As a trader, you know how important it is to have the right tools at your disposal. You need to be able to make fast decisions and have access to the latest information—and not just financial news, but also market sentiment and data on other traders’ activity.
Luckily, there are plenty of trading apps out there that can help you do just that. But which app is best? We’ve done some research and found three popular options for you right here in this post from Quyasoft.
Take out time to surf through our catalog right here on Quyasoft for more information on Which app is better for share market, What the best free stock trading apps offer, Free stock trading apps pros and cons and so much more. You don’t want to miss this!
What the best free stock trading apps offer
There’s no such thing as the best investment app for every investor. And if there is, we certainly haven’t found it. Some investors want things like stock research and educational tools, while others simply don’t care about having access to that and just want a user-friendly way to buy and sell stocks. With that in mind, here are some things the best stock trading apps might offer. Before making your choice, you should decide which features are most important to you.
- Commission-free stock trading
- The ability to buy fractional shares of stock
- Support for different account types, such as IRAs, custodial accounts for minors, joint accounts, and more
- Cryptocurrency trading
- Options trading
- Competitive margin rates
- Mutual funds — and preferably a good selection that are available with no transaction fees
- User-friendly trading platform
- Sophisticated trading tools for active investors
- Other financial products like bank accounts, loans, credit cards, etc.
- Educational tools
- Access to stock research
Free stock trading apps pros and cons
Pros
The advantages to using free trading apps like these for your investment needs generally have to do with convenience. With these apps, you can buy and sell stocks with the click of a button, anywhere in the world where you have a data connection. This makes them great brokers for beginners and for seasoned investors.
Cons
The major downside to using any free stock trading apps — even those offered by best stock brokers — is that you’re never going to get as much functionality as you would with a desktop-based trading platform. Many apps don’t have features like stock research and educational resources, even if the web-based versions of their platforms offer such features.
Which app is better for share market
1. Webull: Best Stock Trading App for Intermediate Traders
- Available via desktop, Apple iOS and Android App on Google Play
- Best For: Self-directed investors and intermediate traders
- Sign up here
Webull first hit the investing world in 2018 by offering free stock trading in addition to free trades of ETFs, options and cryptocurrencies.
The company provides you the ability to trade on your smartphone, tablet or desktop, track your stocks and charges no commissions for the trades you make in your portfolio.
It also recently began allowing fractional shares for you to buy smaller portions of stocks with higher share prices.
Why Choose Webull to Trade Stocks?
Webull also provides you access to several powerful tools useful for in-depth trading analysis. These easily make the service one of the best stock research and analysis apps for conducting technical analysis.
For traders, in addition to the commission-free trading and analytic tools, the brokerage offers a subscription to Nasdaq TotalView for $1.99/month, allowing you to see Level II quotes.
This can help you to gain a better sense for the full supply and demand for a stock outside of the national best bid offer (NBBO).
These advanced quotes will provide you with a deeper look into the market for understanding market direction and any potential supply and demand imbalances for a stock you pick.
If these account features sound attractive, the best part might also come with knowing setting up a Webull account is free and comes with no account minimums you must meet or maintain.
If all the free listed above isn’t enough, Webull also runs frequent promotions which involve you receiving free stocks.
Read more in our Webull review.
Commission-Free Self-Directed Investing App
Webull | No Minimums, Free Trades
4.7
- The Webull app offers free equity, crypto and option trading, advanced reporting and in-depth analysis.
- LIMITED TIME OFFER ($52 – $30,600 value): Open an account and deposit at least $5 to receive 12 free stocks.
Pros:
- No stock trading commissions
- Powerful technical analysis tools
- Accessible to beginning and intermediate users
Cons:
- No robo-advisor functionality
2. TradeStation Go: Best for Advanced Traders
- Available via desktop, Apple iOS and Android App on Google Play
- Best For: Advanced traders, Options and Futures traders, Active stock traders
- Sign up here
TradeStation is a powerful stock trading app and platform which comes with analytic tools useful to seasoned professionals and new traders alike.
The platform comes equipped with brokerage services and trading education resources recognized by respected industry reviewers.
Much like every other online discount broker found on this list, the free stock trading app charges no commissions for stock and ETF trades and low fees on options and futures contracts.
