We believe investing is by far the most important thing you can do to secure your financial future, but you need the right brokerage account to help.
Whether you're a seasoned investor seeking advanced tools or a newcomer looking for simplicity, our team of experts has evaluated the strengths and specialties of some of the best brokerage accounts on the market today.
| Broker/Advisor | Best For | Commissions | Next Steps | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fidelity Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars. 5.0/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars. 5.0/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | Best For: Beginner to seasoned investors | Commission: $0 commission for online U.S. stock and ETF trades; trade fractional shares for as little as $1 | |
Robinhood Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars. 4.5/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars. 4.5/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | Best For: Beginner Traders, Mobile Experience | Commission: $0 for stocks, ETFs, and options | Open Account for Robinhood |
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Rating image, 4.0 out of 5 stars. 4.0/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | Rating image, 4.0 out of 5 stars. 4.0/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | Best For: Mutual Funds, Chase Customers | Commission: $0 per trade |
Invest With Confidence
Our picks are the result of hundreds of hours our experts spent reviewing and rating the best stock trading platforms. Nearly every one of the best online brokers we recommend on this page are used personally by our employees here at The Motley Fool.
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- Beginner to seasoned investors:Fidelity
- Beginner Traders, Mobile Experience:Robinhood
- Mutual Funds, Chase Customers:J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
2024 Award Winner
Our Rating:
Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
5.0/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Bottom Line
Fidelity is one of the largest and most well-rounded brokerages available in the U.S. today. It offers a comprehensive selection of investment options, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, options, and more. Fidelity is particularly well-regarded for its retirement accounts, research tools, and customer service. This is a strong choice for investors seeking a well-established and reliable brokerage.
Fees:
$0 commission for online U.S. stock and ETF trades; trade fractional shares for as little as $1
Account Minimum:
$0
2024 Award Winner
Our Rating:
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Bottom Line
Robinhood is known for its user-friendly app and commission-free trading. It also offers the ability to easily trade on the go and access to fractional shares making it one of the best stock brokers for beginner investors. While simple and easy to use, it lacks some of the advanced features and research tools offered by other brokerages.
Fees:
$0 for stocks, ETFs, and options
Account Minimum:
$0
Special Offer
Customers can earn up to 3% extra on their retirement contributions with Robinhood Gold.
Open Account for Robinhood
OnRobinhood'sSecure Website.
2024 Award Winner
Our Rating:
Rating image, 4.0 out of 5 stars.
4.0/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Bottom Line
J.P. Morgan offers $0 commissions for stock and ETF trades, but what really sets them apart is the no-transaction fee mutual fund offerings. It's one of the only brokers that offers $0 commissions on all mutual funds. This is also a good option for existing Chase bank customers looking to integrate their banking and investing activities.
Fees:
$0 per trade
Account Minimum:
$0
Special Offer
Earn a bonus up to $700 when you open and fund a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account (retirement or general) with qualifying new money by 04/12/2024.
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Our Brokerages Experts
By:The Ascent Staff
The Ascent brings financial expertise, trusted advice, and unbiased analysis to the world of daily personal finance decisions. Our mission is to help you live more richly.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Ally is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Bank of America is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Target. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Robinhood disclosure
All investments involve risk and loss of principal is possible.
Securities are offered through Robinhood Financial LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Cryptocurrency services are offered through an account with Robinhood Crypto, LLC (NMLS ID 1702840). Robinhood Crypto is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Cryptocurrency held through Robinhood Crypto is not FDIC insured or SIPC protected. For more information see the Robinhood Crypto Risk Disclosure.
Trades of stocks, ETFs and options are commission-free at Robinhood Financial LLC. Other fees may apply. Please see Robinhood Financial’s Fee Schedule to learn more.
Fractional shares are illiquid outside of Robinhood and are not transferable. Not all securities available through Robinhood are eligible for fractional share orders. For a complete explanation of conditions, restrictions and limitations associated with fractional shares, see the Fractional Shares section of our Customer Agreement.
Robinhood Gold is an account offering premium services available for a $5 monthly fee. Not all investors will be eligible to trade on Margin. Margin investing involves the risk of greater investment losses. Additional interest charges may apply depending on the amount of margin used. Bigger Instant Deposits are only available if your Instant Deposits status is in good standing.
Fidelity disclosure
Fractional share quantities can be entered out to 3 decimal places (.001) as long as the value of the order is at least $1.00. Dollar-based trades can be entered out to 2 decimal places (e.g. $250.00)
