The Ultimate Guide to Using Your Smartwatch for Online Stock Trading Platforms
Best Stock Brokers for April 2024
Sam Levine, CFA, CMT, the lead writer for StockBrokers.com, has over 30 years of investing experience and actively trades stocks, ETFs, options, futures, and options on futures. He's held roles as a portfolio manager, financial consultant, investment strategist and journalist. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and the Chartered Market Technician (CMT) designations and served on the board of directors of the CMT Association.
Blain Reinkensmeyer, head of research at StockBrokers.com, has been investing and trading for over 25 years. After having placed over 2,000 trades in his late teens and early 20s, he became one of the first in digital media to review online brokerages. Blain created the original scoring rubric for StockBrokers.com and oversees all testing and rating methodologies.
For this guide:
- Whenever possible, we used our own brokerage accounts for testing. For several brokers, we used a test account that was provided to us.
- We collected more than three thousand data points (196 per broker).
- We tested each online broker's website, browser-based trading platform (where applicable), downloadable desktop trading platform (where applicable), and of course, the mobile app (or apps in the case of several brokers).
- We met with the product teams of nine online brokers.
To analyze trading platforms for this guide, our writers maintained active, funded online brokerage accounts for testing. In certain circumstances, a demo account was provided by the broker.
StockBrokers.com uses a variety of computing devices to evaluate trading platforms. Our reviews were conducted using the following devices: iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, MacBook Pro M1 with 8 GB RAM running the current MacOS, and a Dell Vostro 5402 laptop i5 with 8 GB RAM running Windows 11 Pro. In testing platforms and apps, our reviewers place actual trades for a variety of instruments.
As part of our data check process, we sent a data profile link to each broker summarizing the data we had on file and the data they provided us last year, with a field for entering any data that had since changed. For the brokers that filled out these profiles, we audited the information for any discrepancies between our data and the brokers data to ensure accuracy.
As part of our review process, all brokers had the opportunity to provide updates and key milestones in a live meeting that took place in the fall. Meetings with broker teams also took place throughout the year as new products rolled out. Insights gathered from these calls helped steer our testing efforts to ensure every feature and tool was assessed.
Once our data collection, auditing, and trading platform testing was completed, we entered our final 1-10 opinion scores of each broker's key areas (Commissions & Fees, Platforms & Tools, Research, Mobile Trading, Education, and Ease of Use). We then ran all the collected data through our proprietary scoring engine to determine each broker's Overall percent score and rating.
Best Online Brokerage Accounts for Stock Trading: April 2024
Which brokerage account is best?
That depends on your goals. If you're looking for a broker through which to invest your savings for the long-term, you may want to prioritize a broker with good financial planning tools, or one that offers retirement accounts.
If you're looking to do a lot of day trading, you may want to consider order execution quality in choosing the best brokerage account for you some brokers use the payment for order flow (PFOF) business model, which can result in trades being executed slower or at worse prices than non-PFOF brokerages.
Or, if you're just looking for an all-around good broker, you may just want to compare them according to more basic factors like trading costs and investment selection.
How much money do I need to start?
Not much. Note that many of the brokers above have no account minimums for both taxable brokerage accounts and IRAs. Once you open an account, all it takes to get started is enough money to cover the cost of a single share of a stock and the trading commission, if charged.
Need more guidance? Read our article on how to buy stocks for step-by-step instructions on placing that first trade.
Should I just choose the cheapest broker?
Trading costs definitely matter to active and high-volume traders, but many brokers offer commission-free trades of stocks and ETFs. A few have also eliminated fees for options contracts. Other factors access to a range of investments or training tools may be more valuable than saving a few bucks when you purchase shares.
How can I diversify with little money?
One easy way is to invest in exchange-traded funds. ETFs are essentially mutual funds that are bought and sold just like individual stocks on a stock market exchange. Like mutual funds, each ETF contains a basket of stocks (sometimes hundreds) that adhere to particular criteria (e.g., shares of companies that are part of a stock market index like the S&P 500). Unlike mutual funds, which can have high investment minimums, investors can purchase as little as one share of an ETF at a time.
Is my money insured at brokerage firms?
Your money is indeed insured, but only against the unlikely event a brokerage firm or investment company goes under. A brokers SIPC coverage (Securities Investor Protection Corporation) doesn't cover any loss in value of your investments.
What type of online brokerage account should I choose?
