But where’s the best place to buy these assets?
We put together a list of the best ETF brokers using an unbiased rating system that considers everything from trading costs and fees to trading platforms, features, customer support availability and more.
With that, it’s time to reveal our picks of the best ETF brokers of July 2024.
Fidelity Investments
Finder score
Why it's the best overall ETF broker: For its access to over 3,400 ETFs, and its top-tier research tools, low fees and competitive cash sweep yield.
Fidelity Investments is a broker driven by value and designed with low costs in mind, which is evident through its commission-free ETFs, stocks and options trades, as well as its industry-low account and miscellaneous fees. Built for investors of varying experience levels and infused with beginner-friendly and advanced trading tools and features — things like fractional share trading, an active trader platform and top-tier research tools — Fidelity Investments offers a refreshingly modern trading platform, and we think it's the best broker overall for ETF investing.
Other winning categories: Best for low costs
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
SoFi Invest®
Finder score
Why it's the best for beginners: For its user-friendly interface, no minimums, commission-free trading, educational resources and no-cost advisory services.
In addition to trading stocks, options, ETFs, mutual funds and alternative asset interval funds on a beginner-friendly interface, SoFi® members get access to no-cost financial advice and a range of other financial services that let you invest, bank and borrow from a single, integrated platform.
SoFi Invest offers one of the simplest trading experiences among the brokers we review, providing uncomplicated market access with a no-cost robo-advisor available if you want to automate your investing. It's also one of the only brokers in the industry that offers unlimited, complimentary access to certified financial planners, a service that can cost you several hundred dollars a session elsewhere. SoFi members can consult a CFP professional ahead of any of life's important financial decisions, and we think this is a standout feature worth recognizing.
Other winning categories: Best all-in-one financial app
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get up to $10,000 cash |
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get up to $10,000 cash |
Interactive Brokers
Finder score
Why it's the best for mobile trading: For its advanced and beginner-friendly mobile trading apps.
In addition to receiving high marks from both Apple and Android users, Interactive Brokers' (IBKR) main mobile trading platform, IBKR Mobile, offers the powerful trading tools that many brokers reserve for their web and desktop trading platforms. These include advanced, interactive charts with over 90 indicators, analyst ratings and price targets, earnings estimates, company financials and more. In other words, there's little you can't do with IBKR Mobile. What's more, Interactive Brokers offers the more beginner-friendly IBKR GlobalTrader and IMPACT mobile trading platforms for those looking for a more simplified investing experience.
IBKR Mobile is the most feature-rich mobile platform according to Finder's analysis, while IBKR GlobalTrader is a solid option for beginners. Tack on its wide range of investment options, low trading costs and access to global markets and you can see why IBKR is not only the best broker for mobile trading but also one of the best brokerage accounts on the market.
Other winning categories: Best brokerage account for day trading, Best for international trading
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
Tastytrade
Finder score
Why it's the best for options trading: For its access to and competitive trading fees on options, futures, options on futures, options on micro futures and smalls futures options.
Designed primarily for derivatives trading, tastytrade boasts an impressive collection of trading products and some of the best pricing on options and futures contracts in the industry. Stocks and ETFs are commission-free, options have no closing commissions and its trading platforms are powerful, with advanced trading, research and analysis tools, including profit and loss visualizations and a quick roll feature to roll your option position into the future.
Meanwhile, tastytrade offers a comprehensive learning center with video and live demos to help you level up your trading.
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get $50-$5,000 |
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get $50-$5,000 |
eToro
Finder score
Why it's the best for social investing: For its CopyTrader program and social community.
eToro's accessible trading platform doesn't skimp on features. TipRanks-powered analyst ratings and price targets, hedge fund activity, insider transactions and advanced charts, all on an easy-to-use interface. Stocks and ETFs trade commission-free and options are free of both commissions and contract fees — something we don't see often.
But its eToro's unique blend of cutting-edge technology and social networking that helped it popularize social investing and foster a dynamic community of traders and investors. Specifically, CopyTrader. CopyTrader lets you leverage the expertise of other eToro users by automatically replicating their crypto trades in your portfolio, and get paid when others copy you. While CopyTrader is currently only available for crypto, it's a defining feature of the platform and one that helps it stand out. eToro is also working to make the feature available for stocks and ETFs.
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | FINDER EXCLUSIVE: Get a guaranteed $15 bonus |
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | FINDER EXCLUSIVE: Get a guaranteed $15 bonus |
Acorns
Finder score
Why it's the best for fund investing: For its spare-change investing feature.
Automated portfolio management with a level of customization unlike many other robo-advisors, Acorns has redefined how people save and invest their spare change. With its innovative 'round-up' feature, Acorns automatically invests spare change from your everyday purchases, effortlessly growing your portfolio. Its user-friendly app simplifies investing for beginners, while also offering a degree of freedom to investors who want to retain control over their portfolio — Acorns Premium members can customize their portfolios with the ability to add individual stocks. And Acorns' flat-fee subscription structure means the cost for portfolio management never changes, with minimal back-end fees and no account minimums.
Whether you're new to investing or simply want to automate portfolio management, Acorns is the go-to platform for turning small change into substantial savings.
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get a $20 bonus |
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get a $20 bonus |
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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 review 18 brokers available on the market to narrow down the best online brokers for ETF trading and investing.
We analyze each platform based on 147 key metrics we collect directly from brokers and assess 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 score and rank each provider depending on how it performs in each category.
How we weigh the overall rating
| Category | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Investment options | 25% |
| Trading platforms and technology | 25% |
| Trading costs | 7% |
| Account fees | 8% |
| Account types and minimums | 5% |
| Customer support | 5% |
| Mobile app ratings and security | 5% |
| Features and amenities | 20% |
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.
| If you're a | And want to | Consider this |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner investor | Do most or all of your trading on your mobile device | Best stock trading apps |
| Beginner investor | Trade and invest with as few fees as possible | Best discount stock brokers |
| Beginner investor | Outsource portfolio management automatically and at a low cost | Best robo-advisors |
| Beginner investor | Gain exposure to multiple assets like stocks, bonds or gold through a single fund | Best ETF brokers |
| Experienced investor | Get an overall idea of providers on the market and what they're best for | Best brokerage accounts |
| Experienced investor | Invest internationally in stocks, ETFs and other assets | Best international stock brokers |
| Retirement saver of any experience level | Save for retirement with upfront tax benefits | Best (traditional) IRA |
| Retirement saver of any experience level | Save for retirement and enjoy tax-free withdrawals | Best Roth IRA |
The best ETF broker is Fidelity Investment, according to Finder’s analysis. It offers the best combination of low trading costs, account fees, investment options and research tools.
Yes, you typically need to open an account with a broker to buy ETFs.
The best ETF for beginners may be either the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) or the Vanguard 500 Index Fund ETF (VOO) if you’re looking for broad market exposure. Both are S&P 500 index funds and give you exposure to 500 of the largest US publicly traded companies.
The biggest ETF companies are BlackRock Financial Management, Vanguard, State Street, Invesco and First Trust, according to VettaFi.
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