How to Buy Wells Fargo & Company (WFC) Stock for Beginners in 2024

Use our step-by-step guide to learn how to buy WFC stock, make an investment for the first time, and compare the best Wells Fargo & Company trading platforms for beginners.
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Updated on Aug 9, 2024
Reading time 2 minutes

With technology today, you can buy WFC stocks from the comfort of your home. Wells Fargo (WMT) stocks are available through many online brokers, and it usually takes just a few minutes to buy shares in WFC when following our step-by-step guide.

In order to make an investment in Wells Fargo & Company for the first time, you need to consider several important factors: is now the right time for me? how much should I invest? which trading platform is best for me? Furthermore, you’ll want the lowest fees, a user-friendly interface, and access to a wide range of other stocks.

That’s why we’ve compared the best places to buy Wells Fargo & Company stocks. Our broker comparison below helps you make an informed decision on the best way to invest in Wells Fargo & Company.

Let’s begin with where to get started, before moving onto setting up an account, and then placing your first Wells Fargo & Company trade.

Where to buy Wells Fargo & Company stock?

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Based on our research, the best stock trading app to buy Wells Fargo & Company stock is Plus500 .

We’ve ranked the top five brokers where you can buy Wells Fargo & Company shares according to how easy they are to use, how low their fees are, their safety and security rating, and average customer reviews.

We found 4 online brokers for users based in

Plus500 review
4.5
Plus500
Min. Deposit $100
Fees From 2%
No. assets 2800+
Demo account Yes

Plus500 review

Buy or sell stock CFDs with Plus500. 82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

eToro review
4.6
eToro
Min. Deposit $100
Fees 1%
No. assets 50+
Demo account Yes

eToro review

eToro offers real assets only, no CFD products. eToro securities trading offered by eToro USA Securities, Inc. (‘the BD”), member of FINRA and SIPC. Investing involves risk, and content is provided for educational purposes only, does not imply a recommendation, and is not a guarantee of future performance. Invezz.com is not an affiliate and may be compensated if you access certain products or services offered by the BD.

Public.com review
4.4
Public
Min. Deposit $20
Fees 1-2%
No. assets 9000+
Demo account No

Public.com review

Cryptocurrency execution and custody services are provided by Apex Crypto LLC (NMLS ID 1828849) through a software licensing agreement between Apex Crypto LLC and Public Crypto LLC. Crypto trading on Public platforms is served by Public Crypto LLC and offered through APEX Crypto. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved before trading.

Read more about how we test, rank & review platforms.

How to buy stock in Wells Fargo & Company in 3 steps

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Buying Wells Fargo & Company stock is quick, all you need is an internet connection, a copy of your photo ID, and the amount you wish to invest. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1. Sign up to an online broker

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Our rankings suggest that Plus500 is the best stock trading platform for beginners.

When you sign up, you’re prompted to fill in your details to create an account, as you would with any online account creation process.

After that, you need to send a copy of your ID to verify the account before you can use it. This is because stock brokerages are required by law to comply with financial regulations, and these demand each customer confirm their identity before they can buy and sell shares on the stock market.

Plus500 review
4.5
Plus500
Min. Deposit $100
Fees From 2%
No. assets 2800+
Demo account Yes

Plus500 review

Buy or sell stock CFDs with Plus500. 82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Step 2. Make a deposit

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You can’t invest in Wells Fargo & Company stock without any money in the account, so next you have to fund your trading account.

Head to the ‘bank’ or ‘account’ section of your dashboard and select the ‘deposit’ option. Transfer money to your new account via a debit or credit card, bank transfer, or an alternative payment method, like PayPal.

You can add as much as you like as long as you meet the minimum deposit threshold, which might be as low as $10, but is usually around $50-100 depending on your country of residence.

Top tip: consider how much you want to actually invest and over what period. You might need to deposit $200 or so in order to afford the shares, or $1,200 if you’re investing $100 per month for 12 months, for example. 

Step 3. Buy Wells Fargo & Company stocks

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With funds now in your account, it’s time to make your first investment, aka place your first trade.

Search for Wells Fargo & Company using the ticker symbol, WFC. Click the ‘trade’ button and enter the details of your investment, such as how many shares you want to buy or how much you want to spend.

Having entered the amount, you’ll see all the details of the trade to confirm its what you expected. Once ready, hit the ‘trade now’ button to invest in Wells Fargo & Company, completing your purchase.

It’s as easy as that! You can buy Wells Fargo & Company shares in just 10-15 minutes and now you’re a Wells Fargo & Company shareholder.

Top tip: remember though, the process is easy, but making money can be much harder. You still need to do lots of fundamental research, create a budget, and design a strategy that’s suitable for you. 