TradeStation caters to its target audience: advanced, active and technically-minded traders. Beginning traders likely will be overwhelmed by this service and may even face fees.
The technical tools and screeners provided by TradeStation are all at or near the top of the class, making it the best stock trading platform for advanced traders on this list.
What Makes TradeStation Different?
TradeStation is one of the most high-powered stock trading platforms on this list.
The stock trading platform helps you analyze stocks, options, ETFs, futures, and crypto markets. If you open a TradeStation brokerage account, you can use the company’s robust TradeStation Analytics platform for free.
You have access to backtesting, historical intraday data, and extensive charting capabilities.
TradeStation Analytics helps you to find the right opportunities in real-time, when to get into and out of trades and discover hidden opportunities with technical analysis.
You can use the free stock trading app to monitor and rank up to 1,000 ticker symbols in real-time with access to more than 180 technical and fundamental indicators useful for valuing a stock and identifying likely price action.
If you’d like to purchase the analytics software without using the platform for making your trades, you can pay a monthly fee of $99 for non-professionals and $199 for professional subscribers.
TradeStation Support
If you use TradeStation, one of the best stock trading apps for advanced traders, you can also receive personalized support from the company’s brokerage professionals.
Further, TradeStation provides state-of-the-art trading technology, catering to active individual and institutional traders who may or may not need support.
Consider signing up and opening your account with TradeStation.
Best Trading Platform for Professionals
TradeStation | Claiming a Financial Edge
- TradeStation is a powerful trading platform which comes with analytic tools useful to seasoned professionals and new traders alike.
- The platform comes equipped with brokerage services and trading education resources recognized by respected industry reviewers.
- Limited Time Offer: Receive $10 when opening a new Crypto IRA account*
Pros:
- Professional trading features and capabilities
- Intuitive trading interfaces and tools
- Competitive pricing for trading volume
Cons:
- High withdrawal fees for certain cryptos
- Sophisticated tool, mainly designed for professional traders
3. Moomoo: Best Stock Trading App for Advanced Traders
- Available via desktop, Apple iOS, Android App on Google Play, Windows PC, and Mac.
- Best For: Advanced traders
- Sign up here
Moomoo is a commission-free trading platform for stocks, ETFs, and options. Moomoo takes a different approach from platforms favoring simplicity and ease of use. The stock trading platform caters to new and advanced traders by offering an integrated platform rich with powerful tools to enhance your trading insights and abilities.
Moomoo enables easy research and tracking functions with its AI tools. Further, it provides free resources to train your market sensitivity and understanding, including comprehensive dimensions of market data like Depth-of-Market and real-time Level 2 Market Data, and 24/7 financial news handpicked by Moomoo’s editorial team. The trading platform provides these features to empower investors to make better investing decisions.
If this feature set sounds intimidating to start with, the app also offers paper trading functionality with real-time data. This simulates the investment experience before committing any of your real money.
And for making a qualifying deposit, the app pays you to give it a spin by offering free stocks for signing up. Young & the Invested has an exclusive promotion offering an additional five free shares for making qualifying deposits in your new Moomoo accounts. This means by using our link, you can get an extra five stocks above other offers that provide only 15 free stocks.
To conclude, if you want a professional-grade, technical analysis-enabling platform for research and trading, Moomoo would be a solid choice to consider.
Moomoo’s parent company is Nasdaq-listed Futu Holdings Ltd (FUTU). Their subsidiaries are licensed and regulated in the United States, Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong.
Moomoo | One-Stop Investment Platform
4.6
Commission-free trades
- Moomoo is an all-in-one investment app geared toward traders seeking real-time market data
- The service offers free Level 2 trading data, offering more insight into the trading activity below the NBBO surface shown on many financial data sites
- Use the service’s powerful stock charting software capabilities to find trading opportunities
- Special Promotion: Get up to 20 free stocks for opening a new account and funding at least $1,000 (each stock worth between $3 and $2,000) until Jan. 15, 2023*
Pros:
- Free Level 2 data
- Free powerful stock charting software
- Free paper trading
Cons:
- No robo-advisor functionality
Get 20 Free Stocks + $10 Cash Bonus
* Offer exclusive to select affiliate partners, including Young & the Invested. Valid until Jan. 5, 2023. Qualified referrals outside this period have current 10 free stocks offer available. New moomoo users who sign up to join moomoo and open a Moomoo Financial Inc. brokerage account during the Promotion Period are eligible. The offer is only valid for US residents with a valid Social Security Number (SSN), who are at least 18 years old and do not have a Moomoo US brokerage account.
