Stockpile Review

Have you ever received stock as a gift?

Not many have. That’s because there aren’t a lot of brokerage firms that allow users to buy stock gift cards. This is one of the unique aspects of Stockpile — and one which, for good reason, many people love.

Stockpile is an app-based online brokerage focused on making the investing world more appealing to new, young investors. With a simple UI and only the fundamental features, the platform they offer is designed to be accessible to beginners.

Stockpile is a zero-commission broker no account minimum, which is very attractive to beginners who don’t want to make a big initial investment. The gift card service may inspire users to give stocks to their loved ones for birthdays and holidays.

In this Stockpile review, we dive into all the details.

What is Stockpile? 📚

Stockpile is a platform aimed at increasing the accessibility and ease-of-use when it comes to investing online. The brokerage firm is primarily app-based.

The Stockpile platform is designed to attract younger investors by simplifying stock trading and removing fees. At the same, there’s always a  tradeoff. For Stockpile, the negative end of that tradeoff is a limited investment selection.

Still, Stockpile has some unique features. The platform enables users to purchase gift cards, allowing friends or family to receive their choice of stock as a gift for birthdays or holidays.

You won’t find in-depth charting tools or research capabilities with Stockpile. This is simply because the platform was designed for those who otherwise wouldn’t have started investing at all.

What You Can Trade with Stockpile 🧐

The amount of investment types is limited. Users can trade ETFs, stocks, and a number of non-U.S. stocks also called ADRs (American Depository Receipts).

It is not possible to invest in cryptocurrencies and commodities directly but you can acquire ETFs built to track securities like lithium and gold. Mutual funds, futures, forex, and options trades are not available on Stockpile.

Fractional Shares with Stockpile 🏛️

Users can invest in fractional shares. This means you can buy a part of a share in certain cases.

For example, if a single share of Apple is about $160, and if that’s a bit too much, you can buy a part of one share. This allows investors who like owning stock in huge companies like Apple to diversify their portfolio more easily.

Stockpile Gift Cards 🧧

Stockpile has a very special gift card feature. Clients can use the gift card option to gift stocks to others. You can create a custodial account (for users under 18) and then send a gift to that account.

This is nice if you want to set your kids up with some stocks, or get them interested in investing. Hundreds of well-known companies like Cisco, McDonald’s, Disney, Microsoft, etc. are available on Stockpile.

Stockpile Gifts, Inc. is the company that issues the gift cards. The cards can be bought as physical gift cards or as e-gifts. They do not have an expiration date and can be redeemed at any time. The gift cards can only be redeemed through a Stockpile brokerage account.

Stockpile Compared

Trading Platform 💻

Usability Through Simplicity 👤

The platform provides only the basics, as it is meant for new traders who are not yet ready for complexity. Users can buy and sell stocks and ETFs and have access to rudimentary research tools.

Placing orders is quite simple and it can be done from almost any screen. The user dashboard is clean and gives clients a clear overview of their current investments’ performance.

Features like buying or redeeming gift cards, bank transfers, settings, legal and tax documents, and account history can always be accessed through a menu on the left.

Simple charts, fundamental performance stats, and relevant news can also be viewed by clicking on the tabs in the pop-up window. All in all, the platform is super-simple for all users.

Stockpile’s Drawbacks ⏳

Stockpile doesn’t execute trades immediately. Instead, trades are executed at predetermined times during market hours.

This means that traders won’t necessarily get the best price they can for their trades. Incoming data has a 15-minute delay and the charts you view can not display a time frame smaller that one day.

Lack of Features is a Turnoff for Advanced Traders ⚠

The platform is simple at the cost of features that would be highly valued by experienced traders. Research tools and raw data are not abundant—and that’s just not good enough for stock market veterans.

Another deterrent for advanced traders is the fact that there are no features like real-time streaming data, advanced order types, order routing options, or basket trading.

Customer Support ☎

Stockpile’s customer support can only be reached by email—there is no phone service or an online chat feature. The icon in the bottom-right corner of the platform’s interface looks like an online chat feature but it is just a fast way to receive email support. However, emails tend to get answered fairly quickly.

The platform is not complicated, so the help and FAQs on Stockpile’s website are usually enough to assist users who have questions about the platform. The most queries about investing basics and how the platform works are answered here.

Stockpile Pricing and Fees 💸

Like all aspects of Stockpile, the pricing system is simple and caters to young people who are looking to get into investing. The fact that there are literally no fees and account minimums is a huge boon for Stockpile’s target audience.

No Trading Commissions 🤝

The commissions are great on Stockpile—they almost don’t exist. You can trade whatever you want without worrying about hidden expenses too, as there are none.

The only fee that you don’t have to run across if you don’t want is the wire withdrawal fee. When you wire your money from your account to your bank in the U.S., it will set you back $25, so it’s best to only withdraw larger sums so that this fee is as small as possible percentage-wise.

Unlike their early days, Stockpile’s gift cards are also free to send and receive now, which goes nicely with the fact that they are gift cards. All in all, the only thing to keep in mind is the withdrawal fee—other than that, Stockpile’s service is as expensive as breathing air.

