The best investing apps can make investing easier and give your finances a boost.
Whether you’re a beginner looking to dip a toe in the investing world or an experienced investor wanting to make trades on the go, open a stocks and shares ISA, or expand your portfolio, these easy-to-use apps could be perfect for you.
The right app can help you invest ethically, pick the best ISA investments, open a personal pension or even give you free trades.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
They are all regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and free to download - although most will charge you to buy investments.
And if you’re wondering if now’s the right time to be investing or if you should lock into a high-paying one-year savings account, check out our article on the benefits of saving vs. investing.
Some investing apps pay cashback or a bonus when you transfer ISAs or pensions to the platform - check out the latest bonus deals here.
Best investing apps for beginners
As you would expect from the biggest digital wealth manager in the UK, Nutmeg has a slick and easy-to-use app. Rather than picking your own shares and funds, Nutmeg offers a series of ready-made portfolios. These are based on your risk appetite and investment style, for example, if you want socially responsible investments. You can choose from a stocks and shares ISA, lifetime ISA, junior ISA, general investment account or pension.
The minimum investment is £500 (£100 for the lifetime ISA). Nutmeg charges 0.25% to 0.75%, depending on the amount and portfolio selected. Investment fund fees are charged on top. The app scores 4.7 stars out of 5 on Google Play, and 4.8 on the App Store.
With Wealthify - which is backed by Aviva - you can open a stocks and shares ISA, general investment account, junior ISA or pension. The minimum investment is just £1 (£50 for the pension). There’s a range of investment portfolios to choose from, including ethical ones, depending on your risk level and savings goals.
Wealthify’s annual fee is 0.6%, with investment costs of 0.16% - rising to 0.71% for ethical portfolios - on top. The app scores 3.1 stars on Google Play (negative reviews seem to focus on investment returns, rather than the actual app), and 4.4 on the App Store.
Moneybox is a great choice for beginners, as you can get started with just £1. There are three ready-made portfolios to choose from, plus a selection of tracker funds and exchange traded funds.
Investors can also choose from 20 big US stocks like Coca-Cola and Amazon (including fractional shares) if you want to mix and match your own portfolio. Investors can open a stocks and shares ISA, general investment account, lifetime ISA, junior ISA or personal pension.
You can invest your spare change using the “round up” function, set up a regular weekly deposit, a monthly payday boost or make one-off deposits. There’s a £1 monthly fee, 0.45% annual charge plus investment costs ranging from 0.12% to 0.58%. The app scores 4.7 on Google Play and 4.8 on the App Store.
Plum calls itself the “ultimate smart management app”. As well as 26 investment funds (including tech, healthcare and green options), Plum also offers unlimited commission-free trades for thousands of brands like Meta and Tesla.
You can invest with just £1, in an ISA, general investment account or pension.
There is also an easy-access savings account paying up to 4.59% interest, depending on the membership you have.
The basic plan is free (rising to £2.99 a month for "pro" and £9.99 for "premium"), plus a 0.45% annual management fee. Fund manager fees range between 0.13% and 0.88%. The app scores 4.6 on Google Play and 4.7 on the App Store.
Best investing apps for everyday investors
The largest investment platform in the UK, Hargreaves Lansdown offers a huge choice of thousands of funds and shares. There are also four ready-made portfolios, if you’d prefer an expert to build one for you. The minimum investment to open an ISA, lifetime ISA, junior ISA, fund and share account, self-invested personal pension (SIPP) or junior SIPP, is £100. The annual fee is 0.45% (this decreases for portfolios of more than £250,000), plus investment costs, and trading fees if you buy or sell shares.
You can see live share prices on the app, trade shares from the UK, Europe and North America, and trade bonds and funds. It scores 4.6 on Google Play and 4.7 on the App Store.
AJ Bell offers DIY investors access to thousands of funds and shares, and four ready-made portfolios. It has the full suite of products: stocks and shares ISA, lifetime ISA, junior ISA, SIPP and junior SIPP. For those with less than £250,000 invested, AJ Bell Youinvest charges a competitive 0.25%. Those with larger portfolios are charged less. Investment fund fees and share trading fees are added on top.
