Best Day Trading Apps 2026
We’ve evaluated countless mobile platforms to bring you our selection of the best day trading apps. Discover the applications that stand out for their:
- User-friendly design
- Low fees for day traders
- Mobile-optimized charts and analysis tools
- Excellent compatibility with Apple and Android devices
But don’t just take our word for it, for each day trading app we scored highly, we’ve also compiled ratings from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store so you can see what other traders think.
Top 6 Apps For Day Trading In 2026
These are the 6 best apps for day trading based on our hands-on tests and in-depth analysis in February 2026:
-
1
Interactive BrokersiOS & Android -
2
OANDA USiOS & AndroidCFDs are not available to residents in the United States. -
3
FOREX.comiOS & Android -
4
Optimus FuturesiOS & Android -
5
Focus MarketsiOS & Android -
6
InstaTradeiOS & Android
What Makes These Apps The Best For Day Trading?
Here’s a snapshot of why these day trading apps topped our latest tests:
- Interactive Brokers is the best app for day trading in 2026 - The IBKR Mobile app, available on both iOS and Android devices, makes your phone a powerful gateway to your IBKR accounts, offering you the freedom to keep an eye on portfolios, initiate trades, and dive into real-time quotes and charts, all while managing your account activities on the fly. This app stands out for its intuitive design, making it especially welcoming for those just starting their trading journey, providing a smoother and more accessible experience than the more complex TWS platform.
- OANDA US - OANDA's app stands out for its deeply customizable interface, ensuring you can tailor every aspect of the trading experience to your strategy, from setting custom notifications to adjusting chart sizes and overlays. This level of personalization, combined with the ability to quickly react to market changes, manage risk, and stay informed with alerts on significant market events, makes it a category leader.
- FOREX.com - Running alongside the MT4 and Web Trader platforms, the FOREX.com app offers full trading capabilities on a user-friendly, compact platform. Integrated news and analysis, plus real time trade alerts, are two mobile specific features that set this app above the crowd. Additionally, it beats out MT4 when it comes to mobile charting tools, with over 80 indicators and 11 chart types, not to mention a slicker design that we love.
- Optimus Futures - Optimus Futures Mobile gives futures traders fast, direct exchange access with low-latency execution and full depth-of-market (DOM) views. Order entry is quick and reliable, with support for advanced strategies such as brackets, OCO, and trailing stops alongside 150+ indicators for charting. It’s best suited for active day traders who need professional futures tools on the go.
- Focus Markets - Focus Markets does not provide its own trading app, which is a downside for beginners. However, Apple and Android users can trade the broker's growing list of 1000+ CFDs on the MT5 mobile app with competitive trading conditions. This includes powerful charting with 21 timeframes, 4 execution types, and tight spreads from 0.0 pips in the Raw account.
- InstaTrade - InstaTrade offers its own app that’s been downloaded more than 2 million times and facilitates trading on its 300+ instruments from your palm. Fast, responsive and sporting a modern interface, it supports real-time quotes, an array of orders, and analytical tools. However, what stood out during testing was the ‘hot’ ideas and trading signals, helping investors find opportunities.
Top Day Trading Apps Comparison
Find the best day trading app for you with our detailed comparison of the areas vital to active mobile traders:
| Broker | iOS Rating | Android Rating | Day Trading Markets | Regulators |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers | / 5 | / 5 | Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies | FCA, SEC, FINRA, CFTC, CBI, CIRO, SFC, MAS, MNB, FINMA, AFM |
| OANDA US | / 5 | / 5 | Forex, Crypto with Paxos (Cryptocurrencies are offered through Paxos. Paxos is a separate legal entity from OANDA) | NFA, CFTC |
| FOREX.com | / 5 | / 5 | Forex, Futures and Options on Metals, Energies, Commodities, Indices, Bonds, Crypto | NFA, CFTC |
| Optimus Futures | / 5 | / 5 | Futures on Indices, Metals, Energies, Softs, Bonds, Cryptos, Options on Futures, Event Contracts | NFA, CFTC |
| Focus Markets | / 5 | / 5 | CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Crypto | ASIC, SVGFSA |
| InstaTrade | / 5 | / 5 | FISP, CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Cryptos, Futures | BVI FSC |
How Safe Are These Day Trading Applications?
