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Best Stock Trading Apps for Beginners of 2024

Ashley Jackson

If you are starting out in investing, set yourself up for success by selecting an app that provides educational resources and understands your needs. We’ve considered the best stock trading apps based on commissions, account minimums, ease of use, and overall quality.

Discover new ideas from an active investing community

$0

Fee Per Trade

$0

Account Minimum

Overview

Public provides access to a powerful suite of tools, daily insights from millions of investors, and curated content and news, so all members can have the tools and resources needed to invest with context.

What we like

  • All-in-one investing platform 
  • Wide selection of product offerings 
  • Commission-free
  • Insights from an investing community of millions
  • Invest in any fractional asset
  • Live in-app shows about the markets

What we don't

  • Limited account types
  • No in-person customer support

Get up to $625 when you open and fund an account

$0

Fee Per Trade

$0

Account Minimum

Overview

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing offers beginners and seasoned investors free trades and a portfolio tool to help build out their asset allocation.

What we like

  • Unlimited trades with $0 commissions
  • No minimum investment
  • Manage investments from a mobile app
  • Portfolio builder tool to help with asset allocation
  • Access to research and insights

What we don't

  • Limited accounts, such as no SEP-IRA
  • No fractional share trading

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

Copy investments from successful traders

$0

Fee Per Trade

$0

Account Minimum

Overview

eToro is a multi-asset platform that offers both investing in stocks, cryptocurrencies, and trading in CDF assets. It provides an innovative approach to ‘Social Trading,’ also known as ‘Copy Trading.’ Social trading allows users to connect, share their trades, and copy successful traders’ trades for potential gains.

What we like

  • Commission-free real stock trading
  • Offers money and risk management tools
  • A lot of learning materials available
  • Offers a free demo account
  • Copy successful traders investments

What we don't

  • Higher spreads and rollover fees
  • High non-trading fees

Margin trading available with premium account

$0 - $9.95

Fee Per Trade

$0

Account Minimum

Overview

Axos Self-Directed Trading provides investors commission-free trades and an all-in-one solution for banking and investments.

What we like

  • Commission free trading on most assets 
  • Easy to use platform
  • Wide selection of product offerings 
  • No minimum deposit required
  • Extended market hours for premium accounts
  • Joint accounts available

What we don't

  • Crypto not supported
  • Premium account required for certain features
  • No in-person customer support

Offers fractional share trading

$0

Fee Per Trade

$0

Account Minimum

Overview

SoFi allows you to trade cryptocurrencies, stocks, and ETFs. It also uses the SIPC protection scheme and offers up to $500,000 in insurance coverage.

What we like

  • Free trading on ETFs and stocks
  • Offers fractional shares
  • A wide variety of cryptocurrencies
  • Free financial advice
  • No account minimum

What we don't

  • Does not offer mutual funds, bonds and options
  • Limited track record

What do stock trading apps for beginners do?

Many stock trading apps are available that are made specifically for investors starting out. These apps give you access to the same information as professional traders, but they have all the complicated details taken out, making it easier for beginners. Most of these apps will give you some sort of financial news either every day or every few days that you can use in your investment plans. They also tend to keep track of what stocks are going up and down in value, so you can determine if an investment is worth your time or not.

Why use stock trading apps?

Here are some reasons why you should use a stock trading app as a beginner:

  • Practice: If you’re just getting started with investing, practice makes perfect. Stock trading apps give you the opportunity to invest without risking real money until you have more experience with the market and its ups and downs. These are usually referred to demo accounts.
  • Education: Stock trading apps offer educational resources that can help you learn about investing in general and specific stocks. The more knowledgeable you are about investing, the better prepared you’ll be when making buying or selling decisions on your own.
  • Stay updated with news stories: Most stock trading apps provide news stories about companies so that users can stay up-to-date on what’s happening with their investments throughout the day.
  • Trade stocks on the go: You can buy and sell stocks from your smartphone or tablet, so you can make trades wherever you happen to be. More importantly, they let you buy and sell stocks without having to go through a broker. That saves time because you don’t have to wait for someone else to confirm your transaction.
  • Analyze your investment performance: You can track specific companies or entire sectors. It also allows you to analyze historical data about market trends and individual stocks over time using charts and graphs, so you can identify trends in price movements and get an idea of how well an investment is performing over a period of time. You can even set alerts so that when a stock hits a certain price level or crosses a technical indicator like moving averages or MACD histogram lines, it will send an alert directly to your phone, so you can react immediately if necessary.

