Winners Summary
Best apps for stock trading - Interactive Brokers
| Company |
Minimum Deposit |
Stock Trades |
Options (Per Contract) |
 Interactive Brokers
|
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.65 |
Why Interactive Brokers provides the best apps for trading stocks: Interactive Brokers (IBKR) offers three mobile apps to retail investors, and I tried out stock trades on all three. Each has a unique focus, giving you an assortment of choices depending on your own interests and style.
I prefer the IBKR Mobile flagship app for its extensive features, but beginners might appreciate the other two apps, as they are much easier to use. The Impact app focuses on ESG (environmental, social and governance) investing. Global stock investors will find a very friendly experience on the Global Trader app. Though I found the stock trading on Impact and Global Trader to be very similar, I also enjoyed using Global Trader to speculate in foreign currency, even if it was only a few dollars.
Read my comprehensive review of Interactive Brokers to learn more about its offering.
Interactive Brokers apps gallery
Best for casual traders - E*TRADE
| Company |
Minimum Deposit |
Stock Trades |
Options (Per Contract) |
 E*TRADE
|
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.65 |
Why E*TRADE is the best for casual traders: What stands out to me about E*TRADE apps is, first, how clearly everything is labeled and, second, the responsiveness. The design is intuitive, which makes navigating through the platform seamless, even for those new to trading. The learning curve is minimal, so users can quickly gain confidence that their trades are going through as expected.
E*TRADE Mobile and Power E*TRADE Mobile are quick, clear, and feature-rich and won’t scare novice traders into giving up and just buying CDs. I prefer E*TRADE Mobile for monitoring market news and doing deep stock research dives as it offers great research tools without overwhelming the user. Power E*TRADE Mobile, on the other hand, does a better job with chart-driven day trading, offering more in-depth tools like technical studies and advanced order types for traders who rely on technical analysis.
For a deeper look at all these platforms and its offerings, check out my full review of E*TRADE.
E*TRADE stock trading apps gallery
A demo of E*TRADE Mobile, the broker’s more beginner-friendly mobile app.
Best app for investors and beginners - Fidelity
| Company |
Minimum Deposit |
Stock Trades |
Options (Per Contract) |
 Fidelity
|
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.65 |
Why Fidelity is the best app for investors and beginners: Fidelity’s mobile app stands out to me because of its clean design, bug-free performance, and extensive research offerings. Whether you're a long-term investor or just starting by making your first stock trade, the app provides a seamless, well-organized experience that makes it easy to navigate complex market data and insights. I’ve spent time exploring various mobile trading apps, and Fidelity’s strikes the perfect balance between usability and depth, which is key for long-term investors looking to manage their portfolios on the go.
Fidelity’s mobile app will satisfy almost every long-term investor, but I think its logical layout makes it especially useful for beginners. The app helps newer investors get comfortable by offering straightforward tools like customizable dashboards and intuitive navigation, which are essential for those still learning the ropes. I appreciate the wide range of educational resources available, such as detailed research reports and live streaming TV from Bloomberg, which helps investors stay informed without needing to leave the app. It’s a one-stop shop for managing investments, doing market research, and keeping up with financial news.
Visit my complete review of Fidelity to discover more about why it earned our spot as the best trading platform for beginners in 2024.
Fidelity app gallery
Best mobile app for active traders - Charles Schwab
| Company |
Minimum Deposit |
Stock Trades |
Options (Per Contract) |
 Charles Schwab
|
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.65 |
Why Charles Schwab has the best app for active traders: From my own experience trading, I find Charles Schwab's thinkorswim especially powerful for active trading, with its 350+ chart studies and advanced options trading features. While I use Power E*TRADE at times, I personally lean toward thinkorswim for its superior layout and deeper customization options. Schwab’s entire mobile suite, including Schwab Mobile and thinkorswim, offers something for every type of trader. Whether you're a casual investor or an active trader, the apps provide a rich, responsive experience with access to in-depth market data, live video feeds, and advanced order entry options.
