Best Investment Apps in 2026
Trading 212, Freetrade, eToro, Robinhood, Revolut Invest and Acorns, compared honestly — real fees, real ratings, full reviews, and a quiz to help you find the right app for your goal and starting amount.
Investment apps are commission-free, phone-first platforms for building a long-term portfolio — buy stocks and ETFs in a few taps, often with no minimum balance and no advisor needed. They work well for first-time investors and experienced traders alike: you fund the account, choose individual stocks or a ready-made fund, and the app handles execution and custody in the background.
The real differences show up in the small print. Commission-free doesn't always mean free — FX charges, platform fees, and what a provider pays (or doesn't) on your uninvested cash vary significantly between them. That's what the ratings and full reviews below are built around, and what the quick quiz just below can help you weigh for your own situation.
Best Investment Apps in 2026
All six of the best investment apps below are free to open, with no advisor fees and commission-free trading on stocks and ETFs. The differences that matter are FX fees, ISA availability, fractional shares, and what happens to your cash when it sits uninvested.
Ratings and terms reviewed as of publication — see individual reviews for full pros, cons and fee breakdowns.
Full Reviews
Trading 212 is the benchmark for commission-free investing in the UK and Europe. It covers over 12,000 stocks and ETFs across US, UK, and European markets, charges zero commission on trades, and offers a stocks-and-shares ISA with no platform fee. The app is clean and intuitive, fractional shares start from £1, and the cash interest rate on uninvested funds (currently around 5% AER) is a meaningful differentiator over competitors who pay nothing on idle cash. The 0.15% FX fee on non-GBP trades is the main cost to manage for investors buying US stocks.
- Zero commission on all trades
- Stocks ISA with no platform fee
- 12,000+ stocks and ETFs
- Fractional shares from £1
- ~5% AER on uninvested cash
- Clean, well-designed mobile app
- 0.15% FX fee on non-GBP trades
- No SIPP (pension account)
- Customer support can be slow
- No bonds or options
The best all-round investment app for most people in the UK and Europe. If you want to start investing with minimal friction and zero commissions, this is where to start.
Best forLong-term investors, UK & EU residents, ISA holders, and first-time investors.
Freetrade is the UK-focused alternative to Trading 212, with a strong ISA and SIPP offering. The trade-off is that ISA access requires a paid plan starting at £4.99/month, which makes the fee comparison more nuanced than it first appears. For investors who prioritise the ISA or pension wrapper above all else, Freetrade's implementation is excellent. The platform covers around 6,000 stocks and ETFs, is FCA regulated with FSCS protection, and has a clean app that works well for buy-and-hold investors. The absence of fractional shares is a notable gap versus Trading 212.
- Strong ISA and SIPP offering
- Clean, beginner-friendly app
- Good UK and US stock coverage
- FCA regulated, FSCS protected
- Well-established UK brand
- ISA requires paid plan (£4.99/mo)
- No fractional shares
- Smaller asset range than Trading 212
- 0.59% FX fee
Best for UK investors who want a SIPP or committed ISA users. If tax efficiency is your primary goal, Freetrade's account range is hard to beat at this price point.
Best forISA investors, SIPP and pension savers, and UK buy-and-hold investors.
eToro sits in an unusual position: simultaneously a broker for active traders and an investment app for passive investors via its CopyTrader and Smart Portfolio features. For the investing audience specifically, CopyTrader — which lets you automatically replicate another investor's portfolio — is genuinely distinctive. No other app in this category does it as well. The 0.5%+ FX conversion fee on non-USD deposits is the main cost to watch, and the absence of an ISA limits its appeal for UK investors looking for tax efficiency.
- CopyTrader unique in category
- 0% commission on stocks
- Strong global stock coverage
- Crypto available alongside stocks
- FCA, CySEC, ASIC regulated
- No ISA for UK investors
- 0.5%+ FX conversion fee on non-USD deposits
- $5 withdrawal fee
- Interface can feel cluttered
Best for investors who want to copy proven strategies rather than pick their own stocks. Less competitive for UK investors who need an ISA wrapper.
Best forCopy investors, social traders, and anyone who wants crypto alongside stocks.
Robinhood pioneered commission-free investing and remains the most recognisable investment app for US retail investors. No minimum deposit, fractional shares from $1, and a clean app make it genuinely accessible for first-time investors. The 2021 GameStop controversy raised questions about its payment-for-order-flow model and its decision to restrict trading during a volatile period — reputational issues it has worked to move past. Robinhood Gold ($5/month) adds a 3% IRA match and 5% interest on uninvested cash, which meaningfully improves the value proposition for regular investors.
- No minimum deposit
- Fractional shares from $1
- Clean, intuitive app
- IRA accounts available
- 3% IRA match with Gold plan
- US only
- Payment-for-order-flow model
- Limited research tools
- Reputational baggage from 2021
A solid starting point for US investors. For more serious long-term investing, Fidelity or Interactive Brokers offer a better overall package — see our Broker Reviews.
Best forUS beginners, IRA investors, and fractional share buyers.