Find out how our top apps for day trading protect your funds while managing transactions and trades on the go:
| Broker | Trust Rating | Guaranteed Stop Loss | Negative Balance Protection | Segregated Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| OANDA US | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | |
| FOREX.com | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Optimus Futures | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| Focus Markets | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| InstaTrade | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
Are the Top Day Trading Apps Good for Beginners?
New traders should choose an app that allow trading with virtual money, alongside other features geared towards beginners:
| Broker | Demo Account | Minimum Deposit | Minimum Trade | Education Rating | Support Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers | ✔ | $0 | $100 | ||
| OANDA US | ✔ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| FOREX.com | ✔ | $100 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| Optimus Futures | ✔ | $500 | $50 | ||
| Focus Markets | ✔ | $100 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| InstaTrade | ✔ | $1 | 0.01 |
Are the Top Day Trading Apps Good for Advanced Traders?
Experienced traders should look for sophisticated tools to enhance the mobile trading experience:
| Broker | Automated Trading | VPS | AI | Pro Account | Leverage | Low Latency | Extended Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers | Capitalise.ai, TWS API | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | 1:50 | ✔ | ✔ |
| OANDA US | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | 1:50 | ✔ | ✘ |
| FOREX.com | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | 1:50 | ✔ | ✘ |
| Optimus Futures | TradingView Pine Script, API Features | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | - | ✘ | ✘ |
| Focus Markets | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | 1:500 | ✘ | ✘ |
| InstaTrade | Experts Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | 1:1000 | ✘ | ✘ |
Compare the Ratings of Top Apps For Day Trading
See how top short-term trading apps rate in key areas after our in-depth tests of their mobile trading capabilities:
| Broker | Trust | Platforms | Assets | Mobile | Fees | Accounts | Research | Education | Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers | |||||||||
| OANDA US | |||||||||
| FOREX.com | |||||||||
| Optimus Futures | |||||||||
| Focus Markets | |||||||||
| InstaTrade |
Compare Mobile Trading Fees
The cost of trading with a broker will make a big difference over time, especially if you're making frequent mobile transactions. Here's how the top day trading app providers stack up on pricing:
| Broker | Cost Rating | Fixed Spreads | Inactivity Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers | ✘ | $0 | |
| OANDA US | ✘ | $0 | |
| FOREX.com | ✘ | $15 | |
| Optimus Futures | ✘ | $0 | |
| Focus Markets | ✘ | $0 | |
| InstaTrade | ✘ | - |
How Popular Are These Day Trading Apps?
Many traders prefer the most downloaded apps (those with the most users):
| Broker | Popularity |
|---|---|
| InstaTrade | |
| Interactive Brokers | |
| FOREX.com |
Why Day Trade On Your Mobile With Interactive Brokers?
"Interactive Brokers is one of the best brokers for advanced day traders, providing powerful charting platforms, real-time data, and customizable layouts, notably through the new IBKR Desktop application. Its superb pricing and advanced order options also make it highly attractive for day traders, while its diverse range of equities is still among the best in the industry."
Christian Harris, Reviewer
Interactive Brokers Quick Facts
| Mobile Apps | iOS & Android |
|---|---|
| iOS App Rating | / 5 |
| Android App Rating | / 5 |
| Demo Account | Yes |
| Instruments | Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, INR, JPY, SEK, NOK, DKK, CHF, AED, HUF |
Pros
- The TWS platform has clearly been built for intermediate and advanced traders and comes with over 100 order types and a reliable real-time market data feed that rarely goes offline.
- The new IBKR Desktop platform takes the best of TWS while adding bespoke tools like Option Lattice and Screeners with MultiSort to create a genuinely impressive trading experience for day traders at every level.
- While primarily geared towards experienced traders, IBKR has made moves to broaden its appeal in recent years, reducing its minimum deposit from $10,000 to $0.
Cons
- You can only have one active session per account, so you can’t have your desktop program and mobile app running simultaneously, making for a sometimes frustrating trading experience.
