Is Stash Safe?
Stash was founded in 2015 and has become a popular investing platform. Stash owes much of its popularity to its straightforward approach to investing, automated portfolios, Stock-Back® spending features, and easy-to-use mobile application.
Is Stash safe to use, and is the broker insured? Is Stash a scam? Stash is a legitimate, regulated investing platform, although investing involves risk and no brokerage platform is completely risk-free.
Continue reading to see what protections Stash provides for its customers.
Is Stash a Scam?
One of the quickest ways to determine whether an investment firm is legitimate is to examine its regulatory registrations.
Stash Investments LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Stash Capital LLC is an SEC-registered broker-dealer and a member of FINRA and SIPC. Apex Clearing Corporation is a third-party SEC-registered broker-dealer and FINRA/SIPC member that provides clearing, execution, and custody services.
The SEC regulates Stash Investments as an investment adviser, while FINRA regulates the brokerage activities of Stash Capital. Apex is also subject to SEC and FINRA regulation as a broker-dealer. These registrations do not guarantee investment performance, but they confirm that the firms operate within the U.S. securities-regulatory system.
To get the most current registration information for Stash Capital, you may check FINRA’s BrokerCheck website here.
Is Stash Legitimate?
A broker’s clearing firm is another factor to consider when evaluating its operations. In Stash’s case, Stash Capital acts as the introducing broker, while Apex Clearing executes and clears transactions and holds customer investment assets as the qualified custodian. Customer protection depends on the type of asset and account rather than separate insurance policies provided independently by both Stash and Apex.
Is Stash Insured?
Stash customers may receive two primary forms of account protection: SIPC protection for eligible brokerage assets and FDIC insurance for eligible bank deposits. The applicable protection depends on where the money is held.
SIPC protects eligible securities and cash held in a brokerage account if a SIPC-member brokerage firm fails and customer assets are missing. It does not protect against market losses, poor investment performance, or declines in the value of securities.
Eligible brokerage assets held at Apex receive SIPC protection of up to $500,000 per customer capacity, including a maximum of $250,000 for cash claims. SIPC does not guarantee that every loss will be reimbursed or replace investments that have declined in market value.
Stash banking accounts are provided by Stride Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, rather than by Stash itself. Eligible deposits receive FDIC insurance up to the applicable regulatory limits. Uninvested brokerage cash enrolled in the Apex FDIC-insured Sweep Program receives coverage of up to $250,000 per customer at each participating bank. Once cash is deposited at a participating bank through the sweep program, it is covered by FDIC insurance rather than SIPC.
Stash BBB Reviews
Stash is currently rated A by the Better Business Bureau.
It is not accredited. BBB accreditation and the BBB letter rating are separate designations.
Stash BBB Complaints
The BBB currently lists 234 complaints during the preceding three-year reporting period, including 56 complaints closed during the preceding 12 months. Of the three-year total, 188 complaints are classified as answered, 44 as resolved, and two as unresolved. The largest complaint categories are billing issues, service or repair issues, and product issues.
With 234 complaints in the past three years, the total is much lower than 950. Stash has over
1.3 million+ customers and manages over $5 billion. The size of the company provides useful context, although prospective customers should also consider the nature of the complaints and how the company addressed them.
Trading and Investing
A self-directed brokerage account can be opened at Stash. Stocks and ETFs are the primary securities choices for this account setup; there are no options, OTC stocks, bonds, or other traditional asset classes in the self-directed brokerage account.
If you would rather let the experts decide what to trade, Stash offers managed investing. Smart Portfolio is a professionally managed taxable account that invests in diversified ETFs, while Managed Retirement Portfolios provide professionally managed Traditional and Roth IRAs.
In either case, self-directed or automated, Stash charges a $12 monthly subscription fee. Moreover, a taxable Smart Portfolio with a balance of at least $1,000 is charged an additional 0.25% annual advisory fee on the entire account balance. Managed Retirement Portfolios are charged an additional 0.25% annual advisory fee on all assets in the account.
Although the pricing is rather disappointing, the recurring fee does come with some added perks. For example, IRA customers receive a 3% match on eligible net monthly contributions, and the Stash plan includes access to up to $10,000 in life insurance coverage through Avibra, subject to eligibility and applicable terms.
Self-directed accounts are available as individual taxable accounts, Traditional and Roth IRAs, and custodial accounts. Managed investing is available through taxable Smart Portfolios and Managed Retirement Portfolios. There are no joint accounts at Stash.
