4 Stock Apps to Help You Trade on the Go

The four apps can help investors track economic and market trends and make more informed decisions.
By William Craig ,

The number of financial tools on the Google Play store and Apple iTunes is staggering. All the big brokerages are well represented, of course, but a number of apps go beyond the act of buying and selling stocks. Some of these apps are resources for making smart investments. From analyzing your portfolio to providing historic data from the Federal Reserve, there's an app for all corners of the market.

That said, if you browse through app stores, you'll see a lot of apps that sound great on paper but don't function as well as promised. The four apps below don't belong in that category. They offer a variety of functions for different investors and do their jobs perfectly. Check them out to see how they can help you with your investing.

1. Scrutify (Free, iOS and Android)

Knowledge is everything when it comes to investing, and Scrutify offers an interesting way of learning what people are thinking about the market. The app has the standard market summaries and stock information you can find in most other stock-related apps, but it goes beyond that. Scrutify also includes relevant Tweets to provide a timely look at what's buzzing on Wall Street.

It's also a social network where investors can share their thoughts, called Scuttles. If the person's information is good, you can follow them to stay current. To be sure, not all the information you'll find will pan out, but it's good way to read up on differing views and get up-to-the-minute information on what's trending.

2. Economy ($3.99, iOS)

So many investing apps focus on the micro, but Economy takes a macro view at what's going on. Instead of stocks and ETFs, Economy looks at a number of big-picture indicators. Housing, unemployment, inflation and other factors provide a thorough understanding of what's occurring in the economy at large. It's easy to get a good feel for the data, as it's presented in chart format. If you want to delve into gritty details, the app provides reports on specific states in the U.S.

It won't help you much in daily investing, but looking at historical trends and a variety of indicators can shape your long-term investing plan.

3. SigFig Wealth Management (Free, iOS and Android)

SigFig is a useful service that shows all your investment accounts in one sharp interface. If you spread your money over different accounts or brokerages, then SigFig is worth the download.

The ease of tracking your investments is the main draw, but SigFig provides quick portfolio analysis and shows how your investments are spread worldwide. There are premium portfolio management options, but those are aimed at investors that don't need a hands-on approach. Active investors will be fine with the free services.

4. Google Finance (Free, Android)

There are many apps out there to track portfolios and potential investments. Google Finance offers a no-frills approach. Simply insert a stock you're interested in or check from your portfolio of stocks that you've already input to see price movements, headlines, key financials and historic prices. There are no additional features.

By Google standards, the interface is outdated and the app isn't ambitious. But this simple approach is welcome. It loads quickly and is stable. For Apple users, the default stock app serves a similarly, simple function.

What are your favorite finance apps?

This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned.

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