Optional:
If you want to learn more about day trading platforms, you can read our dedicated article here.
Top Apps for Stock Trading:
eToro: Best Application for Beginners
Degiro: Best for low brokerage fees for trading stock market assets
Interactive Brokers: Best overall
TradeStation: Best App for Active Traders
Tastyworks: Best suited for option traders
AvaTrade: Best Application for Charting
TD Ameritrade: Best All-rounder
Before jumping into the list of the best apps for stock trading, let's first discuss what a stock trading app is. In simple words, a stock trading app is an online platform that allows you to trade stocks. Moreover, stock trading is the practice of buying and selling stocks to capitalize on the price fluctuations in the short term. It means that stock traders try to earn profit in the next hour, week, or month by frequently buying and selling instead of holding the stock for years. Essentially there are two main types of stock trading which are as follows:
● Active Trading: In this type of stock trading, an investor places at least ten trades in a single month.
● Day Trading: In day trading, an investor places at least four trades in the span of five business days, and it must also be more than six percent of the investor's total activity.
Optional:
If you want to learn more about day trading platforms, you can read our dedicated article here.
1. Register at tradersunion.com website.
2. Open an account with a broker from Traders Union ratings list.
3. Add the number of your account to your Personal Area at Traders Union website.
4. Get the cashback of commission for each trade.
Here are our seven best apps for stock trading that you can choose. Keep in mind that it’s important to read all the apps along with their features and fee structure so that you can make the right decision to meet your both short-term and long-term investing goals.
1
eToro is also one of the safest and most efficient applications for stock trading. It also offers a seamless and fast account opening experience. It's one of the pioneer apps, and it has been working and expanding successfully since 2007. The cost of using this application is also very low, and the minimum transaction limit is 125 dollars.
Account minimum: 200 dollars
Withdrawal fee amount: 5 dollars
Regulated by CySEC, FCA, ASIC, etcetera
Supports 1 base currency
Offers Stock, Forex, CFD, ETF, Crypto
Offers demo account
Users can deposit through an electronic wallet
Takes only one day to open the account
Offers 15 different types of cryptocurrencies
👍 Pros
• Low trading fees
• Free stock trading
• Low CFD and forex fees
👎 Cons
• High non-trading fees
2
DEGIRO is a low-cost brokerage platform that offers a wide range of investment options, making it suitable for various types of investors. The platform is regulated by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and the Dutch Central Bank (DNB). DEGIRO charges competitive commission rates, making it an attractive choice for cost-conscious investors.
The platform provides access to over 50 international stock exchanges, allowing investors to diversify their portfolios. DEGIRO's user-friendly platform is intuitive and easy to navigate. However, it is important to note that DEGIRO does not offer major assets like Forex and CFDs, which may limit the investment options for some traders.
Additionally, DEGIRO's prices are delayed by 15 minutes, which may be a drawback for investors who require real-time market data. Overall, DEGIRO is a reputable and trustworthy broker for European investors.
Low-cost trading fees
Wide range of investment options
Regulated by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and the Dutch Central Bank (DNB)
Access to over 50 international stock exchanges
User-friendly platform
👍 Pros
• Competitive commission rates
• User-friendly platform
• Regulated and trustworthy
• Wide range of investment options
👎 Cons
• Limited asset portfolio
• Delayed prices by 15 minutes
3
When it comes to your overall stock trading experience, Interactive Brokers takes the lead. The mobile app that the company offers allows you to open new positions and assess the stock market on the fly. It comes with a wide range of indicators, responsive and informative charts, and impressive research tools. Interactive Brokers is undoubtedly a step ahead as compared to all the other mobile apps for stock trading.
Commission: 4 dollars in total (2 dollars when opening a position and 2 dollars while closing)
Account minimum: 10 dollars
Withdrawal fee amount: 0.00 dollars
Regulated by SEC and FCA
Charting offers around 300 technical indicators.
Supports staggering 22 different base currencies
Comes with a demo account
Advance strategy testing features
Tons of educational material
Notification and alerts
👍 Pros
• Low trading fees
• User-friendly, fast, and responsive application
• Great research tools
👎 Cons
• High forex fees
• Fewer features on the mobile app as compared to desktop or web version
• Complicated registration process
4
TradeStation is one of the leading applications in the stock trading industry. One of the best things about this application is its safety and security features. It also comes with low fee levels and offers real-time stock market updates, which makes it the best app for technically-minded and active traders.
Commission: 0.00 dollars per trade
Account minimum: 2,000 dollars for margin accounts, 5,000 dollars for futures accounts
Withdrawal fee amount: 0.00 dollars
Regulated by FINRA and SEC
Real-time market updates and Dynamic research tools
Supports 9 base currencies
Customizable charting
Offers demo account
👍 Pros
• Range of educational tools
• Low fees
• Reliable and fast and responsive app
👎 Cons
• Customer service is relatively weaker
• Withdrawal and deposit operations are a little difficult
5
Tastyworks is the best for people who are looking for an application that offers the best options trading experience. It performs all the promised functionalities in the most efficient and effective manner. You must be wondering why it’s on this list if it’s best for options trading. That’s because you can find many options which are based on the movements of stock prices.
