Stash Review 2025

Passive and active investors can open an account to access personalized guidance, bonus rewards, stock round-ups, and more. The Stash app allows novice traders to utilize dividend reinvesting, commission-free trades, and micro-investing.

However, Stash may not be right for experienced investors or those who don't want to pay a monthly subscription fee.

Business Insider's personal finance team compared Stash to the best investment apps for beginners. We found its offering to be well-suited for passive investors and beginners. 

Pros and Cons

Stash Pros

• Automated investing and self-directed investing available
• Round up and dividend investing features
• Stock-back card
• Online banking available
• Offers fractional shares

Stash Cons

• Limited IRA options
• Few advanced trading features
• Doesn't offer mutual funds, individual bonds, or options
• No longer offers cryptocurrency trading

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Stash Overview

Stash Invest is a subscription-based, beginner-friendly trading platform offering automated and DIY investing strategies for all kinds of investors.

You can stay on track to reach your goals with Stash's simplified trading strategies, personalized financial guidance, and banking features.

Building a diversified portfolio on Stash is simple. The platform provides straightforward stocks and ETFs organized by themes and market sectors. Stash is fairly low-cost with a transparent fee structure. It's also a great option for folks looking for banking and investing in one location.

Additional features with Stash include auto-investing with a Smart Portfolio, smart transactions, dividend reinvesting, and stock round-ups. Hands-off investors can use the platform's automated portfolios for goal-tracking capabilities and reduced portfolio risk techniques.

If you want various asset options (such as bonds, mutual funds, or options trading), then Stash won't be the right platform. Stash isn't the best option for experienced investors looking for advanced trading features.

Ways to Invest with Stash

Let's unpack what Stash Works offers.

Subscription Options

Stash subscription plans and features include:

• Stash Growth: The basic subscription option that costs $3 per month. With the Growth plan, you can invest in a range of stocks and ETFs through a personalized investment portfolio, smart portfolio (robo-advisor), and retirement portfolio. Stash Growth provides investment guidance for beginners and personal finances. Regarding banking features, the Growth plans include a Stock-Back Card and $1k life insurance from Avibra. 
• Stash+: For $9 per month, traders get all the benefits of a Growth subscription plus access to Kids Portfolios (does not include a custodial IRA), guidance for family finances, and access to Stash+ Market Insights. Moreover, Stash+ includes a 1% earning in stock with Stock-Back Card purchases and $10k life insurance from Avibra.

Stash Brokerage Accounts

Self-directed brokerage accounts through Stash (aka Invest Your Way) allow investors to trade stocks, ETFs, and fractional shares. Stash account holders can access personalized advice, stock round-ups, recurring investments, and educational tools and resources. 

The platform also offers fractional shares of individual stocks from top-performing companies like Apple. 

Stash's "themed" ETFs have names like "Blue Chips" and "Delicious Dividends," which make it easy to understand what types of securities are bundled in the fund. Finally, Stash offers "Portfolio Builder" ETF portfolios built to match each investor's risk and volatility level.

Stash Automated Investing Accounts

The platform's investment team designed Stash's robo-advisor platform, called Smart Portfolio, for personalized portfolio diversification and return optimization. Smart Portfolio offers customized stock and ETF portfolios based on risk tolerances and investment goals. 

Smart Portfolios are included in all Stash subscriptions, so access to automated investing strategies is free of additional fees or minimum requirements. 

Saving and budgeting tools on Stash include:

• Set Schedule: Save and invest automatically according to a recurring schedule
• Round-Ups: Link a debit card to save and invest your spare change from each transaction
• Smart transactions: When you add or remove cash in your portfolio, Stash will allocate your assets to meet your preferred investment mix better. 

Each tool is designed to help you save more each day and month. You can move these funds to your cash balance until you're ready to invest them. Or you can choose to immediately invest your savings in an investment you already own in your portfolio.

Stash Retirement Accounts

Stash's retirement savings plans are limited compared with most competitors. Although traditional and Roth IRAs are two of the best retirement plan options, Stash doesn't offer small-business retirement plans or custodial IRAs. 

On the plus side, Stash IRAs do not charge add-on commission fees. You'll also have access to auto-invest features and advice from a registered investment advisor (RIA).

Stash Custodial Accounts

Custodial accounts are called Kids Portfolio at Stash, and they allow parents or guardians to invest in stocks and ETFs on behalf of a child or minor. You can access personalized advice from a Stash RIA, invest in fractional shares, and use Auto-Stash for long-term wealth building. 

However, Kids Portfolio accounts are only available with a Stash+ subscription. Stash only offers Uniform Gift to Minors Act (UGMA) accounts. It does not offer UTMAs, which are similar to UGMAs, but you can put real assets (like cars or property) into them.

To open an account, you must provide your child's full legal name, date of birth, and social security number. 

