Top 10 Best Investment Apps in 2022

Investment apps let you trade stocks and shares as well as manage your portfolio via a mobile device. This page picks the best investment apps for all levels of experience.

Stock investing apps have soared in popularity over the last couple of years. More investments are made on mobile phones than ever before and the process is easier than ever as well. We have sourced expert opinion to help us find the best investment apps and compared the results to guide you towards the right platform.

What is the best investment app?

Our experts’ picks for the best investment apps available today are listed in the table below. Use the links to sign up straight away, or keep reading for more recommendations that are tailored to different investing styles.

Min. Deposit

£8

Promotion

Invest/buy real stocks and ETFs with 0% commission fees

Over 11 payment methods, including PayPal

Invest for dividends and get payout on stocks on Ex-Dividend day

Pros:

Invest/buy real stocks and ETFs with 0% commission fees

Over 11 payment methods, including PayPal

Invest for dividends and get payout on stocks on Ex-Dividend day

Payment Methods

Bank Transfer, Debit Card, Ideal, Klarna, POLi, PayPal, Przelewy24, Rapid Transfer, Trustly

eToro Trading Platform, neteller, skrill

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Full regulations list:

ASIC, CySEC, FCA

eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers CFD and non CFD products. 68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Min. Deposit

£70

Promotion

2154 Different Shares Available

High Liquidity with up to 1:5 leverage

Simple & Intuitive Platform with live shares prices

Pros:

2154 Different Shares Available

High Liquidity with up to 1:5 leverage

Simple & Intuitive Platform with live shares prices

Payment Methods

2C2P, Apple Pay, AstroPay, Bank Transfer, Credit Card, Debit Card, Giropay, Ideal, Mastercard

Multibanco, PayPal, Przelewy24, QIWI, Sofort, Trustly, Visa, WebMoney

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Full regulations list:

ASIC, CySEC, FCA, NBRB

Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 78.91% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and/or CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Min. Deposit

£0

Promotion

Have access to more than 50 exchanges across 30 countries

Invest without commission in US stocks and lots of ETFs

DEGIRO rated among the best online brokers in Europe

Pros:

Have access to more than 50 exchanges across 30 countries

Invest without commission in US stocks and lots of ETFs

DEGIRO rated among the best online brokers in Europe

Payment Methods

Bank Transfer

Full regulations list:

FCA

Deemed authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The nature and extent of consumer protections may differ from those for firms based in the UK. Details of the Temporary Permissions Regime, which allows EEA-based firms to operate in the UK for a limited period while seeking full authorisation, are available on the Financial Conduct Authority’s website.

Min. Deposit

£100

Promotion

Choose over 100 popular stock CFDs

Buy and Sell Stock CFDs with as little as £100

Zero Commissions – no hidden fees

Pros:

Choose over 100 popular stock CFDs

Buy and Sell Stock CFDs with as little as £100

Zero Commissions – no hidden fees

Payment Methods

Credit Card, MoneyBookers, PayPal, WebMoney, Wire Transfer, neteller

Full regulations list:

ASIC, FSA, FSCA, MiFID

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Min. Deposit

£100

Promotion

Licensed and regulated by CySEC and FCA authorised UK Branch

Trade CFDs with tight spreads on big-name companies like Amazon, Facebook, Apple and many more

Pros:

Licensed and regulated by CySEC and FCA authorised UK Branch

Trade CFDs with tight spreads on big-name companies like Amazon, Facebook, Apple and many more

Payment Methods

Bank Transfer, Credit Card, Trustly, neteller, skrill

Full regulations list:

CySEC, FSA

66% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Top investment apps

1. eToro: Best investing app overall

eToro is our best rated investment app. Its wide range of features, security, low fees, and number of assets makes it one of the most versatile apps. Investors can quickly download its application and benefit from the same functionality as its web based platform. 

The eToro app includes over 3000 assets covering a wide range of markets. Users have access to stocks, indices, commodities, forex, and crypto among others. The platform is highly geared around social trading, meaning investors can incorporate the knowledge of more experienced users while making investment decisions.

Sign up with eToro >

68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money 

2. Skilling: Best investment app for beginners

Skilling has the easiest app to use for beginner investors. It gives users a choice of three online platforms and its proprietary app incorporates aspects from each into an easy to use mobile application. 

Investors are able to access a range of asset classes via CFDs including stocks, forex, and commodities. One of Skilling’s best features for beginners is its copy trading program which allows novice investors to choose from over 1000 ready-made profitable strategies.

Sign up with Skilling >

3. Plus500: Best investment app for android

Plus500 is a long-standing broker that offers features best suited for experienced investors. It is supported in over 50 countries and regulated in multiple jurisdictions making it a good choice for users with large sums of capital requiring more safety for their funds. Its mobile platform is available as both a web-based option and a mobile app. 

Like similar investing apps, Plus500 lets users invest in a wide range of assets including, stocks, forex, commodities, and cryptocurrencies among others. While its crypto offering is somewhat limited, it includes the best known coins like BTC and ETH. Another benefit for experienced users is the use of leverage, which varies from asset to asset on Plus500.