4. SoFi Invest: Best for Personal Finance-Focused Investors
- Available via desktop, Apple iOS and Android App on Google Play
- Best For: Investors looking for automated investing already using SoFi’s other personal finance products
- Sign up here: (iOS), Android, Desktop
SoFi Invest is an app that allows you to track and trade your money. The service is the latest from the SoFi financial wellness platform and offers free trades on stocks, ETFs, cryptos and more.
The service allows you to be an active trader by buying and selling offered assets on a daily basis or passive through its automated investing service.
The company wants to serve all customers who have an interest in improving their financial situation alongside participating in their other personal finance products like student loans, money management, credit cards and more.
- No trading fees or commissions
- No account minimums
- Invest in Stock Bits (fractional shares)
- Trade select cryptos
- Automated investing options for a hands-off approach
Pros:
- Commission-free trading
- No account minimums
- DIY and automated investing options
Cons:
- No socially-responsible robo-advisor functionality
- No tax-loss harvesting
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5. J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing: Best for Self-Directed Investors & Chase Customers
- Available via desktop, Apple iOS and Android App on Google Play
- Best For: Self-directed investors and Chase customers
- Sign up here
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing acts as an investing solution offered from Chase and is accessible through the Chase Mobile® app or Chase.com.
You can use this investing app to make unlimited commission-free trades in thousands of investment options, including a wide range of stocks, ETFs, fixed income, mutual funds and options.
The investing app allows you to utilize tools to build your portfolio including screeners and watchlists—both useful for building diversified portfolios and staying on top of market activity.
The app provides personalized news and J.P. Morgan Research and market analysis to empower informed investment decisions. You can leverage these resources to design your own target allocation for your investments.
Consider using J.P. Morgan’s Self-Directed Investing platform if you’d like the flexibility to invest much as you want without paying any commissions on equity and options trades. Some regulatory fees and fund expenses may apply.
You can choose an account that’s right for you: an individual taxable account, Traditional IRA or Roth IRA. All carry a $0 minimum.
Open your J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account today and get up to $625 when you open and fund an account with qualifying new money:
- $625 when you fund with $250,000 or more
- $300 when you fund with $100,000-$249,999
- $125 when you fund with $25,000-$99,999
Learn more by visiting J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing’s website to see if it’s the right fit for your needs.
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
- Get unlimited commission-free online stock, ETF, fixed income, and options trades when you open an account.
- $0 online commission trades
- Choose an account that’s right for you: General Investing, Traditional IRA or Roth IRA
- Access your account through the secure, easy-to-use trading experience online or through the Chase Mobile® app
- Use J.P. Morgan’s powerful tools and resources to help you take control of your investment
INVESTMENT AND INSURANCE PRODUCTS ARE: NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE
6. Public.com: Best Free Stock App for Theme-Based Investing
- Available via desktop, Apple iOS and Android App on Google Play
- Best For: New investors with limited capital
- Sign up here
Public.com is another commission-free investing app that targets Millennials and Gen-Zers who have attuned their senses to social media.
These age groups want to align their investing with their social preferences as well as keep good company to socialize and learn from others.
The stock investing app boasts an increasingly-common feature geared toward younger investors who may not have enough money to buy some higher cost shares at one time: fractional investing.
This product feature plays on the company’s mission of making the stock market an inclusive, educational investment opportunity which can be fun.
They accomplish the latter point by allowing people to invest alongside friends and other well-regarded investors.
Much like social media platforms who provide the standard blue check mark logo to verify public figures, Public.com provides visibility into trade activity and other insights these verified investors wish to provide to the Public.com community.
What Makes Public.com Different?
Public.com does not monetize its trading activity through receiving payment for order flow (PFOF) unlike other free stock trading apps found on this list.
In light of the GameStop market mania in early 2021, Public.com announced a change in its revenue model, breaking with how many free stock apps generate income.