- TWS’s learning curve is steep, and beginners may find it challenging to navigate the platform and understand all the features. Plus500's web platform is much better suited to new traders.
- Support can be slow and frustrating based on tests, so you might find it challenging to reach customer service representatives promptly or encounter delays in resolving issues.
Why Day Trade On Your Mobile With OANDA US?
"OANDA remains an excellent broker for US day traders seeking a user-friendly platform with premium analysis tools and a straightforward joining process. OANDA is also heavily regulated with a very high trust score."
OANDA US Quick Facts
| Mobile Apps | iOS & Android |
|---|---|
| iOS App Rating | / 5 |
| Android App Rating | / 5 |
| Demo Account | Yes |
| Instruments | Forex, Crypto with Paxos (Cryptocurrencies are offered through Paxos. Paxos is a separate legal entity from OANDA) |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, JPY, CHF, HKD, SGD |
Pros
- Beginners can get started easily with $0 minimum initial deposit
- The broker offers a transparent pricing structure with no hidden charges
- OANDA is a reliable, trustworthy and secure brand with authorization from tier-one regulators including the CFTC
Cons
- There's only a small range of payment methods available, with no e-wallets supported
- It's a shame that customer support is not available on weekends
- The range of day trading markets is limited to forex and cryptos only
Why Day Trade On Your Mobile With FOREX.com?
"FOREX.com remains a best-in-class brokerage for active forex traders of all experience levels, with over 80 currency pairs, tight spreads from 0.0 pips and low commissions. The powerful charting platforms collectively offer over 100 technical indicators, as well as extensive research tools."
FOREX.com Quick Facts
| Mobile Apps | iOS & Android |
|---|---|
| iOS App Rating | / 5 |
| Android App Rating | / 5 |
| Demo Account | Yes |
| Instruments | Forex, Futures and Options on Metals, Energies, Commodities, Indices, Bonds, Crypto |
| Minimum Deposit | $100 |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, CHF, PLN |
Pros
- There’s a wealth of educational resources including tutorials, webinars, and a stacked YouTube channel to help you get educated in the financial markets.
- The in-house Web Trader continues to stand out as one of the best-designed platforms for aspiring day traders with a slick design and over 80 technical indicators for market analysis.
- With over 20 years of experience, excellent regulatory oversight, and multiple accolades including runner-up in our 'Best Forex Broker' awards, FOREX.com boasts a global reputation as a trusted brokerage.
Cons
- FOREX.com's MT4 platform offers approximately 600 instruments, significantly fewer than the over 5,500 available on its non-MetaTrader platforms.
- Demo accounts are frustratingly time-limited to 90 days, which doesn’t give you enough time to test day trading strategies effectively.
- There’s no negative balance protection for US clients, so you may find yourself owing more money than your initial deposit into your account.
Why Day Trade On Your Mobile With Optimus Futures?
"Optimus Futures is best for active futures day traders who want low per-contract costs and the flexibility to build a custom trading setup across platforms like Optimus Flow, TradingView, and Sierra Chart. Its fast order-routing, low day trading margins, depth-of-market and footprint analysis tools, plus the ability to select your own clearing firm, make it especially suited to high-volume traders focused on U.S. and global futures markets."
Optimus Futures Quick Facts
| Mobile Apps | iOS & Android |
|---|---|
| iOS App Rating | / 5 |
| Android App Rating | / 5 |
| Demo Account | Yes |
| Instruments | Futures on Indices, Metals, Energies, Softs, Bonds, Cryptos, Options on Futures, Event Contracts |
| Minimum Deposit | $500 |
| Account Currencies | USD |
Pros
- Product and service upgrades, notably multi-bracket orders, an integrated trade journal, and a broader futures lineup, show Optimus Futures is making a clear effort to support active traders.
- Futures commission rates are competitive, and there’s transparent access to trading on major exchanges, while the firm's fee calculator makes it a breeze to estimate trading costs before placing orders, helping to avoid surprises.
- Optimus Futures stands out with ultra-low day trading margins on micro futures, starting at just $50 per contract and a $100 minimum balance, giving small accounts serious buying power.
