Let’s be honest: the investment app world is a zoo. There’s so much hype, so many “easy” platforms—how do you know which ones are actually worth your money? I’ve always wanted a clear answer, so I spent a few weeks diving deep into 10 of the most popular investment apps, using my own cash and tracking how they stacked up on everything from fees to customer support.
I put real money on the line and kept a close eye on my returns. Some apps surprised me with killer educational tools and super-low fees. Others? Not so much. Hidden costs, clunky layouts, and a few “big name” apps that just didn’t live up to their own marketing.
If you’re just starting out or thinking about switching platforms, I’m here to save you some headaches. I’ll lay out which apps earned my trust (and dollars), which ones annoyed me, and exactly why.
Key Takeaways
- I tested 10 top investment apps with real money to find the best for different types of investors.
- Some apps blew me away with low fees, great features, and strong education. Others? Hidden costs and clumsy design.
- A few “famous” apps just didn’t deliver on their promises.
How I Chose and Tested the Top Investment Apps
I clocked over 40 hours poking around these apps, searching for the best picks for all kinds of investors. My focus? Fees, investment choices, and how easy each one felt to use on my phone.
Review Criteria and How I Tested
I used a scoring system so I could compare apples to apples. I set up real accounts, made trades, and even reached out to customer support just to see what would happen.
Here’s what I did:
- Opened accounts and funded them with my own cash.
- Made actual trades and investments—no “demo” fluff.
- Timed how fast support responded.
- Dug into the fine print for hidden fees.
I scored 15 factors, like trading fees, research tools, and customer support. Each got a 1 to 5.
Safety matters. Every app I picked is SIPC insured and FINRA regulated, so your money’s protected up to $500,000.
Main things I looked at:
- Monthly and trading fees
- Account minimums
- Research and market data
- Customer support
- App speed and stability
Variety of Investment Options
Not everyone wants the same stuff. I checked what each app actually lets you buy, beyond just stocks.
I looked for:
- Stocks and ETFs
- Mutual and index funds
- Crypto options
- Fractional shares
- International markets
Fidelity? Tons of mutual funds. Public leans into social investing. Webull? Advanced options trading for the pros.
For newbies, fractional shares are a game changer. You can buy a slice of Apple or Tesla without breaking the bank. Acorns and M1 Finance shine here.
If you’re more advanced, you’ll want margin trading and deep research. Webull and Charles Schwab both deliver.
Robo-advisor perks:
- Automated portfolios
- Tax-loss harvesting
- Goal tracking
- Risk assessment
User Experience and Mobile Features
Let’s face it, most of us invest on our phones now. I spent a lot of time swiping and tapping, checking if these apps actually work well on mobile.
I checked:
- How fast the app loads
- If it crashes (some did, a lot)
- How easy it is to read charts and place trades
- Notification systems
The best apps loaded fast and didn’t freeze up. Most trades finished in under 10 seconds.
I also tried to find info quickly. Cluttered screens drove me nuts. Acorns kept it simple, which I liked.
Navigation stuff I paid attention to:
- Menus and how clear they are
- Search bar usefulness
- Account balance visibility
- Portfolio tracking
- Access to educational content
Some apps crashed or had menus that just made no sense. I docked points for that.
Winners: Best Investment Apps and Who Should Use Them
After all that testing, a few apps really stood out. Fidelity took the top spot for most people. Wealthfront led the pack for hands-off investing, Acorns nailed micro-investing, and Public brought real transparency to commission-free trades.
Best Overall App for Most Investors
Fidelity Mobile is my favorite for most folks. The research tools are massive and the educational content actually helped me make smarter decisions.
I could check market trends and sector performance without even logging in. That net worth calculator? Super handy for seeing my whole financial picture.
Top Features:
- Commission-free stock and ETF trades
- Deep research and market analysis
- Link outside accounts
- Real-time tracking and news
It’s not perfect. Setting up direct trading took a few extra steps. Trading inside retirement accounts worked better on desktop.
If you want heavy-duty research tools, Fidelity won’t let you down. The education is a step above the rest.
Best for Automated and Robo-Investing
Wealthfront took the robo-advisor crown. Once I set my preferences, the app handled everything. They charge just 0.25% in management fees.
Setup was quick. The app automatically rebalances and manages tax-loss harvesting for me.
Why I Like It:
- Fully automated portfolios
- Tax-loss harvesting built in
- High-yield cash options
- Low fees
You give up control, though. No picking individual stocks. Customer service is all digital—no real advisors.
