Intro and winners
Find below the pros of best brokers for stocks and shares ISA available in the United States, updated for 2023:
- Freetrade - the best broker for stocks and shares ISA in 2023. Free stock and ETF trading. Easy and fast account opening. Great mobile trading platform.
- Interactive Brokers - Low trading fees and high interest (up to 4.83% for USD) on cash balances. Wide range of products. Many great research tools.
- Fineco Bank - Low non-trading fees. Great mobile trading platform. Rock-solid background.
- Hargreaves Lansdown - Easy-to-use trading platforms. High-quality educational tools. Great customer service.
- Interactive Investor - User-friendly trading platforms. Fast and easy deposit and withdrawal. Great phone customer service.
- Halifax - Low fees. Good options for deposit/withdrawal. Quick and easy account opening.
- AJ Bell Youinvest - Fast account opening. Easy to use trading platforms. Great customer service.
- Barclays - Low fond and bond fees. Solid company background. Great fundamental research.
- Trading 212 - Real stocks and ETFs are commission-free. Quick and easy account opening. Great trading platforms.
- Charles Stanley Direct - Low fund fees. Great customer service. Easy deposit and withdrawal.
- Intro and winners
- Overview of the best brokers for stocks and shares ISA
- Trading fees at the best brokers for stocks and shares ISA
- Non-trading fees at the best brokers for stocks and shares ISA
- Can I trust these brokers for stocks and shares ISA?
- Selection of long-term products at the best brokers for stocks and shares ISA
- Freetrade
- Interactive Brokers
- Fineco Bank
- Hargreaves Lansdown
- Interactive Investor
- Halifax
- AJ Bell Youinvest
- Barclays
- Trading 212
- Charles Stanley Direct
- Didn't find the best broker for you?
- How did BrokerChooser select the best brokers for stocks and shares ISA?
- FAQ
Overview of the best brokers for stocks and shares ISA
While many brokerages offer excellent ISA services, the ones in our toplist go the extra mile.
| Broker | Stock fee class | Minimum deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Freetrade | Low | $0 |
| Interactive Brokers | Low | $0 |
| Fineco Bank | Low | $0 |
| Hargreaves Lansdown | High | $0 |
| Interactive Investor | Low | $0 |
| Halifax | Low | $0 |
| AJ Bell Youinvest | Average | $0 |
| Barclays | Average | $0 |
| Trading 212 | Low | $1 |
| Charles Stanley Direct | Average | $24.8 |
Popularity of the best brokers for stocks and shares ISA
Interested in what others think? Here's how many people chose these brokers at BrokerChooser in the last 6 months.
Trading fees at the best brokers for stocks and shares ISA
The fact that a broker charges low fees for long-term products, which are typically used for ISA investments, was important when determining the best brokers. You can compare fees for trading US stocks below.
| Broker | US stock fee | Select... |
|---|---|---|
| Freetrade | Commission-free | |
| Interactive Brokers | Fixed pricing: $0.005 per share, min. $1, max. 1% of trade value. Free for US clients choosing IBKR Lite plan. | |
| Fineco Bank | $3.95 per trade for UK customers; $3.95-$12.95 per trade for Italian customers, depending on the number of monthly trades | |
| Hargreaves Lansdown | Based on previous month's activity. 0-9 trades: £11.95 per trade; 10-19 trades: £8.95 per trade; 20+ trades: £5.95 per trade | |
| Interactive Investor | £3.99 per trade | |
| Halifax | Commission free, 1.25% of conversion fee for international trades | |
| AJ Bell Youinvest | £9.95 per trade | |
| Barclays | £6 per trade | |
| Trading 212 | Commission-free | |
| Charles Stanley Direct | Not available |
If you are unsure how brokerage fees work, check out our article explaining various brokerage fees.
