Table of Contents
Investors today have many options for trading stocks via mobile apps and online platforms. This report highlights the best stock investment apps available in the United States that prioritize traditional stock and ETF investing (and do not focus on cryptocurrency trading). We evaluate each platform on user interface (UI) and ease of use, commission and fee structure, available research and educational tools, customer support quality, reliability, and overall suitability for different types of investors. Platforms primarily centered on crypto trading are excluded (e.g. Coinbase, Binance), allowing us to focus on brokers that are stock-market-centric.
To help you choose the right platform, the table below summarizes the most important features of each app — including trading fees, options costs, fractional share availability, crypto access, and overall suitability. It’s designed for a quick, side-by-side look at how leading stock investment platforms compare in 2025.
Overview
Charles Schwab is often regarded as the best overall stock trading app, offering a well-rounded experience for investors of all levels. Schwab’s platform combines a smooth, thoughtfully designed UI with extensive features and support. It has no commissions on stock or ETF trades and low fees on options ($0.65 per contract), making it cost-effective for all investors. Schwab excelled in StockBrokers.com’s 2025 rankings, winning #1 Overall Broker, #1 Investor App, and #1 Mobile Trading App.
User Interface & Ease of Use
Schwab’s mobile app is praised for its polished, intuitive design that feels comfortable for beginners. Navigation is straightforward, with in-app explanations to help new investors learn by doing. At the same time, advanced traders can access the thinkorswim mobile platform (acquired from TD Ameritrade) for professional-grade charting and tools. Overall, the platform is reliable and easy to use, scaling from basic to advanced as the user grows.
Commissions & Fees
Schwab offers $0 commissions on stocks and ETFs, with no account minimum. Options trades cost $0.65 per contract. There are no inactivity fees. Notably, Schwab does not support direct crypto trading, which for our purposes is a positive (you can only get crypto exposure via crypto-themed ETFs).
Research & Education
One of Schwab’s strengths is its rich research offerings and investor education. The app provides curated research, live market updates, screeners, and even fractional share investing (limited to S&P 500 stocks). Schwab also offers award-winning educational courses that serve as guided learning paths. These resources help investors make informed decisions and improve their knowledge over time.\
Customer Support & Reliability
Schwab is known for high-quality customer service, including 24/7 support and a network of physical branches for in-person help. The app integrates customer support (even voice-activated “Schwab Assistant” for help). As a long-established broker, Schwab has a strong reputation for reliability and long-term support of its clients. (One trade-off: since Schwab avoids crypto, crypto-focused users must look elsewhere.)
Summary
Charles Schwab delivers a comprehensive stock investing experience with an intuitive interface, $0 commissions, abundant research/education, and excellent support. It is an all-around top choice for both beginners (who benefit from its guidance and ease of use) and experienced investors (who can leverage advanced tools like thinkorswim).
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Overview
Fidelity Investments is another top-tier brokerage widely recommended for stock investors. Fidelity provides a balance of powerful tools and user-friendly design, backed by one of the largest, most trusted names in investing. Like Schwab, Fidelity charges no commissions on stock/ETF trades and $0.65 per options contract. It stands out for its extensive research resources, investor education, and strong customer service.
User Interface & Ease of Use
The Fidelity mobile app and web platform are designed to be approachable while still feature-rich. Users report that Fidelity’s platform is easy to navigate and provides helpful touches for beginners (for example, short educational videos and even live Bloomberg TV embedded in the app). It may not be the flashiest design, but it is reliable and intuitive, suitable for long-term investors who want a consistent experience. One downside: the Active Trader Pro desktop interface, while functional for advanced users, can feel a bit dated in look and feel.
Commissions & Fees
Fidelity is a $0-commission broker for stocks and ETFs, with no account minimum. Options are $0.65 per contract. Fidelity notably does not accept payment for order flow (PFOF) for routing trades – meaning it prioritizes trade execution quality over receiving kickbacks, which can increase investors’ trust in getting good prices. There are no maintenance or inactivity fees, and Fidelity offers many no-expense ratio index funds and no-transaction-fee mutual funds, keeping long-term costs low.
Research & Educational Tools
Fidelity shines in research depth. It offers deep stock research tools, screeners, analyst reports, and market news, plus planning calculators and goal-setting tools. Its educational content is top-notch – from basic investing tutorials to advanced market analysis – making investing easier to understand for newcomers. Users can also access rich resources like an extensive learning center and even track things like their credit score in-app. The only critique is that some of this vast content can be “buried” in the interface, requiring time to discover.
Customer Support & Reliability
Fidelity has very strong customer service and support. Investors consistently give Fidelity high marks for service quality. There is phone and chat support, and like Schwab, Fidelity maintains physical branches in many cities. The brokerage’s long history (est. 1940s) and financial stability also contribute to its reliability. Fidelity is considered highly trustworthy and secure, making it a sound choice for long-term retirement investors as well.
