This is it. It’s time to step into the big leagues. Comb your hair, shine your shoes and put a tie on.
Just kidding. Investing isn’t about all that mumbo-jumbo anymore.
In fact, according to a Business Insider Mobile Banking Competitive Edge Study, 89% of respondents use mobile apps for banking and as high as 97% when we look only at millenials.
While banking apps and investing apps can be looked at as different, we strongly believe that there's a correlation. More trading and investing is done today on mobile applications than ever before and has joined banking in the mobile, financial sphere.
Investing today has become so user-friendly, with companies like Change, that it can sometimes feel as simple as playing a mobile game. However, when it comes to putting your money to work, you don’t want to be careless. That’s why determining the best investment app for your needs and skillset is a must.
Whether you’re in a suit or a hoodie (or a swaggy combination of both, which we totally support), investing is now made accessible for everyone. We’ve put together a list of the best investment apps so you won’t have to spend hours (or days) researching.
Our simple approach? We asked our community all over the globe which apps they used for investing before switching to Change. We didn’t rank the apps as each of them have their own pros and cons.
Without further adieu, here are the 17 best investment apps and services we found.
1. Change
It’s a bit of a no-brainer, really. While the time it takes to make that first trade may be an hour or two longer than some services, the overall simplicity of the app, number of cryptos, CFDs, and services offered, as well as transparency of the, already low, fees makes Change an easy winner.
Pros
- Get started fast (2-3 hours to start trading)
- Best rates in the industry (see pricing)
- Friendly and responsive support
- Clean neat user interface
- VISA debit card available
Cons
- Limited to BTC/ETH/EUR/USDT deposits
- Limited to European customers
If you’re looking to get involved with some of the most popular cryptocurrencies and stocks CFDs fast and pay little to zero fees, Change should be your first choice. Change is PCI compliant, regulated and licensed by Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit, no FVR000034, Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit, no FRK000026.
2. HOLD
Hold up, that’s kind of how we felt when waiting for our first deposit to hit. However the app is simple, offers a handful of cryptocurrencies, and has a seemingly polite support team. Unfortunately verification isn’t always possible and trading was “on-hold” when we joined.
Pros
- Fairly fast onboarding (1-2 business days)
- Fast and friendly support
- On of the best cryptocurrency rates in the industry
- VISA debit card available
Cons
- Only SEPA bank transfer methods for depositing money
- Limited to European customers
- Only a handful of cryptocurrencies available
There’s a lot to like about HOLD if you’re just starting your cryptocurrency investing journey. If you’re looking for more exposure from a larger variety of assets or simply more cryptocurrencies then you might want to consider other options. HOLD is licensed by Financial Conduct Authority, Firm Number: 900025
3. Crypto.com
We think licensing is 100% important when it comes to a cryptocurrency broker. Crypto.com unfortunately isn’t upfront about it. When asked, no definite answer was provided regarding this. Sending money to the account is somewhat clunky, however trading seemed fairly straightforward.
Pros
- Fairly fast onboarding (1-2 business days)
- Responsive support for general questions
- Easy & fluent trading experience
- Variety of VISA debit cards available
Cons
- Limited to cryptocurrency trading
- No clear information about company license
Crypto.com is definitely a big player when it comes to buying and selling cryptocurrencies on the go. They offer a nice variety of debit card options, so if you’re into easy trading experience and want to have a lot of freedom over your debit card features, then crypto.com is a great choice for you.
4. Bitpanda
Bitpanda means instant when they say instant SEPA - we watched our deposit clear within 5 minutes of registering and overall were able to start trading within about 40 minutes. However, this one came at a premium price and with a bit of a meh support system.
Pros
- Fast onboarding (40 minutes to start trading)
- Multiple fiat currencies deposits available
- Available on desktop as well
Cons
- Limited to European customers
5. Bitwala
The cool thing with Bitwala is that they are a fully licensed bank under German Deposit Guarantee Scheme (DGS). For a banking app the user interface is extremely clean and fluid. From downloading the app to start trading it takes about half a day. The verification process is a bit different (likely due to the bank regulation) from your regular investing apps. You would actually have to jump on a video call with a verification specialist, confirm some details and take multiple pictures from your identification document. Good news is that once this is done, you get instant access to your account.
Pros
- Free debit Master card
- Possibility to stake Bitcoin and earn 4.5% annual interest (via Celsius)
- Transparent fees (1% on all trades)
Cons
- Limited to Bitcoin, Etherum and Euro right now
- Only SEPA bank transfer methods for depositing money
Bitwala app is very clean and definitely easy to get started with Bitcoin and Ethereum investing. Ability to earn extra Bitcoin via Celsius and use their free master card are nice addons which some of the other investment apps are lacking. The main downside is that you’re only limited to two crypto assets right now. If you’re looking to get more exposure from other cryptocurrencies or other asset classes then other apps are more suitable for you.