Your account choices boil down to a taxable brokerage account versus tax-favored retirement account, such as an IRA. Our guide to brokerage accounts goes into more detail about whats involved in setting up a taxable account. Opening an IRA involves choosing which type, such as a Roth IRA, traditional IRA or SEP IRA. If you're new to this, weve got you covered in our guide to IRAs.
How quickly can I start trading?
After youve opened the account, youll need to initiate a deposit or funds transfer to the brokerage firm, which can take anywhere from a few days to a week. Once that is complete, its off to the investing races! And by that we mean taking a thoughtful and disciplined approach to investing your money for the long-term.
How do I choose the best brokerage account for me?
Some key criteria to consider when evaluating any investment company are how much money you have, what type of assets you intend to buy, your trading style and technical needs, how frequently you plan to transact and how much service you need. Our post about how to choose the best broker for you can helpyou sort through the features brokerage firms offerand rank your priorities.
Best Smartwatches for Traders (Monitor Stocks on the Go)
Are you Looking for the best smartwatches for traders to buy & sell stocks or cryptocurrency? Before we dive into the list, you have to understand what things you should notice before selecting?
Not every smartwatch out there in the market support trading as there is a basic requirement to follow. For instance, the smartwatch should be running on a compatible operating system such as Wear OS (Android) or Watch OS (Apple) to install a compatible app for trading.
Robinhood is the most popular watch app used for investing in stocks, options, and funds. Additionally, it is possible investing in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and more from this app.
Well talk more about this app in this post.
Cryptocurrency is the present & the future, so investing in them having a long-term mindset can give amazing results.
A smartwatch will help you keep an eye on the correct price to buy independently of your smartphone. Thats why I have prepared this post on the best smartwatches for trading from your wrist.
Additionally, I have shared some important properties to consider before purchasing a smartwatch for trading purposes. This will help not ending up buying the wrong watch.
But if you are in a hurry, then I will recommend you to check out the smartwatch below.
Are You In Hurry? Check this out
TicWatch S2
The TicWatch S2 is an affordable option, offers the Wear OS platform that unlocks plenty of features for you. By Installing the Robinhood app, you can invest in stocks and cryptocurrency on the go. Overall, it fits best for the budget & purpose.
How to Choose the Best Smartwatch for Trading?
1. Operating System
As I have said earlier, Robinhood is the most popular trading app available for investing in stocks, options, funds, and cryptocurrency. So installing this app will require a supported platform. This is where picking the right OS is necessary. The Robinhood app is compatible with smartwatches running on Wear OS (for Android) or Watch OS (for Apple).
If you are going to purchase an Android smartwatch, youll probably find it running on Wear OS. Although, Watch OS is for Apple series watches that cost much higher than Wear OS devices.
Curious? Can you have Wear OS on any Smartwatch
2. Display
The size of the display helps in responsive touch. So the minimum display should be 1.3-inch, which provides enough space for interacting. With that, it should have a touchscreen display to make interaction easier.
Besides, the smartwatch should have adjustable brightness because this helps you to have better visibility under bright light. Also can be adjusted to the normal lighting conditions.
3. Battery Life
A good watch should go for at least a day or two on normal usage, but this depends on the usage. While participating in trading activities, youll be turning the display ON multiple times, increasing the battery consumption.
If your primary reason for buying a smartwatch is for stock trading activities, then a day of battery life is sufficient.
4. Price
What is your budget for the smartwatch? Keep in mind that the Wear OS & Watch OS will cost more than 100 bucks. So, this should be your minimum budget to match the above requirements.
So you need to decide how much you can spend on it. Generally, a better smartwatch for stocks comes in $100 to $150.
Best Smartwatches for Traders to Invest on the GO
1. TicWatch S2 Best in Budget
- Operating System: Wear OS by Google
- Display: 1.4-inch Touchscreen
- Battery Life: 1 day (normal usage)
- Supported Trading App: Robinhood
The Reddot Award Winner TicWatch S2 comes powered with Wear OS by Google out of the box. In terms of style, this watch has a sporty look that fits perfectly for outdoor activities. It has bands that feel soft on touch, uses silicone as the band material.
With MIL-STD-810G certification, TicWatch S2 can easily survive the shock, vibration, heat, cold, humidity, and more. For extra protection, the watch is using durable polycarbonate as its case material. And Gorilla Glass 3, protecting it from scratches.