Summary
Fidelity is ideal for those who value robust research capabilities, low costs, and reliable support. It’s particularly great for long-term and retirement investors (its tools like automatic dividend reinvestment and zero-fee mutual funds help build wealth over time), and beginners can feel comfortable due to its educational emphasis and user-friendly app. While it lacks a few features like crypto trading or a paper trading mode, Fidelity’s overall package of $0 commissions, top-notch research tools, and excellent customer service make it one of the best stock investing platforms in the U.S.
Overview
LevelFields is one of the more unique entrants in the investing app space because it doesn’t try to be a broker or just another newsfeed — instead, it acts like an AI news analyst that never sleeps. The platform continuously monitors 6,000+ companies for real-world events that historically move stock prices, such as buybacks, earnings surprises, FDA approvals, layoffs, billion dollar contract wins, insider buying, or new stakes from big investors. The key difference is context: when an alert fires, LevelFields doesn’t just say what happened, it shows you how similar events have historically affected that stock or its peers (for example: “When CEOs have bought shares in the past, this stock gained an average of X% in the following week”). That makes the alerts far more actionable than the generic pings you get from most news apps.
User Experience & Features
The design philosophy is “quality over quantity.” Instead of overwhelming you with endless filters, noisy news streams, or irrelevant press releases, LevelFields tries to cut out 95% of the clutter and only deliver alerts on events that actually move markets. Each alert includes backtested data, showing you win rates, average returns, and holding period stats — so you’re not just reacting, you’re making decisions with real evidence. Traders can also customize which events they care about most. For example, you can set alerts only for insider buying and earnings beats while ignoring dividend hikes or layoffs. Alerts come through the web platform, email, or push notifications, with SMS reserved for higher tiers. In practice, it feels like having a personal event-driven analyst watching the wires for you 24/7.
Pricing & Plans
LevelFields runs on a freemium subscription model. You can start with a very limited free plan (1 alert per week, no platform access) to test it out. The Level 1 (DIY) plan is about $99/month (discounted to $299/year) and gives you access to the core platform and event alerts. The Level 2 Premium tier ($167/month and up) unlocks extras like unlimited customization, SMS alerts, weekly analyst-curated trade ideas, and even a coaching session to help you get the most out of the system. There’s also a Level 3 plan geared toward wealth managers who need broader coverage.
Strengths
LevelFields’ biggest strength is its proactive approach. Rather than telling you after a stock has already jumped 10%, it surfaces catalysts that often come before the move — like a company announcing a massive buyback. For swing traders and catalyst-focused investors, that can be a huge edge. The ability to see historical outcomes (win rate, average return, etc.) attached to each event makes the alerts not just timely but educational. Customization is another plus: you can tailor your feed to your trading style instead of drowning in irrelevant headlines. And because it filters out most of the noise, you get a handful of high-quality alerts each week rather than a nonstop barrage of minor updates.
Weaknesses
LevelFields isn’t a general-purpose news app — and that’s by design. It focuses on about 25 recurring event types, so it won’t catch everything. If there’s a one-off scandal, a sudden acquisition rumor, or breaking geopolitical news, it may not surface unless you’re on the Premium tier where analysts sometimes push those alerts. While there’s a free plan, to really get the full benefit you’ll likely need to subscribe, which may feel steep compared to free alternatives. And, like any signal service, not every alert will pan out — some events fizzle, and some micro-cap companies do issue flashy announcements to pump stock prices. Traders still need to apply judgment and basic due diligence rather than blindly following every notification.
Summary
Overall, LevelFields fills a niche that most brokerages and news apps ignore: AI-driven event discovery with built-in historical context. It’s not a replacement for a brokerage account, but it’s a powerful companion if you trade around catalysts, earnings, or insider moves. Think of it as an “opportunity feed” — one that filters the noise, surfaces events that matter, and helps you move before the crowd does. For active swing traders, it can easily justify its subscription cost by helping you catch even one or two good trades a month.
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Overview
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a renowned broker for active and experienced traders, offering an institutional-grade platform with access to a huge range of markets. Despite its rich features, IBKR has a robust mobile app (IBKR Mobile) that brings advanced tools to your phone without sacrificing usability. It supports commission-free stock and ETF trading (with their IBKR Lite plan) and very low fees industry-wide – options are $0.65 per contract, and margin rates are among the lowest available. IBKR stands out for providing access to 150+ global markets and products (stocks, ETFs, options, futures, forex, bonds, and more) all from one account.
User Interface & Ease of Use
Historically, Interactive Brokers was known for a steep learning curve. However, the broker has made strides in improving usability. The IBKR Mobile app is praised for delivering advanced functionality without overwhelming the user. It includes features like customizable trading buttons, complex order types, and real-time data, yet remains reasonably intuitive. That said, complete newcomers may still find IBKR’s array of tools a bit daunting at first.
