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Best Investing Apps: Top Picks for 2025

Investing apps allow you to manage your portfolio and buy or sell investments via your phone. Here are our testers' top picks for the best investment apps available right now.

Feb 7, 2025
Alana Benson
Written by 
Lead Writer
Chris Davis
Reviewed by 
Managing Editor
Arielle O'Shea
Edited by 
Head of Content, Investing & Taxes
Fact Checked
Alana Benson
Written by 
Lead Writer
Chris Davis
Reviewed by 
Managing Editor
Arielle O'Shea
Edited by 
Head of Content, Investing & Taxes
Fact Checked

Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.


The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.

The best investment apps are intentional about ensuring users and the mobile app experience are top of mind. They allow you to invest quickly and easily, review your portfolio's performance and analyze potential investment opportunities.

In our 2025 Best-of Awards, our team selected Fidelity as the best overall investing app. But below, we're sharing the full list of apps that stood out to our testers and scored highly in our analysis.

Most of the apps are from standard brokerages — meaning you'll need to choose and manage your investments yourself, and you can trade a variety of assets within the app, including stocks, exchange-traded funds and options. But two, Wealthfront and Betterment, are robo-advisors. Robo-advisors pick and manage your assets for you for a small fee. They're more similar to financial advisors.

How our team selects the best investing apps

Our full-time investing writers and editors do comprehensive testing of each broker's mobile app, which typically includes opening and funding accounts. In our testing, our reviewers focus on ease of use, available functionality (especially as compared to the company's website and online platform), trading and account fees and customer support. We also note how easy it is to fund an account, how quickly investment transfers settle and any account-linking hiccups.

The apps that make our list must have high scores from users in mobile app stores, in addition to favorable feedback from our independent testing. Below, we've also summarized feedback about these investment apps from iOS and Android store reviews.

  • Over 60 investment account providers and apps reviewed and rated by our expert Nerds.

    More than 50 years of combined experience writing about finance and investing.

    Hands-on testing of the account funding process, provider websites and trading platforms.

    Dozens of objective ratings rubrics and strict guidelines to maintain editorial integrity.

    NerdWallet’s comprehensive review process evaluates and ranks the largest U.S. brokers and robo-advisors by assets under management, along with emerging industry players. Our aim is to provide an independent assessment of providers to help arm you with information to make sound, informed judgements on which ones will best meet your needs.

    We collect data directly from providers through detailed questionnaires, and conduct first-hand testing and observation through provider demonstrations. The questionnaire answers, combined with demonstrations, interviews of personnel at the providers and our specialists’ hands-on research, fuel our proprietary assessment process that scores each provider’s performance across more than 20 factors. The final output produces star ratings from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars).

    For more details about the categories considered when rating brokers and our process, read our full methodology.

Best Investing Apps: Top Picks

BrokerNerdWallet rating FeesAccount minimumPromotionLearn more
Robinhood

Robinhood

Learn moreon partner's site
on Robinhood's website
4.5/5
$0
per trade
$0
1 Free Stock
after linking your bank account (stock value range $5.00-$200)
Learn moreon partner's site
on Robinhood's website
SoFi Active Investing

SoFi Active Investing

Learn moreon partner's site
on SoFi Invest's website
4.4/5
$0
per trade
$0
Get up to $1,000
in stock when you fund a new account.
Learn moreon partner's site
on SoFi Invest's website
Webull

Webull

Learn moreon partner's site
on Webull's website
5.0/5
$0
per trade
$0
Get 20 free fractional shares ( each valued up to $3,000)
when you open and fund an account with Webull.
Learn moreon partner's site
on Webull's website
Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite

Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite

Learn moreon partner's site
on Interactive Brokers' website
5.0/5
$0
per trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Learn moreon partner's site
on Interactive Brokers' website
Public

Public

Learn moreon partner's site
on Public's website
4.6/5
$0
$0
Earn up to $10,000
when you transfer your investment portfolio to Public.
Learn moreon partner's site
on Public's website
View more
Robinhood
Learn moreon partner's site
on Robinhood's website
NerdWallet rating
4.5/5
Learn moreon partner's site
on Robinhood's website

Fees

$0

per trade

Account minimum

$0

Promotion

1 Free Stock

after linking your bank account (stock value range $5.00-$200)

Pros
  • Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.

