7 Best Brokerage Accounts For Stock Trading In 2024

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For example, certain REITs may allow you to defer a percentage of the interest earned each year. Online brokerage accounts are licensed firms in which a broker is responsible for executing a client’s orders. Stockpile Stockpile is a top investment platform for kids to learn how to save and invest in their future. Stockpile offers brokerage and custodial accounts with no recurring fees, minimums, or gift card fees. Whether you’re planning for retirement, exploring global markets, or refining advanced strategies, Fidelity’s innovative tools and reliable platform make it a superb choice.

The difference, however, is that brokerage accounts act as a safe place to hold investable assets like stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, and crypto. Fidelity earns its spot as the third-best brokerage account for 2025 and distinguishes itself as one of the most versatile online trading platforms I’ve tested. Yes, some brokerage accounts charge trading fees but it is increasingly common for brokerage accounts to offer commission-free trading.

Types of Brokerage Accounts

To help you choose the right online broker, we’ve analyzed more than 20 of the most popular online brokers to help you with your selection. Brokerage account bonuses are rewards—like free stocks, cash, or high-yield interest—offered by online brokers to attract new customers. These usually require you to deposit or transfer a certain amount of money into a new account. There’s never been a better time to take advantage of brokerage account bonuses. Whether you’re looking to invest with just $50 or move a six-figure portfolio, 2025 is packed with rewarding offers from reputable brokers like Public, Robinhood, Moomoo, Schwab, and Merrill Edge.

  • Stockpile Stockpile is a top investment platform for kids to learn how to save and invest in their future.
  • Blain created the original scoring rubrics for StockBrokers.com and oversees all testing and rating methodologies.
  • Our research team meticulously collected data on every feature of importance to a wide range of customer profiles, including beginners, casual investors, passive investors, and active traders.
  • To qualify, you typically need to open a new brokerage account, deposit or transfer a minimum amount, and sometimes hold the funds for a set period (e.g., 90 days).
  • A Plus membership also includes unlimited one-on-one consultations from a certified financial planner (CFP).
  • The ability to schedule appointments is subject to financial planner availability.

What do I need to open an online brokerage account?

This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site. We are not a comparison-tool and these offers do not represent all available deposit, investment, loan or credit products. Depending on the brokerage and the type of account, this minimum can range from $0 to $10,000 or more. Security and insurance of brokerage accounts should also be considered before opening an account.

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Check out my full review of Fidelity to get all my thoughts about this broker and explore more of its offerings. Choosing the right stock broker is as important as choosing the right investments. With commission-free trading now the industry standard, competition between brokerage firms is no longer about pricing — it’s about tools and features. However, you’ll need to fund your account before you can begin trading, and brokerage and account admin fees may also apply. The best overall stock broker is Fidelity Investments, according to Finder’s analysis, for it offers the best combination of low costs, features, platform functionality and investments options. Finder’s picks for the best brokerage accounts are meant to provide a starting point for finding the right broker for your investing style and goals.

What type of security protections do online brokerages offer?

Also like Fidelity, Schwab has embraced the times and continued to improve its technology offerings and the user experience of its web and mobile platforms. Also, for algorithmic traders, IBKR offers a suite of pre-built algorithms and a complete list of API languages. Importantly, all of these tools are available in its paper trading environment. Yes, you can transfer an existing brokerage account to a new broker, maintaining your holdings and not having to sell them. Some brokers charge a fee when you move an existing account to a different brokerage. Whether you choose a long-time favorite like Charles Schwab or an innovative new brokerage like …

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  • Jessica focuses on investor education and brokerage industry research, appears regularly on CNBC, Bloomberg, The Schwab Network, Fox Business, and Yahoo! Finance, and hosts the Market MakeHer podcast.
  • It offers one of the most advanced trading platforms in the industry and has won numerous awards.
  • Most of these firms have excellent trading capabilities, service and low costs.
  • More Robinhood, ensure you’re aware of competing features and fees so you can trade as effectively as possible.
  • The broker has a comprehensive selection of investment products; you can expect to pay low or no commissions.