Basic Research Capabilities and Education

The research tools users have at their disposal here are very basic. Investors can view basic price charts for various time frames but there are no balance sheets or analyst ratings to analyze.

The only other info provided on the platform is a small number of news articles and the basic data on the stats tab. This is likely the platform’s biggest downside and it turns away experienced traders who like to conduct detailed research.

Portfolio Analysis 📊

Portfolio progress can be monitored through the dashboard, with one progress-tracking chart. Legal and tax documents can be accessed through the desktop platform but they are not accessible through the app.

You can view your previous activity through the desktop app but that’s about it as far as information is concerned. There are no portfolio analysis features like performance projections and allocation options.

Stockpile Education 👨‍🏫

Stockpile’s education is also focused on a younger, millennial audience. The education is presented in a simple way that can be understood by a total novice or even a child.

The Ticker 📝

The company offers a range of in-depth educational resources useful to beginners. Their blog, called The Ticker, provides good information and uses popular references (like the TV show “The Office”) to get through to the younger audience.

The articles are also aimed toward this age group, for example, there are articles like “5 Investing Mistakes Millennials Make” and “The Best Stocks For Gamers.” The blog even has content about investment types that Stockpiles doesn’t deal with, like IPOs and cryptocurrencies.

Users can get basic advice on investing and budgeting in the “How To” section. The section called “The Campus” has content related to subjects like dividends, risk tolerance, and diversified portfolios.

This section also provides quizzes and educational videos. They even have a glossary called “Stockopedia” where you can learn about most investing-related concepts.

What You Should Know About Stockpile ❓

Stockpile offers two main services: the online brokerage and the gift card service.

The Brokerage 💰

Stockpile is aimed toward millennials who want to dip their toes into the investment world and need a simple, easy-to-use platform. This simplicity comes from a superbly designed platform but also a significant lack of features.

The software only provides basic tools for market and portfolio analysis, which is good for casual passive investors, but not for vehement day traders. Stockpile is also one of the most practical brokerages for trading fractional shares.

Stockpile’s Non-Existent Commissions 🪙

Users can trade Stocks and ETFs but options and mutual funds are not available. This might seem to limit traders, however, this can all be done for free. This is the perfect fee structure, in case you were wondering. Also, there is no account minimum and the only expense you’ll come across is the wire transfer fee that is incurred when you’re withdrawing money.

Stockpile’s Gift Cards Explained 📖

The gift card feature is a special property of Stockpile. It allows users to gift stock to other users, without paying anything more than the price of the gift. You can also buy fractional shares for any amount, so buying your kids 0.6453% of a single share of their favorite game studio is doable, if that’s what you want to do.

What Stockpile is Great At 🤔

No cost​and the user-friendly interface are perfect for beginners .The education provided by Stockpiles is not only very beneficial for beginners but also made to be interesting to the millennial audience

No Financial Burdens 💵

Stockpile provides all the resources a young investor needs to get started. An easy-to-use platform, no commissions to be worried about, no minimum required account balance, and almost no additional expenses. That means you can approach investing casually without worrying about requirements and inactivity fees that many other brokerages have.

Great Entry-Level Education 🎯

The education is great for beginners. Investing-related concepts are explained in a way that can easily be understood by almost anyone. The lessons have video content and then there’s also a blog called “The Ticker”.

The blog is very appealing to a millennial audience and has an abundance of great information and advice. Stockpile’s educational resources are no doubt a great boon for young investors.

All in all, Stockpile has made a great system for its target audience, millennials who are beginning their journey as investors. The intuitive platform, like many low commission brokers’, will be very appealing to new entries, and beginner-focused education can help improve the skill of young investors considerably.

Parents might also find the gift card option very handy if they want to give their kids a present that will appreciate in value over time.

Where Stockpile Falls Short 🚧

Advanced traders have nothing to look forward to here except the welcoming commission structure. Stockpile is very different from the top day trading platforms out there because of it’s limited set of advanced features.

Investment types are limited to stocks and ETFs and research capabilities are very basic. Experienced investors who like to do a market analysis before trading will find Stockpile’s offer very lacking. Portfolio analysis is also very basic.

The data available on the platform is very scarce and all trades have a delay, which is unacceptable to advanced traders who want everything in real-time. The general lack of features means it is easy to outgrow this platform.

Users who get skilled at trading on Stockpile will likely move on to greener pastures, or in this case, pastures with more data, research tools, advanced order routing and resources for in-depth market analysis.

Stockpile is not a place for experienced traders who approach investing seriously and with devotion. Also, there are arguably better online brokers for beginners.

The Bottom Line 🎬

Stockpile is a great gateway brokerage for new investors. The trading platform and educational resources are designed to suit beginners who are looking to ease into the complex world of investing. Parents can use the gift card service to spark curiosity for investing in their kids, and also to give them an asset that will increase in value over time.

Advanced traders will not find what they need at Stockpile. The limitations of investment types and research are a deterrent for experienced people who just won’t be satisfied with the basics. All in all, Stockpile is a company focused on its target audience, the new, millennial investors. As such, the brokerage is great for its audience but is very limited for everyone else.