Schwab Mobile is equally impressive for long-term investors, offering robust research tools and live updates from CNBC and the Schwab Network. With new features like streaming quotes and enhanced watchlists, it keeps you well-informed without overwhelming you. I appreciate Schwab’s integration of AI via the Schwab Assistant, allowing voice commands to streamline basic tasks, which makes managing my investments on the go much more convenient.
Learn more about these features and the thinkorswim app at my review of Charles Schwab.
Best app for stock research - Merrill Edge
| Company |
Minimum Deposit |
Stock Trades |
Options (Per Contract) |
 Merrill Edge
|
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.65 |
Why Merrill Edge is the best app for stock research: Merrill Edge excels in presenting stock data in a way that’s both detailed and easy to digest. As a former investment analyst, I’m impressed with their unique Stock Story and Fund Story formats, which break down key information into simple, actionable insights. Whether you’re analyzing stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds, Merrill's app delivers in-depth research that makes decision-making easier. For anyone focused on ESG investing, the app also provides valuable data, including MSCI ESG ratings.
For existing Bank of America customers, Merrill Edge’s seamless integration makes it a winner. I’ve found the app’s universal account access and smooth interface incredibly convenient, especially with features like fingerprint login for quick access. The research tools, paired with third-party insights from top providers like Morningstar and Lipper, make it one of the best platforms for investors who prioritize research.
Check out my review of Merrill Edge to read more about how we rate its different categories.
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.
StockBrokers.com shows you what to look for when checking out a broker's mobile app.
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 2024, based on our extensive, hands-on app testing, are:
What is the best stock trading app for beginners?
For beginners in 2024, 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. 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 Research
Why you should trust us
Sam Levine, CFA, CMT, formerly a lead writer for StockBrokers.com, has over 30 years of investing experience and actively trades stocks, ETFs, options, futures, and options on futures. He's held roles as a portfolio manager, financial consultant, investment strategist and journalist. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and the Chartered Market Technician (CMT) designations and served on the board of directors of the CMT Association.
Blain Reinkensmeyer, head of research at 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. Blain created the original scoring rubric for StockBrokers.com and oversees all testing and rating methodologies.
For this guide:
- We used our own brokerage accounts for testing. For several brokers, we also used test accounts that were provided to us.
- We collected 450 data points (25 per broker).
- We took over 200 app screenshots.
- We tested each online broker's mobile app (or apps, for those brokers offering more than one).
- Our editorial team met with the product teams of nine online brokers.
How we tested
For this guide to the best stock apps, we thoroughly tested key features including the availability and quality of watch lists, charting, real-time and streaming quotes, stock alerts, and educational resources, among other variables. We also look for a fluid user experience moving between mobile and desktop platforms, where offered. Our writers maintained active, funded online brokerage accounts for testing. In certain circumstances, a demo account was provided by the broker.
StockBrokers.com uses a variety of computing devices to evaluate trading platforms. Our reviews were conducted using the following devices: iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, 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. In testing platforms and apps, our reviewers place actual trades for a variety of instruments.
As part of our data check process, we sent a data profile link to each broker summarizing the data we had on file and the data they provided us last year, with a field for entering any data that had since changed. For the brokers that filled out these profiles, we audited the information for any discrepancies between our data and the broker’s data to ensure accuracy.
As part of our review process, all brokers had the opportunity to provide updates and key milestones in a live meeting that took place in the fall. Meetings with broker teams also took place throughout the year as new products rolled out. Insights gathered from these calls helped steer our testing efforts to ensure every feature and tool was assessed.
Trading platforms tested
We tested 17 online trading platforms for this guide:
» Looking for forex trading apps? See our picks for best forex trading apps on our sister site, ForexBrokers.com.
Fidelity
Merrill Edge
E*TRADE
TradeStation
Interactive Brokers
Charles Schwab
tastytrade
eToro