There is a Trader Workstation (TWS) desktop for ultimate control (with deep technical analysis tools) and a simpler web interface for casual use. Overall reliability is excellent – IBKR is known for its robust, fast trade execution and stable technology (with no major outages).
Commissions & Fees
Interactive Brokers’ fee structure is hard to beat. Under the default IBKR Lite tier, stock/ETF trades are $0 commission. Options are $0.65 per contract (with no base fee). IBKR also boasts rock-bottom margin lending rates if you borrow to trade on margin. There is no account minimum for IBKR Lite accounts (IBKR Pro has a $0 minimum as well nowadays), and no inactivity fee (IBKR eliminated inactivity fees in recent years). Some minor fees can apply for certain global trades or advanced data subscriptions, but for a typical U.S. stock investor, costs are minimal.
Notably, IBKR does allow cryptocurrency trading through partnerships (offering access to Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.), but crypto is not a central focus of the platform – it remains primarily a stock and securities broker.
Research & Education
IBKR provides a wealth of tools for those who want to dive deep. It has screeners for stocks, extensive charting (including hundreds of technical indicators), and unique features like GlobalTrader (for international stocks) and an IMPACT app for ESG investing. Their Trader’s Academy offers courses ranging from stock market basics up to advanced topics (even CFA exam-level content). There are also quizzes, tutorials, and IBKR Traders Insight for daily market commentary.
If any platform can make you feel like a “pro” as you learn, it’s IBKR. The flip side is that IBKR’s research interface can be complex, and some features (like fractional shares) aren’t available for every single stock.
Customer Support & Reliability
Interactive Brokers has improved its customer support in recent years, though it may not be as immediately hands-on as brokers like Schwab or Fidelity. They offer phone and email support, and an AI chat assistant. Customer service quality is generally good, but wait times can be longer during peak market hours due to their large global client base. On reliability, IBKR is highly regarded – its systems handle large trade volumes with stability (it caters to hedge funds and institutions too). Security is strong (IBKR uses two-factor authentication via digital tokens to protect accounts). All in all, experienced traders trust IBKR for its robust execution and reliability.
Summary
Interactive Brokers is best suited for active traders and ambitious investors who want low costs and professional-grade capabilities. It’s a platform you can “grow into” as your skills advance. With unmatched market access, ultra-low fees, and powerful tools, IBKR is hard to beat for serious stock investors and traders. Beginners can certainly use IBKR (especially via the simpler mobile app) but may prefer starting with a more guided platform. For those willing to learn the ropes, IBKR offers room to grow and possibly the lowest long-term costs of any major broker.
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Overview
E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley is a popular brokerage choice that marries ease-of-use with powerful features. It’s a flexible stock trading app well-suited to both long-term investors and active traders. ETRADE offers commission-free stock and ETF trades and $0.65 per contract options fees (standard among major brokers). There is no account minimum to start. With two mobile apps (the default ETRADE app and the advanced Power ETRADE* app), it caters to different skill levels. Overall, E*TRADE provides a clean, intuitive interface coupled with strong research and trading tools.
User Interface & Ease of Use
ETRADE’s primary app is often lauded for its modern, easy-to-use interface. New investors are guided through the basics, and the app includes useful touches like customizable watchlists, price alerts, and a streamlined trade ticket. The design is visually clean and not overly cluttered, reducing intimidation for newcomers. For those seeking more, the **Power ETRADE** app (and web platform) offers advanced charting, technical studies, and options strategy tools.
Power ETRADE is actually based on the acquisition of OptionsHouse, so it’s very robust for active trading. Despite the added complexity, it retains an intuitive layout. Reliability-wise, ETRADE’s platforms are stable and fast; they’ve been industry mainstays for decades.
Commissions & Fees
ETRADE, like its peers, has $0 commissions on U.S. stock and ETF trades, with no base trading fees. Options cost $0.65 per contract (and can drop to $0.50 for high-volume traders). Most mutual funds on ETRADE are also $0 commission. There are no inactivity fees and no account maintenance fees. One limitation is no fractional share trading on ETRADE as of 2025 – investors must buy whole shares (though one can buy fractional shares via Morgan Stanley’s separate StockPile service, it’s not integrated in ETRADE). Also, note that some of E*TRADE’s premium research or data features require a minimum account balance (e.g. $1,000), which could affect very small accounts.
Research & Educational Tools
ETRADE offers strong research tools and educational resources. The platform features screeners for stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds, an earnings calendar, and streaming market news. It provides access to third-party research reports (from sources like Morningstar, Thomson Reuters, etc.) for fundamental analysis. ETRADE’s education center includes articles and webinars that cover topics from basic investing to advanced options strategies. New investors will appreciate the in-app explainers (for example, tapping a term can show a definition) and the thematic “curriculums” on investing basics. In short, E*TRADE’s tools can satisfy both casual investors learning the ropes and power users who need depth.