They no longer generate revenue from PFOF and has introduced a tipping feature in the app, acting as a de facto (optional) commission.
The company believes they have a responsibility to lead the industry in a different direction and no longer receive compensation for routing orders to market makers for trade execution.
With the Robinhood blow up, we saw how this created a conflict of interest between brokerage and customer.
By doing this, Public.com will better align their financial incentives with the best interests of their customers.
For those interested in starting to trade on Public.com, the online brokerage platform offers a free $3-$300 signup bonus if you make an initial deposit. Further, you can share your special link with others and gift them free stocks (fractional shares) as well.
If this sounds like an interesting micro-investing app, open an account and make an initial deposit to see if the app meets your social and investing needs.
Read more in our Public.com investing app review.
Public.com | Commission-Free Themed Investing
4.7
- Public.com offers zero-commission trading on thousands of stocks and ETFs, available as fractional shares
- Uses a social feed where members can share why they believe in certain companies (or don’t) and can post comments on others’ trades
- Can invest in curated lists of stocks and ETFs for people to aggregate investments by interest area or values
Pros:
- No trading commissions
- No payment for order flow (PFOF)
- Fractional shares
Cons:
- Limited investment options
- No investment research or tools
Offer valid for U.S. residents 18+ and subject to account approval. There may be other fees associated with trading. See public.com/disclosures/.
7. Robinhood: Best Stock Trading App for Beginners
- Available via desktop, Apple iOS and Android App on Google Play
- Best For: Investors looking for a simple, no frills investing platform
- Sign up here
Robinhood became the first free stock app to slash trading commissions to $0, earning a top slot on this list of stock trading apps.
This shook up the industry and caused several competitors to rethink how they make money and follow suit.
Many merged as a result in the hopes of shedding costs and remaining competitive to this investing startup.
Likewise, many new apps like Robinhood have cropped up in recent years, many of which feature later on this list.
The service boasts free stock trading alongside index funds, options, penny stocks and cryptocurrencies.
Robinhood’s app offers a simple and easy-to-use design. There aren’t numerous features called out to distract you from what you are using the app to accomplish: trade commission-free.
Robinhood has no fees upon account opening and includes no minimum balance requirements. Robinhood has been a brokerage at the vanguard for eliminating the common barriers associated with investing in the stock market.
Consider signing up for a Robinhood account to see what you think. The company makes it worth your while by offering a free stock for signing up.
Best Stock Trading App for Beginners
Robinhood | Commission-Free Trades, No Minimums
4.4
- Robinhood is an investing app famous for its commission-free trades on ETFs, options and cryptocurrency.
- It has no account minimums and comes with a free stock upon signing up for the service.
Pros:
- Commission-free trading on ETFs, options & crypto
- Intuitive interface
- Desktop and mobile access
Cons:
- Limited investment offerings
- Minimal technical analysis tools
- No robo-advisor functionality
8. M1 Finance: Best Free Stock App to Start Investing
- Available via desktop, Apple iOS and Google Android
- Best for: Passive Investors
- Sign up here
M1 Finance works as one of the best stock trading apps because it provides self-directed and automated investing options according to your predetermined investment decisions. This high-level of customization makes this stock trading app this site’s top robo-advisor pick.
Robo-advisors, which are almost exactly what they sound like, are automated investment managers who handle administrative investment actions on your behalf. Things like investing contributions, rebalancing your portfolio or making automated withdrawals.
Once you set up your portfolio, you can edit it as you wish or simply let the app handle all the nitty gritty while you learn how to increase your net worth with a growing account balance.
Specifically, clients can create a portfolio of stocks and ETFs tailored to their exact specifications, down to the last dollar thanks to their ability to trade fractional shares.
One major callout before going any further, however, is that while M1 Finance offers pre-made portfolios aligned to several investing goals—the company is not an advisory service.
That said, the firm has attracted billions of dollars in assets under management and has over one million users on the stock trading platform since its founding in 2015. No small feat in today’s competitive brokerage account market.
Why M1 Finance?
Sophisticated investors and beginners alike can use this stock trading app to build wealth through customizing your portfolio for free, automating additional contributions and dynamically rebalancing it over time to keep your assets allocated to your wishes.