This is perfect for anyone who wants to invest on autopilot. Set it and forget it.
Best for Micro-Investing and Round-Ups
Acorns is the king of micro-investing. Every time I bought coffee, it rounded up and invested my change.
I loved the educational pop-ups. When I saw a term I didn’t know, I just tapped for an explanation. Setting up auto-investing took less than five minutes.
Why It Works:
- Invest your spare change automatically
- Friendly educational tools
- Portfolios matched to your risk
- Easy to set up recurring deposits
The $3 monthly fee can sting if your balance is tiny. Wealthfront’s percent-based fees might be cheaper for true beginners.
Acorns is best for anyone who wants to start investing without thinking about it. The round-up feature makes saving feel painless.
Best App for Commission-Free Trading
Public wins for commission-free trading with real transparency. They don’t take payment for order flow, and they even share some options revenue with users.
I liked seeing what other investors were buying. The social features let me learn from others without feeling dumb.
What Stands Out:
- No hidden fees or payment for order flow
- Social investing features
- Commission-free stocks, ETFs, and fractional shares
- Revenue sharing on options
Their investment selection is smaller—no mutual funds or custodial accounts. Customer support only works through the app.
Public is perfect for new investors who want to learn in a community and avoid hidden fees.
Losers: Investment Apps That Let Me Down
Not every app impressed me. Some charged too much, others had limited choices, and a few just didn’t work right.
Apps With High Fees or Minimums
Empower really missed the mark. The management fees eat into your returns, and I found some sneaky account fees that weren’t obvious.
Merrill Edge still wants a $1,000 minimum. That’s a big barrier for new investors. Trading costs pile up fast.
Interactive Brokers? Great tools, but they hit small accounts with a $10 monthly fee if you’re under $100,000. Some fund expense ratios are higher than the competition.
Cash management accounts here usually have lousy interest rates. I’d keep my emergency fund somewhere else.
Limited Investment Choices
A few apps barely let you invest in anything. Stash limits you to a pre-selected menu of ETFs and stocks. It’s simple, but you outgrow it fast.
Ellevest targets women, but the investment menu is tiny. No individual stocks.
Some robo-advisors only use a handful of ETFs. It’s easy, but you lose control. Advanced investors will feel boxed in.
Crypto? Forget it on most traditional apps. You’ll need a second platform for Bitcoin.
Bad User Experience or Customer Support
Some apps just didn’t work well. Empower had the most complaints—over 14 negative reviews per 100 users. The app crashed and loaded slowly.
Ally Invest was glitchy. Touch ID failed a lot, and the app sometimes lagged.
Customer support? Often pretty slow. Charles Schwab made me wait ages on the phone. Email responses took days.
The apps themselves felt old-fashioned. Finding key features was a struggle.
What You Can Invest In: App-by-App
Every app offers a different mix of investment options. Some stick to stocks and ETFs, others give you more advanced tools or alternative assets.
Stocks and ETFs
Most apps start with stocks and ETFs. Robinhood, Fidelity, and Charles Schwab all offer commission-free trades on thousands of stocks and funds.
Fractional shares are a big win for beginners. Public, SoFi, and M1 Finance all let you buy a slice of Apple or Tesla for just a few bucks.
You get access to:
- U.S. stocks on major exchanges
- International ETFs for global flavor
- Index funds that track the S&P 500
- Sector ETFs if you want to get specific
Fidelity’s research tools are top-notch. Public lets you see what everyone else is buying, which is pretty cool.
Options and Active Trading
If you’re an active trader, you need more. Webull brings advanced charting and lets you trade outside regular hours.
Their charting tools feel pro-level. Extended hours trading is a nice bonus.
Charles Schwab now has TD Ameritrade’s options tools. You get:
- Multi-leg options
- Real-time chains
- Advanced order types
- Margin trading
Webull offers competitive margin rates. Beginners should probably steer clear of margin until they know the risks.
Apps like Acorns don’t do active trading or options—they’re all about automation.
Bonds, Mutual Funds, and Commodities
Traditional stuff? Fidelity and Charles Schwab have you covered. They offer a huge range of bonds and mutual funds.
Fidelity’s mutual fund lineup is massive, including zero-fee index funds. You can buy government, corporate, and municipal bonds right in the app.
Commodities are harder to find on mobile. Charles Schwab gives you access to commodity ETFs (think gold or oil).