Besides, the watch has plenty of health & fitness tracking features to deal with your daily activities. This includes monitoring heart rate, steps, calories, etc. Additionally, it comes pre-installed with the primary fitness tracking app called Google Fit. However, apps like Strava, Runkeeper can also be installed for better tools & improvement.
Although the TicWatch S2 is water-resistant up to a depth of 50 meters, using it for activities like swimming is much less recommended. Do not submerge it in hot water to avoid damage.
The battery life on this watch is decent. Mobvoi claims that the watch offers a battery life of around 1 day in normal mode and 18 hours (may vary) with excessive usage.
For stock trading, you can install the Robinhood app from PlayStore. This will allow you to invest in stocks, funds, and cryptocurrency on the go. To install, go to app list > Scroll & Tap PlayStore > Search Robinhood > Install.
Or, Speak up to the Google Assistant, asking Whats the stock price of the Tesla to know the details at a glance.
What I Like About TicWatch S2
Overall, the TicWatch S2 is an impressive smartwatch on a budget, having Wear OS as its platform unlocks plenty of possibilities. For instance, we can now install various useful apps such as Messenger, Spotify, Uber, Strava, etc.
This smartwatch also offers numerous advanced features for outdoor activities, as well as has the potential to survive different environmental conditions. It combines built-in GPS, Glonass, Beidou for better navigation while running and cycling.
It has an exceptional amount of watch faces to customize and personalize the display, up to thousands of watch faces to install from Google Play.
Besides, google assistant makes tasks super easy. Raise your wrist & speak up; Google Assistant will always be ready with an appropriate answer.
What I Dont Like About TicWatch S2
Indeed, Google Assistant makes it possible to access the information & perform tasks within seconds but does not respond with a voice. The TicWatch S2 lacks an internal speaker; Mobvoi could have integrated an in-built speaker at this price.
Pros- Wear OS unlocks plenty of possibilities.
- Military Standard Certification.
- Has Gorilla Glass 3 Screen Protection to protect from scratches.
- In-built GPS,
- It can be used for fitness and health tracking.
- Google Assistant always ready to help.
- No speakers for Google assistant response.
2. Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle Best in Mid Range
- Operating System: Wear OS by Google
- Display: 1.7-inch Touchscreen
- Battery Life: 1-2 days (normal usage)
- Supported Trading App: Robinhood
Smartwatches from Fossil nearly deliver quality in every aspect. Whether it is about performance, customizability, or aesthetics, Fossil stands out from the rest. The brand is recognized the best because it comprehends what to offer that will make the device worthwhile.
The Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle is another wearable on the list that runs on Wear OS out of the box. If there is one thing that stands out is its fashionable design. Because of its fashionable design, the watch can go with any outfit, making you look stunning on various occasions. With this design, the watch is ideal for formal occasions.
Fossil Gen 5 brings a larger display with a much more improved performance from its predecessor. It offers a 1.7-inch display which is quite large, providing you enough space to interact. Brightness wont be an issue as the display is clearly visible in daylight.
On its battery, the Fossil Gen 5 provides up to one to two days of operation. This is quite impressive to get these results because most of the other Wear OS smartwatches has 1-day average life before it needs to be recharged again.
As it uses the Wear OS platform, it is recommended to use the Robinhood app for stock trading. Installing it requires you to follow up the same process, go to app list > Scroll & Tap PlayStore > Search Robinhood > Install.
Like TicWatch S2, here you can also speak up to Google Assistant to know the current stock price in seconds by saying something like:What was todays closing price for Walt Disney?. Thankfully, the Fossil Gen 5 has internal speakers so that you can get a response with a voice. After all, Getting a voice response is quite convenient than reading the whole text.
Overall, If you are looking for the best smartwatch for business use, Fossil Gen 5 can easily stay above the list.
What I Like About Fossil Gen 5
In terms of stock trading, the Fossil Gen 5 serves its best performance. It is featuring Snapdragon Wear 3100, the fastest processor from Fossil to date, so there wont be any lag or performance issues. Besides, download amazing apps from the store till the 8GB onboard storage fills up.
Moreover, answering calls becomes more convenient because Fossil Gen 5 offers internal speakers that allow you to answer calls independently of your smartphone.
Fossil gen 5provides all of the essential features that youll need: built-in GPS, Activity Tracking, Health Tracking, Contactless Payments, Bluetooth Calling, and more.
