

Are y'all getting tired of checking all of your financial assets separately? Well, that can all change today by getting an investment app to keep track of your entire portfolio—stocks, mutual funds, bonds, ETFs, IRAs, and 401(k)s all in one location! Keeping tabs on all of your financial assets can be exhausting, and I'm sure if you're a regular investor, you check your financial growth frequently versus once a year to do your taxes.
Fortunately, plenty of mobile apps provide real-time data on all of your investments in one single app! Check out some of the best investment apps—for beginners and advanced investors—that will make your stock portfolio life easier to manage.
The best investment apps for beginners
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Robinhood
Robinhood is one of the most popular stock portfolio apps that everyone is talking about. It's free to open an account, and they have no account minimum. One of their best features is offering free trading for stocks, options, ETFs, and cryptocurrency. It's very easy to function, and they offer Robinhood snacks, a daily financial newsletter to fill you in on financial updates or launches that boost company shares, etc.
Once you get the Robinhood app, you instantly get a stock and also get a free stock for every person you share the app with. If you choose to upgrade your account for the Robinhood Gold membership for $5 a month, you'll be provided research on 1,700 companies from Nasdaq Level II quotes, Morningstar, and access margin loans.
E-Trade
E-Trade is a great app for beginners because they offer several resources and educational pointers, and they have a wide range of no-fee funds. The company has two mobile apps and offers no minimum fee to obtain an account, and it's free to trade stocks. On the E-Trade app, you can move money using the mobile check deposit, and it's really easy to track the market, trading ETFs and stocks. The second app is called Power E-Trade and allows users to enter orders inclusive of complex options trades on a single ticket.
This is a great investing app to start with because they offer extensive educational information for new investors, including articles, videos, and live educational services.
Merrill Edge
Bank of America's Merrill Edge is another great option for beginning investors, especially if you're a Bank of America customer. If you are a current member of Bank of America, you have immediate access to cash transfers to your brokerage's account, and you'll have access to a Merrill adviser in over 2,000 Bank of America locations. There is no minimum needed to open an account, and it's also free to trade stocks.
One of their best features lies in their educational materials; they offer articles and videos explaining college planning, personal finance, retirement, and how to begin investing.
It's better to start small versus not at all!
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Fidelity
Fidelity is known to be one of the most investor-friendly broker apps in the industry, making it an excellent option for new investors. There are no minimums to open an account, and they offer one of the lowest published margin rates at just 4.00%. Fidelity is committed to educating their clients with in-depth research from over 20 independent providers, and they offer zero expense ratio index funds.
The site is easy to navigate, and users have access to various webinars and see previously recorded classes in almost every area of investing.
TD Ameritrade
TD Ameritrade offers a range of services for all level users. It's especially great for new investors because they have interactive courses and webcasts, so no questions are ever considered a dumb question because we're all learning. Beginning investors also have access to over 200 instructional videos and tutorials. There is no minimum to open an account, and they are going to integrate with Charles Schwab investment company in the upcoming future.The best investment apps for intermediate and advanced investors
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Ellevest
Ellevest is an investment app built for women and created by women! Let's go feminine divine! This is an excellent app for goal-based investing in multiple investing categories. Ellevest charges a monthly fee ranging from $1 to $9, based on your financial needs. The primary tier provides you an investment portfolio, banking features like ATM reimbursements, and access to educational services.
If you choose to invest in their higher tiers, they offer goal-oriented planning, executive coaches, and reduced fees on meetings with financial planners. They also provide monthly progress reports to celebrate when you're on track with your financial goals, and they provide suggestions if you're not meeting your financial objectives.
Betterment
Betterment is an automated investment platform, also known as a robo-adviser. They have an algorithm that calculates your portfolio based on your goals and preferences. They create portfolios by investing in expansive market sectors through ETFs — because they are tax-efficient and low-cost. Betterment also uses the data you give them to provide retirement advice by recommending an allocation and advising what amount is safe to withdraw. Your inflation and portfolio performance are factored into their ongoing advice — which is all up to you if you want to take their pointers.
You can open several different investment accounts with Betterment, like a Roth IRA, trust account, SEP IRA (single participant only), and Betterment for business (this is their 401(k) for small employers). They charge a minimum of 0.25% annual fee.
SoFi
SoFi is an all-in-one investing service that provides robo-advisers and investor-friendly service. They provide goal-based planning to assist your financial objectives and offer automatic rebalancing. There is no management fee, and the company's account minimum is $1. SoFi provides access to financial advisors, career services, and discounts on other SoFi products for no extra fee.
The company also provides a unique option that allows you to choose the stocks, crypto, ETFs you'd like to invest in, or they provide the option to create a portfolio for you with automatic investing. And if you're on a budget, investing they have a stock bits option which lets you invest in your favorite companies without committing to purchasing a whole share.
Choose from the best investing apps
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Personal Capital
Personal Capital is a free mobile and online personal finance and investment management app. It's available on iOS and Android, and it lets you analyze your entire investment portfolio visually regardless of where you store your assets(401k, Fidelity, etc.). They even suggest stocks you should sell and invest in alternate assets.
