Choosing the right investing app can be pretty daunting, but don’t worry. We’re here to help.
Today we’re going to compare CashApp vs M1 Finance and see which app reigns supreme!
Onward!
Which Investment App Is Best, Cashapp or M1 Finance?
CashApp
M1 Finance
Both CashApp and M1 Finance are really easy apps to use and both have decent features and a reliable service.
Their stock research tools are just mediocre, but they work, and their sign-up and referral bonus programs aren’t exactly the best in the Fintech industry, but overall they aren’t bad.
M1 Finance is technically a better investment app than Cash App is, but Cash App is still pretty neat, and it’s useful if you need a money transfer app.
CashApp is better if:
- You don't have a money transfer app like Venmo yet
- You prefer a more hands-on investing experience
M1 Finance is better if:
- You're more interested in passive investing
- You want to use leverage on a margin account
- You're good at referral marketing (larger referral bonus)
CashApp vs M1 Finance: Simplicity
Both Cash App and M1 finance did a great job making their apps simple. Both offer fractional shares and an easy to use interface.
Simplicity is the one area where both of these apps really shine.
How easy is CashApp to use?
Cash App is one of the most simple investment apps out there, only rivaled by Acorns.
The developers gave up some utility in order to make Cash App as easy as possible to use and understand.
The app comes with it’s own simple investing tutorial that even a child would understand, and they provide easy access to stocks with the offering of fractional shares and instant deposits.
How easy is M1 Finance to use?
As you can see, M1 Finance is also incredibly simple.
It’s amazing to me that these apps can allow you to do so much with such a minimal interface.
Investors of all experience levels should have zero problems figuring out how M1 Finance works, which was a relief to me, seeing as I started using it when I WAS a newer investor.
Fractional shares REALLY make a big difference when you’re new to all of this, and not all of the brokerages offer them, which is a shame.
Which Investment app is simpler, Cash App or M1 Finance?
Both Cash App and M1 Finance are extremely simple and intuitive, BUT technically Cash App is a little easier to use and figure out.
If you’re new and you require an investing app that’s really simple, either one will be fine, so I wouldn’t stress too much about it.
CashApp and M1 Finance Services
Here’s a list of the different investing features that Cash App and M1 Finance offer investors:
| Cash App Features | Free Account | Premium Account | M1 Finance Features | Free Account | Premium Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Fee | $0 | N/A | Monthly Fee | $0 | $125/ year |
| Minimum Balance | $0 | N/A | Minimum Balance | $0 | $0 |
| Instant Deposits |  | N/A | Instant Deposits |  | |
| Automatic Deposits | | N/A | Automatic Deposits | | |
| Stocks | | N/A | Stocks | | |
| ETFs | | N/A | ETFs | | |
| Options | | N/A | Options | | |
| Cryptocurrency | | N/A | Cryptocurrency | | |
| Fractional Shares | | N/A | Fractional Shares | | |
| DRIP/FRIP | | N/A | DRIP/FRIP | | |
| Bonds | | N/A | Bonds | | |
| Mutual Funds | | N/A | Mutual Funds | | |
| Paper Trading | | N/A | Paper Trading | | |
| Margin Accounts | | N/A | Margin Accounts | | |
| Retirement Accounts | | N/A | Retirement Accounts | | |
| Banking Services | | N/A | Banking Services | | |
| Human Advisors | | N/A | Human Advisors | | |
| Robo Advisors | | N/A | Robo Advisors | | |
| Stock Screeners | | N/A | Stock Screeners | | |
| Level 2 Market Data | | N/A | Level 2 Market Data | | |
| Other | Money Transfers | N/A | Other | Pie Sharing | Pie Sharing |
CashApp vs M1 Finance: Which app has the best service?
Well honestly, the services and features of both of these apps are only mediocre.
Cash App is definitely more lacking than M1 Finance is, and it’s only real selling point is the fact that it offers a money transfer service, which might be useful if you don’t have Venmo already.
M1 Finance isn’t a terrible investing app or anything, but it could us a few more options. (see what I did there? teehee)
Seriously though, M1 Finance has the better features so it wins this category.
CashApp and M1 Finance: Sign-up and referral rewards
Sign-up and referral bonuses are a good way to get an immediate return on your investment, or even to get SOMETHING to get started with.
I started off wit just free stocks I got from referrals from Robinhood, then I got some from Webull, and slowly built up my portfolio.
Here’s the sign-up and referral bonuses for Cash App and M1 Finance.
Cashapp sign up and referral rewards
Cash App’s sign-up and referral program is pretty lacking, in my opinion.
They’ll award you with $5 cash when you join and use their money transfer service to send $5 to a friend within 14 days, and they’ll also give you another $5 for each person you refer who sends $5 within 14 days to a friend.
The money DOES add up, it’s just a small amount, and the requirement to send money is annoying for such a small amount.
M1 Finance sign up and referral rewards
The M1 Finance sign-up and referral program is pretty mediocre as well. It’s not terrible considering a 10% return on your money is the average yearly return of the stock market for a year, BUT there ARE other investment apps that provide better bonuses.
Having a $100 deposit requirement cuts down on the amount of referral rewards you’ll get, but most users aren’t very interested in the referral marketing side of these apps anyway.
Cash App Vs M1 Finance, Sign-up and Referral Bonuses
Neither one of these investing apps really has a great sign-up and referral program.
Cash App’s referral rewards are better for making money in the referral groups on Facebook, especially since it’s also a money transfer app, but overall M1 Finance has a slightly better reward system.
Who has better stock research tools, Cash App or M1 Finance?
If you’re interested in looking at stock charts and numbers, then this is the section for you!
Let’s go over the research tools of each of these investment apps.
CashApp research tools
Cash App has very mediocre research tools…
They work if you’re just going for long-term investing, but they are definitely a no-go for trading.
The app is designed to be simple, not to have powerful tools, so Cash App is going to have to step it up a little here.
M1 Finance stock research tools
I’m not a big fan of M1 Finance’s stock research tools either.
It seems like the apps who try to be simple really have a tendency to skimp out on their stock research tools.
Luckily M1 Finance isn’t really built for trading, but still, it’s nice to have more information than you need, rather than less.
Stock research: Cash App vs M1 Finance
Both Cash App and M1 Finance have fairly weak research tools, so if you’re trying to get involved with day-trading or heavy technical analysis, you may want to consider either using apps that are built for those kinds of things, like Webull or Thinkorswim.
Both of these apps are decent, they just dropped the ball on their research tools a bit, so third-party research sites, like Marketwatch, might be worth checking out if you decide to go with Cash App or M1 Finance.
Did You Prefer Cash App or M1 Finance?
We are in need of user feedback in order to provide the best investing app reviews possible.
If you’ve tried either of these apps then please let us know what you thought about them!
Thanks for your support, have a great day!
