Best apps for everyday investors

Investment apps are a convenient way to acquire and manage a portfolio of stocks and funds from wherever you happen to be.

Putting money into a sensible, diversified investment portfolio is the best route to building your finances up over time.

There are many investment apps to choose from with different features, so selecting the right one for you is not always easy. Here we lay out what you need to know before making a move and name some of the best.

In this guide we examine:

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What are investment apps?

If you want to invest in individual shares or diversified investment funds, one way to get started is to sign up to an investment platform.

Most investment platforms now offer apps which you can download onto your phone or tablet. These apps allow you to invest and keep track of your holdings from the palm of your hand.

Using an app to invest makes it really easy to buy and sell while on the move.

However, as with all apps there’s some variety in quality and reliability. So we’ve delved into which platforms have the best apps below.

Remember that it’s not just about the apps: choosing the right investment platform is just as important which is why we outline the best investment platforms for beginners.

If you want to know more about how to start investing, read our beginner’s guide to investing.

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It’s a new tax year and that means every UK adult has a new £20,000 tax-free allowance to spend. So we’ve rounded up the best-paying cash Isa accounts, the cheapest stocks and shares options as well as a handy tool to see if you’re putting money into the right sort of Isa.

Best investment apps in 2025

Start investing with XTB

Amid the ongoing volatility in financial markets, XTB stands out as your one-stop shop for investing, saving, and trading. You can choose from over 6,900 instruments, including stocks, ETFs, commodities, indices, fractional shares, and a Flexible Stocks & Shares ISA. And if you prefer to keep your options open, XTB also offers a competitive 4.5% interest rate on uninvested cash held in your account allowing your money to work for you while you plan your next move.

More than just an investment platform, XTB offers comprehensive live market analysis both on its website and YouTube channel, making it a true educational hub packed with up-to-date resources to help you sharpen your investing strategy for 2025.

When it comes to fees, XTB keeps things simple and competitive. There are no account maintenance fees, and commission on trades only applies if your account balance exceeds €100,000 (around £83,000 at the time of writing).* However, it’s worth noting that a 0.5% currency conversion fee applies for international trades, and the spread (the difference between an asset’s buying and selling price) may be slightly higher than with some competitors.

Open your account

*For monthly turnover equivalent up to 100,000 EUR. Transactions above this limit will be charged a commission of 0.2% (minimum 10 GBP). 0.5% currency conversion cost may apply. Capital at risk. The value of your investments may go up or down. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and ISA regulations which may change. T&Cs apply

What can you trade on an investment app?

There are several types of investment you can access on investment apps. The main ones are shares, bonds, open-ended funds, exchange traded funds (ETFs) and investment trusts (closed-end funds).

Shares and bonds are investments in individual companies. The three types of fund available will give you exposure to a number of different companies.

For example a UK equities fund or investment trust may hold shares in dozens of companies. An ETF can be used to track the performance of a whole index, such as the FTSE 100.

Best investment apps for beginners

Consider yourself a beginner investor? If so, then you might want to use a platform which makes investing easier. We list some of the best providers which offer simple platforms in this guide.  

What makes a good investment app?

This depends heavily on what you are looking for and how experienced an investor you are. There are some things which are universally true though.

A good investment app should be easy to use and intuitive. The design should lend itself to finding the function you want quickly and via a logical process.

Another factor that is important across the board is competitive fees. Whether in terms of the price of each trade or the ongoing fee for the account, the money it costs should be similar to other apps of its kind. Ideally, an app would be among the cheapest of its kind.

Reliability is also very important. Orders should very rarely fail to go through and the app should not crash during use. It goes without saying that the app must be secured against unauthorised use with a safe login procedure.

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Are investment apps worth it?

Investment apps are definitely a great way to keep track of how your portfolio is performing. If you’re a regular trader, an app can provide a quick and easy way to buy and sell on the move.

But investing is not something that should be done without the appropriate thought and research , as all investments carry a varying degree of risk. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you put in.

This is why it’s important that you don’t let the simplicity of an app lead you to making hasty decisions.

Pros and cons of investment apps

Pros 

• An easy way to keep track of your portfolio’s performance
• Adding money or trading is quick and easy to do
• The small screen format has driven platforms to communicate clearly and simply – and most platform apps are very intuitive to use

Cons

• It makes it really easy to trade, which in turn makes it easier to make quick decisions which could be costly
• If you’re on the go then it’s easier to get distracted so you might make mistakes or make investment decisions you later regret

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Consider cost too

While ease of use may well be important to you when choosing a platform, it’s equally important to keep an eye on costs. When it comes to investing, the fees you pay to your platform is one of the only certainties.

But once you’ve narrowed down your selection to a few firms that offer the right choice of investments – and don’t appear too expensive, this article can help you work out which apps have the slickest user experience. 

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How to choose an app

When you’re choosing an investment platform, the slickness of their app should not be your first consideration.

Start by:

• Deciding whether you want to invest in ready-made portfolios or whether you want the flexibility to invest in a wider range of assets.
• After you’ve made that choice, look into the costs. Check out our article on the best investment platforms to help you understand which firms have the most reasonable costs.

Once you’ve narrowed down your selection to a small number of platforms that meet your needs and don’t charge too much, there’s no reason why you can’t give their app a test run before you commit.

Opening accounts tends to be pretty easy. So you could set up accounts with a few different providers and put a small amount of money in initially to see which one you prefer.

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