How to Buy Stock on an iPhone

For decades, a desktop or laptop was necessary for trading. But now, mobile app trading is on the rise, with stock trading apps generating $24.7 billion in revenue in 2024, a nearly 20% increase over the prior year.⁽¹⁾ Robinhood alone reported 28.5 million funded customers as of July 2026, showing just how popular online brokerages have become.⁽²⁾

With trading on the go, there’s no reason to miss that must-have investment. Here’s what you need to know about how to buy stocks on iPhone stock apps.

How to buy stock on an iPhone in 7 steps

Learning how to buy stock on iPhones is simple with the help of the right app. You can begin trading in just seven steps.

1. Choose a brokerage and download the app

Compare options from the best brokerages that support mobile trading. To aid in your comparison, here are some key considerations:

• Products. Make sure that your brokerage offers the type of investment products that interest you.
• Account types. Consider the type of account you want, whether it is a cash account, margin account, individual retirement account (IRA) or joint account.
• Resources. Ensure your brokerage has educational resources to help you develop your investment know-how.
• Mobile app. Since you will be using your iPhone to trade, it is important to assess the app’s user-friendliness.

Once you choose a brokerage, go to the App Store or Google Play and search for its app. Tap Get and then Open once the download is complete.

2. Open an account

To open an account with most brokerages, you will need to provide the following:

• Personal information, including your name, Social Security number and address
• Financial information, such as income and employer details
• Financial objectives, such as your risk tolerance
• A login name and password

Be sure to review the terms and conditions carefully and then agree.

3. Research stocks

Before you place any trades, first determine which investments interest you. There are two main strategies to assess a stock’s performance: fundamental analysis or technical analysis.

The fundamental analysis allows you to assess a company’s strength based on its structure and makeup, considering factors such as its earnings per share (EPS), price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, revenue and industry position. Meanwhile, the technical analysis studies past performance and infers future movement from that data.

When assessing a company’s strength, examine factors like revenue, profit margins and overall debt. Consider your long-term investment goals and overall risk tolerance to find the right investments that match your objectives.

4. Fund the account

Once you are ready to trade, it is time to fund your account. Typically, there are multiple ways to fund your new brokerage account. Most brokers allow you to link a bank account for single or recurring transfers. Also, you can usually transfer funds from another brokerage account.

Check what options exist with your specific brokerage. For example, Charles Schwab accepts electronic funds transfers, wire transfers and mailed checks, and also lets you deposit in person at a branch.

5. Purchase your stocks

Once you know what stock to buy, open your broker’s mobile app.

1. Go to the search bar and type in your stock to find the appropriate stock ticker (e.g., AAPL for Apple, Inc.).
2. Review the price quote, including the last price of shares traded, bid and offer.
3. Indicate whether you want to buy or sell.
4. Choose between a market order or limit order.
5. Enter the dollar amount or number of shares to buy.
6. Tap the button to place your order and confirm your trade goes through.

6. Monitor the trade

Once you have made your trade, be sure to monitor changes in the market. Whether you read articles online or tune in to your TV, try to stay informed about market trends and investing strategies so you can manage your investments accordingly.

7. Review and refine your strategy

Not all trades are winners, so it is important to analyze your investment strategies to find the right one for each investment. Consider your asset allocation and diversify your portfolio to lower risk. Ensure your investments align with your long-term goals and adjust accordingly.

Can you buy stocks on the Apple Stock app?

Apple Stocks is the go-to app for many investors today, but unfortunately, there is no way to buy stocks on the iPhone stock app. It’s a research and tracking companion, not a brokerage: it can’t execute trades and doesn’t offer robo-advisor-style portfolio recommendations. Instead, it’s built to help you follow the market and get smarter about investing before you place a trade elsewhere.

A few features make it useful alongside a real brokerage app:

• Watchlists that sync everywhere. Add a stock to a watchlist on your iPhone and it appears on your Mac, iPad and Apple Watch automatically.
• Built-in news. Stocks pulls in relevant, curated coverage from Apple News so you can see what’s moving a company’s share price without leaving the app.
• Price alerts. You can set alerts for price moves of a certain size, and get notified across your Apple devices the moment they happen.
• Siri integration. Ask Siri for a quick price check or market update from any Apple device without opening the app at all.

