Best Trading Apps
An online trading app is a mobile application on which you can buy and sell various financial instruments and invest in other assets online. All you need is a smartphone and an internet connection to get quick and easy access to the global markets including forex, stocks, indices, commodities and cryptocurrency.
With a mobile trading app, you can analyse the markets, open, manage and close positions all conveniently from the palm of your hands. There are many advantages to using a trading app which has seen them increase in popularity over recent years.
However, with there being so many trading apps to choose from it can seem overwhelming to decide which is the best trading app for you. That is why we have put together this handy trading app guide to help you narrow down your search. Having the best apps according to our findings listed in one place, can help you save time when looking for the best trading app for your own individual needs.
Top 10 Trading Apps
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AvaTrade
We chose the excellent AvaTrade as one of the best trading apps because they offer online trading on a great selection of financial instruments across multiple markets via the powerful and easy to use AvaTradeGO app. They also offer you the popular and intuitive MetaTrader 4 (MT4) trading app. The platforms have a wide range of trading tools and indicators for a convenient and efficient online trading experience. Both of the provided mobile trading applications can be used on iOS and Android devices, making trading whilst on the go a breeze.
The intuitive AvaTradeGO app has a user-friendly sophisticated dashboard and an abundance of advanced features for a quick and easy online trading experience. You can connect to global markets with hundreds of trading instruments including the world’s top forex pairs, commodities, stocks, indices, cryptocurrencies and more.
The trading apps live feeds and social trends can be used to discover new trading opportunities whilst there are a set of other helpful features unique to the AvaTradeGO app including intuitive position management tools, clear charts, zoom for details, market sentiment and much more. You can see your trades at a glance, create your own watch lists, and view live prices and charts.
The AvaTradeGO mobile trading app provides you with step-by-step guidance on how to open trades, gives you feedback on your trading activity and offers support any time you need it. You can conveniently manage multiple brokerage accounts from within the app and seamlessly switch between demo or real accounts.
In addition to offering one of the best trading apps in terms of proprietary options, AvaTrade also offer the MT4 platform which is used by millions of traders of all experience levels from around the globe. This trading app has a vast array of built in indicators for studying various markets and charts for potential trading signals. There are trading tools for quickly placing trades and position management. The alert notifications can be set to alert you when a specific event occurs or price level is reached. This is great as it means that you do not need to watch the charts all day long whilst you wait for your signal to appear.
Founded way back in 2006, AvaTrade are amongst the world’s largest online brokers in terms of trading volume, offering low fees, competitive spreads and good execution speeds. They are also regulated in an impressive number of jurisdictions including Europe, Australia and South Africa. Their regulatory licenses span over multiple continents, making them one of the most well-regulated brokers that you will find anywhere.
IG
IG are included in our best trading apps for their industry leading online brokerage services. This includes a wide selection of trading apps for desktop, web and mobile devices. You can choose from a fantastic selection of platforms including IG’s proprietary trading platform, ProRealTime (PRT), L2 Dealer or the ever popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) trading platform.
IG’s trading apps are user-friendly yet packed with an abundance of powerful tools and features to help deliver an enjoyable trading experience. You can choose a trading app that is compatible with your devices and offers the features and functionality that your trading strategies require. I found all of the apps to be very user-friendly making it quick and easy to perform market analysis and manage your trades. They also have plenty of tools for finding opportunities and making informed decisions. The apps integrate with Reuters which delivers the latest market news and expert analysis directly to your mobile device.
If you are already familiar with a particular trading platform then you may wish to continue using it. If on the other hand, you are new to trading online then the MetaTrader app is often a popular choice among new traders whilst the in-house developed IG trading app is also very powerful and full of useful features. I don’t think you can go wrong with either but it is worth considering that the MetaTrader app is available through many other brokers just in case you plan on using another provider down the line.
In addition to providing some of the best trading apps, IG is a regulated broker with a huge selection of over 18,000 financial instruments including Forex, Commodities, Cryptocurrency, Stocks, Shares, Indices, Metals, Energies, Options, Bonds, ETFs, CFDs and Futures. You can trade these markets online with tight spreads, low commission fees and reliable trade execution speeds. I think IG can be a great choice of broker for anyone looking to trade on modern apps in a regulated environment with plenty of options and tools at your disposal.
Pepperstone
Pepperstone are one of the largest online brokers offering a good choice between the popular MetaTrader and cTrader mobile trading applications. Both of these trading apps are well established options that are used by millions of traders across the globe. They are considered very user-friendly with intuitive interfaces, providing convenient online trading on your mobile devices from anywhere in the world.
Using the Pepperstone trading apps, investors have access to a wide range of trading instruments including Forex, Commodities, Cryptocurrency, Stocks, Shares, Indices, Metals, Energies, Bonds, CFDs and ETFs. They offer low cost trading with tight spreads and fast trade execution speeds. I would say they have some of the best trading conditions that I have seen from any broker over the years that I have held an account with them.
