10 Best Stockbrokers in the US for 2025 Low Fees, Powerful Tools and Top Platforms

Its commitment to low costs is evident through $0 commissions on U.S. stocks and ETFs and no minimums to open an account. Beyond pricing, Fidelity gives investors access to various assets including mutual funds, bonds and options. The platform also excels in research support, offering proprietary analysis and third-party insights from providers like Morningstar. There is no longer a real minimum to start investing in the financial markets.

The SIPC insures $500,000 per account including up to $250,000 in cash against theft or the firm going belly-up. It’s important to remember, however, that insurance does not protect any investor against losses due to market fluctuations. WiserAdvisor serves as an innovative online platform that establishes connections between individuals and meticulously vetted, expert financial advisors. By utilizing SmartAdvisor by SmartAsset, individuals can navigate the process of finding the ideal financial advisor in a convenient and seamless manner. An important thing to consider is the distinction between investing and trading. When people talk about investing they generally mean buying assets to hold long-term.

I spent hundreds of hours testing online trading platforms and mobile apps, placing trades, exploring tools, and gathering thousands of data points; here are my picks for the best stock brokers of 2025. If you have more money than time, a full-service broker (or a financial advisor) may be for you. For most investors, however, it can pay to simply best online stock brokers open a brokerage account at an online broker such as the ones we’ve listed here. These brokers allow you to buy stocks yourself through their websites or trading platforms, often with no fee or commission. 🔍 Dive into our Trading Guides to explore in-depth comparisons of trading platforms tailored to a variety of styles and goals.🎓 Want to sharpen your skills?

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It offers $0 stock and ETF trades, $0.65/contract options trades, $0 Fidelity mutual fund trades, and some 3,300 NTF mutual funds. Beginners and buy-and-hold investors will likely find all the tools they need within the web platform, including screeners, educational content, and in-house and third-party research. More advanced and frequent traders can use Fidelity’s Active Trader Pro platform, which offers more bells and whistles and a customizable layout. Plynk offers a brokerage account for investing in stocks and funds, and a crypto account for trading cryptocurrencies.

Retirement vs. Nonretirement Accounts

• This is a good example of how they are at the forefront of stock trading technology.
• Get acquainted with the most important things to know about the stock market for beginners.
• Charles Schwab sets the standard for brokerage firms, combining cutting-edge trading platforms, in-depth research, and investor-focused tools for every need.
• Charles Schwab’s integration of TD Ameritrade’s educational programs and trading personalities has produced an unparalleled body of actionable learning materials and live training content for beginners.
• FP Markets stands as one of our top choices among online brokers due to its comprehensive and transparent trading environment.

Some brokers let you trade alternative investments, a catch-all category for niche categories. Investments under this umbrella might include music royalties and venture funds open to non-accredited investors. Opening an online brokerage account is usually quick and straightforward. Whether you’re looking to invest in low-cost funds or manage your banking and investment needs under one roof, Schwab offers a seamless experience for investors who want it all in one place. One of its standout features is the lack of options contract fees — a rarity in the industry, as most brokers charge per-contract fees for options.

We have concerns that beginners using Robinhood may quickly find themselves in serious financial trouble. If you’re looking for an investing platform built with beginners in mind, Robinhood could be a solid option. Its interface is beginner-friendly and you can select from preset layouts or customize them to fit your needs. If you’re starting with a smaller portfolio, you won’t earn as much in their sweep account compared to other brokers on this list. If you go with this platform, expect to conduct most of your transactions on the desktop version since the mobile app isn’t as user-friendly as Webull or Robinhood. Additionally, though Firstrade delivers market insights via third-party firms, it doesn’t provide in-house research.

The value of these assets can fluctuate due to market volatility, economic conditions, geopolitical events, and other factors. As a result, the value of your investments can go down, leading to potential losses. Several online brokers are known for offering low fees to their clients. It’s important to note that fee structures can vary based on the type of account, trading instruments, and other factors.

