Content
In one recent report, eToro found Gen Z investors are twice as likely to discuss their portfolios with friends and family as baby boomers. You’ll also find strong crypto-trading Proof of personhood features on eToro and extensive educational materials on eToro Academy. Webull announced in late 2024 that it would integrate Coinbase Derivatives into its platform. Fractional shares are another feature to look for since they let you purchase stocks or ETFs by the dollar instead of basing them on a number of shares.
What is the best online stock broker for beginners?
New Merrill Edge customers can earn a sign-up bonus of up to $600, depending on your account balance. The online broker offers commission-free trading, extensive third-party research customer retention solution and access to over 2,000 Bank of America locations. Robinhood gives customers commission-free trading on stocks, ETFs and options, and continues to add features that move it beyond its mobile app origins. We’ve examined the best brokers based on characteristics that matter to individual investors, including trading fees, account minimums, free research and many other features. We’ve evaluated each broker on their pros and cons, and here’s how they stack up on the most important aspects.
Best small-cap ETFs in January 2025
He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and the Chartered Market Technician (CMT) designations and served on the board of directors of the CMT Association. Among the major brokers, Fidelity was the most generous with interest on uninvested cash, such as dividend payments or trade settlements, which are typically held in sweep accounts. For money market funds in general, WellsTrade and Merrill Edge lead the pack. Brokers with strong customer support allow you to contact them and ask questions, sometimes at any hour of the day via phone or chat. They’ll also have educational sections on their site that https://www.xcritical.com/ walk you through how to trade on their platform, what to look for in an investment and more.
Best Stock Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025
With IBKR’s Interactive Traders platform, you can trade on 150 markets in over 200 countries and territories. The broker has a comprehensive selection of investment products; you can expect to pay low or no commissions. Schwab provides multiple trading experiences, giving you the option to choose between its flagship “thinkorswim” and Schwab platforms. Its extensive educational library is helpful for newer investors, and there are also podcasts, videos and in-person informational events from which to learn.
A wide range of tradable securities and plenty of commission-free mutual funds make this broker interesting for both new and advanced traders, as do the competitive commissions. Bankrate analyzed dozens of brokerage firms to help you find the best online brokers for stocks. Customer support is a factor that is often overlooked when traders compare brokers. Investors tend to be drawn to a brokerage’s fees, spreads and account types, rather than looking for a reliable customer service team. However, responsive support can be just as important, especially for beginners.
Fidelity is known for its straightforward platform and wide range of financial services. The company’s low fees, generous interest rate on uninvested cash and strong customer support make it the best overall value for investors. The investment information provided in this table is for informational and general educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment or financial advice. Bankrate does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it provide individualized recommendations or personalized investment advice.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories, except where prohibited by law for our mortgage, home equity and other home lending products. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range, can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. Webull is a strong contender for its diverse offerings, low fees, advanced trading platform and access to the Webull trading community.
If every asset you trade closes over the weekend, such as forex, stocks and ETFs, 24/7 customer support may not garner much more than 24/5. These are all key aspects that need to be considered but finding the best brokers for customer service is often overlooked. In reality, customer service is just as important, if not more important than some of these aspects. Since 2009, we’ve helped over 20 million visitors research, compare, and choose an online broker. Our writers have collectively placed thousands of trades over their careers. Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more – straight to your e-mail.
You won’t struggle to find securities to trade at TradeStation, which allows users to buy and sell traditional assets like stocks and ETFs, as well as less common ones like futures. Plus, you can do it all through the broker’s sophisticated mobile app or desktop trading platforms. It offers one of the most advanced trading platforms in the industry and has won numerous awards. EToro’s user-friendly interface and social trading features are appreciated by many customers, especially beginner investors. However, some customers report technical issues like slow loading times and occasional crashes, which present a challenge to active traders. Some customers also find it difficult to withdraw funds and report that customer-service resolution can take weeks.
Each stock has a comprehensive page with links to news and other third-party content, and you can see what other traders are saying about it, too. You’ll get instant funding of your account as well as the ability to purchase fractional shares. Ally Invest is an excellent add-on for customers of Ally Bank who need a fully functioning broker that can execute all kinds of trades – stocks, ETFs, bonds, mutual funds and even forex, if you’re into that.
As you might expect, a retirement account is designed to hold and invest the funds you plan to use after you retire. Nonretirement accounts are other investment accounts that let you invest and trade in the short and long term. There are some notable differences between retirement and nonretirement accounts.
NerdWallet, Inc. is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. Its articles, interactive tools and other content are provided to you for free, as self-help tools and for informational purposes only. NerdWallet does not and cannot guarantee the accuracy or applicability of any information in regard to your individual circumstances.
Online brokers are sometimes referred to as discount brokers because they offer a considerable discount to what the typical full-service brokerage firm charges. An online brokerage provides investment services and facilitates the trading and selling of various investment assets via mobile and/or digital platforms as opposed to a brick-and-mortar location. The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.
She is also a prize-winning gardener, and in her spare time, picks up litter. Lagging in this category are Ally, Firstrade, and WellsTrade, which lack functions such as enabling mobile users to trade CDs or to research or screen mutual funds. It’s also important to diversify your investments in different geographic regions, which can help you minimize your exposure based on economic conditions. You should also periodically rebalance your portfolio based on performance. When you diversify your portfolio, you invest in several different asset classes to mitigate risk and protect your investments.
- The first question you’ll have for any brokerage is whether you can trade the securities you want to invest in.
- But if all you need is a no-frills investment account, then trimmed-down apps or relatively new brokerage firms are likely fine for you.
- The broker has a comprehensive selection of investment products; you can expect to pay low or no commissions.
- After you’ve established your needs, you can begin to consider how each broker may meet those needs.
- Beginning investors should focus on brokers that are investor-friendly, offer a lot of education and research and have strong customer service.
- Optimal opening hours for you will also depend on the assets you are trading.
That said, a long-term investment in a broadly diversified group of stocks can perform very well. The Securities Investor Protection Corporation, or SIPC, protects the clients of brokers who are covered by the plan, including those listed above. That means it protects a customer’s assets, up to $500,000 in total with a $250,000 limit on cash, in the event that the broker fails. Some brokers such as Interactive Brokers take out even more insurance to reassure their customers that their assets are safe with the broker. The platform also provides access to a vast database for backtesting trading strategies before execution.
Add Comment