With all these benefits, this best free stock trading app has a primary selling point: an orientation toward medium and long-term investors interested in building wealth through automated, diversified investing.
The robo-advisor provides the ability to buy and sell individual stocks and ETFs. Hence, why M1 Finance is this site’s best passive investing platform.
Additionally, you can opt to choose from 80+ expert portfolios or even purchase fractional shares if your target companies carry too high of a price tag.
For example, if you wanted to buy an entire share of a major tech company like Google or Amazon, but couldn’t float the entire cost, you could buy a fractional share.
Finally, investing with M1 Finance can be as simple as depositing money, setting your stock and index selections and having the platform automate your investments on your behalf.
This truly automates your investments if you set up recurring deposits, allowing your wealth to build.
Over time, M1 Finance will also rebalance your portfolio in line with your stated asset allocation targets. Regular rebalancing has been shown to improve portfolio performance over time, all things equal.
Consider opening an investment account with M1 Finance.
Read more in our M1 Finance review.
Our Self-Directed Robo-Advisor Pick
M1 Finance | Smart Money Management
4.3
Basic: Free. M1 Plus: $125/yr.
- M1 Finance’s Smart Money Management gives you choice and control of how you want to invest automatically, borrow, and spend your money—with available high-yield checking and low borrowing rates.
- Basic account includes an FDIC-insured checking account and an M1 Visa debit card.
- Upgrade to M1 Plus and unlock perks including 1% cash back, 3.00% APY, ATM reimbursements, and 0% international fees.
- Special Promotion: Open an account and get 3 months free of M1 Plus* ($31.25 value).
Pros:
- Robo-advisor with self-directed investing capability
- No trading commissions
- Attractive cash-back and APY opportunities with M1 Plus subscription
Cons:
- Limited trading windows
- High cost for M1 Plus service tier
M1 Plus is a $125 annual subscription offering products and services from M1 Spend LLC and M1 Finance LLC, both wholly-owned, separate but affiliated subsidiaries of M1 Holdings Inc. *Your free trial (a $31.25 value) begins the date you enroll in the M1 Plus subscription, and ends 90 days after (“Free Trial”). Upon expiry of the Free Trial, your account is automatically billed an annual subscription fee of $125 unless you cancel under your Membership details in the M1 Platform.
9. Axos Self-Directed Trading: Best Stock Trading App for Axos Bank Customers
- Available via desktop, Apple iOS and Android App on Google Play
- Best For: Self-directed investors currently banking with Axos
- Sign up here
Axos Self-Directed Trading (SDT) offers no commission trading on US-listed equities—providing you with an easy-to-use platform and the tools you need to succeed.
Axos SDT also works to save you time with an intuitive interface and mobile access so you can trade anytime or anywhere.
So, just how will Axos help your self-directed investing experience?
For starters, Axos SDT offers commission-free equity and exchange-traded funds as well as access to 10,000+ mutual funds.
Where Axos SDT differs from its competitors is its unified financial dashboard with its other Axos Banking products, allowing you to sync all of your accounts in one convenient place.
If you’d like to upgrade to a higher level of service, you might consider Axos Elite. This service provides:
- Instant fund access
- Lower fees
- Increased buying power with leverage
- Enhanced market knowledge through real-time market data expert insights and premium TipRanks market research
You can open individual taxable accounts, joint accounts and IRAs.
Axos Self-Directed Trading (SDT)
- Axos SDT offers no commission trading on US-listed equities—providing you with an easy-to-use platform and the tools you need to succeed.
- Axos SDT also works to save you time with an intuitive interface and mobile access so you can trade anytime or anywhere.
- Serious investors can upgrade to a higher level of service with Axos Elite, providing instant fund access, lower fees, premium market research from TipRanks and added leverage.
10. E-Trade: Best for Options Traders
- Available via desktop, Apple iOS and Android App on Google Play
- Best For: Options traders
- Sign up here
E-Trade has long been seen as a leading stock trading app for retail investors. E-Trade provides investors access to educational resources that assist you with conducting investment research and analysis and diversifying your portfolio.
The online brokerage platform also has a significant amount of options trading and data functionality after the company acquired OptionsHouse.
These tools can assist with making more-informed options investment decisions. The company also acts as a stock futures app for more experienced investors.
