14 Stock Trading Apps for Beginners: Brokers and Practice
Want to buy a share, or try an order first? These are different jobs. Compare 13 brokers for real investing and Trading Game for virtual practice, with US and Canadian choices clearly labelled.
We make the apps marked "Made by our team". Some links earn us a commission. This never decides a product's place in a list. How we choose and make money.
UK accounts have separate terms; US fees do not transfer across
Available in
US. Robinhood UK operates a separate service; check its current eligibility and terms.
Costs
No commission on US stocks, ETFs and their options; other fees may apply. Optional Gold: $5 a month or $50 a year, generally after a 30-day trial. UK fees differ.
Platforms
iPhone, Android, web
Regulated by
US: SEC and FINRA. UK: FCA.
Last checked
2026-10-21
4. Vanguard
Best for: Buying and holding funds for the long term
Vanguard combines its own mutual funds and ETFs with a US brokerage account for stocks and other funds.
Desktop and mobile tools for readers who want more chart detail
Watch out
The feature set is oriented toward active trading
Use the local company's pricing rather than assuming US fees apply everywhere
Available in
US, plus separate Webull companies in Canada, the UK, Australia and other countries.
Costs
No commission on US-listed stocks, ETFs and options; regulatory fees may apply; $0.50 per contract on some index options. No deposit minimum.
Platforms
iPhone, Android, web, desktop
Regulated by
US: SEC and FINRA. Elsewhere, check the local Webull company on your regulator's register.
Last checked
2026-10-21
7. eToro
Best for: US fractional shares with a virtual portfolio to explore
eToro offers US stock and ETF investing through eToro USA Securities Inc. Its virtual portfolio provides a way to explore the platform before funding a real account.
Risk warning: outside the US, eToro also offers CFDs. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 55% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with eToro (shown on etoro.com, checked 21 October 2026). The figure differs by country and changes every quarter.
More about eToro
Good
Fractional US stocks and ETFs
US stock service supports eligible investors in all 50 states
Watch out
Canadian residents are not included in the supported-country shortlist
International eToro accounts have different products and fees; global CFD features are not US stock features
Available in
US stock accounts: all 50 states, subject to account eligibility. Not a Canadian broker recommendation.
Costs
$0 commission for US stock and ETF trading. The US brokerage schedule lists transfer and service charges, including $75 outgoing ACATS transfers.
Platforms
Web, iPhone, Android
Regulated by
eToro USA Securities Inc.: SEC registered, FINRA and SIPC member.
Last checked
2026-10-21
8. SoFi Invest
Best for: Keeping self-directed investing beside SoFi banking
SoFi combines self-directed investing with its wider personal-finance app. Its automated advisory service is a separate choice with separate terms.
Useful if you already manage other finances with SoFi
Watch out
The current schedule includes an inactivity fee and a minimum to begin investing
Check which features belong to self-directed versus automated investing
Available in
US
Costs
$0 commission on US stock and ETF trades. Current schedule: $5 minimum to begin self-directed investing, $25 per six months of login inactivity and $100 outgoing ACATS. Automated advice has separate pricing.
Platforms
iPhone, Android, web
Regulated by
SEC and FINRA (check on BrokerCheck)
Last checked
2026-10-21
9. Public
Best for: Holding stocks alongside Treasuries and bonds
Public combines stock investing with Treasury and bond account products. Read the terms for each account rather than treating them as one fee schedule.
TFSA, RRSP and FHSA options, subject to eligibility
Canadian and US securities in one account service
Watch out
US-dollar holdings require a choice between CAD conversion and a USD account
USD account subscriptions and conversion terms depend on your tier and route
Available in
Canada
Costs
$0 commission on listed Canadian and US securities. CAD-account US trades: 1.5% conversion fee when conversion occurs. Core USD accounts: C$10 plus tax per month; USD-account cash conversions use a tiered fee schedule.
Platforms
iPhone, Android, web
Regulated by
CIRO member (check on the CSA's National Registration Search)
Last checked
2026-10-21
14. Trading Game
Made by our team
Best for: Learning what an order does before buying real shares
Our stock market learning app combines lessons with simulated trades on market prices. Use virtual money to practise a decision and review its result.
Available to learners in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia
Watch out
Virtual positions do not give ownership of real shares
Pro features require payment; AI chart analysis is in beta and can be wrong
Available in
US, Canada, UK and Australia. This is a learning app, not a brokerage account.
Costs
Free to start; optional paid Pro plan. Virtual money has no cash value.
Platforms
iPhone, Android, web
Account type
Educational simulation; does not offer real-money brokerage services.
Last checked
2026-10-21
Choose an app for the job you need
For a first US stock account, Fidelity offers research and small purchases. Schwab adds thinkorswim practice. Robinhood makes regular buys simple. eToro offers fractional stocks and , plus a virtual portfolio. In Canada, compare Wealthsimple's TFSA and RRSP accounts with the charts in Webull Canada.
If you want to see how an order works before you deposit money, try Trading Game, our practice app. To see eToro's real accounts, visit eToro through our partner link. Its US stock service is separate from the CFDs it offers in other countries.
The list above shows every option. The matcher below sorts real share accounts from practice apps and filters by country. It gives you a shortlist to check, not a go-ahead to open an account.