Sign up with Plus500 >

4. Capital.com: Best investment app for iPhones

Capital.com offers an award winning mobile app and thousands of financial assets to invest in. Apple users would struggle to find a better investment app, and it goes well beyond just offering stocks. You can invest in currencies, commodities, indices, and some cryptocurrencies on the platform.

The service is better suited to short term traders, because it offers lots of analysis tools to target that demographic. We still found it to be a useful tool for a long term approach, however. The trading interface is excellent, even from a phone screen, and it was simple to trade as well.

Sign up with Capital.com >

5. Nutmeg: Best managed investment app

Nutmeg is an automated investment app that manages your money for you. All you have to do is deposit money and decide on the sort of investing style you prefer, and Nutmeg does the rest. It’s the best option if you don’t have the time or inclination to pick stocks yourself.

There is obviously an element of risk to trusting other people or algorithms to pick your investments. However, we found Nutmeg to be by far the best option in this regard, because it gives you a lot of freedom to specify how much risk you want to take on, what you like investing in, and even to take more control if you prefer.

What is an investment app?

It is an application that allows you to manage your investment portfolio on a mobile device. These apps can be downloaded to either your smartphone or tablet and are offered by most investment brokers. When using an investing app, you will usually be able to carry out the same functions as a web or desktop based platform. 

How do investment apps work?

They work in a similar way to desktop or web based platforms. To use an investing app you simply have to register with an investment broker and download their app to either your smartphone or tablet. There are two kinds of investing app; ones where you choose which stocks or funds to buy, and ones where you send money to the app and the platform invests it for you.

The likes of eToro or Hargreaves Landsdown are two examples of the first kind. Nutmeg and Moneybox are examples of the second kind, which are more like money managers than investment brokers. With either approach, using an investing app means you have access to your investment portfolio at all times, even when on the go. 

How should I choose an investment app?

Every user will have a slightly different list of priorities when it comes to choosing an investing app, although low fees and reliability are usually high on the list. Below we’ve highlighted some of the key features to consider when choosing an investing app. 

• Fees. When it comes to investing, fees are unavoidable and something that needs to be taken into account. Some brokers charge commissions on every transaction. You’ll also pay a spread (the difference between the buy and sell price). Finding an investing app with low fees can help reduce your investment costs. 
• Reliability. These days mobile applications offer a seamless experience although some are better than others. If you’re planning to use an app to make investments then you’ll want to make sure it’s reliable. When downloading an investing app you can check out reviews on things like the Apple appstore or Google Play store. 
• Assets. The best investing apps give users access to a wide range of financial instruments. Some apps are geared towards only one of two assets, while others cover as many as they can. Things like cryptocurrency investing have risen in popularity in recent times and lots of apps now let you buy and sell coins. 
• Security. Investing apps all have different levels of security, although the best ones offer extra features to make sure your funds are secure. When choosing an app, finding one which offers 2 factor authentication is a good way to boost your security. The best apps also have fingerprint and facial recognition unlocking features. 
• Web and desktop platforms. Sometimes your mobile app may go down, or you could lose your device. If this ever happens you’ll need to make sure you have a way to access your account. A good web or desktop platform will make this easier, so finding an investment broker with good online services is helpful. 
• Operating system. The best investment apps for iOS and Android phones might be different. Check you can download the app through the App or Play Store before you sign up, and make sure all the features are available on the system you want to use.

Should I use an investment app?

Yes, it’s a good idea to use an investing app. Apps make it easy to manage your investment portfolio when not at your desktop. Most people use a smartphone or tablet these days and downloading an investing app can save a lot of time when buying and selling financial instruments. Apps also give constant access to your investments and the ability to make changes very quickly. 

What are the risks of using an investment app?

With any investment there is the risk of losing money. That’s Why the golden rule is to never invest more than you can afford to lose; you can never predict exactly how a stock will perform and there are lots of factors outside of your control.

Apps can be particularly dangerous because they’re so easy to use. When you can invest in a company instantly, wherever you are, it encourages you to make quick decisions without taking the time to research first.

It pays to set some strict guidelines that any stock must hit before you invest in it, so that you make decisions with a clear head rather than emotionally. Use the list of quick benefits and risks below to help you decide if an investment app is for you.

What are the fees for investment apps?

Each app will have its own fee schedule so it’s worthwhile checking before downloading and using one. However you will mostly incur commission charges and spreads. Some apps will charge a commission on each transaction you make, so you may pay a fee each time you buy or sell. Spread is the difference between the buy and sell price of any instrument and will vary depending on market conditions and individual brokers.

Methodology: How did we choose the best investment apps?

We tested all the apps listed on this page to come up with a ranking based on our expertise. Testing an app means that we registered an account, made a deposit, made trades, and withdrew funds. Each description above also includes a link to a full, in-depth review of the app on Invezz.

In addition to testing the apps, we researched each one online in order to compare their costs, fees, and features. We used customer reviews both online and through the App Store or Google Play Store to supplement our verdict. All of these factors fed into our overall ranking.

None of the rankings are influenced by any of the companies listed. We may make a commission if you click a link above and register an account. Find out more information about our ranking system by reading about our review process and how we make money.

FAQs