Customer Support & Reliability
As part of Morgan Stanley, ETRADE benefits from a large support infrastructure. Customer support is available via phone, chat, and email, typically 24/7. ETRADE also has branch locations in some areas, and being tied to Morgan Stanley means you can access financial consultants if needed. Reliability is strong – ETRADE has a long track record with no major platform outages reported in recent times. One thing missing: ETRADE does not currently offer direct crypto trading (which aligns with our non-crypto focus). It also lacks fractional shares, as noted. But these omissions mean E*TRADE is concentrating on its core strengths as a stock and options broker.
Summary
E*TRADE is a well-rounded platform with an appealing interface for beginners and robust capabilities for advanced traders. With $0 commissions, a full suite of research tools, and the backing of Morgan Stanley, it’s a reliable choice for stock market investors. Beginners will like its simplicity and education, while active traders can grow into the Power ETRADE platform. The lack of crypto and fractional shares are notable, but for pure stock/ETF investing, ETRADE delivers a high-quality experience.
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Overview
Robinhood is the app that pioneered commission-free trading for the masses and features a mobile-first, simplified design. It remains very popular among beginner investors for its zero commissions on stocks, ETFs, options, and even crypto, all with no account minimum. Robinhood’s interface is extremely approachable – it pares down complex market data into an easy experience. While not as feature-rich as traditional brokers, Robinhood excels in ease of use and accessibility, making investing feel straightforward for newcomers.
User Interface & Ease of Use
Robinhood’s claim to fame is its clean, minimalist UI that makes buying or selling a stock as simple as a few taps. The app layout is highly intuitive: you can search a stock, press “Buy,” enter an amount (including fractional shares), and swipe up to submit – all in seconds. This simplicity has introduced millions of younger investors to the stock market. The design avoids financial jargon and includes friendly, confetti-style animations for milestones, which some love (it feels encouraging) and others criticize (too much like a game).
Either way, Robinhood is extremely easy to navigate, especially on a smartphone. It’s important to note that this simplicity comes at the cost of advanced functionality – for example, the charts are basic and there are no built-in technical analysis tools or robust screeners on Robinhood. In terms of reliability, Robinhood has had some high-profile outages in the past during heavy trading surges (for instance, in March 2020) – these incidents even led to a FINRA fine in 2021. They have since invested in infrastructure to improve stability, but the platform’s rapid growth exposed some early tech issues. Nowadays, day-to-day operation is generally stable for normal use.
Commissions & Fees
Robinhood offers commission-free trading for stocks, ETFs, options, and a selection of cryptocurrencies. Options have no per-contract fee (one of the few brokers to eliminate the $0.65 contract fee), which makes options trading essentially free of explicit costs – a big draw for active traders on a budget. There are also no account maintenance fees and no minimum balance required. Robinhood generates revenue through other means (like payment for order flow and its premium Robinhood Gold subscription), so the trading costs for users remain zero.
This ultra-low-cost structure forced the entire industry to drop commissions (a win for investors). Fractional shares are supported on Robinhood, letting you invest with as little as $1 in expensive stocks like Amazon or Tesla. For our context, note that Robinhood does offer crypto trading (Bitcoin, Ether, etc.), but crypto is just one of multiple asset classes on the platform rather than the main focus. We include Robinhood here because its primary identity is still stock and options trading for retail investors, not a crypto exchange.
Research & Educational Tools
This is where Robinhood is comparatively limited. The platform lacks the in-depth research tools found elsewhere – for example, you won’t find advanced screeners, analyst reports, or detailed fundamental data on the app. Robinhood does include basic candlestick charts with a few indicators, simple stock stats, news headlines, and analyst ratings for stocks, but these are fairly rudimentary.
On the education side, Robinhood has tried to improve: it offers a Learn portal with articles on investing basics and integrates explainer modules for options strategies and other concepts in-app. These are useful for absolute beginners (written in plain English with minimal jargon). Still, for any serious research or advanced analysis, users will likely need external resources. Robinhood is best for those who value simplicity over advanced insight – it “gets you in the game” quickly, and as you gain experience you might supplement it with other tools or eventually upgrade to a more advanced broker.
Customer Support & Reliability
Historically, Robinhood was criticized for limited customer support (early on, it lacked any live phone support). They have since added 24/7 in-app chat and even a call-back phone support option in the app. However, support may still not be as comprehensive as bigger brokers that assign dedicated reps or have branches. Robinhood’s customer service has improved with faster response times, but it’s largely an app-based support experience.
In terms of security, Robinhood provides standard SIPC protection and additional insurance, so assets are safe (it had a data breach in 2021, but no funds were lost). Reliability concerns peaked during the meme-stock frenzy when outages occurred; Robinhood paid a $70 million fine for those service disruptions and other issues. They have upgraded systems since, and everyday reliability is now much better, but it’s something to be aware of for extremely volatile periods.