And of course, that's a basic example but a helpful one; they also analyze your portfolio by market cap, industry, and a ton of other variables. Personal Capital has a feature called "You Index", which keeps track of your holdings and assesses their performance against leading market indices, so you can easily see how you're doing across cash, stocks, mutual funds, and ETF.
Stash
Stash is a great investment app for first-time investors and advanced investors. They offer three different plans ranging from paying $1-$9 a month, which makes it affordable and easily accessible to build wealth. Stash provides an option to invest what you can afford with their fractional shares; you have the opportunity to choose how much to invest.
Their $1/ month plan includes their stock-back card, personal investment account, personalized advice, and $1,000 of life insurance coverage through Avibra. The company's higher tier approach is $9/month including a stock-back card that earns double stock, a Roth IRA or Traditional IRA retirement account, investing for children, and $10,000 of life insurance coverage through Avibra.
The bottom line
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Guys, any of the investment apps you choose, y'all are all winning and saving time and money! Stock portfolio apps help you keep track of all your investments on the go. All of the listed apps are iOS and Android friendly. Some apps require you to manually pop in your data versus other apps syncing your existing apps. All of the apps give great tips to read in less than a handful of minutes and provide tools to make your financial dreams become your financial reality!
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Ajeé Buggam is a content writer and fashion designer from New York City and an alumna from the Fashion Institute of Technology. She specializes in writing about race, social injustice, relationships, feminism, entrepreneurship, and mental wellness. Check out her recent work at Notes To Self
Claudia Jordan, Demetria McKinney & Jill Marie Jones On 'Games Women Play' & Dating Over 40
What do you get when you mix unfiltered truths, high-stakes romance, and a few well-timed one-liners? You get Games Women Play—the sizzling new stage play by Je’Caryous Johnson that’s part relationship rollercoaster, part grown-woman group chat.
With a powerhouse cast that includes Claudia Jordan, Demetria McKinney, Jill Marie Jones, Carl Payne, Chico Bean, and Brian J. White, the play dives headfirst into the messy, hilarious, and heart-wrenching games people play for love, power, and peace of mind. And the women leading this story? They’re bringing their whole selves to the stage—and leaving nothing behind.
From Script to Spotlight
The road to Games Women Play started over 20 years ago—literally.
“This script was written 20 years ago,” Jill Marie Jones said with a smile. “It was originally called Men, Money & Gold Diggers, and I was in the film version. So when Je’Caryous called me to bring it to the stage, I was like, ‘Let’s go.’” Now reimagined for 2025, the play is updated with sharp dialogue and modern relationship dynamics that feel all too real.
Demetria McKinney, no stranger to Je’Caryous Johnson’s productions, jumped at the opportunity to join the cast once again. “This is my third time working with him,” she shared. “It was an opportunity to stretch. I’d never been directed by Carl Payne before, and the chance to work with talent I admire—Jill, Claudia, Chico—it was a no-brainer.”
Claudia Jordan joked that she originally saw the role as just another check. “I didn’t take it that seriously at first,” she admitted. “But this is my first full-on tour—and now I’ve got a whole new respect for how hard people work in theater. This ain’t easy.”
Modern Love, Stage Left
The play doesn’t hold back when it comes to the messier parts of love. One jaw-dropping moment comes when a live podcast proposal flips into a prenup bombshell—leaving the audience (and the characters) gasping.
Demetria broke it down with honesty. “People don’t ask the real questions when they date. Like, ‘Do you want kids? How do you feel about money?’ These convos aren’t happening, and then everyone’s confused. That moment in the play—it’s real. That happens all the time.”
Jill chimed in, noting how the play speaks to emotional disconnect. “We’re giving each other different tokens of love. Men might offer security and money. Women, we’re giving our hearts. But there’s a disconnect—and that’s where things fall apart.”
And then Claudia, of course, took it all the way there. “These men don’t even want to sign our prenups now!” she laughed. “They want to live the soft life, too. Wearing units, gloss, getting their brows done. We can’t have nothing! Y’all want to be like us? Then get a damn period and go through menopause.”
Dating Over 40: “You Better Come Correct”
When the conversation turned to real-life relationships, all three women lit up. Their experiences dating in their 40s and 50s have given them both clarity—and zero tolerance for games.
“I feel sexier than I’ve ever felt,” said Jill, who proudly turned 50 in January. “I say what I want. I mean what I say. I’m inside my woman, and I’m not apologizing for it.”
Demetria added that dating now comes with deeper self-awareness. “Anybody in my life is there because I want them there. I’ve worked hard to need nobody. But I’m open to love—as long as you keep doing what got me there in the first place.”
For Claudia, the bar is high—and the peace is priceless. “I’ve worked hard for my peace,” she said. “I’m not dating for food. I’m dating because I want to spend time with you. And honestly, if being with you isn’t better than being alone with my candles and fountains and cats? Then no thanks.”
