Key Takeaways
• In addition to payment and cash-management tools, Cash App offers self-directed brokerage accounts through Cash App Investing LLC.
• Cash App’s software is very basic and is not intended for frequent day trading or advanced trading.
• Cash App Investing offers only stocks and ETFs. Bitcoin is available through a separate service provided by Block, Inc.
Overview of Cash App
If you already have a Cash App account for money management, you may want to consider using the firm for
investing, too. Here’s our review of Cash App’s investing service:
Investing and Trading
Self-directed brokerage accounts can be opened through Cash App Investing to trade stocks and ETFs. Bitcoin trading is offered separately by Block, Inc.; Cash App Investing does not trade bitcoin. Cash App currently supports only bitcoin and no other cryptocurrencies. Using the Lightning Network, it’s possible to send and receive bitcoin where this service is available.
For securities trading, the lineup is rather small. There are no bonds, options, closed-end funds, or mutual funds. Cash App offers trading only in exchange-traded funds and stocks. To make matters even worse, some ETFs and stocks aren’t available on the Cash App platform. Cash App does not permit short selling. Customers can make day trades, but Cash App may impose restrictions to prevent pattern day trading.
Cash App’s selection of investing account types is also very limited. An individual taxable account is the standard choice. A parent or legal guardian with an Investing Account can also open up to four Family Investing Accounts for authorized users between the ages of 13 and 17. The parent or guardian owns the Family Investing Account and its assets until the teenager turns 18 and completes the required identity verification.
Banking
Next up is cash management, which, as its name suggests, is Cash App’s claim to fame. Cash App is a financial-services platform and not an FDIC-insured bank. However, it offers many useful cash features. These resources include a debit card, FDIC pass-through insurance in some cases, early access to direct deposits, roundups, discounts at some retailers, and peer-to-peer transfers.
To qualify for FDIC pass-through insurance, a customer generally must have a Cash App Card or a Sponsored Account or must sponsor one or more Sponsored Accounts. Eligible Cash App and Savings balances can receive FDIC pass-through insurance up to the applicable limits. Bitcoin and securities held through Cash App Investing are not covered by FDIC insurance. Any free credit balance in an Investing Account is automatically transferred to the customer’s Cash App Balance. Once transferred, that money is not protected by SIPC and is eligible for FDIC pass-through insurance only when the customer meets Cash App’s requirements.
Using a QR code in the Cash App mobile app, it’s possible to send and receive money with other Cash App users and pay for purchases at some point-of-sale terminals. This feature is one of Cash App’s major advantages.
Pricing
Cash App Investing does not charge commissions for stock and ETF trades. However, regulatory fees can apply to sales, and Cash App charges $75 for a completed outbound stock transfer. For bitcoin purchases and sales, Cash App calculates and displays the applicable fee before the customer confirms the transaction. Lightning Network payments through Cash App are generally fee-free.
On the cash-management side of the business, there are fees in some situations. Instant transfers to a linked account cost between 0.5% and 2.5%, subject to stated minimums and a maximum fee. Standard transfers are free. ATM withdrawals normally cost $2.50 each. Cash App waives or reimburses its fee for eligible in-network withdrawals when a customer spends at least $500 in qualifying purchases or receives at least $300 in qualifying deposits during a month. An out-of-network ATM operator may charge a separate fee.
Cash App does not charge an ongoing monthly fee for its standard Cash App Balance or Cash App Investing account. Investing accounts are free to open and have no minimum balance requirement.
Margin
Cash App does not provide conventional margin borrowing or extend credit for securities purchases. Accounts carried by DriveWealth are technically opened as limited-purpose margin accounts to help with trade settlement, while accounts carried by Apex are cash accounts. Neither arrangement allows customers to borrow money to buy securities.
Mobile App
As its name suggests, Cash App has a mobile app. Designed for both Apple and Android phones, it combines investing and cash-management tools on one platform. Investing features can be found through the Money section of the app.
Here, we found standard orders, Custom Orders, and Auto Invest. A standard order is executed at the available market price. A Custom Order lets the customer select a trigger price that causes an order to be submitted, but it is not a limit order and does not guarantee an execution price. Auto Invest is a recurring-purchase feature rather than a separate order type. Graphs on the app are very simple, with only one plot style—a line—and no analysis tools. A chart cannot be rotated horizontally, and there are no numbers on the horizontal or vertical axis, which makes the app’s charts of limited value.
Despite these weaknesses, security profiles have a moderate amount of information. For example, we found expert opinions from multiple analysts. For Nike, we found an average rating of moderate buy across 37 analysts.
Cash App also provides earnings histories for both reported and expected earnings. Companies’ financial results are available in bar-chart format, and there is quite a bit of market data, including today’s volume, dividend yield, 12-month revenue, operating margin, and market capitalization. News articles help complete the picture.
On a security’s profile, there is a gift icon. Tap it to send shares of stock or bitcoin to another Cash App user.
If you have no idea what to invest in, Cash App has tiles containing groups of stocks and ETFs. It’s easy to scroll through these and find something to buy. Here are some examples we found on the stock home page:
- Energy
- Business Services
- Food & Drink
- Technology
- Media & Entertainment
Within each category, it’s possible to filter results by a handful of factors, such as 90-day return and dividend yield. There are lists of notable equities on the stock page as well. These include the day’s biggest movers and the most traded stocks during the month.
Cash App offers Mobile Check Capture to eligible customers. Availability is determined by Cash App, and Sponsored Accounts are not eligible for this service.
Website
Cash App has a website with login capability. An account can be managed through the site, and it’s possible to transfer funds, download documents, and send and receive money. Cash App’s current account agreement also allows authorized users to access and transact in Family Investing Accounts through its mobile and web applications. Nevertheless, the website is not an advanced trading platform.
Other Software
Cash App’s mobile app is designed for phones and not for tablets. The company does not have a smartwatch platform or a desktop platform for advanced trading.
Extra Services
IPO Access: Cash App does not offer Initial Public Offerings.
Extended-Hours Trading: Not available. Orders submitted outside regular market hours are scheduled for the next available market session.
Fractional Shares: Cash App Investing allows customers to purchase securities in dollar amounts and receive fractional shares.
IRA Service: Cash App does not offer Individual Retirement Accounts or other tax-sheltered investing accounts.
Dividend Reinvestment Plan: Cash App Investing offers a voluntary DRIP for eligible securities. Enrollment applies to all eligible securities in the account rather than individual holdings selected by the customer.
Stock-Lending Income Program: Missing in action.
Tax Filing: Cash App has a free tax-filing service. However, some features are missing, such as support for foreign earned income.
Recommendations
Long-Term Investors & Retirement Savers: Without financial planners or IRAs, Cash App is certainly
not advisable. We suggest Robinhood instead.
Stock and ETF Trading: Without the full list of stocks and ETFs available on U.S. exchanges, we recommend
Webull instead.
Small Accounts: With only a $1 minimum trade amount and no account fees, Cash App is a good
place for small investors. Ten dollars are required for a recurring investment.
Beginning Investors: Despite Cash App’s focus on simplicity, we think a managed account at an
investment firm such as Charles Schwab would be better for beginners.
Mutual Funds: Firstrade has thousands of mutual funds and many fund-research resources.
Cash App Investing Review Verdict
For advanced cash management and simple trading, Cash App is hard to beat. Advanced traders and long-term investors should look elsewhere.
Updated on 6/18/2026.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
|