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Choosing the best brokerage account can feel overwhelming, especially when so many platforms offer $0 stock and ETF trading. The right broker for you depends on what you value most, whether that’s low fees, a great mobile app, strong research tools, retirement accounts or access to a wider range of investments.
Fidelity is our pick for the best brokerage account overall for 2026, thanks to its low costs, broad investment selection, research tools and planning features. But it’s not the best fit for everyone. Below, we compare 12 of the best brokerage accounts for beginners, active traders, long-term investors and more so you can find the right match for your goals.
| Discount Broker | Finder score | Review |
|---|---|---|
| eToro |
| |
| Webull |
| |
| SoFi Invest® |
| |
| Public |
| |
| Robinhood |
| |
| Interactive Brokers |
| |
| Fidelity Investments |
| |
| tastytrade |
| |
| E*TRADE |
| |
| Charles Schwab |
| |
| Honorable mention: Moomoo |
|
Why trust Finder?
We're big on editorial independence. That means our content, reviews and ratings are fair, accurate and trustworthy. We don't let advertisers or partners sway our opinions. Our financial experts put in the hard work, spending hours researching and analyzing hundreds of products based on data-driven methodologies to find the best accounts and providers for you. Explore our editorial guidelines to see how we work.
eToro's user-friendly platform offers commission-free trading of stocks, options and ETFs, with no per-contract fees for options. The platform provides advanced trading tools like TipRanks-powered analyst ratings, price targets, hedge fund activity, insider transactions and comprehensive charts, all within an intuitive interface.
Additionally, eToro allows you to copy the crypto trades of other users, earn competitive interest on your options trading account cash balance and connect with a community of over 35 million users to exchange insights and discover new investment ideas.
Best for: Commission-free trading; social trading and investing; mobile trading.
| Annual fee | $0 per month |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
| Annual fee | $0 per month |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
Webull's versatile yet user-friendly trading app packs a lot of power for on-the-go traders without making things feel overwhelming. You get customizable filters, a deep set of order types and advanced charts with drawing tools plus a wide range of indicators and on-chart technical signals. You can also quickly size up a stock using analyst ratings, price targets, quant ratings and technical summary scores.
Trade futures alongside commission-free stocks, options and ETFs, and Webull doesn't charge per-contract fees on equity options. For an added monthly fee, Webull Premium includes extra perks like a 3.35% APY cash account, a 3.5% IRA match and discounted futures commissions.
Best for: Commission-free trading; mobile trading; research and analysis.
| Annual fee | $0 per month |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get up to 4% match bonus |
| Annual fee | $0 per month |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get up to 4% match bonus |
SoFi Invest offers a user-friendly trading experience with low-cost, straightforward market access. It's one of the few brokers in the industry that offers access to financial planners, banking services and alternative assets, providing clients with a comprehensive approach to wealth management and investment diversification.
Alongside no-fee commission trading on a beginner-friendly interface, SoFi members benefit from a robo-advisor and a suite of financial services, allowing them to invest, bank and borrow all within a single, integrated platform. This combination of features makes SoFi an attractive option for those seeking simplicity and comprehensive financial management.
Best for: No-fee commission trading; beginner investors; all-in-one financial services.
| Annual fee | $0 per month |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get up to $1,000 in stock |
| Annual fee | $0 per month |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get up to $1,000 in stock |
If you care about fee transparency and want a balanced mix of growth and stability, Public is worth a look. With commission-free stock, ETF and options trading plus interest-earning cash and bond accounts, you can focus on building your portfolio instead of getting chipped away by unnecessary fees.
Public also makes it easy to add more conservative holdings like Treasuries and individual bonds alongside your everyday investing. Perks like options trade rebates and no per-contract fees can help keep trading costs down, and its approach to order execution for equities adds a level of transparency you don't always get with other brokers.
Best for: High yields; user experience; commission-free trading.
| Annual fee | $0 per month |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Annual fee | $0 per month |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
Don't let this user-friendly broker fool you. Blending low commissions and its notoriously intuitive design, Robinhood provides several distinctive features within the brokerage industry. Its commissions are low: none for stocks, ETFs, crypto and options; crypto spreads are among the lowest at around 0.40–0.85%; and upgrading to Gold for $5/month gets you discounted futures and index options commissions.
That Gold membership also gets you Level 2 market data, Morningstar research, a 3% IRA contribution match, 3.35% APY on uninvested cash and more. Full control of your crypto and managed portfolios with Robinhood Strategies are just some of the additional features you can expect.
Best for: Commission-free trading; user experience; cryptocurrency investing; IRA match.
| Annual fee | $0 per year |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
| Annual fee | $0 per year |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
Interactive Brokers definitely lives up to its name, catering to investors of all experience levels with a broad range of investment options, trading tools and versatile trading platforms. The IBKR GlobalTrader and IMPACT mobile platforms offer a straightforward investing experience for beginners, while advanced traders benefit from the powerful tools in IBKR and Trader Workstation.
Trade commission-free stocks, options and ETFs, with global market access, and with additional access to precious metals, futures, cryptocurrencies and more. Hands-off investors will also find a robo-advisor with professionally managed portfolios, ensuring a comprehensive investing experience.
Best for: Global market access; wide range of investment options; robust trading platforms.
| Annual fee | $0 per year |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
| Annual fee | $0 per year |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
Designed primarily for derivatives trading, tastytrade boasts competitive pricing on options and futures contracts. With commission-free trading on stocks and ETFs, no closing commissions on options and powerful platforms featuring advanced tools like profit and loss visualizations and a quick roll feature, it's built for serious traders.