The platform also stands out by offering commission-free trading on options and stock and ETF limit orders. Public offers one of the most lucrative brokerage account bonuses for investors transferring funds from another broker. SoFi is an online bank that offers multiple investment options, including self-directed accounts and a robo-advisory service. Certain brokerage accounts may be better suited for your needs depending on your preferred investment strategy and goals, especially if you’re seeking out specific account features and services. For most investors, a long-term, passive investment strategy is ideal.

For beginners, the IBKR GlobalTrader and IMPACT mobile platforms offer a straightforward investing experience. In contrast, advanced traders benefit from the powerful tools in IBKR and Trader Workstation, including interactive charts with over 90 indicators, analyst ratings, price targets and detailed company financials. Webull is a strong contender for its diverse offerings, low fees, advanced trading platform and access to the Webull trading community. The online broker has a fairly diverse selection of securities—including stocks, ETFs, fractional shares, options and futures. Public is a top choice for stock trading due to its sleek design, low fees and unique rebate program for options trading, and innovative investing tools like AI research. This brokerage offers a broad suite of investment options from fractional shares to a margin product.

Once you understand what you need, consider costs, platforms, investment account types, and available investments to decide what’s best for you. The simple and easy-to-navigate platform shows kids the logos and companies they are familiar with in their investment portfolios. You can fund the account through a bank account or with stock gift cards. You can invest in thousands of different assets across global markets. “New” brokers have better technology, simpler offerings, lower costs, and are overall more user-friendly for new investors. “Legacy” brokers tend to have more assets, more account types, more retirement planning features, and have been around for decades.

Any estimates based on past performance do not a guarantee future performance, and prior to making any investment you should discuss your specific investment needs or seek advice from a qualified professional. EToro and TradeStation are the only brokerages on our list that charge an inactivity fee. Some of the best brokers on our list—Charles Schwab, Fidelity and IBKR—don’t charge for withdrawals.

You can open an active or automated SoFi traditional, Roth, SEP, or rollover IRA and earn a 1% catch on all your contributions. Charles Schwab Charles Schwab is a major discount broker and one of the largest investment management firms in the United States. Gold members earn 4.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on uninvested cash. Additionally, tastytrade provides a robust learning center with videos and live demos, making it an excellent resource for those looking to enhance their trading skills. First, you may prefer the look and feel of Schwab’s platforms over Fidelity’s (personally, I prefer Fidelity’s). If you’re new to trading, TradeStation also comes with educational materials and masterclasses in different types of trading and how to deploy various strategies.

We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn’t influence our assessment of those products. Please don’t interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. Finder compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don’t provide information on all available products, providers or services.

Meanwhile, Schwab’s renowned thinkorswim platform empowers advanced traders with elite tools and resources for a sophisticated trading experience. To help you make a determination, this guide highlights cost information, which investment products are available, as well as deep dives into types of research tools offered by the platform. A brokerage account is your gateway to buying and selling securities, including stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds and mutual funds, as well as financial derivatives like options and futures. When considering the right brokerage account for stock trading, investors should consider the features and attributes they need in an account based on experience level and desires such as minimization of fees. Read on for the best brokerage accounts for buying and selling stocks with a thorough comparison of investment choices, fees and research tools to make your selection of best brokerage accounts a brokerage account easy. Whether you’re a beginner, an active trader looking for institutional-grade tools, or a long-term investor building a retirement portfolio, a great broker can make all the difference.

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GOBankingRates’ editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services – our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology. Once you have set up an emergency fund and started funding a retirement account, then you might consider opening a brokerage account as a place to invest after-tax dollars. A taxable brokerage account can be a good fit for anyone and everyone. Before saving in a taxable brokerage account, it’s important to consider where saving adds the most value to your unique financial situation.