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Best Stock Trading Apps 2026

Searching for the best investment app? We've compared the best investment apps for buying stocks online. Start investing in stocks, bonds, options, ETFS & more—with little to no initial investment.

#1 | Best Overall
Our Partner
START INVESTING

    🏆 Lock in 6.7%* Yield with a Bond Account

  • 4.1% APY on Cash – No fees, no limits, just high-yield growth.
  • Earn 6%* yield or more on bonds
  • Options trading: $0 commissions + earn rebates
  • $0 commission* for U.S. listed stocks & ETF trades

 

Start investing on Public today

#2
Our Partner
START INVESTING

💸 Get Up to $1,000 in Stock when you Fund a New Account*

  • Deposit $50 or more for higher earnings
  • Buy & sell stocks with no commissions*
  • Buy fractional shares starting at $5*
  • Access to alternative investments, including commodities

*Probability of Member receiving $1,000 is a probability of 0.026%; If you don’t make a selection in 45 days, you’ll no longer qualify for the promo. Customer must fund their account with a minimum of $50.00 to qualify. Probability percentage is subject to decrease.

 

View SoFi Offer

#3
Our Partner
START INVESTING

5.0% APY on Uninvested Cash with Robinhood Gold*🏅

  • Free stock when you open an account

  • Start investing with just $1 and $0 commission

  • Your first 30 days are free with the Robinhood Gold Subscription

*Terms apply.

View Robinhood Offer

#4
Our Partner

Get up to $700 When You Open and Fund an Account

  • Unlimited commission-free online trades

  • Secure, easy-to-use trading experience

  • Powerful tools and resources

INVESTMENT AND INSURANCE PRODUCTS ARE: NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE

#5
Our Partner
START INVESTING

Get Up To $1,000 When You Open and Fund a New Brokerage Account With a Qualifying Deposit*

  • No account minimums or maintenance fees*

  • Invest in stocks, etfs, bonds, options and more

  • Get investing insights from Morgan Stanley

  • Available desktop trading platforms with customization options

#1 | Best Overall
Our Partner
START INVESTING

    🏆 Lock in 6.7%* Yield with a Bond Account

  • 4.1% APY on Cash – No fees, no limits, just high-yield growth.
  • Earn 6%* yield or more on bonds
  • Options trading: $0 commissions + earn rebates
  • $0 commission* for U.S. listed stocks & ETF trades

 

Start investing on Public today

What are the Best Investment Apps?

Finding the best investment app can make a significant difference in how you manage and grow your wealth. Here’s what to look for in the best investment apps to ensure they meet your needs:

  • Accessibility and Convenience: Investment apps make investing easy for everyone, from beginners to seasoned investors, offering a user-friendly experience.
  • Low or No Account Minimums: Many apps allow you to start investing with little to no initial investment, making it easier to begin your financial journey.
  • Diverse Investment Options: Apps typically offer a range of assets, including stocks, ETFs, and more, allowing you to build a diversified portfolio.
  • Educational Resources: Many platforms provide tutorials, articles, and tools to help you learn and make informed investment decisions as you go.
  • Robust Security Features: Top apps prioritize security, employing advanced measures to protect your personal information and financial assets.
  • Customization: Look for apps that align with your investment style, considering factors like fees, user experience, and the range of available assets.
  • Customer Support: Reliable customer support can make a significant difference, especially when you need assistance managing your investments.

 

How to Invest in Stocks?

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to invest in stocks with the best investing apps:

1. Open a Brokerage Account: Choose a reputable brokerage platform that suits your needs and open an account. This is where you’ll buy, sell, and manage your stock investments.

2. Fund Your Account: Deposit money into your brokerage account. Start with an amount that you’re comfortable with, considering your overall financial situation.

3. Research Stocks: Before investing, research potential companies by looking at their performance, industry trends, and financial health. Understand the risks and growth potential.

4. Diversify Your Investments: Spread your money across different stocks to reduce risk. Avoid putting all your funds into a single company to protect your portfolio.

5. Start Small: If you’re new to investing, begin with a smaller amount. This helps you gain experience without exposing too much of your capital.

6. Set Long-Term Goals: Define your investment goals and strategy, whether it’s growth, income, or both. Long-term planning helps guide your stock selections and decisions.

7. Monitor and Adjust Your Portfolio: Regularly review your investments to ensure they align with your financial goals. Stay informed about market changes and make adjustments as needed.

8. Understand the Risks: Recognize that all investments carry risk, including loss of principal. Stay educated and seek professional advice if needed.

