The best stock trading apps have no account minimums and charge no account fees. However, in order to invest funds, you do need to deposit money into your investment account.

When you stash your money in a savings account, it may earn a small amount of interest, but it doesn’t have the potential to grow significantly over time. Savings accounts are also typically FDIC-insured and there’s no risk involved. On the other hand, investments have potentially greater returns, but are also exposed to additional risk.

How much you should invest depends on your expenses, income, and financial situation. In general, it’s a good idea to try to save up a financial safety net and contribute to tax-advantaged retirement accounts before you invest in an individual brokerage account.