  • Streamlined interface.

  • Cryptocurrency trading.

  • IRA with 1% match (3% for Gold members).

  • High interest rate on uninvested cash.

Cons
  • No mutual funds.

  • Little third-party research.

Why We Like It

Robinhood is well-known for its excellent app. The platform is easy to use and the interface is clean. Plus, if you invest through an IRA, you may be eligible for a match. Robinhood earns 4.2 stars on both the Apple app store and Google Play.

SoFi Active Investing
Learn moreon partner's site
on SoFi Invest's website
NerdWallet rating
4.4/5
Learn moreon partner's site
on SoFi Invest's website

Fees

$0

per trade

Account minimum

$0

Promotion

Get up to $1,000

in stock when you fund a new account.

Pros
  • No commissions on stock, options and ETF trades

  • IPO access.

  • IRA match.

Cons
  • Low interest rate on uninvested cash.

Why We Like It

SoFi may be a better choice for those looking for a low-key trading experience. SoFi's trading tools may not be as advanced as some of the competitors, but you can invest in stocks and ETFs, access IPOs and experience user-friendly options trading through the app. SoFi scores 4.8 stars on the Apple app store and 3.9 stars on Google Play.

Webull
Learn moreon partner's site
on Webull's website
NerdWallet rating
5.0/5
Learn moreon partner's site
on Webull's website

Fees

$0

per trade

Account minimum

$0

Promotion

Get 20 free fractional shares ( each valued up to $3,000)

when you open and fund an account with Webull.

Pros
  • Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.

  • Easy-to-use platform.

  • Advanced tools.

  • High interest rate on uninvested cash.

  • High order execution quality.

Cons
  • No mutual funds.

  • Separate app required to trade crypto.

Why We Like It

Within Webull's mobile app users can access advanced features, like charts and indicators, price alerts, a paper trading account and voice command functionality. Webull earns 4.7 stars on the Apple app store and 4.3 stars on Google Play.

Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite
Learn moreon partner's site
on Interactive Brokers' website
NerdWallet rating
5.0/5
Learn moreon partner's site
on Interactive Brokers' website

Fees

$0

per trade

Account minimum

$0

Promotion

None

no promotion available at this time

Pros
  • Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.

  • Large investment selection.

  • Strong research and tools.

  • Huge selection of no-transaction-fee mutual funds.

  • High order execution quality.

Cons
  • High minimum to earn interest on uninvested cash.

  • Website can be difficult to navigate for beginner investors.

Why We Like It

The IBKR mobile app is available to both Lite and Pro customers. The app features advanced trading shortcuts, over 400 data columns, option exercise and spread templates, news, research, charting and scanners. Users can create order presets, which prefill order tickets for fast entry. The app earns 4.5 stars on the Apple app store and 4.7 on Google Play.

Public
Learn moreon partner's site
on Public's website
NerdWallet rating
4.6/5
Learn moreon partner's site
on Public's website

Fees

$0

Account minimum

$0

Promotion

Earn up to $10,000

when you transfer your investment portfolio to Public.

Pros
  • Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.

  • Rebates for trading options.

  • Impressive selection of alternative assets.

  • Easy-to-use signup and trading interface.

  • High interest rate on uninvested cash.

Cons
  • No mutual funds.

  • Lack of tools (e.g. customizable investment screeners).

Why We Like It

Public's app makes it extremely easy to learn how to trade options through their Options Hub. You can ask Alpha (powered by AI) questions about any stock and easily manage your portfolio. Public scores 4.7 stars on the Apple app store and 4.1 stars on Google Play.

NerdWallet rating
5.0/5

Fees

$0

per trade for online U.S. stocks and ETFs

Account minimum

$0

Promotion

None

no promotion available at this time

Pros
  • Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.

  • Large selection of research providers.

  • Strong customer service.

  • Expense-ratio-free index funds.

  • Highly rated mobile app.

  • High interest rate on uninvested cash.

Cons
  • Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.

