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Our research
Why you should trust us
Sam Levine, CFA, CMT, the lead writer for StockBrokers.com, has over 30 years of investing experience and actively trades stocks, ETFs, options and 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 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:
- Whenever possible, we used our own brokerage accounts for testing. For several brokers, we used a test account that was provided to us.
- We collected 450 data points (25 per broker).
- Took over 200 app screenshots.
- We tested each online broker's mobile app (or multiple apps, in the case of several brokers).
- We met with the product teams of nine online brokers.
How we tested
Our writers maintained active, funded online brokerage accounts for testing. In certain circumstances, a demo account was provided by the broker.
As part of our annual 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 annual 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.
Once our data collection, auditing, and mobile trading apps testing was completed, we entered our final 1-10 opinion scores of each broker's mobile trading app. We then ran all the collected data through our proprietary scoring engine to determine each broker's overall percent score and rating. This final list determined our ranking of the best stock trading apps.
Trading platforms tested
We tested the mobile apps of 18 online brokers for this guide:
We tested the stock trading apps of 18 online brokers. As part of our research process, we took screenshots of each app. In total, over 200 screenshots were taken. Here's our high level take along with full screenshot galleries for each broker.
Interactive Brokers - Interactive Brokers offers three mobile apps available to retail investors and our testing found that each has a unique focus. The IBKR Mobile app is the most feature-laden of IBKR’s mobile app suite. The Impact app focuses on ESG (environmental, social and governance). Lastly, beginners and investors in foreign stock will find a very friendly experience with the Global Trader app. Read full review.
Fidelity - We found that Fidelity’s mobile experience is cleanly designed, bug-free, and delivers a clear picture for its users. While active traders may be left wanting more, for the majority, Fidelity delivers. Read full review.
E*TRADE - Our testing left us impressed. E*TRADE Mobile and Power E*TRADE Mobile are easy to use and feature-rich. We suggest you use E*TRADE mobile for stock trading and Power E*TRADE Mobile for options and futures trading. Read full review.
Merrill Edge - Our takeaway for investors is that Merrill Edge's mobile app is easy to use, great for research and exceeds the industry standard experience. For existing Bank of America customers, the universal account access and functionality make the app an easy winner. Read full review.
Firstrade Our testing found that Firstrade’s mobile app is appealing and easy to use and provides good charting, but overall, its tools are lacking and trail the offerings of industry leaders. Read full review.
Webull - A disruptor in the field, Webull's mobile-first focus and ease of use make it a compelling stock trading app to consider. Read full review.
Charles Schwab - Schwab, a leading full-service broker, provides a consistent and generally enjoyable experience for mobile trading, but our research found that it lacks core functionality in two key areas for active traders: alerts and quotes. Read full review.
TradeStation - Our research found that the TradeStation mobile app is meticulously designed and provides a high degree of functionality. Thanks to Matrix (ladder trading) and complex options trading support, full day trading functionality is incorporated. Traders can also access their TradeStation Crypto account directly through the app. Charting on mobile is robust, clean, and extremely thorough. Read our full review of TradeStation.
Robinhood - Robinhood’s mobile-forward ease of use makes it very beginner-friendly, but our testing found that its tools are extremely limited and leave it well behind industry leaders. Read full review.
tastytrade - We found that Tastytrade’s biggest strength is its desktop platform, but there’s enough tap-happy finger trading goodness on the mobile app to drum up some serious blisters. Tap. You’re long. Tap and drag. You’ve canceled and replaced an order. Tap again. UR out. It’s that sort of an experience. Read full review.
eToro - In our testing of eToro, we concluded that the mobile trading app is similar to the web experience but with less customization. Again, it feels more like a social media app than a trading app. Read full review.
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing - Our research found that J.P. Morgan's bank-brokerage’s mobile app provides clean access to investing as well as education and market news, but it’s very basic and navigation could be cleaner. Read full review.
Ally Invest - Ally Invest scored well in our testing for ease of use, and offers a number of essential trading features on its mobile app. However, as a stand-alone broker, we find it trails industry leaders overall. Read full review.