Cons
- There are limited payment options and no toll-free numbers for international support, while withdrawals cost $20 to $60, potentially making frequent withdrawals costly for active traders.
- There's no true 'all-in-one' account management dashboard - key functions like risk settings, software downloads, and subscriptions are split across different sections or platforms, so it required extra digging to set everything up during testing.
- Live chat support is handled entirely by a bot, so despite several attempts in our tests, it wasn't possible to get access to a human agent, which can be frustrating when urgent or complex questions arise.
Why Day Trade On Your Mobile With Focus Markets?
"Focus Markets is perfect for experienced traders familiar with MetaTrader 5, offering flexible crypto transactions (USDT and BTC) and access to over 90 cryptocurrencies for seamless speculation, deposits, and withdrawals."
Focus Markets Quick Facts
| Mobile Apps | iOS & Android |
|---|---|
| iOS App Rating | / 5 |
| Android App Rating | / 5 |
| Demo Account | Yes |
| Instruments | CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Crypto |
| Minimum Deposit | $100 |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, JPY, SGD |
Pros
- Focus Markets is regulated by ASIC – one of the most respected regulatory bodies in the financial industry with robust safeguards like negative balance protection, ensuring you can’t lose more than your balance in volatile markets.
- While its meagre four commodities won’t meet the needs of some serious traders interested in softs and metals, Focus Markets offers a huge suite of 90+ cryptos, providing short-term opportunities on high-reward, high-risk assets.
- Focus Markets’ MT5 platform delivered fast, seamless trade execution during testing with advanced charting, multiple timeframes, and useful tools like Depth of Market (DOM). Its clean interface made navigation easy, while clear risk/reward ratios ensures precise trading.
Cons
- A significant drawback of Focus Markets is the lack of platform variety. It only support MT5, excluding popular platforms like MT4, cTrader, and TradingView, plus it hasn't developed its own software that could better meet the needs of beginners.
- Regulatory protection is a location lottery at Focus Markets – Australian traders benefit from strong ASIC oversight, but those using the SVGFSA-registered entity face limited recourse options in disputes.
- Focus Markets’ 24/5 support lacks direct phone help and unresponsive live chat, while email replies took a full business day during our latest tests. This slow support is a major drawback for active traders who need quick resolutions.
Why Day Trade On Your Mobile With InstaTrade?
"Although InstaTrade offers active trading on a comprehensive platform, it stands out with its fairly unique Fixed Income Structured Product (FISP), providing passive investment opportunities with up to 50% returns in 6 months if conditions are met. "
InstaTrade Quick Facts
| Mobile Apps | iOS & Android |
|---|---|
| iOS App Rating | / 5 |
| Android App Rating | / 5 |
| Demo Account | Yes |
| Instruments | FISP, CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Cryptos, Futures |
| Minimum Deposit | $1 |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR, RUB |
Pros
- Despite an average investment offering of around 300 assets, InstaTrade offers a particularly strong suite of currency pairs, catering to advanced traders seeking opportunities in volatile exotics.
- InstaTrade delivers an excellent suite of charting tools for day traders with its web trader comprising 250+ indicators, 11 chart types and a user-friendly design.
- VPS hosting caters to algo trading strategies with a dedicated physical server providing rapid execution speeds as low as 9 milliseconds.
Cons
- InstaTrade sports one of the most cluttered websites and client cabinets in the industry, potentially overwhelming new traders, especially compared to XTB’s intuitive trading journey and resources.
- Marketing of the FISP, especially phrasing around the “guarantee of profitability” and the “elimination of risks of trading on financial markets” raises concerns.
- InstaTrade’s growing educational tools provide valuable information for aspiring traders, but still trail category leaders like eToro with no structured course based on experience level.
Where brokers do not offer their own proprietary trading apps, and instead support third-party applications like MT4, MT5 or cTrader, we have shown these ratings from the respective app stores. Also kindly note that ratings from app stores may change.
What To Look For In An App For Day Trading
In recent years, we’ve seen the day trading landscape shift, with more retail investors using smartphones for online trading. In fact, the number of trading app users has risen year-on-year according to Business of Apps.
Application functionality has also improved, where once you could just view portfolios and make basic trades, the best day trading apps today offer the complete package for all types of traders.
