Best App for Buying Stocks in 2026: 9 Products Compared

Fidelity is the strongest all-round starting point for most US investors. You get $0 commissions on US stocks and ETFs, fractional shares from $1, and a full range of retirement accounts including IRAs, plus research tools that go well beyond a price chart. Customer support is widely regarded as strong, which matters when money is involved.

The main downside is density. Fidelity's app and website carry a lot of features, and a brand-new investor may feel overwhelmed at first. That is a good problem to have, though, since the same account can grow with you from a first index fund to a full retirement plan without switching brokers.

Charles Schwab pairs $0 stock and ETF trades with thinkorswim, one of the most capable trading platforms available to retail investors. Advanced charting, screeners, and options tools make it a natural home for active traders, while retirement accounts and advisor access suit long-term savers too.

Options traders should note the $0.65 per contract fee, which is standard but higher than Webull or Robinhood. The two-app setup can also confuse newcomers, since Schwab's main app and thinkorswim feel different. If you want serious tools with full-service support behind them, Schwab is a close second to Fidelity.

Robinhood remains the most mobile-first option, with $0 commissions across stocks, ETFs, and options, no options contract fee, and fractional shares from $1. Onboarding is fast, the interface is clean, and it covers stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto in one app. For a beginner who wants to place a first trade without a learning curve, it is the easiest start.

The trade is depth. Research, retirement planning tools, and advisor access are thinner than at Fidelity or Schwab, and the $100 fee for a full account transfer out is the highest on this list. Robinhood suits simple, mobile-first investing. Investors who want deep research should pair it with outside reading or pick a fuller broker.

Webull suits beginners who want room to grow into active trading. It charges $0 on stocks, ETFs, and options, includes free paper trading so you can practice with fake money before risking real dollars, and offers advanced charting with dozens of technical indicators. The mobile and desktop apps feel built for traders rather than adapted from a website.

Support is thinner than at Schwab or Fidelity, and there is no branch network to walk into. Webull also charges $75 for a full account transfer out. If low options costs and strong charting matter to you, and you are comfortable learning on your own, Webull is a strong pick.

ETRADE, now part of Morgan Stanley, pairs $0 stock and ETF trades with the Power ETRADE platform and research from Morgan Stanley analysts. The options tools are capable, the educational library is solid, and the app covers banking alongside investing. It is a good middle ground between a simple app and a pro platform.

Options cost $0.65 per contract, dropping to $0.50 for active traders, and a full transfer out costs $75. E*TRADE suits investors who want strong research and options tools without moving to a specialist active-trader broker. Beginners may find the platform choices a little confusing at first, but the core app is straightforward.

Vanguard is still the best home for long-term index fund investors. Its own index funds carry very low expense ratios, $0 commissions apply to most US stocks and ETFs, and IRA setup is simple. If your plan is to buy broad index funds regularly and hold them for years, Vanguard's low costs compound in your favor.

The app is the weak point. Active traders will find charting, screeners, and order types basic compared with Schwab or Webull, and customer service wait times draw complaints. Vanguard is not the app for frequent trading. It is the app for a patient plan executed at low cost, and for that job it remains hard to beat.

Interactive Brokers is the choice for international access and serious traders. Its Lite plan offers $0 US stock and ETF commissions, while the platform reaches more than 170 markets in dozens of currencies, with professional tools, algorithmic trading support, and competitive margin rates. No other app on this list matches its global reach.

That power comes with complexity. The platforms assume you know what you are doing, and beginners can feel lost. If you trade internationally, use advanced order types, or need low margin rates, Interactive Brokers is the professional pick. If you buy one index fund a month, a simpler broker fits better.

SoFi Invest suits people who want banking and investing in one place. It charges $0 on stock and ETF trades, offers both active investing from $5 and automated investing from $50, and sits alongside checking, savings, and loans in the same app. For a beginner who would rather not pick stocks at all, the automated option builds a diversified portfolio for you.

Research and trading tools are basic compared with Schwab or Webull, and advanced traders will outgrow it. SoFi's strength is convenience: one app for money in, money invested, and money borrowed, with a clean interface. If that simplicity appeals to you, it is a solid starting broker.

Public combines $0 stock and ETF trades with fractional investing, a high-yield cash account, and access to bonds and Treasuries alongside stocks. Its social feed lets you see what other investors are discussing, and its research tools include AI-assisted summaries that help beginners understand a company before buying.

The social side is a double-edged sword. Following other investors can teach you, but it can also nudge you toward trades you have not researched yourself. Treat the feed as a starting point for your own reading, not as advice. For a beginner who wants stocks, bonds, and cash in one modern app, Public is a friendly pick.