Are stock trading apps for beginners safe?

Reputable trading apps are built with the security and safety of your trading activity in mind. It has many layers of security and encryption to protect you from malicious attacks. While there is no such thing as 100% safe, these apps are built for the specific purpose of trading, so you can be sure that they are made with your best interests in mind.

All trading apps must abide by a set of rules and regulations set forth by the government and industry associations. They also have their own internal policies that govern how they operate. This means that all your information will be kept confidential and secure within these organizations. Even though the apps may seem simple in design, there are many layers of security built into them to ensure that your information is kept private and secure at all times.

Do I need an ID to use an online trading platform?

You will need to provide proof of ID to open a new account on a trading platform. The provider will verify the information against the information stored in their database. This is done to ensure that you are who you say you are and that no one else has used your details fraudulently.

What are the fees for stock trading apps?

There are two types of fees associated with stock trading apps: commissions and spreads.

Commissions are charged when you buy or sell a stock, ETF, or option. You can think of them as a one-time fee that’s charged when you place a trade. They range from $0 to $10 per trade, depending on which app you use.

Spread is the difference between the bid price (what someone will pay for shares) and the asking price (what someone will sell shares for). A wide spread indicates high volatility in the stock market and vice versa. If you want to buy 10 shares at $100 per share and the asking price is $102.00, then your spread would be $2 per share.

Benefits of stock trading apps for beginners

Stock trading apps can be a useful tool for beginners. There are several benefits to using them:

  • Easy to use: If you’re just starting out, it can be intimidating to get started in the stock market. You may have a lot of questions, especially if this is your first time investing. If you’re looking for something that’s easy to use and understand, then a trading app is perfect for you. These apps are designed to be straightforward and easy to understand so that even beginners can use them without any problems.
  • Convenience: If you want to trade stocks on the go, then using a trading app could be the best option for you. Instead of having to sit down at your computer or log onto an online platform every time that you want to make a trade, all you need is your phone or tablet device and your account information from one of these apps. This makes it incredibly easy for traders who are always on the go or working from home but still need access to their accounts when they aren’t working in an office environment.
  • Start small: Another benefit is that they can help you start small and build up gradually over time as your knowledge increases and your confidence grows.
  • Real-time data: Since stock trading apps are connected to real-time data feeds from major exchanges around the world, you can always stay up-to-date on what is happening in the stock market and how it is affecting your investments at any given time. This allows you to make better decisions when it comes time to buy or sell stocks because you will know exactly what price movements mean for your investments and whether or not they are worth buying or selling at that moment in time.

How to choose the best stock trading apps

You’ll need a stock trading app to help you navigate the stock market. Here are some factors to consider when choosing an app:

  • Define your investment approach: You should start by deciding on your investment approach. Are you looking for long-term growth or short-term gains? Do you want to buy and hold or focus on day-trading? Once you know what kind of investor you are, finding a stock trading app that fits your style will be easier.
  • Type of assets you want to trade or invest in: Various assets can be traded through apps: stocks, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, etc. Some apps offer both options, while others specialize in one or the other. If you’re interested in trading cryptocurrency, make sure the app supports it.
  • Define the account size: If you are a beginner trader and want to start with a small amount of money, then choosing a free stock trading app with limited features can be a better option.
  • Test multiple apps: A good way to find the best stock trading app is by testing different options on your own.