Revolut Invest makes the most sense if you already use Revolut as your main bank account — having investments and spending in one app is genuinely convenient. The investing functionality has improved significantly and now covers stocks, ETFs, and crypto. The catch is that free plan users get a limited number of commission-free trades per month, with a 0.25% fee above that. No ISA is available, which is a significant gap for UK investors. As a standalone investment platform it is not the strongest choice, but as an add-on to an existing Revolut relationship it works well.
- Integrated with Revolut banking
- Stocks, ETFs, and crypto in one app
- Fractional shares available
- FCA regulated
- Clean, modern interface
- No ISA wrapper
- Monthly trade limit on free plan
- 0.25% fee above free trades
- Weaker standalone vs dedicated apps
Convenient if you already bank with Revolut. Not the right choice as your primary investment platform if you're starting from scratch.
Best forExisting Revolut users, casual investors, and multi-currency holders.
Acorns takes a different approach to all the other apps on this list: instead of letting you pick stocks, it rounds up your everyday purchases to the nearest dollar and invests the spare change automatically into a diversified ETF portfolio. It is designed for people who struggle to save consistently rather than investors who want to choose their own holdings. The $3/month plan fee is proportionally expensive for very small balances — at $100 invested, that's a 36% annual fee. The product makes more sense once you're investing several hundred dollars regularly.
- Round-up investing is genuinely clever
- Fully automated, no stock picking
- IRA accounts available
- No minimum deposit
- Good for building saving habits
- $3/month fee expensive at small balances
- No individual stock or ETF selection
- US and Australia only
- Limited control over portfolio
Best for beginners who need automation to invest consistently. Once your balance grows, consider graduating to a platform with more control and lower relative fees.
Best forMicro-investors, automation seekers, and US & Australian beginners.
The AAS Take
Every app on this list is a legitimate, regulated choice — we wouldn't feature it otherwise. Which one is right for you comes down to where you live, what account you need, and how much you're starting with, more than which is objectively “best.” Use the quiz above or the comparison to narrow it down, then read the full review before you commit.
What matters more than which app you pick is understanding what you're buying before you fund the account. Take the time to learn how commission-free platforms actually make money, how FX fees work, and what you're giving up if there's no ISA or pension wrapper. Start with an amount you're comfortable seeing go down as well as up, and treat the first few months as learning, not performance.
How to Choose the Best Investment App
There's no single best investment app — the right one depends on where you live, what account you need, and how much you're starting with. Here's what actually separates them once you look past the marketing.
Fees and commissions
Most apps on this list charge 0% commission on stocks and ETFs, so the fee that matters most is usually the FX fee charged when you buy something priced in a currency you don't hold — this ranges from 0.15% to over 0.5% between providers. Watch also for monthly plan fees required to unlock an ISA or other account type, since those can outweigh a trading commission over a year.
Account types available
If you're investing for retirement or want to shelter gains from tax, check whether the app offers a Stocks & Shares ISA (UK), an IRA (US), or a SIPP — not every app does, and some charge extra for it. A general investing account works for everything else, but you'll usually pay tax on gains above your local allowance.
Built-in portfolios
Ready-made portfolios — Trading 212's Pies, eToro's Smart Portfolios, Revolut's risk-based portfolios, or the auto-investing that Acorns is built entirely around — let you invest in a diversified basket matched to a goal or risk level instead of picking stocks yourself, and some rebalance automatically as markets move. This is worth prioritising if you'd rather set a strategy and leave it alone; it matters less if you actually want to choose your own holdings, which is what apps without this feature are usually better suited for.
Minimum deposit and fractional shares
Apps that support fractional shares let you buy a slice of an expensive stock — useful if you're starting with a small amount and don't want your money concentrated in one or two positions. Minimum deposits on this list range from £0/$0 to £1, so this is rarely a real barrier.
Regulation and protection
Confirm the app is regulated in your region — FCA in the UK, SEC/FINRA in the US, CySEC or another regulator across the EU, ASIC in Australia — and what compensation scheme covers you if the platform itself fails (FSCS up to £85,000 in the UK, SIPC up to $500,000 in the US). This protects against platform failure, not market losses.
Extra features
Some apps add features that go beyond plain investing — copy-trading, round-up investing, or savings-style perks bundled with the account. These are worth having if they match how you actually want to invest, but they shouldn't outweigh cost and account type when the core decision is which platform holds your money.
Who Should Use Investment Apps?
Anyone investing for a goal five-plus years out — retirement, a house deposit, or just long-term growth — who wants broad market exposure without picking individual stocks or paying advisor fees. If you're weighing the best investment apps for the first time, use the quiz near the top of this page: it matches your region, goal and starting amount to a pick in under a minute.
They're not the right tool for money you might need next year. Your capital is at risk in an investment app — unlike a savings account, there's no protection scheme covering your balance if the market moves against you — so keep short-term cash in a savings account and use an investment app for the money you can afford to leave alone.
Risks of Using an Investment App
None of this is a reason to avoid investment apps — it's the trade-off that comes with the higher growth potential they offer over a savings account. Understanding it upfront is what makes the trade-off a reasonable one.
