The availability of financial apps has proliferated over the past few years, making it easier than ever to get real-time updates on Foreign Exchange (FX, or Forex ) markets and trade right from the palm of your hand.

You can download apps specializing in the FX markets to your smartphone or other mobile device via Apples iTunes (AAPL ) or through the Google Play Store (GOOG ).

Top Forex Apps

TradeInterceptor Forex Trading is a mobile platform giving users access to trade forex, commodities, and binary options, choosing from among the apps recommended brokers. The user interface is intuitive and full of in-depth analysis of currency movements. Streaming quotes and charts allow for technical analysis and trading directly from the charts.

Cost: Free

FXCM Trading Station Mobile offers users powerful trading tools and easy access to the forex markets. Users can place and manage forex trades through the app, which grants access to over 56 currency pairs. A free in-app demo is offered to new users who would like to try the platform risk-free before they decide to sign up and fund accounts for real FX trading.

Cost: Free

NetDania Forex & Stocks offers real-time quotes and live charts for over 20,000 financial instruments as well as streaming news from Market News International and FXWirePro. The app features low-latency, interbank FX rates from the top six liquidity providers with over 2000 currency pairs. NetDania Forex provides a valuable market overview for anyone interested in the FX markets.

Cost: Free

XE Currency is a leading currency-conversion app that offers live currency rates and charts. The app stores the latest updated rates so that it can work even without an internet connection. Currency conversion rates are offered for every world currency as well as precious metals, and rates can be analyzed using the apps market history charts. Users can set up to 10 favorite currencies to monitor. Upgrade to the Pro version to monitor up to 20 currencies and get rid of in-app advertisements.

Cost: Free

CoinTrader is an app that allows users to get quotes and trade cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and literally hundreds more altcoins. Trades can be made between cryptocurrencies or between cryptocurrencies and national currencies. The app uses the Cryptsy online exchange and users can check their wallet balances and order history, and track charts and prices.

Cost: Free

BabyPips is the mobile app for the BabyPips.com forex forum, the number one forex education resource on the internet. The app provides an easy-to-understand guide for teaching beginners how to trade the forex markets, starting with the basic kindergarten-level training all the way up to college, where users can learn about advanced charting techniques and triangular arbitrage.

Cost: Free

Forex Hours is a simple app that tells investors when certain forex centers around the globe are open for business. Traders can use this information to place trades when liquidity is best, and to see which currencies are most likely to be active at what times.

Cost: Free

FX Trader Magazine is a leading quarterly publication for currency traders. The mobile app gives you free access to the current edition as well as all archives. Readers have the option of subscribing to the banner-free version of the app, which also allows them to read magazine issues offline. FX Trader Magazine provides in depth economic reports, fundamental and technical analysis, trading strategies, education, interviews with successful traders and market experts, trading psychology studies, and reviews of various forex trading tools and resources.

Cost: Free

The Bottom Line

Never before has it been easier to access the foreign exchange markets at any time and any place from the palm of your hand. Whether you need to make a trade, want to check how your world currency rates changed, or find out the latest market news or macroeconomic releases, the right information can be found by using the appropriate app.

There are myriad financial apps available for your smartphone or mobile device, both free and paid. Some of the best apps for the forex markets are included in this list, however there are many other excellent apps out there.