Non-trading fees at the best brokers for stocks and shares ISA
Non-trading fees are charges not directly related to a given trade and typically include the account maintenance fee, deposit/withdrawal fees, and the inactivity fee. With long-term investments like ISA, non-trading fees should be low, especially inactivity fees, otherwise they can decrease your rate of return significantly.
| Broker | Account fee | Deposit fee |
|---|---|---|
| Freetrade | $0 | |
| Interactive Brokers | $0 | |
| Fineco Bank | $0 | |
| Hargreaves Lansdown | $0 | |
| Interactive Investor | $0 | |
| Halifax | $0 | |
| AJ Bell Youinvest | $0 | |
| Barclays | $0 | |
| Trading 212 | $0 | |
| Charles Stanley Direct | $0 |
Can I trust these brokers for stocks and shares ISA?
Yes, BrokerChooser exclusively recommends legit brokers, overseen by at least one globally acknowledged regulator. We track more than 20,000 brokers and trading platforms that we don't recommend. To be sure that a broker is reputable and reliable, use Scam Broker Shield tool.
Key criteria determining a broker's trustworthiness are: regulation, availability of investor protection, as well as a long and spotless track record. Explore the interactive table below, encompassing this array of vital data.
| Broker | Top-tier regulators | Trusted broker |
|---|---|---|
| Freetrade | FCA in the UK | |
| Interactive Brokers | FCA in the UK, SEC in the US, and ASIC in Australia | |
| Fineco Bank | Consob in Italy and FCA in the UK | |
| Hargreaves Lansdown | FCA in the UK | |
| Interactive Investor | FCA in the UK | |
| Halifax | FCA in the UK | |
| AJ Bell Youinvest | FCA in the UK | |
| Barclays | FCA in the UK | |
| Trading 212 | FCA in the UK | |
| Charles Stanley Direct | FCA in the UK |
Selection of long-term products at the best brokers for stocks and shares ISA
It's good to have a wide selection of choices to invest in. In case of investing with an ISA, this means long-term products like stocks/ETFs, funds and bonds.
| Broker | ETFs (#) | Fund providers (#) |
|---|---|---|
| Freetrade | 700 | - |
| Interactive Brokers | 13,000 | 550 |
| Fineco Bank | 5,500 | 5 |
| Hargreaves Lansdown | 2,500 | 180 |
| Interactive Investor | 1,680 | 190 |
| Halifax | 600 | 140 |
| AJ Bell Youinvest | 2,700 | 270 |
| Barclays | 1,000 | 160 |
| Trading 212 | 1,800 | - |
| Charles Stanley Direct | 1,700 | 280 |
And now, let's see the top brokers for stocks and shares ISA one by one, starting with the winner, Freetrade.
Recommended for long-term investors on the hunt for low fees and focusing on the uk and us markets
| Freetrade snapshot | |
|---|---|
| UK discount broker | |
| Fee score | 4.4 stars |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Markets and products score | 3.0 stars |
| Trading platform score | 3.4 stars |
| Customer service score | 5.0 stars |
| Time to open an account | 1 day |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Freetrade services, check out our review for 2023 |
Recommended for traders looking for broad market access and a professional trading environment
| Interactive Brokers snapshot | |
|---|---|
| International broker providing all asset classes | |
| Fee score | 4.4 stars |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Markets and products score | 5.0 stars |
| Trading platform score | 4.0 stars |
| Customer service score | 4.3 stars |
| Time to open an account | 1-3 days |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Interactive Brokers services, check out our review for 2023 |
Recommended for traders and investors looking for a great trading platform and a broker with a solid background
| Fineco Bank snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Italian bank | |
| Fee score | 3.5 stars |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Markets and products score | 4.1 stars |
| Trading platform score | 3.7 stars |
| Customer service score | 4.5 stars |
| Time to open an account | 1-3 days |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Fineco Bank services, check out our review for 2023 |
Recommended for beginners and buy-and-hold investors looking for great customer service and easy-to-use trading platforms
| Hargreaves Lansdown snapshot | |
|---|---|
| UK-based stockbroker | |
| Fee score | 3.0 stars |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Markets and products score | 3.2 stars |
| Trading platform score | 3.8 stars |
| Customer service score | 4.5 stars |
| Time to open an account | 1 day |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Hargreaves Lansdown services, check out our review for 2023 |
Recommended for beginners and investors focusing on the uk market
| Interactive Investor snapshot | |
|---|---|
| UK stockbroker | |