Market risk. The value of your investments can fall as well as rise. Unlike interest on a savings account, growth is never guaranteed — you could get back less than you put in, especially over short periods.
No protection against losses. FSCS and SIPC protection covers you if the platform itself fails, not if your investments lose value. A market downturn is not something any protection scheme reimburses.
Fees compound against you. A 0.5% FX fee or a $3/month plan fee looks small in isolation, but it eats into returns every year you hold the account. Small percentage differences add up significantly over a decade or more.
Behavioral risk. For many investors, the biggest risk isn't the market — it's reacting to it. Selling during a downturn locks in the loss; staying invested through volatility is consistently what the data favors over trying to time it.
Frequently Asked Questions
On investment apps, fees, ISAs, and which app fits which situation.
Investment apps are mobile-first platforms that let you buy and sell stocks, ETFs, and other assets directly from your phone or computer — usually with no minimum deposit and no trading commission. They emerged in the 2010s as a direct response to the complexity and cost of traditional stockbrokers, and have made investing accessible to millions of people who previously found it too expensive or intimidating to start. Unlike full-service brokers, investment apps focus on simplicity: clean interfaces, easy onboarding, and automated features like recurring investments. They are designed for long-term portfolio building rather than active trading. If you want to trade forex, CFDs, or use leverage, you need a broker — see our Broker Reviews for that.
All six platforms reviewed here are regulated by major financial authorities — FCA (UK), SEC/FINRA (US), CySEC (EU), or ASIC (Australia). UK-regulated platforms are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which protects up to £85,000 per person if the platform fails. US platforms are covered by SIPC up to $500,000. Your investments can still fall in value — that's market risk, not platform risk — but your assets are held separately from the platform's own money.
Investment apps are consumer-facing, phone-first platforms for long-term portfolio building in stocks and ETFs. Traditional brokers are aimed at more active traders and offer access to complex instruments like options, futures, CFDs, and more advanced research tools. If you want to invest regularly in a diversified portfolio, an investment app is usually the better starting point. If you want to trade actively, see our Broker Reviews.
Commission-free means no per-trade fee is charged when you buy or sell. However, platforms still earn revenue through other means — typically FX fees when you buy shares in a foreign currency, bid-ask spreads, interest on your cash balance, or premium subscription tiers. Commission-free does not mean free. Always check the full fee schedule before opening an account, particularly the FX fee if you plan to buy US stocks from a UK or European account.
An ISA (Individual Savings Account) is a UK tax wrapper that lets you invest up to £20,000 per year without paying tax on any gains or income. If you're a UK investor and you're not using your ISA allowance, you are likely paying more tax than you need to. Of the apps reviewed here, Trading 212 and Freetrade both offer stocks-and-shares ISAs. Trading 212's ISA has no platform fee; Freetrade's requires a paid plan. For US investors, the equivalent is an IRA (Individual Retirement Account).
Most platforms on this list let you start with £1 or $0. Trading 212 and Robinhood both support fractional shares from very small amounts, meaning you can buy a slice of an expensive stock like Amazon or Apple without needing the full share price. The more important question is not how much you need to start, but how much you can invest consistently. Regular contributions, even small ones, compound meaningfully over a long period.
For UK beginners, Trading 212 is the strongest starting point — zero commissions, a free ISA, fractional shares from £1, and a clean app. For US beginners, Robinhood or Acorns depending on your style — Robinhood if you want to pick stocks, Acorns if you want full automation. For European investors outside the UK, Trading 212 is available in most EU countries and remains the best option for commission-free stock investing.
Trading 212, Freetrade, and Revolut Invest are all free to open with commission-free trading on stocks and ETFs, which makes them a common starting point if you're after a free investment app for beginners. "Free" still doesn't cover everything, though — check FX fees on any trade in a foreign currency, and whether a paid plan is required for extras like an ISA, since that's where some of these apps make their money instead of charging per trade.
No investment app itself produces a return — it's just the platform you use to buy stocks, ETFs, or funds, and your return depends on what you invest in and how markets perform, not which app you chose. There's no meaningful "best investment apps with high returns" ranking in that sense. What does vary between apps is cost: FX fees, platform charges, and how much of your money actually gets invested rather than lost to fees, and that difference compounds significantly over a long time horizon.
Trading 212 and eToro are both strong choices for EU-based investors. Trading 212 offers commission-free stocks and ETFs with a wide range of European markets and is available in most EU countries; eToro is authorised by CySEC in Cyprus with passporting rights across the EU and adds copy-investing on top of standard stock and ETF trading. Compare their FX fees and available markets against your home currency before choosing, since that's usually the biggest cost difference for European investors buying US-listed stocks.
Based on our ratings above: 1) Trading 212 (4.8) — best all-around for low cost and range of markets; 2) Freetrade (4.2) — best UK stocks-and-shares ISA; 3) eToro (4.0) — best for copy investing; 4) Robinhood (3.9) — best for US beginners; 5) Revolut Invest (3.7) — best if you're already a Revolut customer. Acorns (3.6) rounds out the six apps we cover, and is strongest for hands-off, automated micro-investing.