Plynk Review: An App to Simplify Investing for Beginners

Plynk is an investment app designed to help make investing easier for beginners. Its goal is to help beginners start investing and learn more about finances along the way. You can open two different accounts with Plynk: a brokerage account (for investing in stocks and funds) and a crypto account (for investing in cryptocurrency).

This stock broker is a good fit for: Beginner traders who want an easy-to-use interface.

Plynk is a mobile app geared toward beginner investors. You can open two different accounts with Plynk: a brokerage account (for investing in stocks and funds) and a crypto account (for investing in cryptocurrency). Plynk offers an intuitive app and an educational hub for users to learn more about investing. Plynk is a service of Digital Brokerage Services LLC, and is a member of FINRA and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which protects customers if their brokerage firm fails.

Top perks

Commission-free stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, and four cryptocurrencies

The Plynk app allows you to invest in a wide selection of stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, and the following four cryptocurrencies:

• Bitcoin
• Litecoin
• Bitcoin Cash
• Ether

There's no minimum required to open a Plynk account, and you can start investing with as little as $1. You can invest in stocks, ETFs, and crypto commission-free, but there are fees for individual crypto trades.

$10 sign-up bonus

Plynk is currently offering a $10 sign-on bonus that will be deposited into your Plynk brokerage account within 30 days once:

• You download the Plynk app and create a brokerage account,
• Plynk approves your account, and
• You link an eligible bank account.

Turn your unused gift cards into money to invest

Plynk has a gift card exchange program where you can turn your unused gift cards (from over 200 brands) into money to invest. If you have any unused gift cards sitting in a wallet, junk drawer, or the bottom of a purse, you can turn those unredeemed gift cards into money you can invest with Plynk.

Plynk Think's educational hub

Plynk is geared toward beginner investors. Its goal is to simplify the process while helping you learn as you go. Plynk Think is an educational hub that helps you learn one lesson at a time and get basic tips on managing personal finances. Plynk is not a robo-advisor, but through Plynk Explore you can find investments that match your interests by answering just a few questions.

What could be improved

No retirement account

Plynk only offers a brokerage account and no retirement account options. If you are interested in starting a traditional individual retirement account (IRA) or Roth IRA, then you will have to open an account with another financial institution.

Fee to trade crypto

While it is free to trade any stock, mutual fund, or exchange-traded fund, there is a fee to trade crypto. It is $0.50 per crypto trade for trades $100 or less, or 0.5% per crypto trade for trades above $100. If you plan on trading crypto frequently, you’ll need to account for these fees in your budget, as they can add up over time.

$2 monthly fee for some features

Plynk states that it has the discretion to temporarily waive this monthly fee, in the form of a free trial or otherwise. It will provide notice upon reinstatement of this monthly fee or general changes to its fees. This monthly fee is currently waived for all customers, but can be brought back at any time.

Not for advanced traders

Plynk is for beginner traders. If you are a more advanced investor or want to trade options, then Plynk isn't for you. Plynk does not support advanced trading tools, strategies, or offer margin.

Plynk doesn't charge commissions for stock, ETF, and mutual funds. However, there are some fees traders should be aware of:

• $0.50 per crypto trade for trades $100 or less
• 0.5% per crypto trade for trades above $100
• Full TOA delivery: $75
• Bounced check: $15
• Stop payment: $15
• Wire transfer fee: $15
• SEC fee: Fee typically ranges from $0.01 to $0.03 per $1,000, and is charged by Digital Brokerage Services LLC ("DBS") to pay certain fees imposed by national securities associations, clearing agencies, national securities exchanges, and other self-regulatory organizations (collectively, "SROs").
• Monthly app fee: $2 (this is currently waived)

Plynk is a mobile app that was created to deliver a more intuitive investing experience. You can set up recurring investments with the app.

Plynk does not offer margin.

Plynk does not offer much research when it comes to technical or fundamental analysis. It does offer Plynk Think, an educational hub with tips and how-tos, intended to help beginner investors learn more about personal finance and how to invest.

READ MORE: Best Online Stock Brokers for Beginners

Plynk could be an excellent option for you if:

• You are a beginner trader
• You want to trade in unused gift cards for investing funds
• You want to learn more about the basics of investing
• You aren't seeking help from a financial planner, money manager, or robo-advisor

At The Motley Fool Ascent, brokerages are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on fees, available assets, and account types; however, we also take into account features like research, education, tax-loss harvesting, and highly rated mobile apps. Our highest-rated brokerages generally include low fees, a diverse range of assets and account types, and useful platform features.

See our full methodology here: Ratings Methodology