Compare the best platforms to buy Wells Fargo & Company stock

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We found 4 online brokers for users based in

1. Plus500. Best for international trading*

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4.5
Ratings

$100

Min. deposit

From 0.08%

Fees

2,800

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love Plus500 because it is one of the industry’s most transparent and reliable brokers. Its fees are clear and you’ll know exactly what you will be paying before you trade. Its technology driven platform gives access to futures for a range of instruments, including forex, commodities, and cryptocurrencies among several others.

Plus500 has something for all types of traders, no matter what level of experience. Its low margin requirements (starting at $20) and different contracts make it a top choice for day traders. At the same time, its trading academy is packed with educational content, perfect for beginners just starting. 

For accurate instrument availability, visit plus500.com.

The fees: Plus500 charges a commission of $0.49 per Micro contract and $0.89 per Standard contract (per side). There is an Auto-Liquidation fee of $10 per contract. Other exchange fees may be applicable and can be found on the CME group website. 

*Based on a comparison of 60+ leading brokers and trading platforms.

Highlights

Fees & Costs

Pros & Cons

Buy or sell stock CFDs with Plus500. 82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

2. eToro. Best for beginners, copy-trading & demo-account

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4.5
Ratings

$100

Min. deposit

0% commission

Fees

50

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love eToro because it’s a trading platform built with beginners and casual traders in mind. The platform combines an interactive, social trading experience with an easy-to-use interface, making it ideal for novice traders.

The far-reaching catalog of more than 5,500 stocks and ETFs includes big names like Apple and Tesla, as well as smaller companies with high growth potential. You can start trading with as little as $10 using fractional shares if you’re on a tight budget.

One feature we particularly appreciate is the ability to interact with eToro’s 35 million users on any asset, market, or portfolio page. If you find traders whose strategies match your risk tolerance, you can copy their portfolios automatically using eToro’s flagship copy trading functionality. This is a great way to learn and potentially benefit from the expertise of more experienced traders.

If you don’t feel comfortable investing your cash straight away, you can use a free demo account, credited with $100,000 virtual dollars. This offers plenty of opportunities to try out a trading strategy that works for you across stocks, crypto, and options trading markets.

Highlights

Fees & Costs

Pros & Cons

eToro offers real assets only, no CFD products. eToro securities trading offered by eToro USA Securities, Inc. (‘the BD”), member of FINRA and SIPC. Investing involves risk, and content is provided for educational purposes only, does not imply a recommendation, and is not a guarantee of future performance. Invezz.com is not an affiliate and may be compensated if you access certain products or services offered by the BD.

3. Public. Best for AI analysis

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public.com logo
4
Ratings

$20

Min. deposit

Spreads

Fees

9,000

No. assets

No

Demo account

Overview

We love Public because it makes use of cutting-edge AI technology to enhance your trading and investing experience. Public’s AI-powered feature, Public Alpha offers personalized insights and recommendations through its natural language interface in real time. 

Public’s AI technology helps you make more informed decisions by analyzing massive amounts of data and providing actionable insights. These AI-driven insights are easily accessible and give users access to the latest advancements in financial analysis and trading. 

Not only do can you use AI to help your investments, Public is one of the lowest cost brokerage firms out there. You can invest in stocks and ETFs commission free. You can also buy and trade fractional shares and if you want to diversify, you can explore a range of alternative investments including music and film royalties. 

The fees: There are no fees for investing in stocks during regular trading hours in the US – 9.30am-4pm EST. There is a $2.99 fee for trades outside of regular hours. 

Highlights

Fees & Costs

Pros & Cons

Cryptocurrency execution and custody services are provided by Apex Crypto LLC (NMLS ID 1828849) through a software licensing agreement between Apex Crypto LLC and Public Crypto LLC. Crypto trading on Public platforms is served by Public Crypto LLC and offered through APEX Crypto. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved before trading.

What are the fees for investing in Wells Fargo & Company stock?

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It depends on the stock broker. Some platforms charge a flat fee per trade, others charge a commission as a percentage of the total trade value each time you buy Wells Fargo & Company stocks. These can range anywhere from $0.10 per trade, right up to 3% of the total amount you’re investing.

Consider that there may be other costs to trading too. Other fees can include deposit and withdrawal fees, or inactivity fees if you don’t use your account for three months or more. 

These are the trading platforms that charge the lowest fees for buying stocks in Wells Fargo & Company.

Asset Plus500 fees eToro fees Public fees
Cryptocurrencies From 2% 1% 1-2% (spread)
Commodities From 0.04% From 2 pips
Currencies From 0.8% From 1 pip
Indices From 0.7% From 0.75 pts
Stocks From 0.08% 0% commission Spreads
View more > Plus500 > eToro > Public >

Are there other ways to invest in Wells Fargo & Company?

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Yes, you can invest in Wells Fargo & Company stock in a few different ways. One option is to buy stock in Wells Fargo & Company directly through an investment platform as laid out above, while another popular choice is to invest in a fund. 