Why We Like It

Fidelity's app is great for beginners and advanced traders alike, and includes real-time quotes, multi-leg options trading, a consolidated version of the company’s research offerings, and a notebook to save ideas and articles from your mobile browser. Fidelity scores 4.8 stars on the Apple app store and 4.5 stars on Google Play.

NerdWallet rating
4.5/5

Fees

$0

Account minimum

$0

Promotion

None

no promotion available at this time

Pros
  • Powerful trading platform.

  • Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.

  • Low options contract fees.

  • Strong mobile trading app.

Cons
  • Limited external research providers.

  • Low interest rate on uninvested cash.

  • Advanced platform not suitable for beginners.

Why We Like It

Tastytrade offers an excellent experience for advanced traders. With its high-powered interface and speedy platform, Tastytrade is a solid choice for active investors. It may not be the best choice for beginners. Tastytrade earns 4.8 stars on the Apple app store and 4.1 stars on Google Play.

Moomoo
Learn moreon partner's site
on Moomoo's website
NerdWallet rating
4.7/5
Learn moreon partner's site
on Moomoo's website

Fees

$0

Account minimum

$0

Promotion

Earn 8.1% APY

on your uninvested cash for 3 months + up to 30 Free Stocks with qualified deposits. Terms & Conditions apply.

Pros
  • Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.

  • No contract fee on equity options.

  • Popular, easy-to-use app.

  • High yield on uninvested cash.

  • Low margin rates.

Cons
  • No mutual funds or bonds.

  • Lower than average execution quality.

Why We Like It

According to one of our testers, Moomoo has one of the smoothest account signup processes out of all the brokers we review. Beginners may feel overwhelmed by it, but advanced traders will enjoy the robust interface with its charts, stats and variety of order types. Moomoo earns 4.7 stars on the Apple app store and 4.5 stars on Google Play.

Wealthfront
Learn moreon partner's site
on Wealthfront's website
NerdWallet rating
5.0/5
Reviewed in: Oct. 2024Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2024
Learn moreon partner's site
on Wealthfront's website
AD
Paid non-client promotion

Fees

0.25%

management fee

Account minimum

$500

Promotion

Get a $50 customer bonus

when you fund your first taxable investment account

Pros
  • Get $50 customer bonus when you fund your first taxable investment account (NerdWallet promotion).

  • Low ETF expense ratios.

  • Daily tax-loss harvesting.

  • DIY and automated investing options.

  • Low portfolio management fee.

Cons
  • $500 account minimum.

Why We Like It

Wealthfront is an excellent robo-advisor that gets high marks in almost every category. For investors who want their portfolio managed for them, this app makes it easy. Wealthfront earns 4.8 stars on both the Apple app store and Google Play.

Betterment
Learn moreon partner's site
on Betterment's website
NerdWallet rating
5.0/5
Reviewed in: Oct. 2024Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2024
Learn moreon partner's site
on Betterment's website
AD
Paid non-client promotion

Fees

0.25%

with a balance over $20K or qualifying recurring deposit. Otherwise, $4/month.

Account minimum

$0

$10 to start

Promotion

Get up to $1,000

when you open and fund a new investing account. Terms apply.

Pros
  • Multiple portfolio options, including customization.

  • Low portfolio management fee.

  • Fractional shares allow all cash in portfolios to be invested.

  • Goal-based financial planning tools.

  • Cryptocurrency portfolio available.

  • No account minimum ($10 required to start investing).

Cons
  • No direct indexing.

Why We Like It

Betterment is a robo-advisor that can help you get your investment portfolio in order. Betterment has a $10 investment minimum, making it easy for just about anyone to get started. Betterment's app scores 4.8 stars on the Apple app store and 4.7 stars on Google Play.

Which investment apps do the Nerds use?

Chris Davis | Managing editor I really appreciate that Webull gives you the option of using an interface designed either for advanced trading, or more hands-off, long-term investing. And whichever you choose, the interface is really good. Toggling back and forth between the two is easy, too. Previously, that biggest drawback of mobile-first investing platforms like Webull was the lack of retirement accounts or any long-term financial planning tools, but that's starting to change.