Summary
Robinhood remains a top choice for beginner investors or anyone who wants a simple, low-cost way to trade stocks on the go. Its strengths are the zero commissions, extremely easy interface, and quick account setup. A new investor can feel at home immediately, buying fractional shares and learning via the app’s basic educational content. The trade-off is that serious traders or those seeking depth will find Robinhood’s tools rudimentary and limiting.
In short, Robinhood is best for straightforward, small-scale investing and learning, whereas more sophisticated strategies might require the additional capabilities of other platforms. It’s an excellent starting point, and many users keep a Robinhood account for its convenience even as they grow their skills.
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Overview
Webull is a newer commission-free broker that has gained popularity as an alternative or complement to Robinhood. Like Robinhood, Webull charges $0 commissions on stocks, ETFs, and options, with no contract fees for options. It sets itself apart by offering more advanced tools and data than Robinhood, while still being friendly to intermediate investors. Webull’s app has a sleek, modern design and even offers a built-in paper trading (simulation) mode for practice. With features like extended hours trading and in-app social community, Webull appeals to those who want a bit more capability without any fees.
User Interface & Ease of Use
Webull’s interface is clean, fast, and customizable, aimed at users who have some familiarity with trading or who want to learn by doing. The default app dashboard can display candlestick charts, technical indicators, live quotes, and news – a step up in complexity from Robinhood’s bare-bones charts. However, Webull still manages to keep the experience approachable; the app’s layout is logical and you can tailor it (rearrange sections, choose between simple or advanced order tickets, etc.). Ease of use is good, though a complete novice might take a little longer to get comfortable compared to the ultra-simple Robinhood. A standout is Webull’s Paper Trading feature, which allows users to simulate trades with fake money – excellent for practicing strategies without risking real cash. This makes Webull very beginner-friendly in a learn-by-doing way.
The app also supports voice commands and has a “Big Button Mode” (useful for fast trading execution). In terms of reliability, Webull has performed solidly with no major outages reported. It is a younger platform (launched in 2018), but has the backing of its parent company in China (Fumi Technology) and uses Apex Clearing for U.S. accounts, which is industry-standard.
Commissions & Fees
Webull is free to use for stock, ETF, and options trading – no commissions, and notably no per-contract fee on options. This puts it in the same league as Robinhood for cost (indeed, very few brokers offer completely free options trades; Webull is one of them). There are also no account minimums or inactivity fees. Like others, Webull does lend out securities and engage in payment for order flow to make money. One area to note: Webull does support cryptocurrency trading (Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and many others) within the app, but crypto is an auxiliary feature rather than the focus – they include it to compete, but Webull’s core is still stock and options trading.
The presence of crypto doesn’t detract from its stock investing capabilities; we include Webull since it’s predominantly known as a stock trading app that “also has crypto” on the side. Webull currently does not offer mutual funds or bonds – it’s focused on stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto only.
Research & Educational Tools
Webull provides moderate research tools. On one hand, it offers real-time quotes, dozens of technical indicators on charts, Level II market data (for a fee, via Nasdaq TotalView), stock screeners, and in-app news feeds. It even has a social community section where users share trading ideas and market insights. These features give engaged traders a sense of community and additional info. However, Webull’s fundamental research is relatively basic – you’ll get financial statements and analyst ratings, but not the depth of third-party reports that brokers like Schwab or Fidelity offer.
Educational content exists (Webull has articles and tutorials), but reviews note it can be disorganized and not as comprehensive as some larger firms’ resources. For example, Webull might teach how to use an indicator, but it won’t have multi-hour courses on investing psychology or retirement planning.
In summary, Webull’s tools are sufficient for intermediate traders, especially those inclined towards technical analysis. Beginners can learn by using the paper trade and reading community posts, but may eventually crave more structured education.
Customer Support & Reliability
Webull offers customer support via email and a 24/7 in-app chat. There isn’t a branch network or personal advisor support (it’s a digital-first service). User feedback on support is mixed – some report quick responses, others note it can be slow during high volume periods. Being a newer broker, Webull is still establishing its service reputation. Reliability has been good; the platform is stable and transactions clear quickly (they use the same clearing firm as many established brokers).
One important reliability note: Webull, like Robinhood, experienced an influx of users during volatile markets, but it did not face the same extent of trading halts or outages that Robinhood did in early 2021. It has been seen as a more stable alternative during such times by some traders. Additionally, Webull has SIPC insurance for investors and is regulated by FINRA/SIPC, so it’s as safe as any mainstream U.S. broker for holding assets.
Summary
Webull is an excellent choice for fee-conscious investors who want more features than Robinhood without jumping to a full-service broker. It combines a slick mobile-first platform with extras like paper trading, extended hours trading, and social feed. With zero commissions and no contract fees, it’s cost-free to try and ideal for beginner-to-intermediate traders building experience.