Cash Features
Included with the $12 monthly fee is a money account provided through a partnership with Stride Bank, a member of the FDIC. Linked to this account is a Stock-Back® Card. The card earns 1% back in stock on qualifying purchases on the first $1,000 spent each month, 0.125% after that threshold, and up to 3% back at certain merchants through bonus offers. The 1% reward on the first $1,000 of monthly spending is worth up to $120 per year, before any additional rewards.
Need cash? No problem. The card can be used at any ATM in the world that accepts Mastercard. If you use it at an Allpoint ATM, there is no Stash ATM withdrawal fee.
A connected individual taxable brokerage account is required to receive the debit card, although withdrawals are made from the bank account.
Mobile App
Our software examination begins with Stash’s mobile app. The digital platform is easy to use. Beginners should tap on the Coach tab in the bottom menu to get started. On the Coach page, Stash presents market news and an AI chatbot. Keep in mind that the chatbot provides AI-generated financial and investment advice.
For actual investing, there is an Invest icon in the bottom menu. This hub contains lots of market news in both article and video formats. Collections of stocks and ETFs are presented as tiles; tap on any one that interests you. Here are some examples we found:
- Energy
- Consumer staples
- Health care
- Utilities
Tapping on an entry in one of these groups brings up a list of securities; tap on any one of them to view its profile.
On a profile, Stash presents a chart with no tools. Farther down, there are key data points, such as the P/E ratio and dividend yield. At the top of a profile, there is an icon that can be used to add the security to a watchlist.
Website Technology
Stash’s emphasis on simple trading continues on its website. Here, we find the main menu at the top; click on the Invest tab to get started.
Stash presents two groups of securities, stocks and ETFs, each with its own lineup of themes. These are the same themes we found in the mobile app.
Once again, stock profiles are basic and contain little information. A News tab delivers a few news articles about popular stocks. Click on the blue button to make an investment.
Another feature can be found in the upper-right corner, where Stash presents ways to earn money by referring friends.
Other Software
Stash is a simple investment firm that does not promote active trading. As such, there is no desktop program.
Margin Availability
Stash does not offer margin accounts.
Stash Fee Schedule
As already mentioned, Stash charges a $12 monthly fee. This fee covers almost everything at the firm, including commissions, although there are some important exceptions.
A voluntary reorganization involving a stock held in a brokerage account, for example, will cost $50 or $100, depending on the issuer. A paper confirmation costs $2.50.
Stash customers should be aware that Stash charges interest on any account with a negative balance. The accumulated interest is charged to the account monthly. The rate is as high as 3% plus the federal funds rate.
Supplemental Features
Initial Public Offerings: Stash does not offer IPO investing.
Dividend Reinvestment Plan: Cash dividends paid by securities can be automatically reinvested.
Fully-Paid Securities Lending Program: Available for eligible whole shares in qualifying Personal brokerage accounts.
IRA Lineup: Roth and Traditional IRAs can be opened at Stash. As already mentioned, a 3% match on eligible contributions helps offset the $12 monthly fee.
Fractional Shares: Orders at Stash are entered in dollar amounts rather than share quantities. Depending on the amount invested and the security’s price, a Stash account may hold either whole or fractional shares.
Extended-Hours Trading: Stash does not offer pre-market, after-hours, or overnight trading. In fact, the brokerage firm does not even offer trading throughout the entire regular day session, which significantly limits trading flexibility.
Systematic Purchases: A recurring purchase schedule can be established at Stash.
Recommendations
Small Accounts: Because of its monthly membership fee, we cannot recommend Stash for small
investors. Webull would be a better choice.
Long-Term Investors and Retirement Savers: Stash does offer IRAs with a 3% match, but it does
not provide much else for long-term planning. A brokerage account at
Schwab comes with annuities, target-date mutual funds, licensed financial advisors, and many other resources.
Beginners: A robo account at Stash could be a good way to start, at least for beginners with
enough assets to justify the monthly fee. Beginners with small balances would be better off at
Robinhood, as already mentioned.
Frequent Stock Trading: Without advanced software, Stash is a poor choice.
Webull has many useful resources for experienced traders.
Mutual Funds: Although Stash does not offer mutual funds, Firstrade does. We found thousands of
funds on the Firstrade website.
Final Judgment
Stash offers a stripped-down investing service that does not provide a great deal, especially for advanced trading. Much is missing, and the monthly fee is disappointing, although IRA investors may find the 3% match worthwhile.
Updated on 8/21/2026.
Chad Morris has been analyzing investment firms for Brokerage-Review.com since 2015. Backed by FINRA Series 65, 66, and SIE credentials, his work reflects a deep knowledge of the retail brokerage industry and digital trading tools.
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