Public doesn’t do mutual funds at all. It’s stocks and ETFs only.
M1 Finance lets you add bonds and bond ETFs to your automated portfolios. Great for anyone wanting fixed-income exposure.
Crypto and Alternative Assets
Crypto is hit-or-miss. Robinhood lets you trade Bitcoin, Ethereum, and a few others directly.
Betterment takes a different route with managed crypto ETFs—mixing digital coins with Treasury bonds for balance.
Charles Schwab only offers crypto ETFs, not the coins themselves. It’s safer, but less flexible.
Alternative investments are rare on most apps. Some offer:
- REITs (real estate funds)
- Precious metals ETFs
- Commodity funds
You can buy Bitcoin and other big cryptocurrencies on Robinhood and Webull. Just remember, crypto is wild—don’t put more than 5% of your portfolio in it.
Most robo-advisors, like Wealthfront, skip crypto entirely and stick to traditional assets.
Account Types, Fees, and Safety
Every app comes with its own account types and fee structures. Most offer SIPC protection up to $500,000. Knowing the differences helped me spot which apps actually offer the best value for your investing goals.
Taxable Brokerage and Retirement Accounts
Every app I tried offers taxable brokerage accounts for both individuals and joint investors. These accounts let you buy and sell as much as you want—no contribution limits to worry about.
Most platforms throw in IRA options for retirement investing, too. TD Ameritrade really stands out here, offering traditional, Roth, rollover, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs.
Betterment and SoFi keep things simple, focusing on basic individual accounts and the usual Roth IRAs. Webull sticks with individual brokerage and basic IRA types—no frills.
Acorns adds something unique with custodial accounts for kids under their Family plan. Starting early for your kids? This makes it a breeze.
Fee Structures and Costs
Commission-free trading is everywhere now. TD Ameritrade, Ally Invest, and Webull all let you trade stocks and ETFs for free.
SoFi caught my eye with zero management fees for its automated portfolios. Most robo-advisors charge 0.25% per year, but SoFi skips that entirely.
Betterment charges 0.25% for digital accounts and 0.40% if you want premium perks. Acorns uses a straightforward monthly fee—$3 for personal, $5 for family.
Transfer fees can sting, ranging from $50 to $75 if you move your account elsewhere. Options trading usually costs $0.50–$0.65 per contract, which adds up if you trade a lot.
SIPC and Investor Protection
All the big investment apps include SIPC protection via the Securities Investor Protection Corporation. If the brokerage fails, you’re covered up to $500,000 per account.
The Securities Investor Protection Corp covers your securities and cash, but not market losses—so keep that in mind. TD Ameritrade and Ally Invest even go above SIPC limits with extra insurance.
Most apps rely on bank-level encryption and two-factor authentication. Ally Invest, thanks to its banking roots, offers especially strong security.
SIPC coverage applies to both taxable and retirement accounts. I feel a lot more comfortable investing knowing this protection is in place.
Choosing the Right App for Your Investment Goals
Picking the “right” investment app? Honestly, it depends on your experience, how hands-on you want to be, and which tools you’ll actually use. The apps I tried all had their own vibe and strengths.
Tailoring Your Experience as a Novice or Advanced Investor
New investors need apps that won’t drown them in jargon or complicated tools. I think Simplifi by Quicken is a great entry point at $2.99 a month. It handles basic portfolio management and links all your accounts together.
You get to see your investment balances over time and follow news about your stocks. Switching between retirement and taxable accounts is just a tap away.
Experienced investors crave more control and deeper analysis. Quicken Classic Premier impressed me at $10.99 a month. You get nine different investment reports and direct access to Morningstar’s analysis.
Advanced users can track asset allocation, compare performance to benchmarks, and preview trades before committing. Custom watch lists and investment goals? Yep, all there.
Active traders might want to check out Ziggma. I found it perfect for frequent trading at $9.90 a month. You can set up price and P/E alerts, and the portfolio simulator lets you test strategies before risking real cash.
Portfolio Management and Diversification
Portfolio tracking gets tricky when you’ve got accounts spread all over. Empower is my favorite free tool for this—it pulls together all your investment accounts and shows your total asset allocation across sectors.
The app calculates expense ratios and shows how fees nibble away at your returns. It’s a real eye-opener for spotting overpriced funds that drag down your diversification.
ETF portfolios and managed accounts need tracking, too. Quicken Classic Premier lets you compare your actual allocation to your targets. If you’re heavy in tech or missing bonds, it’ll show you.