Webull may not offer every product (no mutual funds, no bonds) and its research depth is moderate, but for stock and options enthusiasts it covers the bases. In a nutshell, Webull makes a great “next step” up from very basic apps, offering a strong balance of simplicity and functionality for U.S. stock investors.
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Overview
Merrill Edge is a brokerage platform backed by Bank of America (BoA), making it highly convenient for BoA banking customers. It’s tailored more toward long-term investing and wealth building rather than active day trading. Merrill Edge has $0 commissions on stock and ETF trades and $0.65 per options contract, similar to other major brokers. Its key strengths lie in seamless banking-investing integration, strong research (via Merrill and BofA Global Research), and goal-planning tools. Merrill Edge won’t focus on crypto at all – in fact it does not support cryptocurrency trading, one of the criteria we’re interested in.
User Interface & Ease of Use
The Merrill Edge app and website offer a clean, straightforward interface, especially familiar to those who use BoA’s online banking (the designs are integrated). It’s easy to view your bank accounts and brokerage portfolio together, transfer funds instantly between them, and generally manage your finances in one place. The interface emphasizes simplicity and consistency with BoA’s style, making it approachable for beginners and those primarily focused on long-term goals. You’ll find helpful visualizations like “Stock Story” and “Portfolio Story” – features that turn performance data into easy-to-understand infographics. For example, Stock Story might break down a single stock’s fundamentals and recent news in a digestible story format. These UX touches are great for less experienced investors who want context behind numbers.
Merrill’s platform is reliable and benefits from Bank of America’s robust infrastructure. It’s not known for flashy trading gimmicks; instead it feels like an extension of a banking app that also lets you invest, which many conservative investors appreciate.
Commissions & Fees
Merrill Edge offers commission-free trades for stocks and ETFs, with no account minimums to worry about. Options are $0.65/contract. There are no annual account fees for standard accounts. One unique aspect is BoA’s Preferred Rewards program: if you hold assets (bank + Merrill) above certain thresholds, you can qualify for perks like higher cash-back on BoA credit cards and even interest rate boosts on savings. Preferred Rewards also can give discounts on Merrill Guided Investing or higher yields on banking products. Essentially, the more you invest with Merrill/BoA, the more benefits you get across the board – a nice incentive for those looking to consolidate banking and investing under one roof.
Merrill Edge doesn’t offer fractional share trading (you must buy whole shares), which is a minor drawback for small-balance investors. Also, as mentioned, no crypto, forex, or futures trading on Merrill Edge – it sticks to stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds and options, aligning perfectly with a traditional investment focus.
Research & Educational Tools
Merrill Edge leverages the resources of a big bank. Clients get access to BofA Global Research reports, which cover a wide range of stocks and provide high-quality analysis. The platform also has screeners and plenty of market analysis tools. For education, Merrill has built-in tutorials and explainers to help users understand investing concepts and portfolio allocation. The goal planning and retirement tools are particularly strong – for example, the Merrill app/website include a Retirement Calculator that helps break down what you need to save/invest to reach a goal, in simple steps.
This emphasis on planning makes Merrill Edge appealing to those investing for specific objectives (retirement, college, etc.). Where Merrill may fall short is catering to deep DIY researchers: its focus is more on providing curated insights rather than letting you do endless custom analysis. Some advanced topics (like macroeconomic trends or complex option analytics) aren’t as deeply covered in their education center. But for core stock and fund investing, Merrill offers plenty of guidance.
Customer Support & Reliability
Being part of BoA, Merrill Edge offers solid customer support, including phone representatives and in-person assistance at many BoA branches (you can often find a Merrill Financial Solutions Advisor at a bank branch). This is a big plus for those who like knowing there’s someone to talk to face-to-face. Customer service quality is generally high, and Preferred Rewards clients may get priority service. Reliability is excellent – Merrill’s platforms handle large volumes and are rarely subject to downtime. Security is bank-grade. For very active traders, Merrill Edge might feel a bit slow or limited (e.g., its trade executions are fine for investors, but not ultra-fast for high-frequency needs; also, margin trading features are somewhat basic, and advanced options strategies are possible but the interface is geared more to simple calls/puts). So, truly active traders might not choose Merrill as their primary platform. But for the average long-term investor, these limitations aren’t an issue.
Summary
Merrill Edge is ideal for long-term, goal-oriented investors, especially those who bank with Bank of America and want an integrated experience. It provides a safe, user-friendly environment with strong research and planning tools, without any focus on speculative assets like crypto. Fees are minimal (free trades) and the added benefits through BoA’s ecosystem are a nice bonus.
Beginners will appreciate the straightforward guidance and visuals, while more seasoned investors who prioritize a one-stop financial solution will find Merrill Edge convenient. If you’re looking to build wealth steadily over time and value simplicity and reliability, Merrill Edge is among the best stock investing apps to consider (particularly for BoA customers).