Alana Benson | Lead investing writer

I use the Fidelity app to keep track of my investments. I like how I can see my workplace retirement plan and my Roth IRA in the same place. I'm a pretty boring long-term investor and Fidelity suits my needs really well. I also like that I can get in touch with an advisor right through the app if I need to.

sam taube

Sam Taube | Lead investing writer

In my experience, Fidelity combines the convenience of a mobile-first investing app with the wide investment selection of a large institution. In the last few years, Fidelity has built a mobile user experience that is almost as smooth as Robinhood or Webull — its app allows you to transact, change your settings and more with just a few taps after logging in. However, it also offers something that those upstart brokers don't: a huge variety of mutual funds, including target-date funds for IRAs.

Summary of reviews from iOS and Android app stores

  • NerdWallet's evaluations focus on data we collect, like account fees, portfolio diversification, features and account minimums, as well as our own testers' experiences. We include two factors that directly address customer service: Support availability and contact methods, and website transparency, which our team assesses by looking for key information on the provider's website, just as a potential customer would. For mobile apps, we also consider the app's overall rating in both iOS and Android stores. But qualitative customer satisfaction is harder for us to directly assess. To offer a more complete evaluation, we've used an AI tool to comb investing app reviews from the iOS and Android app stores. We then evaluate that data for consistent themes, both positive and negative. Due to the anonymous nature, we're unable to confirm these customer experiences as we normally would. The summaries below are based on up to a year's worth of reviews ending February 6, 2025.

  • Let's be real; Robinhood can be polarizing. It's not uncommon for the app to add 500 new reviews in each app store per month, which means this is the only app on our list that required us to limit our analysis to the last month's worth of reviews, rather than the last year's worth. Although Robinhood's overall rating in each store is above 4 stars, user reviews did mention issues with the app freezing or crashing, as well as some issues with the process of verifying their identity. Positive themes include the app's simplicity, ease of use and educational tools and resources, calling it an ideal option specifically for beginner traders and investors.

  • SoFi also gets high marks from app users for its user-friendly interface — here, reviews repeatedly call out the all-in-one platform which can be used to invest in addition to managing bank accounts, loans and other SoFi products. Reviews consistently praise the company's rewards program and customer service. Negative trends center around the app's tendency to push other SoFi products and services, as well as intermittent technical issues like freezes.

  • Webull is another app that has a sleek, streamlined interface that's much appreciated by users — in fact, 55% of reviews mention this, according to our analysis. Users also love the real-time data, technical analysis tools and paper-trading functionality. Criticism typically centers around some of the limitations with that functionality, as well as longer-than-expected wait times to deposit or withdraw funds. Here, too, there are a small number of complaints about the app crashing, freezing or loading slowly. That feedback is most common from iOS users.

  • In contrast to some of the apps above, Interactive Brokers' IBKR Mobile app is praised by app users not for its simplicity, but its comprehensiveness: They like the robust trading features that are available within the app, as well as the ability to trade worldwide across multiple markets. Several mention that it's a good choice for professional traders, but roughly 25% of reviews are critical of the interface and navigation, calling it cluttered and difficult to transverse. There are also reports about difficulties when logging in. Again, feedback from Android users tends to be more positive.

  • Public's intuitive design and interface is called out as a positive by nearly half of app reviewers, as well as the breadth of features — you can invest in stocks, crypto or options, plus earn high interest rates on fixed-income products through the Treasury account. Public is another app that is praised for its educational content. Criticism primarily centers around difficulties withdrawing funds, including long wait times and fees, as well as some technical glitches like slow updates.

  • Fidelity is designed for every type of investor, and generally meets that need well. The app won NerdWallet's award for the best investing app in 2025, and impressed all of our testers. Many users praise the Fidelity app for being easy to use and navigate, with lots of high-quality educational content to help users learn how to invest and manage their money. The app also gets high praise for security features, including biometric login, though some Android users report issues with that feature. Complaints generally center around the interface — users call it cluttered and cite issues with the navigation — and the frequency of updates and changes, which some feel have degraded the quality of the app.

  • tastytrade is designed for advanced traders, so we were surprised to see a number of reviews from beginner investors who were delighted with their experience. That's due to what they found to be a very smooth and intuitive UX. Users also regularly cite the app's data access, customization options and quick execution as high points — something our testers noted as well. Some reviews mentioned technical glitches, including crashes, and some users took issue with the mobile charting functionality.