StashWorks

Employers can partner with Stash's workplace benefits program to help workers invest and save efficiently. Through automatic payroll deductions, a portion of an employee's paycheck can be automatically invested in a Stash Investment account. 

The main benefit of a StashWork account, outside of the convenience of automatic payroll deduction, is that employees can earn rewards for achieving savings streaks. Cash rewards are deposited into an employee's banking account once they complete a savings streak goal.  

StashWork accounts are regular brokerage accounts, not retirement plans. 

Stash Fees

To start investing with Stash, you need a minimum of $1, not including the monthly subscription fee. You'll either pay a $3 monthly subscription fee for Stash Growth or a $9 monthly subscription fee for a Stash+ account. 

Stash has commission-free trading for stocks, ETFs, and fractional shares. 

Stash Trustworthiness

The Better Business Bureau has given Stash a B+ rating. The BBB rates businesses with scores ranging from A+ to F based on customer reviews and history. 

In addition to customer complaint history, the BBB considers a company's time in business, its business practices, and any advertising issues associated with the company. However, the bureau also says on its website that its ratings don't guarantee a company's reliability or performance. 

Stash's record clearly shows any major scandals or lawsuits within the last few years. 

Stash Alternatives

Here are alternative platforms similar to Stash.

Stash vs. Acorns

Acorns Invest is a similar investment app to Stash with a monthly fee, round-up features, fractional share investing, and automated trading features. 

However, Acorns doesn't provide the same flexibility as Stash. Acorns is mainly a robo-advisor offering customized ETF portfolios for beginners and passive investors. DIY trading options are available, but you'll have to pay for Acorns Gold ($12 per month). Stash, conversely, gets you access to automated and self-directed investing starting at $3 per month. 

If you want to open a custodial account for your kids, Acorns will be the more affordable choice. Custodial accounts are included in the Acorns Family plan, which costs $6 per month. Meanwhile, Stash restricts custodial account access to subscribers on its $9-per-month Stash+ plan.

Acorns Review

Stash vs. Robinhood

Robinhood Investing is another popular investment app for beginners. But unlike Stash and Acorns, Robinhood doesn't offer automated investing accounts. 

Regarding fees, Robinhood is the best choice for individuals looking to save the most on trading. But Stash is the best option for those who want access to both DIY trading and automated investing. That said, Robinhood has a larger suite of investment options like options trading, IPO access, and over a dozen cryptocurrencies.

Robinhood Review

Stash FAQs

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed Stash Invest

We examined Stash investing app using Business Insider's rating methodology for investing platforms to compare accounts, fees, assets, and overall customer experience when reviewing investing platforms. Platforms are given a rating between 1 and 5. 

Business Insider's Overall Stash Rating

Tessa Campbell

Investing and Retirement Reporter

Tessa Campbell is an investing and retirement reporter on Business Insider’s personal finance desk. Over two years of personal finance reporting, Tessa has built expertise on a range of financial topics, from the best credit cards to the best retirement savings accounts.ExperienceTessa currently reports on all things investing — deep-diving into complex financial topics,  shedding light on lesser-known investment avenues, and uncovering ways readers can work the system to their advantage.As a personal finance expert in her 20s, Tessa is acutely aware of the impacts time and uncertainty have on your investment decisions. While she curates Business Insider’s guide on the best investment apps, she believes that your financial portfolio does not have to be perfect, it just has to exist. A small investment is better than nothing, and the mistakes you make along the way are a necessary part of the learning process.Expertise: Tessa’s expertise includes:

• Credit cards
• Investing apps
• Retirement savings
• Cryptocurrency
• The stock market
• Retail investing

Education: Tessa graduated from Susquehanna University with a creative writing degree and a psychology minor.When she’s not digging into a financial topic, you’ll find Tessa waist-deep in her second cup of coffee. She currently drinks Kitty Town coffee, which blends her love of coffee with her love for her two cats: Keekee and Dumpling. It was a targeted advertisement, and it worked.

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Elias Shaya

Compliance and Operations Associate

Elias Shaya is a Compliance and Operations Associate on Business Insider's personal finance team in New York. He collaborates with the editorial team to provide timely, accurate, and impartial financial advice to readers ExperienceElias is a point person on multiple personal finance topics, from credit cards to investment products. He ensures editorial content is transparent and accessible through clear and precise language while also complying with regulatory and partner marketing guidelines. Since joining as a compliance fellow in 2022, Elias has played a crucial role in the team’s compliance efforts, ensuring no stone is left unturned. His close attention to detail and broad knowledge of various complex financial subjects help minimize risk for partners while protecting editorial independence so readers get the best possible advice. Expertise: Elias’ expertise includes:

• Credit cards
• Investing
• Loans
• Mortgages

Education: Elias graduated from the College of Staten Island with a degree in International Business.When he’s not reviewing or updating personal finance topics, Elias enjoys traveling, comedy shows, and binge-worthy TV shows.

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