The right app depends on what kind of investor you actually want to be
There are three categories of stock market apps: brokerage accounts for serious long-term investors, trading platforms for active traders, and “investing” apps that are closer to games than financial tools. The category you choose significantly affects your financial outcomes.
Fidelity: The Best Starter Account
Fidelity has no account minimums, no commissions on stock and ETF trades, fractional shares as low as $1, and the best free index funds available anywhere (FZROX and FZILX have literal 0% expense ratios). Their mobile app is clean and educational without being condescending. Their research tools are institutional grade and free.
For someone starting their first investment account, Fidelity is the right answer unless they specifically prefer Vanguard (mutual fund focused, slightly clunkier app) or Schwab (solid, no particular advantage for beginners).
Robinhood: Better Than Its Reputation, Worse Than the Alternatives
Robinhood’s UX is genuinely good and it pioneered $0 commissions. It has improved since the GameStop controversies: they now have a 3% IRA match on contributions and a $5/month Gold subscription with 5% APY on cash. The problem remains the interface design, which encourages active trading — the confetti effect on first trades, easy options access, the dopamine-optimized UI. Studies have linked Robinhood’s interface specifically to increased risky trading behavior.
Use Robinhood if: you want a simple interface and don’t trust yourself to leave money alone on a more full-featured platform. Don’t use it as your primary serious investment account.
Public and Stash: Educational First, Investment Second
Public.com positions itself as a social investing platform — you can see what other users are buying and follow portfolios. This is a feature and a bug. The social layer is genuinely educational for beginners; it’s also a source of peer pressure to trade rather than hold. Stash takes a roundup approach (invest your spare change from purchases) — good for building the habit, negligible as a wealth-building tool in itself.
For Options and Active Trading (Know What You’re Getting Into)
tastytrade (formerly tastyworks) was built specifically for options trading with educational content embedded in the platform. IBKR (Interactive Brokers) is the institutional-grade platform with the lowest margin rates and broadest access to global markets. Neither is appropriate for beginners, but if you’re going to trade actively, these platforms at least don’t hide the risks the way Robinhood does.
- Best for beginners: Fidelity (no minimums, 0% expense ratio funds)
- Best for hands-off investing: Vanguard, Fidelity Go
- Best IRA with match: Robinhood Gold (3% match), Fidelity (no match but better platform)
- Best for options/active: tastytrade, IBKR
- Skip: Any app with confetti, social pressure, or gamification of risk
