractional shares |
| Cash sweep APY | 5% |
| Cash sweep insurance amount | N/A |
Pros:
- Easy-to-use interface with detailed analysis tools.
- Trade stocks, options, and ETFs without paying any fees.
- Buy fractional shares.
- Highly rated mobile app for trading on the go.
- Includes a robo-advisor for automated investing.
Cons:
- No live chat support for instant help.
- They don’t provide analyst reports to help with investment decisions.
9. E-Trade
E-Trade has two apps for different types of investors: E-Trade Mobile for casual investing and Power E-Trade for serious traders who need a strong mobile platform. Both apps offer features like watchlists, alerts, advanced charts, earnings estimates, and research reports.
In the E-Trade app, you’ll find a ‘Markets’ section that shows market performance, movers, upcoming earnings, futures quotes, news, and live BloombergTV.
| Available asset types | Stocks, Bonds, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Futures |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get $50–$3,500 |
| Cash sweep APY | 0.01% to 0.15% |
| Cash sweep insured | FDIC |
| Cash sweep insurance amount | $500,000 (including $250,000 for claims for cash) |
Pros:
- Offers comprehensive market news.
- Provides research reports from top-tier providers like Argus, Morgan Stanley, and Reuters Global.
- Provides two mobile trading platforms for different needs.
- Includes live BloombergTV.
Cons:
- Doesn’t provide company financials, analyst ratings, or price targets.
- Lacks trending stock lists.
- Doesn’t offer fractional share trading.
10. Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab’s mobile trading app is just like its website – easy to use and has lots of great trading features.
They offer over 40 different lists of stocks based on different themes, making it easy to find new investment ideas. You can also access educational resources like market commentary, podcasts, and articles right from your phone.
They provide access to lots of research reports from big brokers like Schwab, Morningstar, CFRA, and Argus, so you have all the information you need to make smart investment decisions.
| Available asset types | Stocks, Bonds, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Futures, Treasury Bills |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | 0% |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get $101 |
| Cash sweep APY | 0.45% |
| Cash sweep insured | FDIC |
Pros:
- You can read top-tier research reports and Schwab Equity Rating reports.
- Thematic stock lists make it easy to find new investment ideas.
- You can buy fractional shares.
- Trade stocks, ETFs, and options without paying fees.
Cons:
- There’s no way to set price alerts.
- They don’t show analyst ratings or price targets for stocks.
FAQs
Q1: What are the criteria for selecting the best stock trading apps?
- We consider factors such as ease of use, available features, trading fees, research tools, and user feedback to determine the best apps.
Q2: Do these stock trading apps offer commission-free trading?
- Yes, many of the top apps offer commission-free trading for stocks, ETFs, and options.
Q3: Can I trade fractional shares using these apps?
- Yes, most of the best apps now offer the ability to trade fractional shares, allowing investors to buy a portion of a stock rather than a whole share.
Q4: Do these apps provide research and analysis tools?
- Absolutely, the top apps provide access to a range of research reports, analyst ratings, and market analysis tools to help users make informed investment decisions.
Q5: Are these apps suitable for beginners?
- Yes, many of the best stock trading apps offer user-friendly interfaces and educational resources, making them suitable for beginners who are new to investing.
Q6: Do these apps offer customer support?
- Yes, customer support is available through various channels such as email, phone, and in-app chat for most of the top stock trading apps.