6. Bamboo
A couple days after downloading you can start buying and selling stocks. This is one of those instances where a solid support team can really make or break a general service. Getting hit with a lot of fees isn’t fun, but here it’s something you may get used to.
Pros
- Fairly fast onboarding (1-2 business days to start trading)
- Responsive support
Cons
- High fees compared to competitors
- No clear information about company license
- Limited to Nigerian customers for now
- Nigerian and U.S. stocks are only available
Bamboo makes it easy for Nigerian customers to trade Nigerian stocks and also U.S. stocks. To overlook the higher fees compared to competitors the user interface looks sleek and it offers a fluent trading experience for people looking to get involved with stock trading.
7. Cowrywise
Start your wallet within 10 minutes. Now that’s cool. However, this isn’t so much of a trading app, but it should pique your interest (well, it peaks out at “interest”). Interest is about all you earn with the app, but the user experience is top-notch and the support team matches.
Pros
- Fast onboarding (10 minutes to start trading)
- Responsive support
- Fluent user experience
Cons
- No options for trading. App focuses on saving money via funds.
- No clear information about company license
- Limited to Nigerian customers for now
Unfortunately the service is only offered in Nigeria. If you’re located in EU or US other apps are suitable for you.
8. EToro
If you’ve been on the radar for Etoro, it’s likely that you’ve seen at least a couple of their advertisements. Does this mean that the service is spectacular? We’ll let you decide that for yourself. The sign-up process is somewhat difficult due to switching between mobile and desktop views. Depositing money on the account is made simple and you’re definitely not limited in options. Fees seem low upfront, but there is some unknown territory to explore there - getting a response from the support team could take up to seven business days.
Pros
- Fast onboarding (30 minutes to start trading)
- A lot different options to deposit money
- A lot of different options for trading
- Well regulated company with difference license
Cons
- Slow support compared to competitors
- Not fully transparent on buy and sell rates (spread)
- Less intuitive user interface compared to competitors
Etoro is one of the more well-known brands out there when it comes to investing apps. What we like a lot about Etoro is the possibility to open up a demo trading account and try “play around”
9. Degiro
We’re hurting a little bit here. The application was simple and easy to use. Degiro also offers an even better (our opinion) desktop version; this is something heavy traders can appreciate thoroughly. But it took us 22 days to register in a “queue-based” line and we had to have a UK bank account to send a transfer in (not impossible, but eh). Questions? Concerns? Maybe about a four day reply time.
Pros
- A lot of options for investing and trading
- Available on desktop as well
- Licensed by Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM)
Cons
- Slow support compared to competitors
- More expensive for customers outside of UK
- UK bank transfer required for faster payments
10. Revolut
Revolut is the online bank everyone loves. You can trade the US stocks, cryptocurrencies and gold with no margin. You also can get your own Revolut debit card and send money across the world without hidden fees. What’s not to love right?
Pros
- Fast onboarding (from downloading the app to start trading 15 minutes)
- Easy monthly pricing plans
- Delight app user experience
Cons
- Limited to Europe, Australia and the U.S.
Easy and straightforward (and regulated) banking service. What is somewhat different with Revolut compared to other providers is the monthly pricing option. A good portion of apps offer commission free trades most assets. Revolut offers first trades for free and if you’d like to make more trades then you’ll pay the fee or decide to upgrade to a premium plan. So if buying assets at an affordable price is a must for you then consider other options.
11. Coinbase
When it comes to cryptocurrency buying and selling Coinbase is one of the most well-known names out there. It takes a little less than half a day to start trading with this big player. Deposit options pleasantly included PayPal, but pricing is a smidge high when compared to competitors. When it comes to ease of use Coinbase definitely leads the pack of different cryptocurrency apps.
Pros
- Relatively fast onboarding (half a day to start trading)
- Responsive support
- Widely available around the world
- Well regulated
Cons
- High fees
- Limited to selected cryptocurrency trading
Coinbase has a strong brand and has been around for a long time as a cryptocurrency investing app. It’s beginner-friendly from the user interface standpoint, but unfortunately we can’t say the same for pricing. If you plan to start investing with just €10 to €100 you’ll get more for your money with other apps.
12. Wirex
After you have signed up it takes close to half a day to start trading with Wirex. First thing you’ll likely notice is the pretty hefty cost. Trading, itself is fairly simple and straightforward. Wirex is widely available around the world like Coinbase as well.