Try it yourself
Choose real shares or virtual practice
Choose your country and goal to narrow the list. Open a result to compare its account or practice limits.
For US stock accounts this list includes Fidelity, Schwab, Robinhood, Vanguard, E*TRADE, Webull, eToro, SoFi, Public, M1, Merrill Edge and Cash App. For Canadian stock accounts, compare Wealthsimple and Webull Canada. Robinhood UK and the local Webull services are the limited UK/Australian shortlist here. Trading Game is a separate virtual-practice option in all four countries.
What would you expect?
What this shows: An app that teaches with virtual money and a broker that holds real shares solve different problems.
Use the practice goal for learning apps; use stocks for real-share accounts available in the selected country. Confirm the local legal company before funding.
What should your first stock account let you do?
Picture your first purchase: perhaps $50 of a stock or ETF, then another $50 next month. Can you buy that dollar amount, set up a monthly buy and see the total cost before you confirm?
let you buy part of a share. $50 buys one tenth of a $500 share before fees.
Account type matters. A taxable account is different from a US IRA or a Canadian TFSA, RRSP or FHSA. Each has its own rules on who can open one and how much you can put in.
Order controls matter. A limit order sets the most you will pay. It does not promise that your order fills.
You do not need options, crypto or , which means borrowing to invest, to buy your first share. Our fractional shares example shows the sums.
Practise a complete order walkthrough in a demo: check the symbol, units and account, submit once, then find its final status. The same checks matter on a small screen.
What can a $0 stock trade still cost?
A is the broker's fee for a trade. A $0 commission still leaves other costs: paid plans, currency conversion, fund fees and charges for transfers or for orders placed with a broker's help.
For example, M1 charges $3 a month unless you hold more than $10,000 with it. That is $36 over a year. If you put in $100 a month, the fee equals 3% of your $1,200. That compares cash paid; it is not a yearly return.
In a Canadian-dollar Wealthsimple account, buying US shares means converting money. The published fee is 1.5% each way. Its USD account has different terms and may need a paid plan. Compare the route you would really use. Each card lists that app's own fees, and our brokerage fee comparison helps you add them up.
Which choices apply outside the US?
The country label is about where the account provider serves clients, not where a share trades. A Canadian who buys an American stock still needs an account open to Canadian residents.
Canada: compare Wealthsimple and Webull Canada. Trading Game is available for virtual practice. eToro is not on the Canadian shortlist: its support page lists Canada as a country it does not serve.
UK: Robinhood UK and Webull UK have their own accounts, fees and rules. The US fees in the cards above do not apply to them.
Australia:Webull Australia offers local and overseas shares. Read its local fee list.
Find a , enter a small virtual order, check the number of shares and the total, then find the order history. Trading Game links lessons with this practice. Broker demos such as Webull paperTrade, Schwab paperMoney and eToro Virtual Portfolio let you try each broker's own controls.
Write what you intend to buy and why.
Check the exact share or ETF name and ticker.
Choose an order type and check the price conditions.
Read the total and any charges before you confirm.
Find the confirmation, and tell a pending order from a filled one.
Practice results cannot prove future returns or copy every real fill. If you only want virtual accounts, see our seven stock market simulators.
How do you check who holds your shares?
Look up the company on FINRA BrokerCheck in the US or the CSA National Registration Search in Canada. Use the contact details on the register to check that you are dealing with the real firm.
Read how the provider holds your assets and what protection applies. in the US and CIPF in Canada cover eligible assets if a member firm fails. Neither protects you when an investment falls in price. In the UK, FSCS cover depends on the firm, the activity and the claim.
A licence is one check. It does not prove that an app is secure or right for you. Before you fund an account, check two-factor login, how withdrawals work and how to reach support. To decide what to buy, start with our first investment plan.
How we chose
We compared the job each app does, its account features, published costs and where it is available. These 13 brokers and one learning app are grouped by the task they suit; the order is not a performance score.
We checked the providers' official pages on 21 October 2026. We did not open accounts, test how orders fill or audit security. We make Trading Game, and some labelled links earn us a commission. We do not accept payment for placement, and suitability comes before any commercial relationship.
Questions beginners ask
Which stock trading app is best for a complete beginner?
For a US stock account, compare Fidelity for research, Schwab for its practice platform, Robinhood for recurring buys and eToro for fractional stocks with a virtual portfolio. Canadian readers can compare Wealthsimple and Webull Canada. If you want to practise without buying shares, Trading Game is our separate learning app.
Can I use a US trading app if I live outside the US?
Usually not. US brokers generally require US residency. Look for a company licensed where you live, and check it on the FCA Register (UK), ASIC's registers (Australia) or the CSA's National Registration Search (Canada).
How much money do I need to start?
Several brokers offer fractional purchases from $1, including Fidelity, Schwab, Robinhood and Cash App. Account minimums, share minimums and fees are different things; check all three. Trading Game uses virtual money, so a practice balance is not an investment deposit.
Are my investments protected if the app goes bust?
In the US, SIPC protects customers' shares and cash at member brokers if the firm fails, up to set limits. It does not cover market losses. Canada has CIPF and the UK has the FSCS. Ask which scheme covers your account.
Market cap is share price × number of shares. See why a $5 share can belong to a bigger company than a $100 share, and how size groups and splits work.
