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Intro and winners
Top 5 IRA brokerages in the United States in 2023
- E*TRADE - the best IRA brokerage in 2023. Low trading fees (free stock and ETF trading). User-friendly mobile trading platform. Great research tools.
- Charles Schwab - Free stock and ETF trading. Outstanding research. Great customer service.
- Fidelity - Commission-free US stocks and ETFs. Great trading platforms and research. US and international stocks.
- TD Ameritrade - Low trading fees (free stock and ETF trading). Superb desktop trading platform. Great customer support.
- Firstrade - Free stock, ETF, fund and options trading. Solid research tools. Quality educational tools.
How did BrokerChooser select the best IRA brokerages?
- We checked the 101 online brokers we've reviewed so far, finding the ones that offer the best IRA accounts
- We looked at their trading fees charged for stock, ETFs and mutual funds
- We checked their non-trading fees, with special emphasis on inactivity fees
- We valued if they had a wide range of products, especially stocks, ETFs and mutual funds
- We looked at the overall service quality of the broker
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.
Best IRA brokerages in 2023
Overview of the best IRA accounts
An IRA is an individual retirement account available to US residents. It is a tax-advantaged savings account for individuals to earmark their retirement savings. IRAs act as tax-deferred or tax-free investment forms that are available at many financial institutions.
When it comes to brokers that offer the best IRA accounts at reasonable fees, with a wide product range and low non-trading fees, the following brokers are hard to beat.
| E*TRADE | Charles Schwab | Fidelity | TD Ameritrade | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inactivity fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| US stock fees class | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low |
| Mutual fund fees class | High | High | High | High | Low |
| Bond fee class | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Trading fees at the best brokerages for IRA
| E*TRADE | Charles Schwab | Fidelity | TD Ameritrade | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 US stock trade fee | $0.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| Mutual fund fee | $19.99 per trade; ca. 4,500 free mutual funds | Up to $49.95 or 74.95 for buying while selling is free; there are also around 4,000 free mutual funds | $49.95 or $75 for buying while selling is free; some 3,600 free mutual funds | $49.99 per transaction, although there are also ca. 4,000 free funds | $0 per trade |
If you are unsure how brokerage fees work, check out our article explaining various brokerage fees.
Non-trading fees at the best brokerages for IRA
| E*TRADE | Charles Schwab | Fidelity | TD Ameritrade | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inactivity fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Deposit fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Product selection at the best IRA brokerages
| E*TRADE | Charles Schwab | Fidelity | TD Ameritrade | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of fund providers | 600 | 600 | 550 | 740 | 450 |
| Number of bonds | 88,000 | 60,000 | 106,000 | 40,000 | 38,500 |
| Number of stock markets | 5 | 4 | 25 | 4 | 5 |
Best IRA brokerages in 2023
Get the best brokers for your needs
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.
And now, let's see the top IRA brokerages one by one, starting with the winner, E*TRADE.
#1 Best IRA brokers
E*TRADE
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and a great mobile trading platform
| E*TRADE snapshot | |
|---|---|
| US stockbroker | |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Account activated in | 1-3 days |
| Inactivity fee | No inactivity fee |
| Customer service score | 1.7 stars |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of E*TRADE services, check out our review for 2023 |
#2 Best IRA brokers
Charles Schwab
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research, low fees and great customer service
| Charles Schwab snapshot | |
|---|---|
| US discount broker | |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Account activated in | 1 day |
| Inactivity fee | No inactivity fee |
| Customer service score | 5.0 stars |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Charles Schwab services, check out our review for 2023 |
#3 Best IRA brokers
Fidelity
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and great trading platforms
| Fidelity snapshot | |
|---|---|
| US stockbroker | |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Account activated in | 1-3 days |
| Inactivity fee | No inactivity fee |
| Customer service score | 3.9 stars |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Fidelity services, check out our review for 2023 |
#4 Best IRA brokers
TD Ameritrade
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and a well-equipped desktop trading platform
| TD Ameritrade snapshot | |
|---|---|
| US-based stockbroker | |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Account activated in | 1-3 days |
| Inactivity fee | No inactivity fee |
| Customer service score | 5.0 stars |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of TD Ameritrade services, check out our review for 2023 |
#5 Best IRA brokers
Firstrade
Recommended for beginners and investors looking for zero-commission trading, focusing on the us market
| Firstrade snapshot | |
|---|---|
| US discount broker | |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Account activated in | 1-3 days |
| Inactivity fee | No inactivity fee |
| Customer service score | 1.1 stars |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Firstrade services, check out our review for 2023 |
Best IRA brokerages in 2023
FAQ
What broker is best for IRA?
The best broker to open an IRA account at is one that offers a wide range of products at fair fees, preferably with no inactivity fee and an overall excellent service quality. The brokers on our toplist, starting with E*TRADE, Charles Schwab and Fidelity, are all great choices to open an IRA account.
What is the best type of IRA to open?
The type of IRA that is best for you depends on your personal situation, such as your age and income. Most people open either a Traditional IRA or a Roth IRA account, while other options include a Simple IRA or a Rollover IRA. Check with an expert which is the best fit for you, or read our deep-dive into the various types of IRA accounts.
Want to understand IRAs in more detail?
Check out these articles written by our broker and trading experts:
- All you need to know about IRAs
- IRAs - how they work
- How to open an IRA
- How to transfer an IRA from one institution to another?
- Brokerage accounts vs IRAs - What's best for you?
- 401(k) vs IRA: What is the difference?
- How much can I contribute to my IRA?
- How much can I contribute to my Roth IRA?
- What is a traditional IRA?
- What is a Simple IRA?
- What is a Roth IRA?
- What is a Rollover IRA?
- What is a self-directed IRA?
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