That said (almost all trading platforms in Canada offer the exact same features on both their online platforms and mobile apps), so people tend to use the terms interchangeably. As a new investor (you’ll also appreciate having access to analyst reports from CIBC Capital Markets), Thomson Reuters and more to help you decide when it’s best to buy, sell or hold. Notably (TD additionally offers TD Easy Trade), which is its more scaled back, free trading platform. The trading platforms offered by banks that made our list of the best trading brokerages are CIBC Investor’s Edge (RBC Direct Investing), Scotia iTRADE, BMO InvestorLine and National Bank Direct Brokerage. So it’s best to decide your approach first, and then pick the platform that matches it. “
Find the best trading apps that allow you to buy and sell assets right from your mobile device with our convenient interactive finder tool. Check out our review of Charles Schwab, a highly trusted, multi-asset broker catering to U.S.-based and international forex traders. Best known for its mobile trading app, Trading 212 offers an easy-to-use trading platform suite for CFD and share trading.
On the flagship app, the options chain builds single-leg trades only and the multi-leg ticket leaves out net Greeks, so traders constructing spreads are better served in thinkorswim. It is harder to learn than the flagship app, and I could not reach treasury, commodity, or sector data inside it. Pulling a quote for a 3x leveraged ETF, I got an explainer noting these funds reset daily and are built for day trading.
- Unlike many of the simpler stock trading apps featured here, you can actually choose your base currency, 16 are available — and you can use Fidelity to invest in non-US stocks and bonds.
- Now — by and large, most outlets commission-free stock and ETF trades at a minimum, with some also offering commission-free options and/or mutual fund trades.
- NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary (trustworthy sources to inform their work), including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts.
- The company charges $0 for stock and ETF trades — putting it in line with other major stock apps.
Schwab’s thinkorswim mobile app comes packed with powerful tools nested in an intelligent layout that puts the user in control. CMC Markets’ mobile app is cleanly designed and comes packed with research tools (powerful charts), predefined watchlists, integrated news and educational content, and much more. FOREX.com’s proprietary mobile app offers a fluid user interface and a minimalist design that makes trading and managing positions a breeze, and features a host of powerful tools and useful market research. Our researchers open personal brokerage accounts and test all available platforms on desktop, web, and mobile for each broker reviewed on ForexBrokers.com.
Best Trading Apps
Switching to a new broker is quick and easy (and in most cases), the entire process can be handled online. The broker offers a great selection of investments (has excellent margin rates), access to over-the-counter securities, a high-powered platform and a top-notch execution quality. More advanced investors will appreciate the company’s wide mutual fund selection and IPO access.
This is not always the case for mobile clients (even on the best stock trading apps), due to the parameters required to select and execute investment orders. The best stock trading commodities apps allow for complete account management, wherever you are in the world. Ensure that the mobile stock trading app of choice allows for zooming, scrolling and resizing where necessary.
SoFi – US Stock Trading App with Auto Investing
With SoFi® (you can build a balanced portfolio and trade stocks), ETFs and options as frequently as you want, commission-free. Online trading platforms let you invest in securities like stocks, bonds, ETFs and mutual funds so you can build an investment portfolio that meets your goals. Android users tend to have more reliability issues with trading apps. IG (on the other hand), is among the best trading apps for day traders as it finds a balance among these factors. If you are serious about learning trading, IG and Interactive Investor have extensive educational resources that you can benefit from while trading.
Charles Schwab – The leading application for various account types and research
Checking if your stock trading app allows you to directly register your shares is a great litmus test of how legit they are. You may not have heard of the Direct Registration System, but it’s the only way to take full ownership of your stocks outside of requesting physical certificates. This way, you can build the portfolio of your dreams brick by brick, and even dollar cost average (DCA) your way into a highly diversified portfolio despite having low starting capital.
Betterment’s primary offering is ETF-only portfolios that provide varying types of exposure depending on your risks and interest. But happily, it has recently loosened the reins to also empower users to buy individual stocks and ETFs. This is a more advanced trading platform for active traders that boasts even more powerful tools to research and trade stocks and options. It also has a leg up on some platforms by offering $0-commission mutual fund trading.
eToro – The premier free stock trading application for 2026
Use the educational content most of these apps include to learn the basics and research stocks properly. Set up automatic recurring deposits if you’re investing for the long term — consistency matters more than timing. Open the account, link your bank and fund it, or initiate an ACATS transfer if you’re moving from another broker. We then scored and ranked each provider to determine the best brokerage accounts. Leverage powerful trading tools and low margin rates to trade stocks, options, ETFs, mutual funds and bonds.
It’s light on jargon and instead uses straightforward, easy-to-understand language to explain investing concepts in its tips and how-tos. The app is more than appropriate for seasoned investors, but it’s also extremely friendly to beginners. You can use the app as a traditional brokerage account, but if you’d prefer the potential tax advantages of retirement accounts, the Plynk app also allows you to open traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs. The Plynk app charges no account opening fees and lets you start investing with as little as $1.
Vanguard: Ideal for inexpensive funds
It’s fast, stable, and does exactly what active traders need without the bloat that slows other platforms down. UK and US shares trade at zero commission, which is the headline number, but CFDs and spread bets are priced through spreads that are competitive without being the absolute tightest in the market. The platform does pretty much everything, though I’ll admit the mobile app can feel overwhelming on a phone screen, especially compared to Spreadex’s stripped-back approach. The charting is more capable than you’d expect for a mobile app, with TradingView integration available if you want deeper analysis. Pepperstone’s mobile app is stripped back in the best way (there’s no clutter), no promotional pop-ups, just the tools you need to trade.
It’s also a micro-investing app thanks to its fractional shares feature, which allows users to spend as little as $5 to invest. Public.com (which is geared toward Millennials and Gen-Zers), is different from many other investing apps. We’ll note that the mobile app isn’t as great as the desktop version — which remains arguably the best in the business and a mainstay among advanced and professional traders. It also offers better margin rates than Lite, though both platforms’ rates are among the best on offer. IBKR Pro (meanwhile), is meant for advanced investors and active traders.
Check out my full-length review of IG to learn more about IG’s suite of mobile apps. Charts in the SaxoTrader mobile app sync with the browser-based version of the platform. It combines a minimalist interface with advanced trading features (making it easy for users to monitor positions), execute trades, and stay informed with integrated research and market news. Interactive Brokers’ innovative IMPACT app is a great choice for stocks and crypto, and its highly rated IBRK mobile app is excellent for trading forex and CFDs. Day trading is just one way to approach the stock market, and it’s hardly worthwhile for most investors.