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.
Best for: Derivatives trading; active trading; educational content, live programming and webinars.
| Annual fee | $0 per year |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
| Annual fee | $0 per year |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
Pioneer of online trading, E*TRADE offers a wide range of investment options and account types, including custodial brokerage accounts, custodial IRAs and Coverdell Education Savings Accounts.
Trade commission-free stocks, ETFs, mutual funds and options, along with futures, bonds and CDs. E*TRADE also offers a robo-advisor for a straightforward, automated portfolio option, making it an ideal platform for both novice and experienced investors seeking diverse investing tools and services.
Best for: Active trading; robust trading platforms; research and analysis.
| Annual fee | $0 per year |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus |
Get up to $1,000 terms apply |
| Annual fee | $0 per year |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus |
Get up to $1,000 terms apply |
Trade commission-free stocks, options, ETFs and Schwab mutual funds while accessing an extensive lineup of investment options and account types, global markets and top-tier research and analysis tools. Beginner investors will find comprehensive educational content, financial planning resources and 24/7 customer support. Meanwhile, Schwab's renowned thinkorswim platform empowers advanced traders with elite tools and resources for a sophisticated trading experience.
Schwab also offers direct indexing, a robo-advisor for automated investing and personalized financial advisory services. This combination of advanced trading capabilities and personalized investment options makes Schwab a comprehensive choice for both novice and seasoned investors.
Best for: Active trading; multi-asset investing; research and planning tools; automated investing
| Annual fee | $0 per month |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get a $101 bonus |
| Annual fee | $0 per month |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get a $101 bonus |
Fidelity stands out by offering a wide range of investment options — including bitcoin and ether — top-tier research and trading tools and beginner-friendly resources, including educational content and 24/7 customer support.
Notably, Fidelity boasts some of the lowest fees in the industry, with commission-free trading on stocks, ETFs, options and Fidelity mutual funds. The broker also avoids many common account fees, such as outgoing account transfer fees and statement fees. Fidelity also offers industry-leading financial planning and advice, including human and robo-advisor portfolio management, free financial plans and investing accounts for minors.
Best for: Multi-asset investing; low costs; research and planning tools.
| Annual fee | $0 per year |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
| Annual fee | $0 per year |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
While the top ten brokerage accounts highlighted in our list offer exceptional features and benefits, several other brokers worth considering narrowly missed making the cut. These “honorable mentions” still provide strong platforms, competitive fees and unique offerings that may suit your specific investing needs.
Moomoo's capable trading app offers advanced, customizable charting and free access to pro-grade tools such as analyst ratings, real-time Level 2 market data and short sale analysis. Track market capital flow to help time transactions, view position cost distribution and other technical indicators and use Moomoo's Indicator Sentiment for a quick view of the overall status of all technical indicators.
Trade commission-free stocks, options and ETFs, with no per-contract fees for options. You'll also find a dedicated desktop trading platform, a high-yield cash sweep program and paper trading so you can practice and test your strategies before going live.
Best for: Active trading; commission-free trading; research and analysis; high interest on uninvested cash.
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
|---|---|
| Signup bonus | Get up to $1,000 in Nvidia stock plus 8.1% APY on uninvested cash |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
|---|---|
| Signup bonus | Get up to $1,000 in Nvidia stock plus 8.1% APY on uninvested cash |
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Finder is not an advisor or brokerage service. Information on this page is for educational purposes only and not a recommendation to invest with any one company, trade specific stocks or fund specific investments. All editorial opinions are our own.
Finder’s investments experts reviewed 19 brokers available on the market to narrow down the best brokerage accounts for trading and investing.
We analyzed each platform based on 147 key metrics we collected directly from brokers and assessed each provider’s performance based on eight different categories, weighing each metric based on the expertise and insights of Finder’s investment experts. We then scored and ranked each provider to determine the best brokerage accounts.
We update our best picks as products change, disappear or emerge in the market. We also regularly review and revise our selections to ensure our best provider lists reflect the most competitive available.
How we weigh the overall rating
| Category | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Investment options | 20% |
| Trading platforms and technology | 15% |
| Trading costs | 15% |
| Account fees | 10% |
| Account types and minimums | 10% |
| Customer support | 10% |
| Mobile app | 5% |
| Features and amenities | 15% |
Choose a broker or robo-advisor, and complete a brief application by providing personal information such as your name, address, date of birth and Social Security number.
Completed applications are typically approved instantly, though the broker may take a couple of days to verify your information. Then, connect a bank account to fund your account.
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.
Consider the following factors when comparing your options:
What's the most important feature to you in a brokerage account?
| Broker | Bonus offer | More info |
|---|---|---|
| SoFi | Up to $1,000 of stock. Terms and conditions apply. | Learn more |
| Robinhood | Up to $200 gift stock | Learn more |
| Tastytrade | $250 per referral | Learn more |
| Interactive Brokers | $200 per referral | Learn more |
| Moomoo | 4.10% APY Cash Sweep Base Rate and one-time 4.00% APY Booster Rate Coupon | Learn more |
"Online brokers have gone a long way in reducing fees, such as expense ratios for exchange-traded funds. However, there can still be significant fees, especially if you are trading actively. Even the best brokers can have high fees when making certain trades, such as when making stock/bond trades over the phone or when making rep-assisted trades. Be sure to pay attention to these fees when choosing a broker."
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