The app allows customers to log in with their biometrics, check the value of their portfolio, buy and sell investments, and view live prices of UK, US and Canadian shares. It scores 4.4 on Google Play and 4.5 on the App Store.
If you’d like to see how other traders invest or are interested in buying cryptocurrencies, eToro is worth a look. It offers access to shares, Bitcoin and other crypto, as well as a range of themed ready-made portfolios, such as oil, travel and tech. You can also copy top-performing traders, instantly replicating their trading in your own portfolio.
Users open a trading account (there is no ISA or pension option), which is subject to tax. Charges are low: there is no account fee, but there is a 0.75% currency conversion fee, $5 withdrawal fee and $10 monthly inactivity fee after 12 months with no trading activity. There is a 1% fee for buying or selling crypto. The app scores 3.6 on Google Play and 3.8 on the App store. There are reports of technical issues, and difficulties withdrawing money.
Best investing apps for free trading
There are no fees with Freetrade’s basic investing account and, as its name suggests, no charges for trading shares. Its stocks and shares ISA costs £4.99 a month, while the SIPP costs £11.99. There is a wide range of shares (including US fractional shares), exchange traded funds (ETFs) and investment trusts to choose from. There are no ready-made portfolios.
Its app scores 4.4 stars on Google Play and 4.3 on the App Store.
Trading 212 offers a free trading account and ISA - there is no annual fee, or trading fees - making this a very cheap option. However, watch out for fees for depositing money into your Trading 212 account, and a 0.15% currency conversion charge.
There are more than 13,000 shares and ETFs for investors to choose from, and you can invest with just £1. The app scores 4.7 stars on Google Play and 4.6 on the App Store. Users say it is quick and easy, and a great way to buy and sell shares.
Best investing apps for ethical investing
If you’re passionate about investing ethically, The Big Exchange could be worth a look. Co-founded by The Big Issue, the platform says its mission is to build a new financial system in the UK, which "delivers a positive impact on people, and the planet".
It offers an ISA, junior ISA and general investment account, with ready-made “bundles” of funds, and a list of investment funds if you prefer to choose yourself. Funds include those from Pictet, Liontrust and Triodos.
The annual fee is a competitive 0.25%, with fund manager fees on top ranging from 0.5% to 1.8%. The Big Exchange says its app is “packed with useful insights, spending tools, and features to make managing your money easier”. It has 3.1 stars on the App Store but does not yet have a rating on Google.
-
M&S and Tesco among those warning of a £7bn Budget hitSeventy-nine UK retailers have written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves about possible price rises and job cuts - here is what it means
-
How much does it cost to move home under the Labour government?Home-moving costs are rising and could get more expensive once stamp duty thresholds drop in April 2025
-
Crypto scams – what to look out forFraudsters are using cryptocurrency scams to lure investors desperate for high returns - here is how to spot and avoid them
-
Investment platforms rapped over low interest offered on cash holdingsFinancial Conduct Authority (FCA) threatens action against investment platforms paying poor rates on cash balances
-
Halifax: House price slump continues as prices slide for the sixth consecutive monthUK house prices fell again in September as buyers returned, but the slowdown was not as fast as anticipated, latest Halifax data shows. Where are house prices falling the most?
-
Rents hit a record high - but is the opportunity for buy-to-let investors still strong?UK rent prices have hit a record high with the average hitting over £1,200 a month says Rightmove. Are there still opportunities in buy-to-let?
-
Pension savers turn to gold investmentsInvestors are racing to buy gold to protect their pensions from a stock market correction and high inflation, experts say
-
Where to find the best returns from student accommodationStudent accommodation can be a lucrative investment if you know where to look.
-
The world’s best bargain stocksSearching for bargain stocks with Alec Cutler of the Orbis Global Balanced Fund, who tells Andrew Van Sickle which sectors are being overlooked.
-
Revealed: the cheapest cities to own a home in BritainNew research reveals the cheapest cities to own a home, taking account of mortgage payments, utility bills and council tax