As another service, E-Trade also offers retirement planning to clients as well as in-person informational sessions annually in certain areas.
E-Trade has three platforms. All are free and have no minimum investment limit.
- Power E-Trade offers investors real-time data and studies.
- E-Trade Web provides live market commentary and stock analysis.
- E-Trade Pro gives you strategy scanners and back-testing.
Each stock trading platform gives you access to a dashboard for tracking your investment accounts, types of investment vehicles, and your trades. E-trade does have small fees for options contracts and some fees involved with retirement accounts.
E-Trade | Best In-Class Online Trading
- $0 commission for online US-listed stock, ETF and options trades, a full range of investments (including professionally managed accounts), and best-in-class online and mobile trading platforms.
- Opening an account is easy and only takes a couple of minutes.
11. Firstrade: Best for International Investors
- Available via desktop, Apple iOS and Android App on Google Play
- Best For: Mutual fund and target date fund investors
- Sign up here
Firstrade is a leading online brokerage firm offering a full line of investment products and tools designed to help investors improve their financial position through sound investing practices.
Like every other investing app provided on this list, it too does not assess commissions for making stock trades.
Firstrade combines proprietary trading technology with an intuitive user interface, offers customer service availability and utilizes a mobile application like all others in this article.
In short, the platform offers access to over 11,000 different investments, including index funds, stocks, bonds, target date funds, mutual funds, and more.
Firstrade offers a comprehensive solution for all of your investing needs, committing itself to excellence and putting customers first.
Firstrade | Full Investing Suite – $0 Trades
- Firstrade offers a full suite of investment options in stocks, ETFs, bonds, mutual funds, options and more.
- The service charges $0 commissions and has been awarded the #1 Best Online Broker Platform for ETFs and Commissions by Kiplinger.
12. Vanguard: Best for Vanguard Fund Investors
- Available via desktop, Apple iOS and Android App on Google Play
- Best For: Investors looking for a simple index fund investing app
- Sign up here
Vanguard has long been regarded as the low-cost index fund investing service provider. In fact, John Bogle originated the idea of index fund investing and first offered them to retail investors as mutual funds and eventually exchange traded funds (ETFs).
The company has slashed fees over the years in a bid to outcompete other companies in the space and will always advocate for a low-fee index fund approach to investing.
Vanguard excels as a free stock trading platform when you wish to buy and sell Vanguard securities like index fund ETFs. You pay no commissions on their products like VTI or VTSAX or VFIAX.
Recently, Vanguard also announced it will no longer charge trading fees on competitors’ ETFs as well, a departure from a long-standing position. Vanguard also carries no account minimums.
What Vanguard lacks compared to some of these other apps is its clunky nature. I use the app for managing my work’s 401k plan and will admit to its bloat and lack of clarity on calculating investment returns on a percentage basis.
My main beef with their interface is my performance statistics will not save after I add them to assess how my funds have performed. All that said, Vanguard might have made this by design, incentivizing you to check your funds less often and thus living by their index fund ethos.
Vanguard | Mutual funds, IRAs, ETFs, and more
- No minimums or trading commissions
- Low-cost investment leadership on funds
- Not designed for active traders
13. TD Ameritrade: Best for Multi-Asset Class Traders
- Available via desktop, Apple iOS and Android App on Google Play
- Best For: Traders interested in more asset classes like Forex and Futures
- Sign up here
TD Ameritrade is another one of the best stock trading apps on this list. It is a popular brokerage which recently purchased Scottrade and now is being purchased by the mega-retail brokerage Charles Schwab.
For the time being, the brokerage has managed to shed commissions on their clients’ stock and ETF trades (with competitive threats from Robinhood and Webull).
The company’s scale has garnered it a large retail trading presence and many have come to use the service for many of its free or low cost trading features.
You may have heard of the company through its thinkorswim stock trading platform, widely touted as a premier trading service. The company backs this platform by insights, education materials and a dedicated trading desk to place your trades.
It offers a fully-customizable trading experience which can pin down however complex of a trading strategy of technique you might want to employ.
You will want to be careful about TDAmeritrade for some investment choices. When sorting through the company’s security choices, make sure you filter for no load ETFs before you buy.