Because it’s free, preinstalled and ad-light, Stocks is a reasonable place to build research habits and track a watchlist. But when you’re ready to actually buy, you’ll still need one of the dedicated brokerage apps covered in this guide.

iPhone trading advantages and risks

While it offers invaluable convenience, there are both pros and cons to iPhone trading.

Compare brokerage platforms for trading on iPhone

Compare similar platforms by available asset types, trade fees and minimum deposit requirements. Select Go to site to sign up for an account.

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Finder Score	Available asset types	Stock trade fee	Minimum deposit	Cash sweep APY
Promoted 9.4 Excellent Webull	9.4 Excellent	Stocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Futures, Money market funds	$0	$0	3.35%	Get 12 free shares by joining Webull. Select Go to site, then make a first deposit of $100 or more to get 10+2 free shares, each worth $3-$300, randomly drawn from the pool of NVDA, TSLA, SPCX and AAPL, minimum $36 in the pocket, plus 1-month complimentary Webull premium. T&Cs apply.	Trade stocks, ETFs and equity options commission-free, with access to futures, advanced charting tools, a robo-advisor and event trading powered by Kalshi.	Important information *Free shares will be validated in 10 days and no withdraw is allowed during this period. Partner deal only, sign up and join via non-affiliate link shall only receive 10 free shares	$160 REWARD Go to site View details	loading
Promoted 8.2 Great eToro	8.2 Great	Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Investments	$0	$0	3.25%	No commission stock, ETF and options trades, with 3.25% interest on your options account balance and no options contract fees. See full disclosure.	Important information eToro securities trading offered by eToro USA Securities, Inc. (‘the BD”), member of FINRA and SIPC. Investing involves risk, and content is provided for educational purposes only, does not imply a recommendation, and is not a guarantee of future performance. Finder is not an affiliate and may be compensated if you access certain products or services offered by the BD. eToro USA LLC and eToro USA Securities Inc.; Investing involves risk, including loss of principal; Not a recommendation	$200 REWARD Go to site View details	loading
Promoted 9 Excellent SoFi Active Invest	9 Excellent	Stocks, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Alternatives	$0	$0	0.01%	Get up to $1,000 in stock when you open and fund a new account. Plus, get a 1% match on ACAT transfers through September 30, 2026. T&Cs apply.	Trade stocks, ETFs, and options with zero commissions, invest in IPOs or automate your portfolio, with exclusive perks available through SoFi Plus.	Important information INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE Other fees, such as exchange fees, may apply. Please view our fee disclosure to view a full listing of fees. Investing in alternative investments and/or strategies may not be suitable for all investors and involves unique risks, including the risk of loss. An investor should consider their individual circumstances and any investment information, such as a prospectus, prior to investing. Interval Funds are illiquid instruments, the ability to trade on your timeline may be restricted. Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org) /SIPC(www.sipc.org). There are limitations with fractional shares to consider before investing. During market hours fractional share orders are transmitted immediately in the order received. There may be system delays from receipt of your order until execution and market conditions may adversely impact execution prices. Outside of market hours orders are received on a not held basis and will be aggregated for each security then executed in the morning trade window of the next business day at market open. Share will be delivered at an average price received for executing the securities through a single batched order. Fractional shares may not be transferred to another firm. Fractional shares will be sold when a transfer or closure request is initiated. Please consider that selling securities is a taxable event. Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire investment Before trading options please review the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options Utilizing a margin loan is generally considered more appropriate for experienced investors as there are additional costs and risks associated. It is possible to lose more than your initial investment when using margin. Please see https://www.sofi.com/wealth/assets/documents/brokerage-margin-disclosure-statement.pdf for detailed disclosure information SoFi Plus members can schedule an unlimited number of appointments with a financial planner during periods in which the SoFi Plus member meets the eligibility criteria set forth in section 10(a) of the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions. SoFi members who are not members of SoFi Plus can schedule one (1) appointment with a financial planner. The ability to schedule appointments is subject to financial planner availability. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this benefit at any time with or without notice. Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Information about SoFi Wealth's advisory operations, services, and fees is set forth in SoFi Wealth's current Form ADV Part 2 (Brochure), a copy of which is available upon request and at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. The probability of a member receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. If you don’t make a selection in 45 days, you’ll no longer qualify for the promo. Members must fund their account with a minimum of $50.00 to qualify. The probability percentage is subject to decrease. Members are only eligible for the Stock Award promotion upon opening their first brokerage account; subsequent cash brokerage accounts are ineligible for the promo, including for members with multiple accounts. Terms and conditions apply*. For 401k rollovers, existing SoFi IRA members must complete 401k rollovers via this link See full terms and For SoFi members without a SoFi IRA, a SoFi IRA must first be opened, and 401k rollover must be completed utilizing Capitalize via this link. SoFi and Capitalize will charge no additional fees to process a 401(k) rollover to a SoFi IRA. SoFi is not liable for any costs incurred from the existing 401k provider for rollover. Please check with your 401k provider for any fees or costs associated with the rollover. For IRA contributions, only deposits made via ACH and cash transfer from SoFi Bank accounts are eligible for the match. Click here for the 1% Match terms and conditions. Must be a SoFi Plus member at the time a recurring deposit is received into your SoFi Active or Automated investing account to qualify. Bonus calculated on net monthly recurring deposits made via ACH and paid out as Rewards Points. See Rewards Terms of Service. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this promotion at any time without notice. See terms and limitations. https://www.sofi.com/sofiplus/invest/#disclaimers SoFi will match 1% of a customer's ACAT transfers, up to $5,000,000 into an existing or newly opened SoFi self-directed individual retirement account (IRA) or SoFi self-directed taxable account during the Offer Period of Sept 10- Sept 30, 2026. The transferred assets must be settled before the end of the Offer Period to qualify for the match and must be maintained in the account for five years. For the full terms and conditions, please visit SoFi.com/ACATterms.	$150 REWARD Go to site View details	loading
9 Excellent Public.com	9 Excellent	Stocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Treasury Bills, High-yield cash account	$0	$0	3.30%	Earn a 1% match on IRA contributions and rollovers. Must stay 5 years to avoid a clawback fee	Build a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, ETFs and crypto, with a high-yield cash account and options contract rebates.	Important information High-yield cash account 3.30% APY as of 06/11/2026.	Go to site View details	loading
9 Excellent Moomoo	9 Excellent	Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency	$0	$0	3.35%	Up to $1,000 in Nvidia stock plus 8.1% APY on uninvested cash for 2 months, then it reverts to 3.35% APY. T&Cs apply.	No commission stock, ETF and options trades, with $0 equity options contract fees, low margin rates and advanced trading tools.	View details	loading
9.4 Excellent Robinhood	9.4 Excellent	Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Futures, Event contracts, High-yield cash account	$0	$0	3.35%	Trade stocks, options, crypto and more, with advanced trading tools, fractional shares and exclusive perks for Gold members.	View details	loading