Commission: 0.00 dollar per trade
Account minimum: 0.00 dollar
Withdrawal fee amount: 0.00 dollar
Regulated by SEC, ASIC, FINRA, etcetera
Supports 1 base currency
Offers multiple account types
Offers Options, Stock, Futures, ETF
Great research tools
👍 Pros
• Low trading fees
• No inactivity fees
• Low ETF and stock fees
👎 Cons
• Doesn’t offer a demo account
6
AvaTrade was launched back in 2006 when it was known as AvaFX at that time. The account minimum to start investing in this application is 100 US dollars, and the educational and informative material that this platform offers allows the users to get up to speed very quickly. Other than the application, the company also offers a dedicated website for research and educational purposes that contains tons of videos, courses, articles, and market analysis.
Commission: 0 dollar per trade
Account minimum: 100 dollars
Withdrawal fee amount: 0 dollar
Fast research and education tools
Regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland
Offers demo account
Supports five different base currencies
Offers stocks, crypto, forex, and CFDs
👍 Pros
• Great research and education features
• Free deposit & withdrawal options
• Fast trading execution
👎 Cons
• High inactivity fees
• Average forex fees
7
TD Ameritrade offers two different applications to its users, which are Thinkorswim Mobile and TD Ameritrade Mobile. Both of them are great for stock trading. If you want basic trading experience, then we recommend you go with TD Ameritrade Mobile App.
Commission: 0.00 dollar per trade
Account minimum: 0.00 dollars
Withdrawal fee amount: 0 dollar
Regulated by CFTC, FINRA, SEC
Offers demo account
You can trade Stock, Forex ETF, Bond, Fund, Futures, Options, Crypto
Charges no inactivity fee
Takes 1-3 days for account opening
👍 Pros
• Low trading fee
• Great customer support
• Great mobile application trading experience
👎 Cons
• Offers only the US markets
• No credit or debit cards and no electronic wallet is supported for depositing money
Name | Approves Clients From | Commissions | Account Minimum | App Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. eToro Best application for beginners |
Approves Clients From: Globally | Commissions: 1 dollar per trade | Account Minimum: 200 dollars | App Rating: 5.0 |
2. DEGIRO |
Approves Clients From: accepted clients from most European countries, including the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) countries, as well as some non-EU countries like Switzerland and Norway | Commissions: for UK stocks (£2.75 per trade) (£1.75 commission fee & £1 handling fee) | Account Minimum: $1 | App Rating: 4.6 |
3. Interactive Brokers Best overall |
Approves Clients From: Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America | Commissions: 4 in total ($2 while opening a position and $2 when closing) | Account Minimum: $10 | App Rating: 4.5 |
4. TradeStation Best App for Active Traders |
Approves Clients From: Malaysia, United Kingdom | Commissions: 0.00 dollars per trade | Account Minimum: 2,000 dollars for margin accounts, 5,000 dollars for futures accounts | App Rating: 4.7 |
5. Tastyworks Best suited for option traders |
Approves Clients From: Mostly the whole world | Commissions: 0.00 dollars per trade | Account Minimum: 0.00 dollars | App Rating: 4.0 |
6. AvaTrade Best for charting |
Approves Clients From: Globally | Commissions: 0.00 dollars per trade | Account Minimum: 100 dollars | App Rating: 4.5 |
7. TD Ameritrade Best All-rounder |
Approves Clients From: The United States, China, Singapo- re, Hong Kong, and Malaysia | Commissions: 0.00 dollars per trade | Account Minimum: 0.00 dollars | App Rating: 4.9 |
Other than the apps that we have mentioned above in detail, there are also some other brokerages that you can use. Here are some of our honorable mentions, along with the reason as to why you should choose them
TradingView: Best for Researching
If you’re looking for the best stock trading app for research and education purposes, then there is no better option than TradingView. It offers tons of features that you can easily access from your profile's main page, even on your basic account.
Commission: 0.00 dollars per trade
Account minimum: 0.00 dollars
RobinHood: Best Low Cost
RobinHood is a low-cost trading application that is also known as a zero-fee discount broker. It offers fully digital and easy account opening and offers multiple account types. If you want to start trading with the least possible amount, then this app is your best choice.
Commission: 0.00 dollars per trade
Account minimum: 0.00 dollars
Wealthfront: Best Automated Functionality
If you’re looking for a stock trading app that offers the best automation, then you should go for Wealthfront. It’s a complete package that offers seamless investing, banking, planning, and goal-setting experience, all within a single user-friendly and elegant mobile app.
Commission: 0.00 dollars per trade
Account minimum: 500 dollars
Ally: Best for Banking Products
If you’re interested in banking products, then Ally could be a great option as it offers an investing/bank combo. Although it’s not the best when it comes to diverse and advanced features, it covers almost all of your investing needs.
Commission: 0.00 dollars per trade
Account minimum: 0.00 dollars
There are many important factors that you need to consider before choosing the best application for stocks. Here we have listed the most important ones that will help you to make your selection procedure easy.