Channeling Strength & Icon Status
Each actress brings something different to the play—but all of them deliver.
“I actually wish I could be messier on stage,” Claudia joked. “But I think about my grandmother—she was born in 1929, couldn’t even vote or buy a house without a man, and didn’t give a damn. She was fearless. That’s where my strength comes from.”
For Jill, the comparisons to her iconic Girlfriends character Toni Childs aren’t far off—but this role gave her a chance to dig deeper. “If you really understood Toni, you’d see how layered she was. And Paisley is the same—misunderstood, but strong. There’s more to her than people see at first glance.”
Demetria, who juggles singing and acting seamlessly, shared that live theater pushes her in a new way. “Every moment on stage counts. You can’t redo anything. It’s a different kind of love and discipline. You have to give the performance away—live, in the moment—and trust that it lands.”
Laughter, Lessons & Black Girl Gems
The show has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments—and the cast isn’t shy about who steals scenes.
“Chico Bean gets a lot of gasps and laughs,” Claudia said. “And Naomi Booker? Every scene she’s in—she’s hilarious.”
But the play isn’t just about humor. It leaves space for reflection—especially for Black women.
“I hope we get back to the foundation of love and communication,” said Demetria. “A lot of us are in protector mode. But that’s turned into survival mode. We’ve lost softness. We’ve lost connection.”
Claudia agreed. “We’re doing it all—but it’s not because we want to be strong all the time. It’s because we have to be. And I just want women to know: You can have peace, you can be soft. But stop bringing your old pain into new love. Don’t let past heartbreak build walls so high that the right person can’t climb over.”
Final Act: Pack the House
If there’s one thing this cast agrees on, it’s that this play isn’t just entertainment—it’s necessary.
“Atlanta is the Black entertainment hub,” Claudia said. “We need y’all to show up for this play. Support the arts. Support each other. Because when we pack the house, we make space for more stories like this.”
Games Women Play is more than a play—it’s a mirror. You’ll see yourself, your friends, your exes, and maybe even your next chapter. So get ready to laugh, reflect, and maybe even heal—because the games are on.
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After Decades-Long Career, Terri J. Vaughn Is Finally The Main Character: Exclusive
Terri J. Vaughn first captured our attention in the late ‘90s as Lovita Alizay Jenkins on The Steve Harvey Show. Decades later, she is starring in her very own series, She The People, which is now available to stream on Netflix.
The political sitcom, which she co-created with Niya Palmer and later teamed up with Tyler Perry Studios, is about a Black woman named Antoinette Dunkerson who runs for lieutenant governor of Mississippi. She wins and becomes the state’s first Black lieutenant governor. Now, she’s forced to balance working with a racist and sexist governor while also trying to keep her family from running amok.
According to the beloved actress, this project was a long time coming. “I’ve been trying to get my own television series for like 20 years, pounding the pavement, meeting with people, getting clothes, being lied to, just a whole bunch of stuff,” she says in an exclusive interview with xoNecole.
“But just keep going, because this is what I do. This is what I love, and I know how important it is for us to continue to show up and make sure that we are seen, make sure that our voices are heard. For several reasons. I just never give up. So here I am, 20 years later, finally sold my show.”
She The People is inspired by the true story of London Breed, who became the first Black female mayor of San Francisco, Terri’s hometown. And to help make the show more authentic, the Cherish the Day actress tapped former Atlanta mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms to come on as a producer.'“I’ve been trying to get my own television series for like 20 years, pounding the pavement, meeting with people, getting clothes, being lied to, just a whole bunch of stuff."
After bringing the former mayor aboard, it was time to pitch again. And this time, the companies were pitching them. Ultimately, Terri decided to work with Tyler Perry on the series.
“We decided to do it with Tyler for several reasons. I love that. Well, most of the companies we met with were Black-owned companies, but he was the only studio,” she explains. “Tyler is like Walt Disney. That's literally what he is. He has the studio, he has the content. He operates just like Walt Disney.”
And thanks to the cast, the show is nothing short of laughs. The series also stars social media creator Jade Novah as Antoinette’s crazy cousin/ assistant, Shamika, Family Mattersstar Jo Marie Payton as Anotinette’s mom, Cleo, and Terri’s husband, Karon Riley, who plays Michael, her driver and love interest.
While we’ve watched Terri’s career blossom in various ways. From directing to producing, and playing diverse characters, the mom of two says her The Steve Harvey Show character will always be her favorite.
“Well, Lovita was definitely my favorite, especially for my time, the age and everything that I was. Now as a grown ass woman over 50, Antoinette Dunkerson is everything that I've wanted to play. She's everything. She's a mother of two teenagers. She's divorced, so she's co-parenting with her ex-husband. She has to wrangle in a very eclectic family,” she says.
“So I like playing characters that are really flawed and trying to figure it out and doing their best to try to figure it. And she's very flawed and she is trying to figure it out, and she fucks up sometimes. But her heart and what she's trying to do and what her vision is and purpose, it's all for the people. I mean, she the people. She’s for the people, she is the people.”
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