How do you keep track of stocks on your iPhone? A Stocks app/widget was one of the original apps introduced for the iPhone 2G in 2007 and with a small upgrade in iPhone OS 3.0 last year, it still has a place on almost every iPhone home screen (even if only because Apple won't let non stockies delete it). But if you are a hardcore market watcher, a bear or a bull, a buyer or seller, is the built in Stocks app enough to get you through a trade?
There are a variety of 3rd party stock apps in the iTunes app store that aim to do the job better, or at least more seriously. Do you use any of them? Which ones and why?
From the intense day trader to the casual yearly investor, having a device that's always on the internet, and always on you seems like a natural fit for the dynamic world of stock trading.
I know next to nothing about it -- other than Apple and Google are doing pretty well these days -- so if you have any recommendations, any tricks on how to better use your iPhone in todays hectic (and hellacious) markets, let us know in comments!
Reader comments
How do you keep track of stocks on your iPhone?
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Is there an on-line application that will allow me to track stocks and track the dividends that are reinvested?
Thanks
I trade longer term so the built-in app is fine for checking basic trends, but I turn to E-Trade's app when I need something more.
I have tried the stock app, Bloomberg, iTrade, Stockwatch and Yahoo app. I couldn't get what I wanted out of any of them because the iPhone screen is so small and the info they gave me wasn't what I need. I have my portfolios setup in Yahoo Finance and it allows me to have multiple instances of the same stock, handy when I buy on different days at a different price, and it gives me my total gain, current holdings and gain and value for each stock I hold. I couldn't get that with the apps it just gave me the current price of the stock which doesn't help me if I don't know what that translates to based on how many shares I hold or the whole portfolio.
It's not a native app, but for those of you who live in Australia the Commonwealth Bank's share trading website "CommSec" has a very nice iPhone optimised version with real time quotes, trading and market news.
TD Ameritrade
I use the Bloomberg app, I've tried Yahoo, CNBC, CNN Money, and Stock Ticker and have found it to be far superior, especially when I need to check overseas markets. I also trade on KOSPI (Korean Exchange) and it's the only one that updates that particular market. The info about each company when available is also relavent.
I like Daily Finance the best. It has the cleanest UI for adding your portfolio and stocks to watch. News at your fingertips and good charts. I've tried several (bloomberg), and Daily Finance wins.
The default Stocks (of course)
Bloomberg
ChartsLive
There's also Daily Finance, which gives you extended hours quotes. I tried CNBC RT based today since I read about it here, and it's really nice!
CNBC RT...
It will not allow me to delete stocks. I use the edit and delete scenario, however each stock continues to return, even though it says the info is empty. Frustrating.
RJ
as much as I hate to admit it, the AOL Daily Finance App is the best one out there (as of last month). I spent a fair amount of time digging into UI and functionality of all the free apps, and this one clearly stood out about the rest.
CNBC RT is the only app that gives you realtime quotes. Don't like like the new update tho.
Oh... One more. Marketwatch is a good one.
I trade frequently. I'm amazed when I see folks who do not want the native Stocks app. But then maybe that's a function of age.
A bunch of the brokerage firms have apps that work on iPhone and iPad. (Such as Fidelity and Ameritrade). What makes them better than the native app is that you can read market news without leaving the app. The frustrating thing about the Stocks app is that if you click on a story it takes you out to Safari. Then you have to reload the Stocks app when you want to return.
The bloomberg app is good on both iPhone and iPad. Fox Business is pretty good. I recently deleted the CNBC app, but it wasn't bad. CNN Money is another one I recently deleted, but it's okay. If you like reading stories, then Business Week app is pretty good.
Oh... Don't forget the Wall Street Journal app. That's on both the iPhone and iPad. I use it a lot on the latter.
I use the TD Ameritrade app since they are my broker. I can buy, sell, check charts, level 2, etc. Works great for me.
Fox Business Network app.
I added the (free) Bloomberg app for visual appeal, but I (bought) use PortfolioLive for in-depth information.
I use iStockmanager. I have stocks on ameritrade and get real time quotes and charts and do all of my trading on my phone. Apps that just follow stocks are OK but real time is important and being able to repond to a market fluctuation at the same time is essential.
CNBC real time app.
Definitely CNBC app for real-time and pre-market quotes. Although the network sux, the app is pretty good (except for the news articles that are very biased).
The native stock app is adequate. Also Fidelity has a very useful app if you have an account with them.
Being able to hide the stocks app is the number one reason I'm looking forward to 4.0! I understand that it's useful for those who care about stocks but the option to hide or nuke it should have come long ago.
Viva la 4.0!
I think Apple should make all the default Apps obtainable from the AppStore. that way they could be there when you get the phone, deleted if you don't want them, and obtained again in the future if you decide you do want them. Also would put Apple in a position to update them more often if required.
Back on topic though, I have Bloomberg, and Yahoo Finance for my stock prices. The default is good for at a glance info, but for news the others are better. FT.com could be good, but I don't see why I should pay for the same info which is free elsewhere.
I use the native Stocks app, and Mint.com.
The Bloomberg app does well for me too.
I use the stocks app to keep track of the Euro to USD exchange rate (my company imports goods from Germany and we pay in Euros). You can do this with any currency by looking up the appropriate code on Yahoo. The Euro to USD code is EURUSD=X.
I realize nobody cares about this...
Bloomberg & CNBC real-time
@5 Come OS 4.0, you'll be able to stuff them all into a single folder ("Unused"?) and stick it on the last page of your home screen. I'm looking forward to that.
I added my fathers stocks to the app once. Yeah thats as far as it goes. Wish all these default apps could be turned off, hidden or something.
Bloomberg's app is pretty good.
I use Bloomberg app, because it has a lot more stock information than the native app. I am from Argentina, and with Bloomberg i can track my MERVAL stocks and keep informed with the latest world economics news... y recommend this app!
I don't.
I don't.