Stockpile is Closed: What Happened and Where to Go Instead
Stockpile is closed: What happened and where to go now.
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Stockpile officially shut down on April 17, 2026. Customer accounts were transitioned to Public, Stash or Apex Clearing, depending on account type. The rest of this article explains how Stockpile used to work for historical reference and points you to current alternatives if you’re looking for a similar stock-gifting experience.
About Stockpile
Stockpile was a stock investing app and online broker that let people buy fractions of high-priced stocks instead of one full share, before shutting down in April 2026.
The company also offers gift cards you can use to buy stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
With the user-friendly app, you can avoid the stress of having to buy a single stock.
Instead of buying stock directly as a gift, you can buy a gift card that lets someone purchase a specific stock. You can’t find an easier way to give the gift of stock!
How Stockpile Works
Stockpile gives you two options for purchasing stock:
- Buying a gift card for someone
- Choosing stock for yourself
Let’s explore each option in detail:
Purchasing Stock Gifts for Someone Else
Buying a gift card for someone through Stockpile is easy.
Just visit the Stockpile website and click the “shop now” button. Then choose a physical card or an e-card from the drop-down menu.
After you click your preferred link, you’ll be directed to the Stockpile marketplace, where stocks are classified into categories such as fashion, trending, and kids.
Once you select your preferred category, you’ll see a wide selection of brand logos, with the parent company’s name displayed below each logo.
You’ll probably recognize most of these brands, so choosing will be easier. In fact, it’s always exciting buying something you know and understand.
Once you find the brand you want, click it and select the gift card amount you want to purchase.
While the gift card you select is meant for purchasing a specific company’s stock, it is essentially a cash card you can use on the Stockpile platform. In other words, you can redeem the card for the specified stock, other stock on the Stockpile site, or a retail gift card.
You also don’t need a Stockpile brokerage account to buy someone a Stockpile gift card. You can also buy Stockpile gift cards at retail stores nationwide.
Choosing Stock for Yourself Through Stockpile
You can purchase stock for yourself on the Stockpile’s website. To do so, you’ll need to open a brokerage account with Stockpile.
Stockpile gives you two options for purchasing stock:
- Open an account, link your bank account, and buy stock
- Select stock, purchase it, and open an account with a linked bank account
Stockpile promises to execute your trade orders within the same day if you place the order before 3 p.m.
How You Can Use Stockpile
One of the most important factors when choosing an online brokerage service is the platform it runs on.
With Stockpile, you have two options to choose from:
- Desktop platform – Stockpile offers a user-friendly desktop platform ideal for new investors. The platform is designed with beginners in mind, including account setup, funding, trading, purchasing, and withdrawals. The desktop is simple and straightforward, so you will quickly learn to navigate it.
- Mobile app – Stockpile also offers a smartphone app compatible with iOS and Android. This mobile app includes all the features available on the desktop platform. The app lets you review portfolio performance, redeem gift cards, deposit funds, request withdrawals, and place trades.
The best thing about the mobile app is that you can access Stockpile on the go. You can use it anywhere and on almost any device.
How Much Does Stockpile Cost To Use?
When you buy or sell stocks and ETFs through your Stockpile brokerage account, you pay $0.99 per trade. For gift cards, fees depend on how you deliver them.
Namely, if you choose to present it as a physical gift card, there are several denominations to choose from, as shown in the table below:
| Gift Card Denomination | Fees Charged |
| $25 | $4.95 |
| $50 | $6.95 |
| $100 | $7.95 |
If you choose to purchase an e-card, you’ll need to pay $2.99 for the initial stock. Then, each additional share costs $0.99.
Keep in mind that a 3% debit or credit card fee applies, depending on the gift amount.
It is also worth noting that all investments in your Stockpile account are protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). What does that mean?
If Stockpile goes bankrupt, SIPC will compensate you up to $500,000 for the stocks you owned.
SIPC protection adds credibility to Stockpile. So you don’t have to worry about losing your investments, as can happen with some rogue brokerage firms.
Redeeming Stockpile Gift Cards
Redeeming Stockpile gift cards is more complicated than purchasing them. The card recipient must open a brokerage account with Stockpile.
This can only happen if the recipient is a U.S. citizen and 18 or older.
In case the recipient is not a U.S. citizen, he/she has the option of exchanging the card for a retail gift card. If the recipient is under 18, his parent or guardian is allowed to create a custodial account.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Stockpile
The Pros
- Affordable trading fees – You only pay 99 cents per trade when buying or selling stock
- Fractional shares – You can purchase and sell fractional shares through the Stockpile gift cards
- No annual fees – You won’t pay any annual fees with Stockpile
- No minimum – Stockpile requires no minimum account balance
The Cons
- Limited account selection – Stockpile doesn’t offer individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or joint accounts. You can only have an individual or custodial account.
- Limited investment selection – Stockpile doesn’t offer bonds, mutual funds, or options. It offers only ETFs, ADRs, and stocks.
- No real-time trading – If you place a trade before 3 pm, it will be executed the same day. Otherwise, you will have to wait until the next business day for your trade to be executed.
- Accessible to U.S. residents only – You can’t use Stockpile if you’re a non-U.S. resident.
Alternatives to Stockpile
Since Stockpile has closed, here are current alternatives for stock gifting and fractional-share investing:
M1 Finance
M1 Finance offers traditional robo-advisor services (like automatic portfolio rebalancing toward your target allocations) while also offering more customization of your portfolio’s assets than its competitors. Additionally, M1 Finance lets you buy fractional shares. The service offers a low barrier to entry for investing beginners and more control for seasoned investors. Read my full M1 Finance review.
- Minimum Investment to Open Account: $0
- Management Fees: $0
- Tax-Loss Harvesting: No
Betterment
Betterment is a traditional robo-advisor that recommends investment plans based on users’ financial goals, investment timelines, and risk tolerance. Users can purchase fractional shares. This robo-advisor is great for new investors who don’t want to get too deep into investing. Read my full Betterment review.
- Minimum Investment to Open Account: $0
- Management Fees: 0.25% annual fee for Digital plan; 0.4% annual fee for Premium plan
- Tax-Loss Harvesting: Yes
Stash
Stash is an investment app that, instead of building a portfolio for users, equips them with education and recommendations to build their own. Stash provides cause-driven investment options, such as green energy. Users can buy fractional shares, but the app doesn’t automatically rebalance accounts. Stash is good for beginning investors who want on-the-job training in investing. Read my full Stash review.
- Minimum Investment to Open Account: $5
- Management Fees: $1-$2/month (Note: Stash charges user accounts $1/month until the accounts reach $5,000. After that threshold, they charge 0.25% per year.)
- Tax-Loss Harvesting: No
GiveAshare
If Stockpile’s gift card feature was your main focus, GiveAshare offers a similar experience with physical stock certificates and keepsakes, a close alternative to Stockpile’s original share-gifting option for kids or first-time investors.
Bottom Line
Stockpile was developed to make investing easy and affordable for everyone, regardless of age or income level. Its stock gift card concept was innovative, at least for a while. Since its April 2026 closure, Public, Stash and GiveAshare are the closest ways to recreate that same gift-of-stock experience for kids or new investors.