Tradier - In our testing, we found that Tradier’s app is straightforward and easy to use, but lacks advanced functionality and is not beginner-friendly. Read full review.
Public.com - Though we believe first-time stock buyers will find Public’s app an easy way to start investing, traders and long-term-oriented investors will find it skimps on common features and tools, and some are only available with the premium tier subscription. Read full review.
SoFi Invest - Our research concluded that SoFi’s app is easy to use and navigate, but overall its tools and features are limited. Read full review.
Vanguard - As a broker focused on long-term, buy-and-hold investing, we found that Vanguard’s mobile app, like its desktop platform, is limited in its functionality. Read full review.
» Looking for forex trading apps? See our picks for best forex trading apps on our sister site, ForexBrokers.com.
Tips to choosing the best stock trading app
Now that almost all stock apps offer $0 stock trades, we recommend comparing other features to choose the best stock trading app. 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.
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.
How do I buy shares 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.
- 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.
Can I start trading with $100?
Yes. Nowadays, most online brokers require no minimum deposit to open an account, commission-free stock and ETF trades, as well as the availability of fractional shares. As a result, new traders can start trading with a small investment such as $100.
To compare features and pricing, use our online broker comparison tool.
Best Specialty Apps - Interactive Brokers
| Company |
Minimum Deposit |
Stock Trades |
Options (Per Contract) |
Offers
|
Visit Site |
 Interactive Brokers
|
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.65 |
New clients, special margin rates. |
Visit Site
|
Our testing found that Interactive Brokers is a perennial standout for its powerful flagship platform, desktop-based Trader Workstation. It offers three apps: the flagship, do-almost-everything IBKR app, GlobalTrader, which caters to beginner global stock investors, and Impact, which focuses on environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing.
IBKR Mobile, though perhaps not best suited for beginners, puts just about any tool or feature an investor may want at their fingertips. App highlights from our testing include lightning-quick streaming data, full-featured order entry, portfolio management, and robust charting, with 70 optional indicators and easy customizations. One puzzling drawback we found though is that stock alerts cannot be delivered via push notification and come via email instead.
We also found that Interactive Brokers offers one of the best stock apps for investors who screen for social and environmental issues. Its Impact app is aimed at the growing interest in ESG (environmental, social and governance) investing. Users choose personal values, such as clean water, and identify corporate practices they consider objectionable, such as animal testing or carbon emissions. The app identifies companies that support those values and investors can even “swap” portfolio positions with a single trade.
GlobalTrader, though it’s new enough to be a bit of a work in progress, is a delight in simplicity. It offers the same ease of use as industry disruptor Robinhood, while providing Interactive Brokers’ tremendous capabilities as your investing interests and knowledge grow. GlobalTrader allows fractional shares and crypto trading, and lets you access 90 markets worldwide. Read our full review of Interactive Brokers.
Interactive Brokers apps gallery
Best Stock Trading App for Investors and Beginners - Fidelity
| Company |
Minimum Deposit |
Stock Trades |
Options (Per Contract) |
Offers
|
Visit Site |
 Fidelity
|
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.65 |
Trade at Fidelity. 1 |
Visit Site
|
Fidelity, our top rated Overall broker, offers multiple mobile apps for Android and iPhone devices, with its investing app the primary offering for trading and everyday investing. Whether you’re doing your banking, transferring money between accounts, managing orders or placing trades, our testing found that Fidelity’s investing app is excellent for everyday investors, while novices will appreciate Bloom, a creative app that focuses on saving and spending.
The app features streaming TV from Bloomberg, consistent with Fidelity’s Active Trader Pro desktop platform, in addition to a personalized feed, news headlines and research. Drawbacks: Charting is basic, and the app is not optimized for day trading or more demanding traders. The layout, however, is excellent; and with innovative features continually being added, users can also toggle to a beta experience for a more simplified version. Read our full review of Fidelity.
