Best Investing Apps in 2026: 10 Apps Compared

Fidelity is our pick for most beginners because it covers the full journey, from a first stock purchase to retirement accounts, without a commission on online United States stock and ETF trades. Fractional shares from $1 let you start with a small amount, and research, education, and customer support help a new investor learn without paying for advice. There is no account minimum for core brokerage accounts.

The breadth can overwhelm a first-time user, because Fidelity offers many account types, funds, and tools. Start with one account type, such as a brokerage account or a Roth IRA, and one simple plan, such as regular ETF purchases. Fidelity suits a long-term investor who wants low costs plus room to grow, not a trader who wants the flashiest mobile app.

Charles Schwab is a close alternative to Fidelity for investors who want a full-service broker at DIY prices. It offers $0 commissions on online United States stock and ETF trades, no minimum to open a brokerage account, and support by phone, online, and in branches. That support matters for a retirement saver who wants help with an IRA rollover or a tax question.

Schwab tools feel more traditional than the newest mobile apps, and the app is less playful than Robinhood. That is a strength for a long-term investor who values stability and support over social features. If you want a broker you can call, with retirement accounts and research, Schwab is a strong pick.

Robinhood is the most mobile-first app on this list, with a simple design that makes a first trade fast. It offers $0 commissions on stock and ETF trades, fractional shares from $1, and options trading with no contract fee in its standard offering. For a beginner who wants to learn by doing small trades, Robinhood removes many barriers.

The simplicity has a cost. Research, retirement planning tools, and education are thinner than at Fidelity or Schwab, and the app design can encourage frequent trading, which is risky for a long-term plan. Robinhood Gold, at $5 per month, adds features such as a higher instant deposit limit and research, but it is optional. Use Robinhood for simple mobile investing, and pair it with a written plan to avoid impulsive trades.

Vanguard suits investors who want low-cost index funds and a simple retirement plan. It offers $0 commissions on online United States stock and ETF trades, and its own index funds are known for low expense ratios, which matter more over decades than a flashy app. IRA options are straightforward, which helps a first-time retirement saver.

The app and website feel plain compared with Robinhood or Public, and active trading tools are limited. Vanguard is not the pick for a day trader or a social investor. For a long-term investor who will buy index funds regularly and leave them alone, Vanguard is a strong, low-cost choice. This is not financial advice; check fund expense ratios and account terms before you invest.

Webull suits an investor who wants pro-level charts, data, and practice trading for free. It offers $0 commissions on stock, ETF, and options trades, plus paper trading with virtual money, so a beginner can practice without risking real cash. Advanced charts, screeners, and extended hours trading appeal to active traders who outgrow a simple app.

That depth can overwhelm a first-time investor, and the focus on active trading can encourage too many trades. Webull is a good second app for learning and practice, and a good primary app for an active trader who wants data. For a long-term buy-and-hold investor, Fidelity, Schwab, or Vanguard will feel calmer and simpler.

SoFi Invest suits a user who wants investing alongside banking, loans, and budgeting in one app. Active investing starts from $5, automated investing starts from $50, and stock and ETF commissions are $0. That combination helps a young professional who wants one financial app for several needs, rather than a separate broker, bank, and loan app.

Research and advanced trading tools are thinner than at Fidelity, Schwab, or Webull, and SoFi automated portfolios still carry underlying fund costs. SoFi is a good pick for a simple, all-in-one start, especially for automated investing. If you later want deeper research or a wider fund choice, you can keep SoFi for banking and open a specialist broker account.

Acorns helps people who struggle to save by rounding up purchases and investing the spare change into a diversified portfolio. That habit is powerful, because it turns everyday spending into regular investing without a large monthly decision. Acorns also offers checking, retirement, and family accounts on higher tiers, which suit a household that wants one simple system.

The fee needs care. Acorns Bronze starts at $4 per month, which is $48 per year. On a $1,000 balance, that is 4.8 percent per year before fund costs, which is high. On a larger balance, the percentage drops, but a percentage-based robo-advisor may still cost less. Acorns suits a beginner who needs a habit more than a low fee, and who will grow the balance steadily.

Betterment is a robo-advisor that builds and manages a diversified portfolio based on your goals, risk level, and time horizon. It rebalances, reinvests dividends, and offers tax-loss harvesting on qualifying plans, which saves a hands-off investor from daily decisions. Goal-based planning helps a saver link an account to retirement, a house deposit, or a general investing goal.

Pricing starts at $5 per month, or 0.25 percent per year with a qualifying balance or monthly deposits, so check which tier applies to you. A flat $5 per month is $60 per year, which is high on a small balance. Betterment suits an investor who wants a managed portfolio and will fund it regularly, not someone with a very small, one-off balance.

Public combines a brokerage app with a social feed, where users can follow other investors, see what they buy, and discuss ideas. It offers $0 commissions on stock and ETF trades, fractional shares from $1, and access to stocks, ETFs, bonds, and other assets in one app. For a beginner who learns by watching others, that social layer can make investing less lonely.

Social investing carries a risk. Following another user is not a plan, and popular trades can be wrong. Use Public to learn and to compare ideas, not to copy trades without research. Public suits a mobile investor who wants community and multi-asset access, while Fidelity or Schwab suit an investor who wants research and retirement depth first.

M1 Finance lets you build a Pie, which is a portfolio of stocks and ETFs with target percentages, then automates purchases to keep those targets. Self-directed brokerage accounts carry no commissions, and recurring investments help a long-term investor buy regularly without manual trades. That structure suits a DIY investor who wants automation without handing control to a robo-advisor.

M1 uses trading windows rather than instant intraday trading for most orders, so it is not suited to active day trading. Advanced charting and research are thinner than Webull. M1 suits a long-term investor who knows what to own, wants automation, and will invest regularly. For a hands-off investor who wants a managed portfolio, Betterment or SoFi automated investing may fit better.