Unlike buy-and-hold investors who don’t need to get the best price every time out, active or short-term traders live and die by their ability to get a low price. So that’s why finding a broker with a top trading platform can be so important. Compare the best online stockbrokers in the U.S. and get a side-by-side look at each broker’s fees, apps, trading tools, investments, platforms, ratings, and more. Yieldstreet offers an excellent selection of alternative assets, including private market offerings that focus on artwork, crypto, real estate, private equity, and venture capital. A well-designed platform makes it easy to research investments, make informed decisions, and track your results.

Upon setting up an account, you gain access to a trading platform equipped with a variety of investment tools. These online brokerage platforms differ, ranging from simple interfaces designed for basic transactions to more complex platforms catering to professional traders. Choosing the right stock broker is one of the most important financial decisions investors can make whether you’re just starting to build your portfolio or managing a long-term investment strategy. They deliver powerful platforms, education, responsive customer service and competitive pricing that help investors meet their goals efficiently and confidently. The broker’s entry-level trading platform can get you a company’s financials, analyze trends and keep watchlists — all valuable tools for beginning investors.

How much money do I need to open a brokerage account?

Robinhood or Public could fit the bill if you’re looking for low-cost access and simplicity. Webull is an excellent choice for beginning and intermediate traders. Experienced investors may eventually miss the features, research, and investment choices available at leading brokers. Financial advisors assist clients with various money matters, such as investments, retirement planning, estate planning, budgeting, and more.

Best for Advanced Charting and Customization

If you want someone to manage your money for you, you will want to hire a financial advisor. We prefer registered investment advisors who are paid a predictable fee over registered representatives who charge commissions. Get started finding a registered investment advisor over on our sister site, AdvisorSearch.org. Our editors independently research and recommend the best products and services. You can learn more about ourindependent review processand partners in ouradvertiser disclosure. Trades of stocks, ETFs and options are commission-free at Robinhood Financial LLC.

If you’re just getting started, Public makes it easy to invest with fractional shares, meaning you can begin investing at any price point — perfect for beginners. If you want an investing platform that’s clear, straightforward, and offers a diverse range of investments, Public is definitely worth checking out. At Motley Fool Money, brokerages are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on fees, available assets, and user experience; however, we also take into account features like research, education, tax-loss harvesting, and customer service. Our highest-rated brokerages generally include low fees, a diverse range of assets and account types, and useful platform features.

• Some brokers let you trade alternative investments, a catch-all category for niche categories.
• Nowadays, most online brokers have very similar fee structures, so that’s less of a consideration than it used to be.
• These brokers allow you to buy stocks yourself through their websites or trading platforms, often with no fee or commission.
• The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers.

NerdWallet is not a client of Atomic Invest, but our engagement with Atomic Invest gives us an incentive to refer you to Atomic Invest instead of another investment adviser. This conflict of interest affects our ability to provide you with unbiased, objective information about the services of Atomic Invest. This could mean that the services of another investment adviser with whom we are not engaged could be more appropriate for you than Atomic Invest. Advisory services through Atomic Invest are designed to assist clients in achieving a favorable outcome in their investment portfolio. They are not intended to provide tax advice or financial planning with respect to every aspect of a client’s financial situation and do not include investments that clients may hold outside of Atomic Invest.

Investors can also access fractional shares, margin loans with low interest rates and research tools powered by Morningstar, Zacks and more. Newer traders may find the platform overwhelming, especially on desktop and should consider starting with IBKR’s mobile app or the simplified IBKR GlobalTrader. It’s built for scale but also priced and structured for serious investors.

Best stock broker – Charles Schwab

Access to a specific asset class can be a deciding factor when choosing an online broker. Through our exhaustive research, we found that Fidelity not only outshines the competition when it comes to ETF investing, low costs, and cash management features, but it is also the best online brokerage platform overall. You can get started investing by opening a brokerage account, depositing money via the trading platform, and using your deposit to buy and sell stocks. Some require a deposit upon opening, and you can use this deposit to trade.