| Fee score | 3.4 stars |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Markets and products score | 3.2 stars |
| Trading platform score | 4.3 stars |
| Customer service score | 2.8 stars |
| Time to open an account | 1 day |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Interactive Investor services, check out our review for 2023 |
Recommended for beginners and long-term investors
| Halifax snapshot | |
|---|---|
| UK-based stockbroker | |
| Fee score | 4.0 stars |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Markets and products score | 3.2 stars |
| Trading platform score | 0.8 stars |
| Customer service score | 0.0 stars |
| Time to open an account | 1 day |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Halifax services, check out our review for 2023 |
Recommended for beginners and investors with small and medium portfolios focusing on the uk market
| AJ Bell Youinvest snapshot | |
|---|---|
| UK discount broker | |
| Fee score | 3.0 stars |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Markets and products score | 3.4 stars |
| Trading platform score | 4.1 stars |
| Customer service score | 5.0 stars |
| Time to open an account | 1 day |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of AJ Bell Youinvest services, check out our review for 2023 |
Recommended for long-term investors looking for a broker with low fees and solid background
| Barclays snapshot | |
|---|---|
| UK-based stockbroker | |
| Fee score | 3.5 stars |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Markets and products score | 3.2 stars |
| Trading platform score | 1.0 stars |
| Customer service score | 0.0 stars |
| Time to open an account | >3 days |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Barclays services, check out our review for 2023 |
Recommended for equity investors and cfd traders looking for easy-to-use trading platforms
Visit broker
68% of retail CFD accounts lose money
| Trading 212 snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Global CFD broker, but real stocks/ETFs are also available | |
| Fee score | 4.1 stars |
| Minimum deposit | $1 |
| Markets and products score | 4.1 stars |
| Trading platform score | 4.8 stars |
| Customer service score | 5.0 stars |
| Time to open an account | 1 day |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Trading 212 services, check out our review for 2023 |
Recommended for beginners and buy-and-hold investors focusing on the uk market
| Charles Stanley Direct snapshot | |
|---|---|
| UK-based stockbroker | |
| Fee score | 3.2 stars |
| Minimum deposit | $24.8 |
| Markets and products score | 1.5 stars |
| Trading platform score | 3.6 stars |
| Customer service score | 5.0 stars |
| Time to open an account | 1-3 days |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Charles Stanley Direct services, check out our review for 2023 |
Didn't find the best broker for you?
Answer a few questions and get a personalized broker list!
Your broker toplist will be selected based on your answers.
How did BrokerChooser select the best brokers for stocks and shares ISA?
- We checked brokers offering ISA: as these Individual Savings Accounts are available only in the UK, we chose brokers that operate in the UK and offer ISA accounts
- We checked whether the broker is overseen by a trusted regulator
- Low fees for long-term products (such as stocks and ETFs) weighed heavily in our scores, as ISA investments are typically long-term
- We looked at brokers with low non-trading fees, e.g. inactivity, annual and monthly fees, that don't eat into your rate of return
- We checked brokers that offer a wide range of long-term products
- We opened an account and tested the platform (charting, features, usability) with real money
Save hours of research!
Our expert team has done all the work for you, and reviewed brokers based on BrokerChooser's unique methodology.
BrokerChooser evaluates 9 key areas for all brokers, including fees, safety, ease of account opening, education and trading platforms. We check more than 500 criteria for each broker and fine-tune our methodology every year based on our own and our users' experiences. We have more than 100 brokers reviewed on our site and our team of analysts examines more than 50,000 data points overall.
FAQ
What is an ISA?
ISA stands for Individual Savings Account, which is designed for tax-free savings and investments. It was introduced in 1999 by the UK government to encourage long-term and pension savings. If you have an ISA, you don't have to pay tax on any returns that your investments make when you sell them.
What are the different types of ISA?
There are four main types of ISAs:
- Cash ISA
- Stocks and shares ISA
- Innovative finance ISA
- Lifetime ISA
Want to learn more about ISA
Check out these articles written by our broker and trading experts:
