A stock is basically a share in the ownership of a company. If you buy stocks, you buy a share in the ownership of that particular company.
Traders usually buy stocks in order to increase their wealth. As the value of a company increases, so does the value of its stocks. Investors can earn profits through this.
You can also get shareholder dividends if you own a company’s stocks. Companies usually distribute dividends quarterly. These dividends can be as cash or more shares.
Stock Trading Apps reviews:
#1) Robinhood
Best for plenty of trading options.
Robinhood is a trading app that lets you build a portfolio of your choice with the wide range of tradable options available on the platform. You can start investing with as little as $1.
Top Features:
- Invest with as little as $1 with fractional shares.
- Trade-in crypto exchanges.
- 0.30% interest in the uninvested cash.
- Commission-free investing in stocks and funds.
Pros:
- No minimum balance is required.
- No commission on the trade of stocks.
- Fractional shares.
- Crypto exchanges.
- Easy to use the app.
Cons:
- No trading of mutual funds.
Why you want this app: Robinhood is the most downloaded non-gaming app in the U.S. The reason being the bundle of features that it offers, like crypto exchanges, fractional shares, etc.
Android rating: 3.9/5 stars
Android downloads: 10 million +
iOS rating: 4.1/5 stars
Price:
- $0 per trade.
- Robinhood Gold starts at $5 per month.
Website: Robinhood
#2) TD Ameritrade
Best for beginners who want their portfolio managed by experts.
TD Ameritrade can be called the best stock app, because of the analysis reports it provides to its users. And the portfolio management by experts can be very helpful for beginners.
Top Features:
- No commission on online stock, ETF, and options trades.
- Manages your portfolio based on your goals.
- Retirement planning.
- Get real-time quotes, charts, and analysis reports to build your portfolio.
Pros:
- Commission-free trading.
- Educational resources.
- Market analysis reports.
Cons:
- The cost of broker-assisted stock trading is a bit high.
Why you want this app: This app gives you real-time market analysis reports, educational resources, and a bundle of stocks to trade in, that too at zero commission fee.
Android rating: 3.2/5 stars
Android downloads: 1 million +
iOS rating: 4.5/5 stars
Price: $0 fee on online trade of stocks.
Website: TD Ameritrade
#3) E*Trade
Best for beginners as well as frequent investors.
E*Trade is one of the best stock trading apps, which can be an appropriate choice for a beginner as well as a frequent investor. Because it has an automated investing feature, gives market insights, and lets you choose from a list of pre-built portfolios.
Top Features:
- Automated investing.
- Lets you trade in stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, options, and more.
- Choose from pre-built portfolios.
- Tools to educate and guide you before investing.
Pros:
- No commission on trade.
- No minimum balance is required.
- Plenty of options to invest in.
- Market analysis reports.
Cons:
- No trade-in cryptocurrencies.
- $500 minimum investment required for broker-assisted investing.
Why you want this app: E*Trade is one of the best stock apps. It gives you plenty of choices to invest in, market analysis tools, and automated investing features.
Android rating: 4.6/5 stars
Android downloads: 1 million +
iOS rating: 4.6/5 stars
Price: There is no commission on the online trade of stocks.
Website: E*Trade
#4) Fidelity
Best for long-term planning tools.
Fidelity is one of the top best trading apps, which is loaded with plenty of features for financial planning. You can trade, save, plan and research with the help of this application.
Top Features:
- Financial planning for your future needs.
- Market insights by a specialists’ team.
- Helps you save tax.
- Robo advisor.
Pros:
- A dedicated advisor.
- 24/7 customer service.
- No commission on the trade of U.S. stocks and ETFs.
Cons:
- Advisor’s fee is high.
Why you want this app: Fidelity is one of the top 10 most downloaded non-gaming apps in the U.S., which is proof of its usefulness. Fidelity can help you invest while saving taxes at the same time, which is a great plus point.
Android rating: 4.4/5 stars
Android downloads: 1 million +
iOS rating: 4.8/5 stars
Price: Free (for trading in U.S. stocks and ETFs).
Website: Fidelity
Further Reading => Explore the Top Proprietary Trading Firms
#5) Ally Invest
Best for beginners.
Ally Invest lets you invest the way you want. You can either do the investing yourself, by doing the market research, or you can opt for a managed portfolio.
You can choose a portfolio with companies that are environment friendly or choose a portfolio that can save taxes, and much more.
Top Features:
- Self-directed investment.
- Managed portfolio.
- Invest in stocks, mutual funds, bonds, ETFs, options, and margin account.
- Choose a portfolio based on your perspectives, for example, a portfolio to optimize tax, or a portfolio with environment-friendly companies, etc.
Suggested reading =>> Best Crypto Tax Software
Pros:
- No commission fee on U.S. stocks and ETFs.
- No minimum account balance is required.
Cons:
- No trade-in any international assets.
Why you want this app: Ally Invest is a great platform for investing. You can trade in a large variety of commission-free stocks or get a managed portfolio if you do not have time to monitor the market trends.
