Winners Summary
Best stock trading app - Charles Schwab
| Company |
Minimum Deposit |
Stock Trades |
Options (Per Contract) |
 Charles Schwab
|
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.65 |
Why Charles Schwab is the best trading app for every type of investor: Schwab’s mobile apps deliver a comprehensive and seamless trading experience that sets the standard for excellence. The flagship Schwab Mobile app is intuitive and thoughtfully designed, catering to everyday investors with its well-organized layout and robust features. I appreciated its smart integration of tools like live market data, CNBC video feeds, and in-depth research reports, all accessible within just a few taps. Whether you’re checking daily updates, exploring investment themes, or analyzing individual stocks with detailed metrics, Schwab Mobile balances functionality with simplicity, making it ideal for both beginners and long-term investors.
For active traders, Schwab’s thinkorswim mobile app is a game-changer. With over 350 technical studies, advanced order types, and ladder trading, it provides professional-grade tools in a mobile format. Options traders can take advantage of multi-leg strategies and customizable watchlists, while the Schwab Assistant’s voice commands simplify tasks like retrieving quotes or connecting with support.
From beginner-friendly education to powerful trading capabilities, Schwab’s mobile suite truly has something for everyone, making it the top pick for stock trading apps in 2025. Learn more about these features and the thinkorswim app at my review of Charles Schwab.
Best app for active traders and ethical investing - Interactive Brokers
| Company |
Minimum Deposit |
Stock Trades |
Options (Per Contract) |
 Interactive Brokers
|
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.65 |
Why IBKR is the best app for advanced traders and ESG conscience investors: Interactive Brokers sets itself apart by offering not one but three distinct mobile apps — IBKR Mobile, GlobalTrader, and Impact — each tailored to specific investor needs. IBKR Mobile is the standout, delivering one of the most comprehensive mobile trading experiences I’ve tested. It mirrors nearly every feature of the web platform, offering detailed quotes, advanced trade tickets, and customizable watchlists with over 50 fields, including forward P/E ratios. Charting is another highlight, with over 90 indicators, 80 drawing tools, and cloud-synced markups for seamless transitions between devices. Even options trading, typically clunky on mobile, is actually usable, making IBKR Mobile a favorite for those wading through options chains.
For those just starting or exploring international markets, GlobalTrader simplifies access to fractional shares, foreign stocks, and options in a beginner-friendly interface. Meanwhile, socially conscious investors will appreciate the Impact app, which curates investments based on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) priorities. Features like the "swap" tool and portfolio grading system make aligning your investments with your values easy and actionable.
Read my comprehensive review of Interactive Brokers to learn more about its offering.
Interactive Brokers apps gallery
Best app for beginners and long-term investors - Fidelity
| Company |
Minimum Deposit |
Stock Trades |
Options (Per Contract) |
 Fidelity
|
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.65 |
Why Fidelity is the best app for teens and goal-planning beginners: Fidelity’s mobile suite offers a comprehensive and accessible experience, earning its spot among the top trading apps for 2025. During my testing, the flagship Fidelity Investments app impressed me with its intuitive design and powerful features, including sector performance views, curated stock collections, and live Bloomberg TV for real-time market updates. I found the app’s retail trend insights, which aggregate customer orders, particularly useful for identifying potential investment ideas. However, the lack of an economic calendar or earnings information limits its appeal for investors seeking deeper market analysis.
Fidelity also stands out for its innovative approach to financial education. Short-form videos deliver quick, engaging lessons tailored to new investors, blending education with a social media-inspired feel. Additionally, the app’s planning tools, like credit score tracking and debt analysis, help users take control of their overall financial health. Complementary apps like Fidelity Bloom encourage better saving and spending habits, while the Youth App introduces teens to money management. While these tools are valuable, integrating investing capabilities into Fidelity Bloom or expanding the Youth App’s features would elevate the experience.
Visit my complete review of Fidelity to discover more about its features.
Fidelity app gallery
FAQs
What are some tips for choosing the best stock trading app?
Now that almost all stock apps offer free stock trading, we recommend comparing other features to choose the best stock trading app. Keep in mind the following tips when trying to narrow down your choices:
- The most widely used stock app features are watch lists, stock charts, and order tickets, so make sure those are great. To help readers, we include full screenshots of each stock trading app in our broker reviews.
- Make sure the broker behind the app is low cost in terms of any account fees, has a low or zero minimum deposit, few incidental fees, and will not otherwise price gouge you.
- Find an app that will fit your trading needs. One may provide a great set of tools and wonderful charts, but it won't do much good if they don't offer the market, like crypto, that you actually want to trade in.
- Especially for beginners, it is important to look for a rich and in-depth educational section. If you have a question about a certain security or investing strategy while trading, it should be simple to find the answer inside the app.