  • moomoo does an impressive job of combining an approachable UX and navigation with real-time data, news and more advanced tools. Users cite the educational resources and tutorials. Reviews are especially positive on iOS, where users praise the gamification elements and the developers' continuous improvements and updates. On the negative end, customers often cite a long wait to deposit or withdraw funds, especially with certain banks.

  • Wealthfront app users call out the ability to link external accounts, so you can see your Wealthfront investment portfolio and other assets in one place. They also appreciate the automation and high interest rates on savings products, and they find the interface easy to use. Downsides cited include slow load times and difficulties or delays with ACH transfers. Users are especially positive about the Android version of the app, which gets overwhelmingly high marks.

  • Betterment users also praise the app's simple interface and the high-yield savings products, consistently noting it's a good fit for beginner, hands-off investors. Users like the ability to set goals and track their progress. They also call out the security features. However, more than with Wealthfront, we noticed a trend of complaints about technical glitches or lags, as well as concerns about excessive Betterment product pushes within the app.

Which features are most important when choosing the best investing app?

The most important thing to consider when choosing an investing app is how you're going to use it — if you're a frequent stock trader, you might prioritize an app with strong trading capabilities or stock analysis tools. (To see a list specifically focused on stock trading, check out our picks for the best stock apps). If you want to invest but don't want to actively manage a portfolio, an app from a robo-advisor might make the most sense.

How much money do you need to start investing through an app?

At this point, several apps allow you to start investing with as little as $1. But the amount of money you’ll need to begin investing after you open your account depends on the assets you intend to buy — but in most cases, you'll be able to find options you can afford now matter how much you can invest.

What investments can you trade through an investing app?

The investments available to you will vary by broker. Typically, an app from a traditional online broker will offer the largest range of investment options, while smaller apps or start-ups tend to limit their selection. Here are some investments that may be offered through an investment app:

  • Stocks

  • Bonds

  • Mutual funds

  • Index funds

  • Exchange-traded funds

  • Options

  • Cryptocurrencies

  • Futures

  • Forex

  • Commodities

What is the best investment app for beginners?

For new investors, working with a larger, established brokerage like Fidelity is often a good fit — their apps rate highly, and they also offer higher levels of educational support and strong customer service. You might also consider an investing app from a robo-advisor. Robo-advisors build and manage portfolios for you, often using ETFs, so you don't have to choose any investments yourself. On the list above, Wealthfront and Betterment both offer robo-advisor services.

Are investing apps safe?

Just as FDIC insurance insures bank accounts, SIPC insurance insures the money you have in your brokerage account (or robo-advisor account) up to $500,000. This includes investing apps. $250,000 of that total can be applied to protect cash that you haven’t yet invested. All of NerdWallet’s picks for best apps are members of the SIPC. (Here’s more on SIPC insurance and what it does and doesn’t protect.)

Some of the investment apps listed here also offer bank or savings accounts, which are FDIC insured against loss.

Investment apps typically also use industry-standard security measures, including two-factor authentication, hashing of passwords and encryption of personal information.

What happens if an investment app goes out of business?

If your brokerage (app or brick-and-mortar institution) goes out of business, it's highly unlikely that you will lose money. In most scenarios, another institution will agree to buy the investing app or take over its accounts, and your assets will be transferred to the new brokerage.

Can you lose money with an investing app?

Yes, it is possible to lose money through an investment app, but that largely depends on how you invest your money within the app, rather than the app itself. Like traditional brokers, your investment decisions can determine how much money you gain or lose and how "safe" your money is overall. Some investments carry more risk than others — for example, individual stocks or cryptocurrencies are known to be riskier than funds, bonds or Treasurys.

The bottom line: No matter what app or investment company you're using, it's important to align your investment selections with your risk tolerance and time horizon. Generally speaking, many financial advisors suggest not investing money you need within the next five years — most investments should be considered long-term.

Last updated on February 7, 2025

Methodology

For detailed information about the categories considered when rating brokers and investing apps, read our full methodology.

To recap our selections...

NerdWallet's Best Investing Apps: Top Picks for 2025