The MetaTrader mobile app is packed with useful features and trading tools for analysing the markets and trading online. This includes technical indicators and drawing tools to mark important price levels on your charts. You can choose between multiple chart types and timeframes. It supports push alert notifications to let you know when a specific price is reached or event occurs. You get real time price quotes of different financial symbols and free financial news to assist with fundamental market analysis.
The cTrader mobile trading app is another popular choice amongst traders of all experience levels. The cTrader app is fast and responsive, offering a transparent online trading experience from your mobile and tablet devices. You can expect to get just as much information and functionality as you would using the cTrader desktop app. You get access to a complete range of order types, technical analysis tools, price alerts, trade statistics, order management settings, symbol watchlists and a variety of settings to customise the platform for your trading on-the-go requirements.
You can get the MetaTrader and cTrader apps for Android and iOS devices, freely available to download from Pepperstone. You will need a brokerage account to trade on these apps, with Pepperstone being rated as one of best online brokers for trading online, primarily due to their industry leading trading technologies and strict regulation. These factors amongst many others make them one of our top choices for the best trading apps.
IC Markets
IC Markets are included in our list of the best trading apps due to the fact that they provide some of the best trading conditions for trading online via the powerful MetaTrader and cTrader apps. As you will have noticed from the other brokers that we have included in this list, these are amongst the most popular and user-friendly trading platforms available today.
The True ECN trading model is incorporated into all of the platforms at no extra cost for all clients. This means that you get rapid trade execution speeds at the best available prices. The brokers commission fees are also very competitive whilst there is a variety of fast and convenient deposit and withdrawal options.
In addition to some of the industry leading trading conditions and trading apps, IC Markets also offer free trading tools, educational materials and multilingual support 24/5 via phone, chat and email. I have had trading accounts with this broker for many years now and put them at the very top all round. I think they are ideal for anyone who is looking to day trade manually or run automated trading strategies.
XM Group
XM Group make it into our best trading apps category. They offer the well-known MetaTrader app which was developed by MetaQuotes and as we have already discussed is widely regarded as one of the most popular trading platforms. It is simple to use, with an intuitive user interface and variety of trading tools for analysing the markets. You can easily follow the markets and conveniently place and manage trades whilst on the go, all from directly within the app. The app is compatible with mobile devices running on iOS and Android whilst it is free to download either directly from the broker or from the relevant app stores.
The broker has a wide range of trading instruments for trading on the app including Forex, Commodities, Cryptocurrency, Stocks, Shares, Indices, Metals, Energies and CFDs. XM Group clients can trade online with no-requotes, low spreads, fast execution and negative balance protection. They also get a choice of 25+ secure payment methods and a client support team that is available 24/5 in lots of languages via phone, chat and email.
I think XM Group is a good choice for anyone who is looking to access the markets in a regulated environment with minimal fuss. I have had an account with them for many years and have yet to run into any issue. The provided trading apps are suitable for traders and investors of all experience levels.
eToro
eToro deserves a place in our best trading apps, having long established themselves as one of the best social trading platforms. The eToro mobile app is used by millions of traders around the world of all experience levels. The app is extremely user-friendly and can be used for individual trading and copy trading. Using the eToro trading app, you can manage your portfolio, follow markets, copy traders, and perform any action available on the eToro platform from your smart mobile devices.
The eToro app has a large selection of trading instruments in various asset classes to choose from including stocks, forex, cryptos, commodities, CFDs and more. The vast eToro online trading community allows you to connect with other traders to view, compare and discuss trading strategies.
There is a large range of trading signals that users can choose to copy via the eToro trading app with the patented CopyTrader™ technology. The “Popular Investor Program” enables top-tier investors to earn additional income by being followed and copied by other users on the eToro app. They make it quick and easy to find signals which you can follow or unfollow at any time.
There is also the eToro club which offers a range of exclusive benefits, services, and tools to its members. These benefits include a dedicated account manager, market analysis, live webinars, expert investment support, premium trading tools, exclusive VIP events and more.
Users of the eToro mobile trading app have peace of mind due to the fact that eToro are regulated by some of the most respected regulatory authorities. I think that they are an excellent choice of trading app if you are looking for a copy trading solution. If you want to trade manually, then you may prefer a MetaTrader broker that provides the MetaTrader app instead.
City Index
City Index make it into our best trading apps list as one of the first online trading platforms that has since grown into one of the top brokers in the world, serving hundreds and thousands of online traders around the globe. They are owned by GAIN Capital Holdings Inc (NYSE:GCAP), who also own Forex.com and are one of the largest retail and institutional trading service providers.