But there are a few things that we dont like about the Fossil Gen 5.
What I Dont Like About Fossil Gen 5
I agree, the Fossil Gen 5 offers amazing features and functionality, but if your primary reason is to use it for stock trading, then the price doesnt do justice. In my opinion, only bet on it if you have enough budget to spend.
Pros- Fashionable design and amazing performance.
- Answer Calls from the wrist.
- In-built GPS.
- Internal speaker allows Google Assistant to respond.
- Decent Battery Life.
- Expensive, if primary reason is to monitor stocks.
3. Apple Watch Series 5 Premium Choice
- Operating System: Watch OS
- Display: 1.78-inch Touchscreen
- Battery Life: 1 day (normal usage)
- Supported Trading App: In-built Stock app, Robinhood, and more.
Apple sets a remarkable position among the premium wearables available in the market. A lot of features already exist independent of app installation. To track stocks, Apple Watch Series comes with a pre-installed stock app for monitoring the market on the go.
It basically displays all the stocks found in the Stocks app on your iPhone but opens a possibility to manage them right from your wrist. There is a full guide on how to use the stocks app on the Apple Watch. Make sure to check it out.
Can I Install Robinhood App on Apple Watch Series 5? Of course, you can. As mentioned earlier, the Robinhood app is compatible with devices running on either Wear OS by Google or Watch OS by Apple as the app is available for respective platforms.
The Apple Watch Series 5 runs on Watch OS 6 right out of the box. Apart from the Robinhood app, there are several other investment apps supported by the Watch OS, including Personal Capital, E-Trade, Fidelity, Openfolio, CNBC, Morningstar, and more.
Thats an advantage of possessing a premium device.
To install apps on Apple Watch, Open App Store on Apple Watch > Tap on the Search Bar > Say or Scribble the App Name (i.e Robinhood) > Tap Done > Once you find, Tap on Get to install the app > Then, confirm by double-clicking the side button.
Another way to check stocks on Apple Watch is to ask SIRI, say something like:What was todays closing price for Tesla?. And SIRI will serve you the accurate information.
On its features, the Apple Watch Series 5 comes with a fall detection feature that detects if you ever fall hard; it notifies your family members of an emergency. Apple Series 5 offers an average battery life of 18 hours and might be somewhat less depending on what you use the watch for.
What I Like About Apple Watch Series 5
The display size is incredible on the Apple Watch Series 5, provides 30% extra space from its predecessor. It is great to have a larger display area for texts, making it effortless to read & interact.
Apple Watch Series 5 can track health and fitness data, including steps, calories, hourly movement, hours spent standing, relaxation, VO2 Max. Along with, workouts including swimming, biking, yoga, fishing, and elliptical training.
Moreover, the Apple Watch Series 5 encourages you to live a phone-less experience by letting you answer incoming calls & text messages directly from the wrist.
But the issue I noticed is with the Battery.
What I Dont Like About Apple Watch Series 5
Most of the Apple Watch models including Series 5 doesnt offer long battery life. Generally, an average of 18-19 hours of battery life can be found. The main cause could be the Always-on display or apps operating in the background draining the battery much faster.
According to HowToGeek, this can be improved by disabling AOD, reducing notification, using the power-saving mode, and following few other tips.
Apple has its own ecosystem, so Non-iOS smartphones are not compatible with Apple Watch. This means you cannot pair an Android smartphone with your Apple Watch.
Pros- Stylish looking premium watch.
- Large OLED display.
- Comes with several fitness tracking features including ECG monitoring.
- Supported with wide range of investement apps.
- Ideal for business use.
FAQ: Best Smartwatch for Traders
What is the Best Watch Face to Monitor Stocks on Wear OS?
For monitoring stocks on Wear OS, there is an Android wear app called MyStocks, available on Google Playstore. It works as a watch face that helps you to stay updated on the stocks & financial markets right from the wrist.
How to Display Stock Information on Apple Watch Face?
To display stock information on Apple Watch, follow these steps:
1. First, Add the Stock Complication to the watch face.2. Open Apple Watch App on your iPhone.3. Tap My Watch > Stocks > Choose default Stock.4. Now to choose the data you want to be shown, tap Current Price, Points Change, Percentage Change, or Market Cap, which is present below the default stock option.
Note The Apple Watch will only display the recent stock you viewed.