Likewise for mutual funds and equity trades, lest you get hit with a fee for trading certain stocks and equities.
- No minimums nor trading commissions
- Free stock research tools
- Multiple trading platforms for beginners and experts
14. Plynk: Guided Investment App for Beginners
- Available via Apple iOS and Android App on Google Play.
- Best For: Beginner Investors
- Sign up here
Plynk™ is an app designed to help you start investing and learn along the way, and they’re currently offering up to $110 in bonuses for new accounts.
The Plynk app helps beginner investors put their money into an investment portfolio. Specifically, Plynk offers access to a selection of stocks, ETFs, mutual funds and crypto—all starting at a single dollar through fractional shares.
The platform uses straightforward, easy-to-understand language to explain investing concepts. No jargon. No complex charts and tables. Just simple-language tips and how-tos.
You can use Plynk Explore to find investments based on your interests. Just answer a few questions, and the app will display stock, ETF, and mutual fund investments that mesh with your investment comfort zone.
To assist with building your financial literacy, Plynk offers complete lessons and courses on financial education, including tips, educational content and how-tos.
The Plynk app enables you to make wise use of a powerful investing technique called dollar-cost averaging through participating in recurring investments. By continuing to buy a fixed dollar amount of investments over time, whether the market is up or down, you can build a disciplined investing habit and lower the stress that can come from market movements.
One of Plynk’s most interesting features involves, of all things, gift cards. Specifically, you can redeem unused gift cards for money that you can use to buy stocks in your favorite companies.
If this sounds interesting to you, consider opening an account with Plynk. To make it more worth your while, they have a few special offers.
Simply open an account and link your bank account to get a $10 signup bonus. Plynk is also offering a special deposit match promotion through January 5, 2023. Plynk will match net deposits made to your brokerage account between November 18, 2022 and January 5, 2023 up to $100. Customers must have a minimum of $25 in net deposits during the promotional period to receive a match. That means you may be eligible for up to $110 in signup bonuses from Plynk by taking qualifying actions.
Investment App for Beginners
Plynk™ Invest | Helping Beginning Investors Get Started
Get started with the Plynk app for free; some features may require a $2 monthly fee in the future.
- Beginning investors can use Plynk™ to start investing for as little as $1
- Answer just a few questions, and find suitable investments for your needs
- Invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds and crypto
- Plynk™ lets you redeem unused gift cards for money that you can use to invest in your favorite companies.
- Bonus Offer: Plynk offers two signup bonuses: matching net deposits up to $100 made to your account through 1/5/2023, subject to certain terms. They will also offer a $10 signup bonus for opening an account and linking your bank account, for a total combined $110 bonus.
Pros:
- Designed for beginning investors
- Redeem unused gift cards to invest
- Helpful educational resources
Cons:
- Some features may require $2/mo fee in the future
*Investing involves risk. Plynk is a service of Digital Brokerage Services LLC, Member FINRA, SIPC. Buy, hold, and sell crypto through Paxos Trust Co. Fees apply to individual crypto trades. Minimum $10 gift card balance required. To receive Plynk Deposit Match Promotion, cuxstomers must have a minimum of $25 in net deposits during the promotional period. Fees apply to use program which vary by vendor. Limited time offer. Terms and conditions apply. Visit plynkinvest.com/disclosures/promotions
Other Investing Apps Worth Noting
While the list above focuses only on free stock trading apps and platforms, other investing apps are worth mentioning despite them not being free.
These are popular with many investors for their simplicity and bundled approach to offering you an all-in-one financial solution to manage your money.
This includes your investments, bank accounts, retirement planning and financial literacy.
1. Acorns
- Available via Apple iOS and Google Android
- Best For: Young investors for a complete personal finance solution
- Sign up here
Acorns is an investing app for minors and young adults who wish to start with a small amount of money which will grow into a large portfolio over time. Hence the name, Acorns, and the company’s goal of maturing from an acorn into a mighty oak tree.
The service doesn’t charge money to make trades on your behalf, but it does charge an account fee depending on the services you select for your account.
Currently, the service has two offerings including Acorns Personal for $3/mo and Acorns Family for $5/mo.