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What is the Finder Score?

The Finder Score crunches 45 key metrics we collected directly from 13+ robo-advisors and assessed each provider’s performance based on eight different categories, weighing each metric based on the expertise and insights of Finder’s investment experts. We then score and rank each provider depending on how it performs in each category.

We update our best picks as products change, disappear or emerge in the market. We also regularly review and revise our selections to ensure our best provider lists reflect the most competitive available.

Read the full Finder Score breakdown

Bottom line

When you know how to buy stocks on iPhone stock apps, a new world of investing opens up right at your fingertips. To get started, check out the best trading apps and start investing today.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the best app to buy stocks for beginners?

  The best app to buy stocks for beginners depends on your personal investment needs, but popular choices today include SoFi Invest®, Public and eToro.

• How much money should you have to start buying stock?

  Every brokerage has different requirements, with some offering a $0 opening deposit. You can even get started trading without investing any funds. For example, Charles Schwab offers a paper trading simulator through thinkorswim so you can practice strategies with virtual money before risking real capital.

  There are also brokerages that are more affordable, with Robinhood and Stash offering fractional shares and Fidelity and Firstrade allowing penny stocks.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Holly Jennings as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Lena Borrelli

Contributor

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Lena Borrelli is an experienced finance writer with a deep understanding of personal finance, investing and consumer banking. Her work has been featured in top-tier publications such as Forbes, TIME, Bankrate, Moneywise and Annuity.org, where she provides expert insights on financial trends, smart money management and emerging fintech solutions. With a background in personal finance and content strategy, Lena specializes in breaking down complex financial topics into clear, actionable advice for readers. When she is not writing or scanning the news for the latest headlines, she is happiest spending time in the Florida sunshine with her husband and two pups. See full bio