Pros
- Relatively fast onboarding (half a day to start trading)
- Great debit card option to spend your holdings
- Widely available around the world
- Well regulated
Cons
- High fees
- Limited to selected cryptocurrency trading
Like Coinbase, Wirex is very beginner-friendly to start with. It’s easy and instant. However if you’re looking to get exposure from other markets than selected cryptocurrencies then you might want to consider other apps.
13. Aximetria
All-in-all, Aximetria seems like a pretty decent app, but nothing really shines at the same time that nothing really stinks. It takes a day or so to get in, there’s some limited depositing options, but the fees won’t break your wallet (or purse!) and trading is pretty simple.
Pros
- Easy and fluent user interface
- Widely available around the world
- Well regulated
Cons
- Limited to selected cryptocurrency trading
- Somewhat slow response compared to competitors
Great thing about Aximetria is that it’s Swiss based. If you want to brag that your funds are located in Switzerland then this is your chance.
14. BTCTurk
Here’s an interesting find from the borders of EU and Asia - BTCTurk. While it’s not available everywhere it’s still available beyond its main market - Turkey. The app is definitely focused on Turkish market, so you’ll get most out of it, if you’re a resident.
Pros
- Competitive pricing and industry leading buy and sell rates
- Majority of customer’s cryptocurrency holdings are held in cold wallets
- A more visual overview of your holdings
Cons
- Limited to selected countries and focused on Turkish market
- Somewhat slow response compared to competitors
- Limited to cryptocurrencies only
Great option to get involved with cryptocurrencies if you’re from Turkey.
15. IQOptions
IQ Options makes investing fun and extremely beginner-friendly. The app is about binary trading which means you can “bet” in which direction the price of an underlying asset is moving. If you’re right in the set timeframe you take the profit, you’re not right you take the loss. All the trades are CFDs which means you don’t actually own any of the assets. This is a great platform for new traders who are looking for simplicity.
Pros
- Very fast onboarding (10 minutes to start trading)
- A lot of different options to deposit money
- Get started with as low as €1
Cons
- Somewhat slow response compared to competitors
- Limited to CFDs only
- Not transparent on licensing
Great platform to place to start, “play around” and place your first trades.
16. Stash Invest
Stash offers a large variety of investment possibilities. Use it as your bank account, personal finance management app and get access to stocks and ETFs.
Pros
- Neat user interface to manage all your finances
- Fast onboarding (downloading the app to start trading within 5 minutes)
- A lot of educational resources available
Cons
- Limited to United States customers
- Limited to ETFs and stocks trading
- Slower support compared to other similar apps
Educating customers to be more responsible with their finances and build healthier wealth building habits is definitely what Stash does right. Stash is also a registered investment advisor with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The neat user interface with thousands of invest possibilities available makes Stash a no brainer for people looking to improve their finances and grow their portfolio.
17. Plus500
Plus500 is likely one of the fastest investing apps to get started with. As with other apps you need to verify yourself first, plus500 lets you get started first and verifies you later. This means you can create an account, deposit money and place your first trade in minutes. They are registered and licensed in Cyprus (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Licence number: 250/14).
Pros
- Fast onboarding (downloading the app to start trading is 5-10 minutes)
- Multiple money depositing options available
- A lot of different assets to trade with
- Web app also available
Cons
- Minimum amount to get started is €100
Pluss500 is definitely in the big leagues when it comes to ease of use and getting started. While the platform can be overwhelming for new traders (because of so many technical indicators, margin trading options and assets to choose from) they do offer live support and it’s near instant.
Conclusion
Investing on the go from your mobile is fun and easy.
Whether you’ve been swimming in the deep-end of the investment pool, or you’ve just dipped your toe in the water, you should definitely consider taking a closer look at some of the apps listed here.
Each of the apps listed in this article have their pros and cons based on location, fees, expertise level etc. We hope you find the app that best suits you.
Since this is our blog afterall, we will say a couple of parting words as to why you should try the Change investing app.
Change should be at the top of your list if you want to start small. You can get started with as little as €10. Since there are no fees to buy, sell, or send Bitcoin, you will get more Bitcoin for your money than from any other popular investing app. You’ll also have the possibility to gain exposure to other assets than Bitcoin and mitigate your risks even further with Stop Loss and Limit Orders.
You’ll also have the ability to get our nifty, VISA debit card as well and put your money to work with our Cash Management program to earn up to 2% annually.
You’ll love it 😎
We’re currently operating only in the EU. If that doesn’t work for you, check out some of the other apps listed in this article that are available for your region as well and start building your portfolio today!
