Account minimum: $0 ($500 for Core Portfolios).E*Trade: Best investment app overall E*TRADE When comparing apps, it's wise to consider fees, investment choices, account types, and investment education resources. We're focusing on the qualities that make an investment app and brokerage account most useful. You can find the full transcript of our interviews at the bottom of this page. We consulted financial advisors, investing experts, and our own wealth-building reporter to inform our picks for the best investment apps. Our list skews toward so-called robo-advisers - which use an algorithm to manage your investments - because, in many ways, they feel most accessible to average investors fees and balance minimums are generally low and your big-picture goals can help create an individualized and diverse portfolio that doesn't require much ongoing maintenance. You often need to spend money to make money, but it's possible to minimize fees and still maintain a quality investment strategy. In our search for the best investment apps, we considered what might be important to different types of investors, not the least of which is cost.