SoFi's Disclaimers:
1. Other fees, such as exchange fees, may apply. Please view our fee disclosure to view a full listing of fees. 1% ACAT Match Offer: Valid 02/17/17/26-03/31/26. Max match $1M. Applies to new/existing SoFi self-directed IRAs. Full terms: http://sofi.com/acatiraterms.
2. Investing in alternative investments and/or strategies may not be suitable for all investors and involves unique risks, including the risk of loss. An investor should consider their individual circumstances and any investment information, such as a prospectus, prior to investing. Interval Funds are illiquid instruments, the ability to trade on your timeline may be restricted. Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA(www.finra.org) /SIPC(www.sipc.org).
3. There are limitations with fractional shares to consider before investing. During market hours fractional share orders are transmitted immediately in the order received. There may be system delays from receipt of your order until execution and market conditions may adversely impact execution prices. Outside of market hours orders are received on a not held basis and will be aggregated for each security then executed in the morning trade window of the next business day at market open. Share will be delivered at an average price received for executing the securities through a single batched order. Fractional shares may not be transferred to another firm. Fractional shares will be sold when a transfer or closure request is initiated. Please consider that selling securities is a taxable event.
4. Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire investment Before trading options please review the Characteristics and Risks Standardized Options  https://www.theocc.com/getmedia/a151a9ae-d784-4a15-bdeb-23a029f50b70/riskstoc.pdf
5. Utilizing a margin loan is generally considered more appropriate for experienced investors as there are additional costs and risks associated. It is possible to lose more than your initial investment when using margin. Please see https://www.sofi.com/wealth/assets/documents/brokerage-margin-disclosure-statement.pdf for detailed disclosure information
6. SoFi Plus members can schedule an unlimited number of appointments with a financial planner during periods in which the SoFi Plus member meets the eligibility criteria set forth in section 10(a) of the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions. SoFi members who are not members of SoFi Plus can schedule one (1) appointment with a financial planner. The ability to schedule appointments is subject to financial planner availability. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this benefit at any time with or without notice. Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Information about SoFi Wealth’s advisory operations, services, and fees is set forth in SoFi Wealth’s current Form ADV Part 2 (Brochure), a copy of which is available upon request and at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov
7. Probability of Member receiving $1,000 is a probability of 0.026%; if you don't make a selection in 45 days, you'll no longer qualify for the promo. Customer must fund their account with a minimum of $50.00 to qualify. Probability percentage is subject to decrease.
8. Terms and conditions apply*. For 401k rollovers, existing SoFi IRA members must complete 401k rollovers via this link For SoFi members without a SoFi IRA, a SoFi IRA must first be opened, and 401k rollover must be completed utilizing Capitalize via this link. SoFi and Capitalize will charge no additional fees to process a 401(k) rollover to a SoFi IRA. SoFi is not liable for any costs incurred from the existing 401k provider for rollover. Please check with your 401k provider for any fees or costs associated with the rollover. For IRA contributions, only deposits made via ACH and cash transfer from SoFi Bank accounts are eligible for the match. Click here for the 1% Match terms and conditions.
9. Must be a SoFi Plus member at the time a recurring deposit is received into your SoFi Active or Automated investing account to qualify. Bonus calculated on net monthly recurring deposits made via ACH and paid out as Rewards Points. See Rewards Terms of Service. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this promotion at any time without notice. See terms and limitations. https://www.sofi.com/sofiplus/invest/#disclaimers

Public's Disclosures: 

All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Open to the Public Investing, member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC.

*Rate as of 2/5/2025. APY is variable and subject to change

**A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. The 6.7% yield is the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across all ten bonds in the Bond Account, before fees, as of 2/5/2025. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. 

Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See Bond Account Disclosures to learn more.

Kraken's Disclaimers:

*Other fees may apply.
Securities and brokerage services offered by Kraken Securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.

Robinhood’s Disclosures: 

All investments involve risk and loss of principal is possible. Trading on the Robinhood 24 Hour Market is available from Sunday 8 PM ET - Friday 8 PM ET. There are additional, unique risks with trading outside of regular market hours you should be aware of before making an investment decision, including the risk of lower liquidity, increased volatility, greater spreads, and pricing uncertainty. Please review the Extended Hours Trading Disclosure for more information concerning these risks. Robinhood Financial LLC (member SIPC), is a registered broker dealer. Robinhood Securities, LLC (member SIPC), is a registered broker dealer and provides brokerage clearing services. All are subsidiaries of Robinhood Markets, Inc. (Robinhood).

E*Trade’s Disclosures: 

1. Terms apply

2. Transaction fees, fund expenses, brokerage commissions, and service fees may apply

3. Securities products and advisory services offered by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, Member SIPC.