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Overview
SoFi Invest (SoFi Active Investing) is a relative newcomer that offers stock and ETF trading with no commissions, and it’s designed with a younger, tech-savvy audience in mind. SoFi (short for “Social Finance”) integrates investing with other financial services – they have banking, loans, credit cards, and more in their app.
For stock investors, SoFi provides a sleek, easy-to-use app that is great for beginners and also attractive to those who want their finances in one place. Like others, SoFi’s stock trades are free and options trades are also zero-cost (no contract fees), which is a standout feature. While SoFi does allow crypto trading, it’s not the core of the platform (just one of many offerings), so we include SoFi here as it primarily pitches itself as a stock investing app with additional benefits.
User Interface & Ease of Use
SoFi’s app is highly rated for its user experience – it’s polished, simple, and extremely straightforward to get started, according to SoFi’s own investing editors. Account setup and funding are quick (they use services like Plaid to link bank accounts instantly). The design is mobile-first and very intuitive, clearly targeted at beginners who might be intimidated by traditional broker screens. SoFi also uses a bit of a social approach: for instance, you can see what percentage of SoFi members are buying or selling a particular stock, and you can compare your holdings with popular investors (this is somewhat akin to Public.com’s social feed, though more limited). One thing SoFi does uniquely is it occasionally prompts users to explore investments beyond stocks, like pre-IPO companies or real estate funds – these can be intriguing but also potentially risky for newbies.
The app does provide warnings and education around those, but it’s something to be aware of (SoFi’s platform tries to be a one-stop shop for various investments). Overall, ease of use is excellent – from funding the account to placing trades, SoFi makes it simple, as noted by reviewers. It feels much like using a modern fintech app, not a stodgy broker.
Commissions & Fees
SoFi offers $0 commissions on stocks and ETFs, and notably charges no fees on options trades – no ticket charge and no per-contract fee. This is quite rare (only a couple of brokers do this) and puts SoFi in line with Robinhood and Webull on options pricing. There is also no account minimum to worry about. SoFi does not charge inactivity fees or annual fees. However, SoFi does impose a few unusual fees: a $25 inactivity fee if you don’t log in for 12 months (easily avoided by just logging in occasionally), and a $100 full account transfer-out fee (common among many brokers, but SoFi’s is on the high side). So while day-to-day investing is free, keep these in mind if you decide to leave SoFi. Another highlight:
Fractional shares are fully supported – you can buy slices of almost any stock or ETF for as little as $5. This makes diversifying easy for those with small amounts. SoFi also has promotions like a 1% IRA rollover match (they’ll give you 1% of the amount you roll over into a SoFi IRA) and if you use direct deposit with SoFi’s bank accounts, you qualify for SoFi Plus, which gives benefits like higher savings APY and unlimited access to financial advisors at no extra cost. These kinds of cross-product perks define SoFi’s approach – it’s low-cost, but they make money by being your broader financial hub.
Research & Educational Tools
SoFi’s investing platform is adequate but not advanced in terms of research. It provides basic stock data, some news, and third-party ratings (from sources like Morningstar and TipRanks). There is a lack of in-depth screeners or analytical tools; SoFi is not where you’d conduct heavy research or technical analysis. However, SoFi differentiates itself by offering access to financial planners/advisors for its members. Even without SoFi Plus, every SoFi investing customer can schedule at least a one-on-one session with a certified financial planner (CFP) to discuss their portfolio or goals. This is a big educational boon for beginners, as most pure DIY platforms don’t give you that opportunity without additional cost.
SoFi also has a lot of educational articles and “Investing 101” content on its website and app, geared toward novice investors learning concepts like diversification, risk, etc. It might not have the sheer volume of content that, say, Fidelity has, but it’s presented in a very digestible way for beginners. For those who want a guided experience, SoFi also offers automated robo-advisory portfolios (SoFi Automated Investing) at no management fee, though that’s outside the scope of active stock trading (it’s more for passive investing). Overall, SoFi’s tools are best for basic research and learning, and it encourages users to utilize the planner access for personalized guidance – a unique educational angle.
Customer Support & Reliability
SoFi provides customer support via phone and chat from 5 AM to 5 PM PT, seven days a week. This coverage is decent, though not 24/7. As a newer company (founded in 2011, started investing in 2018), SoFi doesn’t have physical branches, so support is all digital/phone. The customer experience is generally positive; SoFi has a community feel and often hosts online events for members. Reliability-wise, SoFi’s app is stable and performs well for trading, and because it’s not usually catering to high-frequency day traders, it hasn’t faced serious outage issues.
The integration with SoFi Bank means transferring money in/out is seamless and instant (if you use their bank). As for security, SoFi Invest is SIPC-insured and uses Apex Clearing for custody of securities, which is standard and safe. One thing to be aware of: SoFi’s push into various alternative investments means users should do their due diligence – the platform might suggest or offer things like cryptocurrency (SoFi does offer a range of crypto) or pre-IPO shares, which come with higher risks. But these are optional; the core stock investing operations are reliable and secure.