Fun fact: Not all stock trading apps offer real-time streaming quotes. Instead, some apps only refresh stock quotes every few seconds or longer. Watch lists aside, apps like TradeStation's and Charles Schwab's thinkorswim provide excellent stock chart tools and stock alerts functionality. Both brokers offer traders access to several hundred technical indicators in addition to endless customization options.
What is the best stock trading app?
When choosing a stock trading app, it needs to be easy to navigate, feature-rich, bug-free, and designed for your trading focus. Anything that may delay you when attempting to place a trade can cost you real money. The best stock trading apps for 2025, based on our extensive, hands-on app testing, are:
What is the best stock trading app for beginners?
For beginners in 2025, the best stock trading apps are Fidelity and Charles Schwab. Between the two brokers, Schwab has the edge for educational resources and trading tools. Meanwhile, Fidelity stands out for ease of use and an innovative Youth app designed for teens. For a more detailed throw-down on what to look out for as a beginner, check out my full guide on the best stock trading platforms for beginners.
What app allows you to practice stock trading?
Several mobile apps allow you to practice stock trading without risking real money — also called paper trading. Here are our top brokers with simulated trading:
Are stock trading apps safe?
Yes, trading apps from established U.S. based brokerage firms are safe against theft and broker insolvency. Brokers in the United States are among the highest-regulated financial service providers in the world. They go to enormous lengths to protect your privacy and you are protected against the loss of cash and securities by the Security Investors Protection Corporation if, for some reason your broker is financially distressed (up to $500,000 in securities and $250,000 in cash per customer). Many brokers buy additional coverage to insure even larger amounts.
Remember, SIPC insurance does not cover against losing money from your investments going down. Your investing decisions will play a far bigger part than the risk of fraud or theft in determining whether your portfolio is safe.
As for the cybersecurity of the app itself, you can always make sure your trading remains as safe and secure as possible by turning on two-factor authentication, keeping your mobile phone software up to date, enable biometric access like FaceID/TouchID, and use a strong password that's not reused elsewhere.
How do I buy shares of stock on my phone?
Follow these steps to make a mobile stock purchase. There may be minor variations between brokers for these steps.
- Open an account with a broker. Most brokers have no minimum deposit or investment minimum, so you can try them out for free. See our top picks above for the best apps or the best brokers overall.
- Once you have opened an account with a broker, deposit money. Some give instant credit for deposits via e-checks.
- Choose a stock. You may have to search for its symbol. Once you have it, there will be a “trade” or “buy” and “sell” buttons. Tap “buy.”
- Select the number of shares or dollar amount you want to buy.
- Choose either a market order or a limit order. A limit order specifies the maximum you are willing to pay for the stock.
- Select time in force, either for the day, or good-until-canceled.
- Hit confirm, check for any errors, then send the trade.
Visit our in-depth guide on how to invest for an even more detailed walkthrough on investing in general.
Our testing
Why you should trust us
Jessica Inskip, Director of Investor Research at StockBrokers.com, has been immersed in the world of finance since 2009, accumulating over 15 years of expertise in the field. Jessica's insights have made her a sought-after guest and commentator at financial outlets such as CNBC, Fox Business, and Yahoo Finance. Passionate about demystifying the intricacies of the stock market, Jessica also hosts the "Market MakeHer" podcast.
Blain Reinkensmeyer, co-founder of StockBrokers.com, has been investing and trading for over 25 years. After having placed over 2,000 trades in his late teens and early 20s, he became one of the first in digital media to review online brokerages. Today, Blain is widely respected as a leading expert on finance and investing, specifically the U.S. online brokerage industry. Blain has been quoted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Fast Company, among others. Blain created the original scoring rubrics for StockBrokers.com and oversees all testing and rating methodologies.
How we tested
- We used our own brokerage accounts for testing.
- We collected multiple data points for each broker.
- We tested each online broker's website and mobile app, where applicable.
- We maintained strict editorial independence; brokers cannot pay for inclusion or a higher rating.
Our research team meticulously collected data on features with particular importance to those saving for retirement, such as trading costs, management fees, availability of fee-free funds, ease of website and app use, and retirement planning tools and resources.
At StockBrokers.com, our reviewers use a variety of computing devices to evaluate platforms and tools. Our reviews and data collection were conducted using the following devices: iPhone SE running iOS 17.5.1, MacBook Pro M1 with 8 GB RAM running the current MacOS, and a Dell Vostro 5402 laptop i5 with 8 GB RAM running Windows 11 Pro.
Each broker was evaluated and scored in seven key categories: retirement account types, IRA fees, self-directed investment options, managed investment options, retirement planning tools, rollover experience, and ease of use.
Charles Schwab
Interactive Brokers
Fidelity
E*TRADE
Merrill Edge
TradeStation
tastytrade
eToro
