If you’re looking to make a quick investment, we’ve narrowed the list down to the following picks for the best investing apps. We’ve taken into account factors like user reviews, account fees, investment costs, minimum investment, and customer service options.
Here’s a recap of our top investment apps for 2024:
| Broker | Fees | Account Minimum | Investment Products |
| Merrill Edge |
|
$0 |
|
| Vanguard |
|
$0 |
|
| Fidelity |
|
$0 |
|
| TD Ameritrade |
|
$0 |
|
| SoFi Active Investing |
|
$0 |
|
| E*TRADE |
|
$0 |
|
| Ally Invest |
|
$0 |
|
| J.P. Morgan |
|
$0 |
|
More about our best investment apps
We’ve provided more information below about how we rated these companies for their mobile apps. Mobile app analysis heavily considers factors such as customer experience (mobile store ratings), account fees, and customer support.
Here are our top picks:
- Merrill Edge – best for integration with BOA and Merrill wealth management
- Vanguard – best for low-cost Vanguard index funds and ETFs
- Fidelity – best for research tools and educational resources
- TD Ameritrade – powerful thinkorswim trading platform
- SoFi Active Investing – best for unique offerings like IPO investing and crypto trading
- E*TRADE – best for a user-friendly and streamlined mobile app experience
- Ally Invest – best for excellent pricing with free trades for stocks/ETFs
- J.P. Morgan – best for automated recurring investments
- Acorns – personalized investment advice and portfolio management
1. Merrill Edge
Merrill Edge is the online trading and investing platform from Bank of America's brokerage division. One of its standout features is the integration with Bank of America's banking services, allowing you to view your bank and investment accounts together. Merrill Edge offers $0 online equity and ETF trades, a user-friendly mobile app, and robust research tools. Its Preferred Rewards program provides benefits like unlimited free stock trades for qualifying customers.
iOS users highly rate Merrill Edge’s investment app for its customer service, and it is also integrated with Bank of America to provide seamless banking and investing experiences. You can access a wealth of educational content and robust research to help you choose the right investment.
The Idea Builder tool is a broker’s tool that helps investors newer than themselves find the right investment. It also includes information for social and environmental investors.
2. Vanguard
Vanguard is known for its low-cost index funds and ETFs. The Vanguard investing app provides access to the company's wide range of mutual funds and ETFs, along with educational resources and portfolio analysis tools. It stands out for its simplicity and transparency, making it a great choice for long-term, buy-and-hold investors focused on building a diversified portfolio at a low cost.
Vanguard’s mobile apps are designed to appeal to retirement investors Vanguard wants to attract. They provide all functionality required by account holders, including trading capabilities for stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds, and the ability to track account and investment performance. The apps are highly rated by users.
3. Fidelity
Fidelity is a full-service brokerage firm with a comprehensive trading platform suitable for both beginner and advanced investors. Its app offers $0 online equity/ETF trades, fractional share investing, and a robo-advisor service (Fidelity Go). It excels in research and analytical tools, providing in-depth data and screeners to help investors make informed decisions.
Fidelity’s mobile app is highly rated by its users. It offers real-time quotes and advanced options trading strategies, as well as streamlined access to investment research. Fidelity offers a personalized app experience for its youth account, which includes in-app educational materials.
4. TD Ameritrade
TD Ameritrade's Thinkorswim platform is favored by active traders for its advanced charting capabilities, numerous technical studies, and paper trading functionality. The app also features $0 online equity/ETF trades, virtual trading simulations, and extensive educational resources for traders of all experience levels.
TD Ameritrade’s powerful trading platforms are well-known. The broker’s highly rated thinkorswim mobile app, which offers many of the same capabilities as the desktop platform, is a great companion. Trades can be placed in stock, ETF, options, and forex.
5. SoFi Active Investing
SoFi Active Investing provides an all-in-one investment app that combines basic banking services with investment accounts and even crypto trading. Its standout feature is a user-friendly interface designed for younger, mobile-first investors. SoFi offers $0 trades, fractional share investing, and basic robo-advisor services.
The two mobile apps of SoFi are simple and will appeal to beginner traders and investors. App users both on iOS and Android give SoFi high marks. Investors can trade, monitor performance, and receive real-time quotes via mobile.
6. E*TRADE
E*TRADE is a veteran in the online brokerage space, offering a well-rounded trading platform with $0 online equity/ETF trades, no account minimums, and a vast library of research and educational content. Its OptionsHouse platform is particularly robust for options traders.
E*TRADE provides two mobile apps for free that will allow you to manage your account, place trades, and access real-time quotes. You can also access stock and ETF screeners. You can trade complex strategies using the broker’s Power E*TRADE application, which includes spreads for four-legged options. You can also access popular technical studies, charts, and streaming quotes.
7. Ally Invest
Ally Invest is the brokerage arm of Ally Bank, making it easy to manage your banking and investing from one app. It offers $0 trades for stocks, ETFs, and options trades, along with a user-friendly website and mobile apps. Ally Invest is a cost-effective option, especially for active traders.
Ally’s investing app has a competitive pricing structure that appeals to both novice and experienced stock traders. Easy-to-use platforms, commission-free trades, and investment tools make it easy to get started. Ally offers real-time data, charts, and robust research. Ally offers a suite of tools that can be used to help technical investors, such as forex trading.
There are some drawbacks. Ally does not offer mutual funds that charge no transaction fees. These mutual funds can be useful in diversifying your portfolio.
8. J.P. Morgan
JPMorgan's investing app, You Invest, is an affordable option with $0 online equity trades and a $2.95 fee for online equity and ETF trades. Its mobile app is clean and easy to use, providing access to JPMorgan's research and education. Premier banking customers can get additional benefits like portfolio-building advice.
J.P. Morgan’s app for mobile allows you to start investing and managing your portfolio. The Self Directed Investing App connects to Chase accounts. This makes it easy for Chase customers to trade stocks, options, bonds, and mutual funds. J.P. Morgan’s other investment products, like the Portfolio Builder tool, require an initial $2,500, which could prove prohibitive for some investors.
Self-Directed Investing does not allow you to invest in futures, forex, or cryptocurrencies. It also does not offer fractional shares.
9. Acorns
Acorns is a micro-investing and savings platform that allows users to invest small amounts of money regularly and automatically. It provides socially responsible investment options and access to a diverse portfolio. It also offers investment options for families and individuals who start small and have spare cash.
Acorns allows investors the ability to automatically invest their spare change by buying credit and debit cards and then investing it in a financial portfolio. Acorns Mobile offers also include Acorns Early custodial account for children. A parent can invest on behalf of a child and can then take over the account when the child has reached the age of transfer.
Acorns fees are dependent on account balance and can be prohibitive for investors who have less than $5,000. Acorns provides less customer support and has no tax strategy, compared to other investment apps.
Other investing options
Looking for more options? Here are two more top picks:
Firstrade
Firstrade has a highly-rated mobile app for Android and iOS. Investors can trade stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and options without commissions. Firstrade is an attractive option for international customers: It is available in Chinese and open to international investors.
Charles Schwab
The Schwab mobile apps can be used by both novice and experienced investors. There is no minimum account or annual fee. Schwab mobile and StreetSmart mobile apps allow for commission-free trades on a variety of stock options and ETFs.
The broker also provides access to more than 4,000 mutual funds with no transaction fees. Schwab is highly rated for its research. This includes Schwab’s own equity ratings as well as analysis from 14 providers, including Credit Suisse, Morningstar, and Thompson Reuters.