Figure out your goals and requirements.
The first and probably the most important thing is to list down your personal needs. For example, if you’re beginner trading stocks then you’ll need an app for a stock market that offers educational and research material.
Narrow down the list.
Once you have a list that contains all your investing needs, the next step is to find some of the most reputable applications that match your list.
Compare the candidate applications.
Now, you need to compare all the features and tools that each candidate application offers. You also need to compare their pricing and fee structure to make sure that you finalize the best app for buying stocks.
Test the finalized application(s).
Keep in mind that it’s better to have two or three final candidate applications that you want to test. Most of the applications offer a free demo account that you can use to test all the offered functionalities. This way, you'll figure out the best app for trading that perfectly fulfills everything you need.
These are some of the most important considerations that you need to keep in mind before choosing the best application for stocks.
Pro Tip:
it’s also vital to test the customer service of the brokerage application you’re interested in. Never choose an application that doesn’t offer a great customer care experience because you don’t want your queries lingering on for a long time once you’re in the middle of your stock trading.
With the advent of mobile technology, stock trading has never been more accessible. It's essential, however, to approach it with the right strategy and tools to ensure success. Here are a few tips for successful stock trading with apps in 2023:
Just like traditional trading, successful stock trading using apps relies heavily on implementing a well-planned and tested strategy. Trading without a clear strategy is akin to gambling; you might win a few trades, but you're likely to lose money in the long run. Use the app to test your strategies, take advantage of its features like back-testing and use its data to refine your approach.
Even the best trading strategy cannot predict market fluctuations with 100% accuracy. Therefore, it's crucial to practice risk management. Decide on a risk-reward ratio that you're comfortable with and stick to it. Many trading apps allow you to set stop-loss and take-profit levels, which can automate this process.
The financial market is affected by numerous factors, including geopolitical events, economic indicators, and corporate news. Hence, staying informed about these developments can give you an edge in predicting market trends. Most trading apps have built-in news and alert features (free alerts or paid) that you can customize to receive updates about the assets you're interested in
Take advantage of the social trading features offered by many apps. These allow you to follow and learn from successful traders and experts in the field. Some apps even let you copy the trades of experienced traders automatically. Just remember to use this feature responsibly and always do your own research.
Most trading apps come with a variety of educational resources, including tutorials, webinars, and articles about trading strategies and market analysis. Make sure to take full advantage of these resources to continually improve your trading skills.
Traders should consider stock trading costs because they directly impact their profitability, as high fees can erode potential gains. Free stock trading apps can help by eliminating commission fees, enabling traders to execute trades without incurring significant expenses, thus maximizing their returns.
Matt Frankel, who is a certified financial planner, suggests that Interactive Brokers stands out in offering stock trading services. Not only does it offer the lowest possible margin rates and commissions, but it's also a robust and solid stock trading application. You can get your hands on it regardless of the level of your expertise. He also suggests that if the best option for you is:
● You want to keep a large balance.
● You want to keep your expenses low
● You want to use margin
● If you don’t want to hold the stocks for a long time
Matt Frankel,
CFP: Interactive Brokers
You can even buy a fractional share which is less than one full share. It means that you’re not restricted to any minimum number of shares to buy.
There is no solid answer to this question as it depends upon your current situation. You can consider the following to find the right answer.
● How much money can you spare on investing?
● Whether you want to put all your investments into the desired stock or you’re looking forward to diversifying your portfolio.
● If there are any online brokerage or commission fees that you need to pay.
Yes, it's one of the most important factors to become a successful investor. Not only does it minimize the risk factor, but it also allows you to generate more returns.
According to critics and experts, online trading is not only safe as all your transactions are protected, but it also makes your stock trading experience more effective and efficient. But one thing that you need to keep in mind is to choose a reliable and reputable online stock trading application.
Chinmay Soni is a financial analyst with more than 5 years of experience in working with stocks, Forex, derivatives, and other assets. As a founder of a boutique research firm and an active researcher, he covers various industries and fields, providing insights backed by statistical data. He is also an educator in the field of finance and technology.
As an author for Traders Union, he contributes his deep analytical insights on various topics, taking into account various aspects.
Dr. BJ Johnson is a PhD in English Language and an editor with over 15 years of experience. He earned his degree in English Language in the U.S and the UK. In 2020, Dr. Johnson joined the Traders Union team. Since then, he has created over 100 exclusive articles and edited over 300 articles of other authors.
The topics he covers include trading signals, cryptocurrencies, Forex brokers, stock brokers, expert advisors, binary options. He has also worked on the ratings of brokers and many other materials.
Dr. BJ Johnson’s motto: It always seems impossible until it’s done. You can do it.
Mirjan Hipolito is a journalist and news editor at Traders Union. She is an expert crypto writer with five years of experience in the financial markets. Her specialties are daily market news, price predictions, and Initial Coin Offerings (ICO). Mirjan is a cryptocurrency and stock trader. This deep understanding of the finance sector allows her to create informative and engaging content that helps readers easily navigate the complexities of the crypto world.