Android rating: 3.7/5 stars
Android downloads: 1 million +
iOS rating: 4.7/5 stars
Price: $0 ( On-trade of U.S. stocks and ETFs)
Website: Ally Invest
#6) Charles Schwab
Best for beginners as well as advanced traders.
Charles Schwab is one of the leading stock trading apps, which is loaded with financial products for you to trade in. You can also get educational resources and market analysis tools, to get proper knowledge before investing.
Top Features:
- Trade-in stocks, options, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, and other financial products.
- Market insights so that you can do proper research before investing.
- A dedicated specialist.
- Planning tools.
Pros:
- $0 account minimum.
- $0 maintenance fee.
- 24/7 customer service and 300+ branches.
- Educational resources.
Cons:
- Charges high fees for some mutual funds.
Why you want this app: With Charles Schwab, a beginner as well as an advanced trader, both can benefit. The research tools and a dedicated specialist are its plus points.
Android Ratings: 3.2/5 stars
iOS Ratings: 4.8/5 stars
Android Downloads: 1 million +
Price:
- $0 (On-trade of U.S. stocks and ETFs)
- $25 service charge for broker-assisted trades
Website: Charles Schwab
#7) Vanguard
Best for planning tools and long-term investments.
Vanguard can be termed as one of the best stock investing apps, which was established in 1975. Over 30 million investors trust Vanguard. It gives you a personal advisor or you can do self-directed investing if you prefer.
Top Features:
- A personal advisor and a Robo advisor.
- Lets you meet your retirement goals or other savings goals.
- Self-directed investing.
- Market summary to help you choose the best investment.
Pros:
- Commission-free online stock and ETFs trading.
- No minimum balance is required.
- 3100+ no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
Cons:
- Market research data is reported to be limited
Why you want this app: Vanguard can be a good option for beginners or those who want to do financial planning for their future needs. The planning tools are worth appreciating.
Android Ratings: 1.7/5 stars
iOS Ratings: 4.7/5 stars
Android Downloads: 1 million +
Price:
- Free (For online trading in stocks).
- $25 for broker-assisted trading.
- The annual fee for a digital advisor is 0.15% of the assets under management.
- The annual fee for a personal advisor is 0.30% of the assets under management.
Website: Vanguard
What is the best free trading app?
How do I choose the best stock trading app?
What is the best trading app for beginners?
What apps let you trade stocks for free?
- Fidelity – Fidelity mobile app for Android and iOS devices
- Interactive Brokers – IBKR mobile and IMPACT app for Android and iOS devices
- Charles Schwab – Schwab mobile app for Android and iOS devices
- TradeStation – TradeStation mobile app for Android and iOS devices
- TD Ameritrade – TD Ameritrade app and thinkorswim mobile for Android and iOS
- E*TRADE – E*TRADE app and Power E*TRADE mobile app for Android and iOS
What is the safest stock app?
- E*TRADE: Best stock app for traders
- TD Ameritrade: Best app for options
- Fidelity: Best stock app for investors
- Interactive Brokers: Best for professionals
- TradeStation: Great for tools and technology
The best apps allow login with biometrics (fingerprint or retina, for example) and other features such as two-factor authentication to reduce the chance of accounts being hacked.
Most importantly, a broker that has proper security measures across its websites, platforms and applications will have you covered in the event of a compromise.
What app gives you free stock?
What is the best stock trading app for iPhone?
- E*TRADE: E*TRADE Mobile — user rating 4.6 stars | Power E*TRADE — user rating 4.5 stars
- TD Ameritrade: TD Ameritrade Mobile — user rating 4.5 stars | thinkorswim app — user rating 4.7 stars
- Fidelity: Fidelity mobile app for iPhone — user rating 4.8 stars
- Interactive Brokers: IBKR mobile app — user rating 2.6 stars | IMPACT app — user rating 4.6 stars
- TradeStation: TradeStation app — user rating 4.6 stars
What is the best stock trading app for Android?
- E*TRADE: E*TRADE Mobile — user rating 4.2 stars | Power E*TRADE — user rating 3.7 stars
- TD Ameritrade: TD Ameritrade Mobile — user rating 3.5 stars | thinkorswim app — user rating 3.9 stars
- Fidelity: Fidelity mobile app for Android — user rating 4.3 stars
- Interactive Brokers: IBKR mobile app — user rating 3.2 stars | IMPACT app — user rating 4.4 stars
- TradeStation: TradeStation app — user rating 3.7 stars
Can I start trading with $100?
Which investing app is right for me?
App | Best for | Rating |
---|---|---|
E*TRADE | Best stock app for traders, best for beginners | 5 stars |
TD Ameritrade | Best app for options traders, best for beginners | 5 stars |
Fidelity | Best app for investors | 5 stars |
Interactive Brokers | Best for professionals | 4.5 stars |
TradeStation | Best for tools and tech | 4.5 stars |