However, despite significant investment in app development and varied personal preferences, the key qualities of an outstanding app for day trading remain the same:
We explain these factors and our methodology in detail below…
They Are Easy And Enjoyable To Use
For intraday traders, where every second can count, selecting a day trading app with a user-friendly design that allows for easy navigation is essential.
The ability to quickly analyze data and execute trades with minimal clicks or fuss is a key feature of top apps. Given the trend of apps like Robinhood, which gamify trading with features like digital confetti when you make a trade, it’s important for serious day traders to avoid such distractions.
We assess the usability of day trading apps by evaluating how they balance providing key information for informed trading decisions, without overwhelming users with excessive data. This approach ensures that the apps we recommend offer an optimal user experience, catering to the specific needs of day traders.
- Our firsthand experience with the CMC Markets app reveals its significant investment in recent years, resulting in an intuitive and user-friendly design that we love. The app simplifies market analysis and trade management for the full spectrum of traders, offering a seamless experience that earned it one of our annual awards.
They Offer The Tools You Need To Day Trade Effectively
From our many years in the industry, we understand that transitioning from desktop to mobile trading platforms often means compromising on functionality, particularly in charting tools, which are vital for day traders.
Therefore, we look for day trading apps that deliver a comprehensive mobile trading experience, including mobile-friendly charts with numerous technical indicators and drawing tools, as well as a complete range of order types.
Additionally, we value standout features such as SMS alerts and push notifications that provide buy and sell signals or important market updates, improving the overall trading experience.
- Our time testing the FxPro app has been excellent, particularly for its advanced yet user-friendly charting functions and huge selection of technical indicators. The mobile interface allows easy customization of charts, and the split-screen feature is a real plus, enabling simultaneous viewing of charts and trading data on one screen.
They Provide Seamless Compatibility With Your Device
We’ve found that while most top day trading apps are available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, their performance can vary between iPhone/iPad and Android devices.
For example, during our analysis, E*Trade scored 4.6/5 on the Apple App Store but only 2.9/5 on the Google Play Store, indicating a less optimal experience for Android users.
Therefore, we prioritize the mobile trading experience on both Apple and Android platforms, blending our own testing observations with feedback from other traders. This approach helps us ensure that the day trading apps we recommend deliver a high-quality experience, regardless of the device.
- Our evaluation of AvaTrade solidifies its position as a top-tier day trading app. It impressed us with its smooth and flawless performance during our tests, and this excellence is mirrored in its equally high ratings on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
They Offer Excellent Pricing For Day Traders
It’s vital to select day trading apps with low fees, as this can help maximize profits by reducing the ongoing transaction costs that quickly add up in the high-frequency environment of day trading.
In our hands-on assessments, we carefully review the fees associated with day trading in popular markets like stocks, forex, and commodities.
We also consider the needs of different traders. Beginners, for example, may prefer a commission-free model with variable spreads and zero inactivity fees, keeping pricing simple with no penalties if they choose to stop day trading. On the other hand, experienced day traders often prefer models that feature tight spreads and low, fixed commissions.
- Pepperstone continues to deliver competitive pricing for day traders. We’ve found the commission-free Standard account to be a decent option for entry-level traders, but it’s the Razor account for experienced traders that really stands out. With average spreads of just 0.3 on the USD/JPY and a reasonable $3.50 commission per lot per side, it’s a particularly attractive choice, especially when combined with the rebate program for active traders.
If you’re still unsure which app to use for day trading, I recommend test-driving a few applications using demo accounts. This will help you find good day trading apps with designs you enjoy, tools you need, low fees, and excellent integration with your mobile or tablet devices.
FAQ
What Is A Day Trading App?
A day trading app is a downloadable application for your mobile or tablet, allowing you to conduct day trading activities like market analysis, trade execution, and account management.
Some day trading brokers, such as CMC Markets, have built their own apps that offer everything in one package, while other firms, such as IG, have stand-alone apps for different purposes such as trading and education.
There are also brokers, such as Pepperstone, that provide access to popular third-party apps that can be used for charting and day trading, such as MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5).
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Article Sources
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