Stash review
Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Stash is a straightforward pick for beginners who want to build a US retirement account from a phone, buying fractional shares of stocks and ETFs without a dealing commission. The subscription is the trade-off, so a small balance pays for the account before the portfolio does. Minimum investment starts at $5.
Key facts
- Best for
- Beginners building a US retirement account with small, regular contributions.
- Minimum deposit
- $0↗
- Stock trade fee
- $0↗
- Account fee
- $144↗
- Markets
- Stocks, ETFs↗
- Regulators
- SEC, FINRA↗
- Investor protection
- SIPC up to USD 500,000↗
- Platforms
- Web, iOS, Android↗
- Account types
- IRA, Roth-IRA↗
- Legal entity
- Stash Investments LLC↗
- Headquarters
- United States↗
- Founded
- 2015↗
- Support channels
- Help-centre↗
- Features
- Fractional shares, Mobile app
- Pricing model
- Commission-free
- Audience
- Beginners
- Official website
- stash.com
Robo-advisors
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 4 sources
Pros and cons
Pros
- No dealing commission: a stock trade fee of $0 on shares and ETFs
- Nothing to open, with a minimum deposit of $0 and a minimum investment of $5
- US oversight from SEC and FINRA and client protection of SIPC up to USD 500,000
- Fractional shares and a mobile app make regular small buys easy
Cons
- The subscription is the real cost: an account fee of $144 a year, while management fees run $108 to $144
- Support runs on help centre only
- Coverage is narrow, since stocks and etfs leaves bonds and funds out of the same account
Who it suits
- Beginners who want to start from a small monthly amount
- US savers putting money into a retirement account on a phone
- People who prefer ready made ETF portfolios to picking shares
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for anyone who wants wider market access: CFI covers stocks, etfs and forex, so currencies and derivatives sit in the same place
- Not for credit seekers: Fiesta Credito MX is supervised by CONDUSEF and lends money rather than investing it
- Not for people who only want a bank account: bunq takes a €10 minimum deposit, while Stash charges $144 a year for a fee many savers do not need
Deposit protection
Stash is regulated in the US by SEC and FINRA, so the platform sits inside the US oversight system rather than outside it. Client holdings are covered by SIPC up to USD 500,000, which applies if the firm fails rather than when share prices fall. Investors still carry the market risk, so the scheme is a backstop rather than a guarantee.
Fees and FX
Trading is the cheap part. A minimum deposit of $0 gets the account open, and a stock trade fee of $0 means no dealing commission on buys or sells. The cost sits in the subscription instead, with an account fee of $144 a year, so a small balance pays a large share of its value in fees.
How Stash compares
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Where Stash is available
- Available
- United States
- Licence in United States
- SEC, checked September 26, 2026
- Licence in United States
- FINRA, checked September 26, 2026
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to open a Stash account?+
Opening is straightforward, with a minimum deposit of $0 and a minimum investment of $5, so a first purchase can be very small. The cost that matters is the subscription, since an account fee of $144 a year applies to the account itself.
Is Stash really commission free?+
Yes for dealing. A stock trade fee of $0 means no commission when you buy or sell stocks and etfs, and fractional shares let you own part of a company. The subscription, not the trading, is what you pay for each year.
How is my money protected?+
Stash is regulated in the US by SEC and FINRA, and client holdings sit under SIPC up to USD 500,000. That cover responds if the firm fails, not if the market falls, so a losing trade is not repaid by the scheme.
Which account types can I open?+
The account types listed are ira and roth ira, so the platform is built around US retirement saving. There is also a ready made ETF portfolio option, which suits anyone who would rather not pick individual shares.
Can I invest from my phone?+
Yes. The platforms available are Web, iOS and Android, and fractional shares mean a monthly contribution can be split into small pieces. That mix of app and small amounts is aimed at people investing on a schedule rather than trading.
What does the account fee look like next to other brokers?+
The account fee is $144 a year, while the median across the site is €0, so this sits at the dearer end of the market. The gap matters most on a small balance and least on a large one.
Who is Stash built for?+
The audience is beginners, and the features match: fractional shares and a mobile app rather than advanced order types. Anyone who wants a broader spread of markets, or credit rather than investing, will find a better fit elsewhere.
Sources
- tradingplatforms.com/compare/stash-vs-robinhood checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience
“both designed for beginner traders who want to buy and sell stocks, ETFs”
- stash.com/about checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Headquarters
“2015 Stash launched”
- stash.com/disclosures checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Investor protection, Legal entity, Regulators, Support channels, Licences
“owned and operated by Stash Investments LLC”
- stash.com/invest checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Account types, Features, Markets, Platforms
“traditional or Roth IRA - it is part of your subscription”
- stash.com/pricing checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Account fee, Management fee, Minimum deposit, Minimum investment, Pricing model, Portfolio types, Stock trade fee
“just a flat monthly subscription ($12 per month) for access - The Stash Plan”
Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Inactivity fee, Retail accounts that lose money.
Stash
Beginners building a US retirement account with small, regular contributions.