Fidelity app gallery
Best Stock App for Traders - E*TRADE
| Company |
Minimum Deposit |
Stock Trades |
Options (Per Contract) |
Offers
|
Visit Site |
 E*TRADE
|
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.65 |
Open and fund & get up to $600 or more. |
Visit Site
|
E*TRADE ranks highly in our stock trading app rankings thanks to its mobile app suite for both iPhone and Android devices. The E*TRADE package consists of the E*TRADE Mobile app, optimized for everyday investing, and the feature-rich Power E*TRADE app, which is geared more toward trading.
In our testing, we found that the E*TRADE Mobile has many features tucked away and is great not just for beginners, but more demanding investors as well, with a surprising amount of depth and variety of tools. There are advanced research reports, and charts come with 10 indicators. It’s easy to navigate the app and discover new features.
Power E*TRADE, in comparison, is the best trading app for very active traders. Our research found that the app offers complex orders for trading, including advanced options orders, and more than 100 charting indicators. It’s a high-powered platform with sophisticated tools for active traders, but its modern design and interface make the app easy to use. Read our 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 stock trading apps 2023 summary
Here are the online brokers with the best apps for trading in 2023.
Read next
About the Editorial Team
Sam Levine, CFA, CMT
Sam Levine has over 30 years of experience in the investing field as a portfolio manager, financial consultant, investment strategist and writer. He also taught investing as an adjunct professor of finance at Wayne State University. Sam holds the Chartered Financial Analyst and the Chartered Market Technician designations and is pursuing a master's in personal financial planning at the College for Financial Planning. Previously, he was a contributing editor at BetterInvesting Magazine and a contributor to The Penny Hoarder and other media outlets.
Blain Reinkensmeyer
Blain Reinkensmeyer has 20 years of trading experience with over 2,500 trades placed during that time. He heads research for all U.S.-based brokerages on StockBrokers.com and is respected by executives as the leading expert covering the online broker industry. Blain’s insights have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and the Chicago Tribune, among other media outlets.
Carolyn Kimball
Carolyn Kimball is managing editor for Reink Media and the lead editor for the StockBrokers.com Annual Review. Carolyn has more than 20 years of writing and editing experience at major media outlets including NerdWallet, the Los Angeles Times and the San Jose Mercury News. She specializes in coverage of personal financial products and services, wielding her editing skills to clarify complex (some might say befuddling) topics to help consumers make informed decisions about their money.
Steven Hatzakis
Steven Hatzakis is the Global Director of Research for ForexBrokers.com. Steven previously served as an Editor for Finance Magnates, where he authored over 1,000 published articles about the online finance industry. Steven is an active fintech and crypto industry researcher and advises blockchain companies at the board level. Over the past 20 years, Steven has held numerous positions within the international forex markets, from writing to consulting to serving as a registered commodity futures representative.
1 Fidelity Sell orders are subject to an activity assessment fee from $0.01 to $0.03 per $1,000 of principal. Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk. Before trading options, please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. Supporting documentation for any claims, if applicable, will be furnished upon request.
E*TRADE: *Other fees apply.
*Webull Disclaimer View Disclaimer.
Disclosure: *The $5,000 bonus offer is available with a $1,000,000 to $4,999,999 deposit. Visit info.tastytrade.com/tasty-offer for full details, terms, conditions, and restrictions. Offer expires 03/31/2024. tastytrade, Inc. is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA, NFA, and SIPC.
Securities trading offered by eToro USA Securities, Inc. (“the BD”), member of FINRA and SIPC. Cryptocurrency offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk, and content is provided for educational purposes only, does not imply a recommendation, and is not a guarantee of future performance. StockBrokers.com is not an affiliate and may be compensated if you access certain products or services offered by the MSB and/or the BD.
Fidelity
Merrill Edge
E*TRADE
TradeStation
Interactive Brokers
Charles Schwab
eToro
Merrill Edge
Firstrade
Webull
Charles Schwab
TradeStation
Robinhood
tastytrade
eToro
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Ally Invest
Tradier
Public.com
SoFi Invest
Vanguard
TD Ameritrade