Through City Index’s trading apps, you can trade a fantastic range of over 12,000+ markets including Forex, Commodities, Cryptocurrency, Stocks, Shares, Indices, Metals, Energies, Options, Bonds, Spread Betting, CFDs and ETFs. They are a regulated broker that is committed to offering industry leading trading services with fair and transparent pricing, risk management tools and excellent customer support.
City Index offer mobile trading apps for iOS and Android so that you can access your account wherever you are in the world at any time, from your smartphone or tablet. These apps provide secure 24-hour account access, live charts and pricing with built in Reuters news feed and economic calendar. Using the mobile trading apps, you can place and manage orders on the go.
The mobile trading platform key features include:
- Trade anytime, anywhere: Trade across multiple devices, open on your desktop, close on your smartphone or tablet
- Live TradingView charts: Plan your next trade with full-screen TradingView charts and a range of 60+ technical indicators
- Reuters news: Receive the latest global investment news from Reuters in the app
- Trade across devices: Trade on desktop, close on mobile or tablet. City Index accounts work on multiple devices
- Personalised watchlists: Create and amend multiple watchlists, to keep an eye on your chosen markets
- Economic calendar: Keep up-to-date with market events with the global economic calendar
- Device syncing: All your account details, history and preferences are synced between devices
- Live chat: Speak directly to City Index’s customer service team instantly through live chat
The MetaTrader 4 (MT4) trading app is freely available for iOS and Android devices with a wide variety of implemented features which are further enhanced by City Index’s service, support and pricing. When you trade forex and other markets with the City Index MT4 app you can benefit from ultra-tight spreads, fast trade executions and unique trading tools.
MT4 is well known for its quick learning curve and trading tools, thus making it one of the best trading platforms for new and experienced traders alike. Through MT4 you can conduct a range of thorough technical and fundamental chart analysis using the numerous indicators provided.
Overall, I think City Index are one of the best brokers that can provide beginners and experienced traders and investors with some of the best trading conditions that you will find.
Forex.com
Forex.com make it onto our best trading apps list due to the fact that they are amongst the very few online trading brokers that actually accepts US based clients. Not only that, just like City Index, the parent company of Forex.com is GAIN Capital Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:GCAP), who are a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. They have a proven track record of stability, security and financial strength, with plenty of resources at their exposure to continue providing innovative online trading apps.
You can trade a reasonable range of over 300+ global markets from a choice of sophisticated trading apps that are designed to meet the different needs of all different styles and experience levels of traders. Each trading platform is designed to give an enjoyable trading experience with fast trade execution speed, low fees and tight spreads. The mobile trading apps are available on iOS and Android devices (iPhone / iPad / Android / Tablet). This is useful if you plan on trading using multiple devices in different locations as one account can be accessed across the different apps.
With Forex.com’s mobile trading apps, you never have to miss a market move. They offer the ultimate trading experience at your fingertips so that you can easily manage your account and trade on the go with access to full robust trading features, real-time market price quotes, risk management options, advanced TradingView charting and real-time analysis, integrated fund management and more from your mobile devices.
Forex.com is one of the largest MetaTrader 4 (MT4) brokers. They provide users with the option of trading online via the free MT4 trading app that is used by millions of traders around the world and considered by traders as one of the most user-friendly trading apps, thus making it a popular choice for beginners whilst having enough advanced functionality to satisfy the more seasoned traders. MT4 has a variety of built in tools for analysing charts, following various markets, placing/managing traders, setting alerts, getting economic news updates and much more.
Trading 212
Trading 212 is a popular mobile trading platform offering flexible zero commission trading on 2,000+ instruments including stocks, forex and cryptos. They provide a powerful and user-friendly trading app that is suitable for traders of all skill levels. It comes with some handy tools to help you with your market analysis and making informed trade decisions. With Trading 212, you can get convenient access to an excellent range of trading instruments across multiple asset classes without any hassle.
FinecoBank
FinecoBank is an Italian bank that offers online trading services, asset management and banking services to a global clientele. They offer online trading in multiple asset classes including Forex, Stocks and CFDs. The broker provides you with an advanced and sophisticated trading app that is designed and built in-house to satisfy the special needs of both retail and institutional traders alike. I found the platform to be a powerful, fast, and customizable work station that is easy to use, regardless of your experience level.
Conclusion
Here you will find our best trading apps, based on thousands of hours of extensive research, testing and analysis across hundreds of brokers. Upon conclusion of each of our broker reviews, we have assigned each trading app with a rating.
Some of the most important factors that contribute towards a good app for trading and investing online have been considered including the features and functionality. We have carefully examined things such as the financial instruments, tools, fees, usability, education, versatility, funding options, regulation, customer service and more.
Each of our chosen trading and investing apps have undergone and passed our stringent broker reviews with flying colours, based on what we consider to be amongst the most important considerations when choosing an app for trading online. These apps are well-established within the online brokerage industry, providing top trading conditions to traders and investors of all experience levels.
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