The best free trading apps for retail investors (& what they offer)
With more commission-free digital brokerages than ever, average investors have a plethora of tools to choose from. Here are 12 great choices ranked by their general accessibility, free features, and variety of available investments.

Investing and trading tools are more accessible than ever, and as technology has changed the way we invest, traditional brokers have largely been replaced by commission-free trading apps that anyone can download and use, regardless of their wealth or experience level.
Since 2020, there has been a massive boom in casual investing among non-professionals. As more working people have entered the equities, options, and crypto markets, new trading platforms have emerged to serve this growing pool of retail investors.
For the younger generation of retail investors — and anyone newer to stocks, for that matter — the growing number of free-to-use brokerages can make deciding where to park one’s investment dollars difficult. By comparing each brokerage app’s offerings side-by-side, however, budding investors can more easily choose a trading platform that suits their needs.