Free investing app Robinhood has made headlines in recent weeks after amateur traders drove up the price of GameStop shares to take advantage of hedge funds that had shorted the stock. The incidents underscored a growing trend in the use of free investing apps that make trading more accessible to everyone.

Interest in these free trading and investing apps appears to be growing. CNBC recently showed how they’re dominating app store rankings, and Recode reports that interest in trading has increased during the coronavirus pandemic. Robinhood even recently raised $3.4 billion in capital to help handle the increased trading volumes.

While not everyone who uses an investing app wants to make a political statement, Marco Pantoja, a licensed financial advisor and instructor in the University of Missouri's Department of Personal Financial Planning, told Lifewire in a phone interview that he sees how recent events have contributed to the visibility of these apps.

"I think this has also played a big role in raising awareness and spreading the word. It's getting more people interested in the ideas of investing and using these apps," he said.