10 Investment Apps That Make It Surprisingly Easy To Get Into The Stock Market

The stock market may seem intimidating, but modern technology has made it easier than ever for beginners to start investing. In this post, we’ll explore 10 user-friendly investment apps that simplify the process.

Getting Started with Investing

Before diving into specific apps, let’s review some investing basics. Investing allows you to potentially grow your money over time by purchasing assets like stocks and bonds. While all investments carry some risk, stocks have historically delivered solid long-term returns. With smartphone apps, you can buy and sell stocks easily with just a few taps.

Top Investment Apps

1. Robinhood

Robinhood offers unlimited commission-free trades of stocks, ETFs and options. The easy-to-use app allows you to start small without any trading fees chipping away at your income. They also provide educational resources for first-time investors.

2. Stash

Stash makes investing simple by offering premade portfolios of stocks and bonds tailored to your goals. Their app guides you through which type of account you need, how much risk you can handle and enables easy recurring deposits so you can develop smart money habits.

3. Acorns

Acorns automatically invests your spare change in diversified portfolios. Just link a payment card and as you spend money as usual, Acorns will round up each transaction and put your digital change to work in the market. It removes the stress from manually overseeing investments.

4. Betterment

Betterment provides automated investing tailored to your timeframe and risk tolerance. This robo-advisor guides you into smart portfolios made up of low-cost ETFs. With no minimum balance, Betterment allows hands-off, hassle-free investing so you can steadily build wealth over time.

5. WeBull

Offering commission-free trading, WeBull enables easy stock, ETF and options trading via their multi-faceted app. Useful tools, charts with technical indicators and educational resources provide ample ability to analyze potential trades before buying. International traders may also find their global access useful.

6. E*Trade

E*Trade supplies an abundance of investment options, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds and options for independent traders. Their mobile app enables free trades plus tools to research stocks with ratings from professional analysts helping guide your decisions.

7. Fidelity

Trusted for decades, Fidelity remains a top choice for long-term, buy-and-hold investing. Open an account with no minimum deposit and access thousands of funds, domestic and international stocks. Fidelity offers extensive retirement accounts plus valuable research to help you invest confidently.

8. TD Ameritrade

TD Ameritrade provides free stock trades, no account minimums and highly customizable portfolio building tools. Their educational resources empower new investors to expand their skills with virtual trading, videos and online events. Based in the U.S., TD Ameritrade gives you 24/7 help for your investing needs.

9. Merrill Edge

Merrill Edge connects you to investing insights from Bank of America and Merrill Lynch experts. The app enables easy account management, has no minimum, no fees for stock trades and numerous research reports to inform your decisions. These insights can help investors at all levels make more knowledgeable investments.

10. Charles Schwab

A long-established brokerage, Charles Schwab supplies investors with stocks, bonds and funds to build durable portfolios. Their app comes with no commissions, no account minimums and no deposit requirements. Plus clients benefit from Schwab’s analysis tools and reports compiled by expert analysts.

Get Started Today

Hopefully this overview has shown investing is accessible for everyone, not just financial professionals and the wealthy. With smartphone apps allowing easy access to financial markets, beginners can start slowly and learn the ropes over time. Using these apps can help you build long-lasting wealth no matter your starting amount.

Investing FAQ

1. Is it risky to invest in the stock market?

Yes, investing involves risk because stock prices can be volatile and fluctuate daily, sometimes wildly. However, stocks have historically delivered among the highest long-term returns of common investments. You can mitigate risk through diversification.

2. How much money do I need to get started?

Many of the apps listed have no minimum starting balance, allowing beginners to dip a toe into investing with as little as $5 to start. Invest regularly to see your money grow.

3. What if I’ve never traded stocks before?

These apps cater to newcomers, with educational resources to help you learn as you go. Take advantage of tips and digital tools to build skills over time.

4. How hands-on do I need to be?

Apps like Betterment and Acorns enable hands-off investing, automatically steering money into optimal portfolios. If you seek more control, brokers like E*Trade and WeBull give you more customization.

5. What are the fees?

Many of the featured apps offer unlimited commission-free trading. Comparison shop to find an app matching your activity level. Passive investors may want no-fee robo-advisors, while active traders need brokers providing free trades.