I noticed that basic brokerage apps rarely give this big-picture view. They focus on single accounts, not your whole investment life.
Rebalancing alerts are a lifesaver for staying diversified. The best apps ping you when your allocation drifts off-target. That way, you don’t accidentally end up with all your eggs in one basket.
Personal Finance Tools and Extra Features
I used to think high-yield savings integration was just a bonus, but now I see how valuable it is. Apps that connect to your cash accounts give you a true snapshot of your finances. It’s easier to decide how much to invest versus stash in savings.
Empower tracks your investments and even estimates your home’s value. Seeing your real net worth—not just your portfolio—feels empowering.
Personal finance features range wildly. Some apps stick to investing, while others handle budgeting, bills, and goals. If you’re a beginner, I’d suggest picking an app that does both.
Quicken Simplifi links your checking, credit cards, and loans alongside investments. You get a clear view of your cash flow, which really shapes how much you can invest.
Some apps even offer financial advisor access. Empower, for example, has three service tiers starting at $100,000 in assets. Higher tiers unlock certified financial planners for tailored advice.
Sure, customer service might pitch you extra services, but having a pro on tap through your app can be super convenient—and often cheaper than hiring someone separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
After testing so many apps, I noticed some clear trends about which ones fit different investors best. Magnifi and Stash shine for beginners, while Robinhood and E*TRADE cater more to active traders.
Which investment apps stand out for beginners looking to dive into stock trading?
Magnifi really surprised me for new investors. It uses AI to walk you through investment choices and explains everything in plain English. Ask it “what’s a stock?” and you’ll get a friendly answer.
Stash is another solid pick for beginners. You can start investing with just 5 cents and buy fractional shares. There are plenty of educational tools, and it’ll help you build a portfolio around your goals.
SoFi Active Investing deserves a mention because it gives you access to real financial advisors. That human touch can make a world of difference if you’re just starting out. No account minimums or hidden fees, either.
What are the top-performing trading apps currently on the global market?
Robinhood still leads for active trading, at least in my book. You get unlimited day trades and zero commissions. The interface is super slick and makes trading feel easy.
E*TRADE is built for frequent traders. It’s packed with advanced tools and market commentary, perfect for folks who take trading seriously.
Public stands out as an all-in-one platform. You can trade stocks, bonds, ETFs, crypto—even music royalties. There are no commissions or account minimums.
How can one maximize earnings through the use of trading apps?
I’ve found that using apps with zero fees makes a bigger difference than you’d think. Robinhood, Public, and SoFi don’t charge trading commissions, so more of your gains stay in your pocket.
Don’t overlook sign-up bonuses. Public offers up to $10,000 for transferring accounts, and SoFi gives up to $1,000 in stock for new users.
Fractional shares are a game-changer. They let you invest small amounts regularly, making dollar-cost averaging way easier and potentially boosting your long-term results.
What are the most recommended stock apps for long-term investment strategies?
Fidelity Go is my top pick for low-cost, hands-off investing. It’s set-it-and-forget-it, and the fees barely nibble at your returns.
Acorns is great for passive investors. It rounds up spare change and invests it automatically. Regular contributions are simple to set up, which suits the buy-and-hold crowd.
SoFi offers traditional and Roth IRAs with no fees. That’s huge for retirement savers. Plus, you get access to financial advisors for long-term planning.
Which apps are essential for staying updated on stock market news and movements?
Webull delivers top-notch market research and real-time data. I rely on their charts and analysis tools to keep up with the market.
E*TRADE serves up in-depth market commentary and research. Their news feeds and analyst insights help you spot trends before everyone else.
Robinhood keeps it simple but effective. You get basic market news and price alerts, and the clean interface makes tracking your favorite stocks a breeze.
Among the various investment apps out there, which ones do seasoned investors actually trust?
Let’s kick things off with Fidelity Go. I’ve noticed that a lot of experienced investors swear by it. Fidelity’s been around forever, and frankly, that reputation matters when you’re handing over your hard-earned cash.
Next up, E*TRADE. It’s a classic—been serving serious traders for decades now. The platform tosses in all those advanced tools and research options that pros look for, so you’re not left guessing.
Then there’s SoFi. What stands out? Transparency, for one. But also, you can actually talk to real financial advisors. That bit of human touch? It makes a difference, especially when you want advice that isn’t just from a chatbot.
Honestly, if you want to feel confident about where your money’s going, these apps are a solid place to start.