These subscriptions provide various products which fit well for goals of young adults and even allow the service to act as one of the best money apps for kids with its all-in-one platform (Acorns Family).
Their plans come as follows:
- Acorns Personal ($3/mo):
- Acorns Invest: Invests spare change through the popular “Round-Ups” feature, earns bonus investments and provides access to financial literacy articles
- Acorns Later: Tax-advantaged investment options like IRAs
- Acorns Spend: Acts as your bank account, offering free withdrawals at over 55,000 ATMs nationwide and no account fees and the ability to earn up to 10% bonus investments
- Acorns Family ($5/mo):
- Everything in Acorns Personal (Acorns Invest, Later and Spend)
- Acorns Early: This allows you to take advantage of the best way to invest for your child’s future and can teach you how to invest as a teenager or minor through opening a custodial account.
Learn more in our Acorns review.
Our Micro-Investing App Pick
Acorns | Invest, Earn, Grow, Spend, Later
4.4
Acorns Personal: $3/mo. Acorns Family: $5/mo.
- From acorns, mighty oaks do grow. Grow your oak!
- In under 5 minutes, get investment accounts for you and your family, plus retirement, checking, ways to earn more money, and grow your knowledge.
- Famous for investing spare change automatically through Round-ups, this all-in-one financial app helps younger generations start investing earlier.
- Bonus: Get $20 to start through the end of 2022*
Pros:
- Robo-advisor with affordable fees (on larger portfolios)
- Fixed fee model
- Round-Ups
Cons:
- High fixed fees for small balances
- No self-directed investing options
2. Stash
- Available via desktop, Apple iOS and Android App on Google Play
- Best For: Young investors looking for a complete personal finance platform
- Sign up here
Stash is a mobile-friendly personal finance app that comes paired with investing options and a checking account. Stash acts as a low-cost, all-in-one financial platform.
It caters to hands-off investors looking to automate their investing as you spend money and make recurring deposits into your account.
Stash comes with a recurring monthly fee, therefore disqualifying it as a true free stock trading platform. While it does charge a monthly account service fee for its full-suite of products, it does not charge trading commissions for your investment holdings.
4.6
Growth: $3/mo. Stash+: $9/mo.
- Stash is a personal finance app that simplifies investing, making it easy and affordable for everyday Americans to build wealth and achieve their financial goals.
- Earn Stock-Back® rewards on every eligible debit card purchase.
- If you sign up and make a $5 deposit, Stash will also provide a $5 sign-up bonus.
Pros:
- Robo-advisor with self-directed investing capability
- Fractional shares
- Offers values-based investment options
- Get paid up to two days early when you direct deposit pay into your Stash account
Cons:
- Charges monthly fee
- Smart Portfolios don’t offer tax-loss harvesting
Best App For Trading – Best Stock Market App with Their Trading Charges
| Stock Broker | Trading Charges |
| Zerodha App | ₹20/trade |
| Upstox App | ₹20/trade |
| Angel One App | ₹20/trade |
| Groww App | 0.05% or ₹20/trade |
| 5paisa App | ₹20/trade |
| Aliceblue App | ₹15/trade |
| Paytm Money App | ₹10/trade |
| IIFL Securities App | ₹20/trade |
| Edelweiss App | ₹10/trade |
| ICICI Direct App | ₹20/trade |
Parameters to consider while choosing the Best trading app in India
- Reliability
- World Class Features
- Easy & User Friendly Interface
- Price charged by that app
- Superfast trading speed
Compare Best Stock Market Apps in India
| App Name | Top Features | Charges | Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zerodha Kite | Being an all-in-one stock trading solution | 0 brokerage for equity delivery trades | 5/5 |
| Angel Broking | Best for Beginners | 0 Brokerage charges on Delivery Trade & Trade across all segments. | 5/5 |
| Upstox Pro App | Instant investing | 0 commission on trade in stocks, mutual funds and digital gold | 4.8/5 |
| Groww App | Many tradable options | 20 or 0.05% (whichever is lower) per executed trade brokerage charges | 4.6/5 |
| 5paisa online trading app | Auto investing | 20 per trade brokerage charges | 4.6/5 |
| Sharekhan App | Best for Active traders | 0.50% or 10 paise per share or 16 per scrip (Whichever is higher). | 4.6/5 |