Offer ends 4/1/25. Customer must fund their Active invest account with at least $50 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $2,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions at https://www.sofi.com/greenintwoterms/.
Trade stocks, ETFs and options for as little as $1
Low margin rates starting at 8.83%
Get up to $1,000 when you open and fund an account. Terms apply
Mobile, web and desktop trading platforms and Zacks Rank system
Compare more stock trading apps
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What is the Finder Score?
The Finder Score crunches 147 key metrics we collected directly from 18+ brokers and assessed each provider’s performance based on nine different categories, weighing each metric based on the expertise and insights of Finder’s investment experts. We then scored and ranked each provider to determine the best brokerage accounts.
We update our best picks as products change, disappear or emerge in the market. We also regularly review and revise our selections to ensure our best provider lists reflect the most competitive available.
How do I choose the right stock trading app for me?
Compare features. Think about your level of trading experience and what kind of features are important to you, along with the platform’s ease-of-use.
Compare fees. While most brokers don’t charge a stock trading fee, some charge extra for specialized investment products. High-value trades are often charged as a percentage of the total trade value, rather than a fixed fee.
Tradable securities. Most brokers offer at least stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Big brokers like Interactive Brokers have the largest lineup of investment options, while newcomer brokers like SoFi® and eToro offer a more simple lineup of stocks and ETFs.
Research tools. Online brokers usually offer market news, updates and other research tools that will let you investigate the trading history of individual stocks.
Customer support. How fast can you get a hold of customer support if you’re having an issue with your investment? The quality of customer support and the ease at which you can contact them is no less important than fees or research tools.
Step 2: Sign up for an account
Brokers, banks and other financial services companies follow a regulatory process known as Know Your Client (KYC), which is a process to verify the identity and other credentials of customers. When you’re applying for a brokerage account, you’re taking part in the KYC process. Opening an account with an online trading platform is painless and usually takes just a few minutes. While the exact format will vary from broker to broker it must adhere to KYC standards: provide personal information to verify your identity and answer a handful of questions about your investing experience and goals. Personal information you can expect to provide include:
Your name, address and contact details
Your date of birth
Your Social Security number
Proof of ID
Employment information
Most brokers use an automatic KYC process, which means your application will often be approved instantly or within a few minutes. Occasionally, a broker may need some time to verify your information. If they can’t, they may ask you to submit proof of ID to verify you are who you say you are.
Step 3: Set up a funding method to pay for the transaction
While you can open an account with most brokers without a minimum deposit, you can’t trade until you have sufficient funds in your account to cover the cost of the transaction. One of the easiest ways to do this is to link your bank account and transfer funds electronically via the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network. ACH transfers take between one to three business days to complete, but some brokers offer a feature called instant deposits, which allow you to trade before the funds have settled. Other funding methods include wire transfer, check deposit and account transfers from other brokerage accounts. Credit cards are typically not permitted as a brokerage account funding method.
Step 4: Choose the stocks you want to buy
A good place to start is with an industry that interests you and then explore the different companies in that space. Identify key players and young companies with potential for growth but also figure out which companies are falling, or have fallen, out of favor. If you want to follow a Warren Buffett saying, “never invest in a business you cannot understand.” Tools like stock screeners can help you narrow down stocks by sector, industry, price range and more. Search for companies by name or ticker symbol, and if you’re on the fence about a purchase, add the stock to your watchlist to keep an eye on its performance. Analyst research reports can give you valuable insight into companies and guidance as to whether a particular company is a good investment.
Step 5: Place your order
With a stock in mind and funding in place, it’s almost time to invest. But before you buy any shares, you should know how much money you want to invest in any particular stock. Consider your budget, investment goals and your overall portfolio allocation. With the advent of fractional shares, you no longer need the entire share price to invest. Fractional share trading lets you invest specific dollar amounts in a stock instead of having to buy whole shares. Though not every broker offers this feature.
Kliment Dukovski was a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in investments and cryptocurrency. He's written more than 700 articles to help readers compare the best trading platforms, understand complex investment terms and find the best credit cards for their needs. His expert commentary has been featured in such digital publications as Fox Business, MSN Money and MediaFeed. He’s also well-versed in money transfers, home loans and more — breaking down these topics into simple concepts anyone can understand. In another life, Kliment ghostwrote guides and articles on foreign exchange, stock market trading and cryptocurrencies. See full bio
Kliment's expertise
Kliment has written 39 Finder guides across topics including:
Finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Finder receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. Finder compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
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