A fund buys stocks in lots of companies on your behalf, to create a diversified portfolio of different assets. Diversified portfolios are typically considered safer than investing in a single stock, because their values fluctuate at different times and their peaks and troughs can balance out.

Many of the best index funds contain Wells Fargo & Company, while another option is to invest in an ETF. ETFs are similar to funds, except rather than someone choosing what to invest in, it buys stocks automatically according to a set of guiding principles. Wells Fargo & Company is a popular choice in many of the top performing ETFs.

A third option is to use a social copy trading platform, like Plus500 . Find a trader who you like and copy their Wells Fargo & Company trades directly to your own account. 

This can be a good investment strategy for beginners and a way to learn how to buy Wells Fargo & Company shares from someone with more experience.

How to sell Wells Fargo & Company stock

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When you decide the time is right to sell and lock in some profit (or cut your losses), the process is pretty much the same as having purchased the stock. The steps are as follows:

  1. Log into your broker account and navigate to your portfolio. 
  2. From there, find your Wells Fargo & Company stock and you’ll see a ‘sell’ option next to it. 
  3. Click that to set the details of the trade. You don’t have to sell all your stocks at once, you could choose to sell half for example. 
  4. Once you’ve decided accordingly, click the ‘sell’ or ‘close’ button to sell back to cash.

Should I buy Wells Fargo & Company stock now?

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It’s your investing goals and style that define whether now is a good time to buy. The current Wells Fargo & Company stock price plays into it but ultimately it depends on your investment horizons.

  • If you’re a short term trader: the goal is to make money by buying and selling stocks regularly to secure a profit or avoid a loss. That can mean trading hourly, daily, or weekly but the focus is always on the near future. Traders learn how to buy stocks in Wells Fargo & Company based on short term technical analysis and don’t hold shares for a long time, so any time can be a good time to buy Wells Fargo & Company.
  • If you’re a long term investor: you’re more interested in long term price appreciation than whether a stock is up or down on any given day. The important thing is finding a stock with a strong foundation where you think the share price will be up over a period of months or years. If you think Wells Fargo & Company’s fundamentals are solid then the best time to invest in Wells Fargo & Company stock is after a dip or a pullback in price.

Most new traders sit somewhere between these two positions. Many investors don’t want to actively trade Wells Fargo & Company stock all hours of the day, but nor do they want to wait years for a return either.

Top tip: investing small amounts regularly (known as Dollar-Cost-Averaging (DCA)) over a long period of time is proven to be the most successful investing strategy for normal people without trading skills.

Either way, following Wells Fargo & Company price news and analysis will help you decide when to dip your toe into the market.

Fundamental analysis of Wells Fargo & Company shares

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How has Wells Fargo & Company’s share price performed in recent years?

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Overall, WFC is over the last week. The WFC share price is in 2024 so far.

Is Wells Fargo a good investment for me? 

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The right answer is different for each person, so here is some information to help you decide whether to buy stocks in Wells Fargo.

  • Wells Fargo is one of the largest banks in the world. Wells Fargo offers various financial services, including banking, cards, loans, and mortgages. It’s one of the biggest banks globally, with nearly $2 trillion in total assets. 
  • It operates globally. Wells Fargo has over 70 million customers in over 35 countries, with over 8,000 branches and 13,000 ATMs. 
  • Controversy has surrounded the bank in recent years. It has faced difficult times, especially in the past few years when a major account fraud scandal hit the headlines. Despite this, the company has managed to maintain a good credit quality score. 
  • Its stock price has performed well. While the past few years have been tough for the bank, its stock price has been relatively stable, including during the Coronavirus pandemic. 
  • Wells Fargo pays dividends. Like similar banks, Wells Fargo is a dividend-paying stock, which makes it a good option if you want to earn income from your investments. 
  • It’s considered a long-term value play. Many experts view Wells Fargo as a value stock that should be held for the long term. The company’s CEO, Charles Scharf, has pledged to increase investment into the bank’s investment banking division and cut billions in expenses. 

It’s always a good idea to think about any potential risks there might be as well. Use this summary of Wells Fargo’s pros and cons before you make a final decision on whether to buy Wells Fargo stock.

Pros

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  • It has nearly $2 trillion in assets
  • WFC is a dividend paying stock
  • It operates globally and is considered one of the largest banks in the world.

Cons

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FAQs

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01

Is Wells Fargo stock overvalued?

02

Do I have to pay capital gains tax on any profits I make?

03

What is Wells Fargo’s ticker symbol?

04

Does Wells Fargo pay dividends?

05

Is Wells Fargo ESG friendly?


Sources & references

Prash Raval

Prash Raval

Financial Writer

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Prash is a financial writer for Invezz covering FX, the stock market and investing. For over a decade he has traded spot FX full time while running an educational service helping novice traders learn the markets. He has a keen interest in micro and small cap stocks....