Summary
SoFi Invest is a great starter platform for those who want an easy, all-in-one financial app with free stock and ETF trading, free options trading, and fractional shares. Its strength is in catering to beginners and younger investors who appreciate a sleek app and the ability to consult a financial advisor as they start out. It’s also well-suited for people already using SoFi’s other products (loans, banking) – having everything under one roof is convenient. Experienced traders might find SoFi lacking in advanced tools, but they likely aren’t SoFi’s target audience.
For stock investing basics, SoFi covers the necessities and then some, thanks to its unique perks like advisor access and no-fee options trading. Importantly, SoFi does offer crypto trading, but that’s just one feature among many – the platform’s focus remains on making stock investing accessible and affordable for the mainstream.
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Overview
TradingView has become one of the world’s most popular platforms for charting, technical analysis, and social collaboration in trading. Founded in 2011, it started as a web-based charting tool and quickly grew into a global hub for traders across asset classes, including stocks, ETFs, forex, and cryptocurrencies. While TradingView is not a brokerage itself, it integrates with a variety of brokers (such as Interactive Brokers and TradeStation), allowing investors to place trades directly from its charts. With over 50 million monthly users, TradingView has become the standard charting solution for both retail traders and financial professionals who want robust analytics in a modern, cloud-based format.
User Interface & Ease of Use
TradingView is known for its sleek, intuitive design that appeals to both beginners and advanced traders. The platform works seamlessly across web browsers, desktops, and mobile devices. Charts are highly customizable, with hundreds of technical indicators, dozens of drawing tools, and the ability to create multi-chart layouts for comparing assets side by side. The UI balances complexity with accessibility: beginners can stick to simple charts, while experienced traders can design advanced dashboards that rival professional trading terminals. In addition, TradingView features a strong social component, where users can share their trade setups, publish analysis, and interact with other traders, making it part platform, part community.
Commissions & Fees
TradingView does not charge commissions, as it is not a brokerage. Instead, it operates on a freemium subscription model. The free tier includes one chart per layout and a limited number of indicators, while paid plans (Pro, Pro+, and Premium) unlock multiple charts per layout, advanced alerts, faster data feeds, and more extensive customization. Data fees may apply for real-time exchange feeds, as some exchanges require separate subscriptions for live quotes. Trades placed through broker integrations are subject to the commission structures of those brokers.
Research & Educational Tools
TradingView offers a wide array of research tools. Its stock screener allows users to filter by fundamentals and technicals, while paper trading provides a safe environment to test strategies. One of its standout features is Pine Script, a proprietary coding language that enables users to build custom indicators and automated strategies. The community itself acts as an educational tool, with traders posting ideas, chart patterns, and tutorials. For beginners, this crowdsourced knowledge can be a valuable resource, while advanced users benefit from strategy backtesting and real-time alerts.
Customer Support & Reliability
TradingView maintains strong platform reliability, with minimal downtime and fast chart responsiveness. Customer support is offered through a detailed knowledge base, community forums, and email support, with premium subscribers receiving priority responses. Because it is a digital-first product, there is no phone or branch support, but its reliability and global adoption make it a trusted tool among traders.
Summary
TradingView is the premier choice for traders who value technical analysis, advanced charting, and access to a global trading community. While it is not a replacement for a broker, it enhances the trading experience by providing professional-grade tools in a user-friendly package. Whether you are a beginner learning chart basics or an experienced trader coding custom indicators, TradingView delivers one of the most versatile analysis platforms available.
The landscape of stock brokerage and investing apps is more diverse than ever, offering solutions for every type of investor. Traditional full-service platforms like Charles Schwab, Fidelity, and Interactive Brokers excel at providing robust account options, deep research, and reliable trade execution. Discount brokerages such as Robinhood, Webull, and SoFi Active Investing make market access more affordable and user-friendly, though often at the cost of advanced tools or comprehensive research.
At the same time, a new class of companion platforms has emerged to help investors sharpen their edge. Tools like LevelFields bring AI-driven event detection that surfaces actionable catalysts. TradingView sets the standard for advanced charting and community-driven technical analysis. TipRanks democratizes Wall Street research by ranking analysts, tracking insiders, and highlighting hedge fund activity. While these platforms don’t execute trades directly, they meaningfully enhance the research and decision-making process when paired with a brokerage account.
Ultimately, the “best” platform depends on an investor’s goals and style:
The bottom line is that there is no single best app — only the right combination of tools. The most successful investors increasingly use a hybrid approach, combining a primary brokerage with specialized research, analysis, or discovery platforms. Together, these tools empower retail investors with institutional-quality insights and execution, ensuring they can trade smarter, faster, and with greater confidence.
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