Learning tools and fractional share options for new investors.
finder.com’s rating: 3.3 / 5.0
★★★★★
Stockpile is the Investments 101 of stock trading. Offering fractional stock purchases, mini-lessons on how the market works and a mobile app to track your progress, this brokerage is a good fit for the newbie investor. But those looking for the benefits of a full-service broker will need to look elsewhere.
As the news editor at Finder, Ryan Brinks melds decades of experience in business news and online content into creating comprehensive and helpful comparisons of the companies you trust your money with. He loves to innovate and put money to work while keeping a careful eye on managing risk. Beyond work, Ryan's also passionate about his family and serving his community.
Expert Review
Review by
Ryan Brinks
Stockpile is a helpful tool for beginners and parents looking for an easy way to teach their kids about stock market investing. As your children learn about the stock market, you’ll have full control over their trades.
There’s no minimum deposit needed to get started and you’ll pay low brokerage fees per trade.
But there are limited investment options and customer support. You may want to look elsewhere if you’d like more windows of support, such as phone and live chat.
Expert review
Stockpile is a helpful tool for beginners and parents looking for an easy way to teach their kids about stock market investing. As your children learn about the stock market, you’ll have full control over their trades.
There’s no minimum deposit needed to get started and you’ll pay low brokerage fees per trade.
But there are limited investment options and customer support. You may want to look elsewhere if you’d like more windows of support, such as phone and live chat.
Who is Stockpile best for?
Stockpile’s educational and low-investment approach makes this brokerage best for:
New investors. If you’re just getting started, Stockpile offers lessons on how the market works, from the basics to more advanced lessons on stock splits and cost basis.
Low-capital investors. Stockpile lets you buy fractional shares in big companies. Meaning you can buy into companies like Amazon or Nike without having to buy a full share of stock.
Children and teens. Fund an account for your child or teen to watch their money grow and shrink along with the market, plus make trades with your approval.
What are the benefits of Stockpile?
In addition to its mobile app and teaching resources, Stockpile offers these perks:
Fractional shares. Invest in over a thousand major companies with little money.
Custodial accounts. Teach your kids about the market while maintaining control over their trades.
Gift cards. Redeemable for fractional shares in some of the biggest names on the market.
Low per-trade brokerage fees. You pay $0.99 each trade.
What to watch out for
Stockpile may not be for everyone based on a few potential drawbacks:
Not a full-service broker. This isn’t the brokerage for you if you’re looking for retirement advice or tax tips.
Limited investment options. Stockpile only offers shares in just over a thousand companies and 100 exchange-traded funds.
Limited customer support. With no phone or live-chat support, you’re limited to a knowledge base and email.
US investors only. Those who aren’t citizens or residents in the States can’t trade with Stockpile.
Are there any fees with Stockpile?
Yes. You’ll pay $0.99 for each trade. If you use a credit or debit card to make the purchase, there’s an additional 3% fee.
When you purchase an electronic gift card, you’re charged $2.99 plus 3% for the first stock purchased and $0.99 plus 3% for every additional stock on that card.
For physical gift cards, you’ll pay a fee of $4.95 to $7.95, depending on the value of the card, to cover fees your recipient might pay — debit and credit card fees, the trading commission fees and the cost of the physical card.
Stockpile is a privately owned company, founded in 2010 as an investment platform to simplify the stock market for new investors. The company is based in Palo Alto, California.
As of October, 2020, Stockpile has a TrustScore of 4.3 on Trustpilot with 311 reviews. Stockpile isn’t accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and earns a C- score due to 73 complaints filed against the company and the time it’s taken it to resolve them. The company has no registered complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Customers who have filed with the BBB or left a negative review complain that Stockpile failed to transfer money from their account or issue refunds in the times specified in the company’s terms of service. There are also many complaints about the lack of a customer support phone line and slow response times by email.
How do I get started?
Sign up online or through the mobile app in seven steps:
Click Sign Up on Stockpile’s homepage.
Enter your first and last name, email and password, then click Sign Up.
Choose an account type, either Individual or Custodial.
A security screen appears to alert you that Stockpile is required to gather personal information, but your privacy is protected with encryption. Click Continue.
Fill in your personal information and click Continue.
Review your personal information and click Submit.
Link your bank account or debit card, or skip to fund the account later.
Eligibility
Valid US residential address
At least 18 years old (younger for a custodial account)
Valid Social Security number
Required Information
First and last name
Address, mobile phone number and email
Social Security number
Employment status
Financial information to fund the account
I’ve signed up with Stockpile. Now what?
It’s time to explore everything Stockpile has to offer:
Fund your account. If you haven’t already, link your bank account or enter your debit or credit card information to start buying stock.
Learn about the stock market. In the mobile app, click the light bulb icon to start taking your mini-lessons on the stock market so you can make wise decisions going forward.
Track your progress. See how your stocks are progressing in the market and investments gains and losses at a glance from the mobile app home screen.
Give a gift. Purchase and send Stockpile gift cards through the app, selecting companies you think the recipient will like. Or choose from several starter packs.
Stockpile customer service
You have three options for reaching Stockpile customer support:
Knowledge base. On the website, click Support and browse or search the contents of the knowledge base.
Rep support. Click the speech bubble icon at bottom right. From there, you can type in your question to see what’s already been answered or start a new conversation with a Stockpile customer support representative. Reps typically respond within 24 hours.
Email. Contact the company through email at support@stockpile.com.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Stockpile offers American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), which allow you to invest in non-U.S. companies.
Stockpile uses 256-bit encryption on your online and mobile accounts. Stockpile is also a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which insures cash in investment accounts and is regulated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
Yes, but only from the mobile app. In your account settings, select Auto Deposit to determine the frequency and amount of your deposit. A growth calculator is also available to project your earnings based on this setting.
Yes. You can opt to reinvest dividends whether you own half a share or a full share of stock. And Stockpile waives the trading commission.
How we rate trading platforms
★★★★★ 5/5 — Excellent
★★★★★4/5 — Good
★★★★★3/5 — Average
★★★★★2/5 — Subpar
★★★★★1/5 — Poor
We analyze top online trading platforms and rate them one to five stars based on factors that are most important to you. These factors include fees, securities available for trade, customer support, customer feedback, platform resources and overall reliability.
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