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Intro and winners
Top 5 picks for best online brokers in the United States in 2023:
- Interactive Brokers is the best online broker in 2023. - Low trading fees. Wide range of products. Many great research tools.
- TD Ameritrade - Low trading fees (free stock and ETF trading). Superb desktop trading platform. Great customer support.
- eToro - Free stock and ETF trading. Seamless account opening. Social trading.
- Merrill Edge - Low trading fees. Easy and seamless account opening. Strong parent company.
- Charles Schwab - Free stock and ETF trading. Outstanding research. Great customer service.
How did we select the best online brokers in 2023?
- We checked whether the broker is regulated by a trusted regulator,
- Compared fees (including spreads, withdrawal fee, commission),
- We checked and compared every aspect of their services,
- Opened an account and tested the platform (charting, features, usability) with real money.
Our expert team has done all the work for you, and reviewed brokers based on BrokerChooser's unique methodology.
Best online brokers in 2023
Best online brokers' key info overview
While many online broker platforms offer an excellent service, the ones in our toplist go the extra mile. These online trading platforms offer a broad range of markets and asset classes and are suitable for beginners and experienced traders alike.
| Interactive Brokers | TD Ameritrade | eToro | Merrill Edge | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broker intro | International broker providing all asset classes | US-based stockbroker | Global social trading broker | US discount broker | US discount broker |
| Overall score | 4.9 stars | 4.9 stars | 4.9 stars | 4.8 stars | 4.8 stars |
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 | $10 | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1 day | 1 day | 1 day |
Best online brokers in 2023
Trading fees
In most cases the key broker selection criteria is how much you have to pay for a trade in spreads, commission and other trading costs, so we collected the most important fees for you in the table below.
| Interactive Brokers | TD Ameritrade | eToro | Merrill Edge | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $1.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| UK stock | $3.4 | - | $0.0 | - | - |
| EURUSD spread | 0.1 | 1.3 | 1.0 | - | - |
| US stock index options | $6.5 | $6.5 | - | $6.5 | $6.5 |
| Mutual fund | $15.0 | $50.0 | - | $20.0 | $25.0 |
| S&P 500 index CFD fee | $3.3 | - | $3.1 | - | - |
All commissions, spreads and financing rates (if applicable) for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Best online brokers in 2023
Other fees at best online brokers
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.
| Interactive Brokers | TD Ameritrade | eToro | Merrill Edge | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 | $0 |
| Deposit fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
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Best online brokers in 2023
Our assessment of best online brokers in 2023
At BrokerChooser we do our best to make it easier for you to compare and select the best broker for your needs. Here is a summary of our scores in the most important aspects of these trading platforms' services.
| Interactive Brokers | TD Ameritrade | eToro | Merrill Edge | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.9 stars | 4.9 stars | 4.9 stars | 4.8 stars | 4.8 stars |
| Fees score | 4.5 stars | 4.1 stars | 4.2 stars | 4.4 stars | 4.2 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.5 stars | 4.8 stars | 4.9 stars | 4.8 stars | 4.2 stars |
| Deposit and withdrawal score | 3.0 stars | 2.2 stars | 3.8 stars | 2.2 stars | 2.2 stars |
If you are unsure how brokerage fees are charged, check out this article on the various fees, charges and costs.
And now, let's see the top online brokers for 2023 in detail one by one, starting with the winner, Interactive Brokers.
#1 Best online broker
Interactive Brokers
Recommended for traders looking for broad market access and a professional trading environment
| Interactive Brokers snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Fees class | Low |
| Deposit method | Bank transfer |
| Withdrawal method | Bank transfer |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Interactive Brokers services, check out our review for 2023 |
#2 Best online broker
TD Ameritrade
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and a well-equipped desktop trading platform
| TD Ameritrade snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Fees class | Low |
| Deposit method | Bank transfer |
| Withdrawal method | Bank transfer |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of TD Ameritrade services, check out our review for 2023 |
#3 Best online broker
eToro
Recommended for traders interested in social trading (i.e. copying other investors’ trades) and zero-commission stock trading
| eToro snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $10 |
| Fees class | Low |
| Deposit method | Bank transfer, Credit/debit cards, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, China UnionPay, Klarna, POLi, iDEAL |
| Withdrawal method | Bank transfer, Credit/debit cards, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, China UnionPay, Klarna, POLi, iDEAL |
| Withdrawal fee | $5 |
| Time to open account | 1 day |
| Inactivity fee | Yes |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of eToro services, check out our review for 2023 |
#4 Best online broker
Merrill Edge
Recommended for investors and traders looking for low fees, quick account opening and simple platforms
| Merrill Edge snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Fees class | Low |
| Deposit method | Bank transfer |
| Withdrawal method | Bank transfer |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1 day |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Merrill Edge services, check out our review for 2023 |
#5 Best online broker
Charles Schwab
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research, low fees and great customer service
| Charles Schwab snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Fees class | Low |
| Deposit method | Bank transfer |
| Withdrawal method | Bank transfer |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1 day |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Charles Schwab services, check out our review for 2023 |
Best online brokers in 2023
What makes a good online broker
Now that you know the top 5, you probably want to know how we came up with this list. Let's go through a few points quickly.
Are these brokers reliable?
Yes. You can be sure none of them is a scam. They are all regulated by at least one top-tier regulator.
How did BrokerChooser pick the best online brokers?
At BrokerChooser, we test online brokers based on more than 500 criteria, with real accounts and real money. We don't want to overwhelm you, so we will list only the five top criteria.
| 1. Fees | The trading fees of a given stock trade can be 50 times higher at one online broker compared to another. The brokers featured on our top list all have low fees. |
| 2. Deposit and withdrawal | At some online brokers, funding and withdrawing funds can take much longer and be much more expensive than at others. |
| 3. Trading platform | A user-friendly and well-equipped trading platform can significantly increase your trading comfort. |
| 4. Account opening | Some online brokers require a minimum deposit to start investing while others don't ask for a fix first-time deposit. The table at the top of this article breaks down minimum deposit amounts. |
| 5. Markets and products | Want to invest in Canadian stocks or trade Bitcoin? They are not available at each broker. We selected brokers with a wide product portfolio so you can trade many asset types. |
Interactive Brokers is our winner, selected the best online broker in 2023. Low trading fees. Wide range of products. Many great research tools.
All of these brokers are a great choice and score high in terms of safety. Pick the winner, or any of the runners-up, and take the next step in your trading journey. Let us know what you think in the comments section.
Still unsure? For a tailored recommendation, check out our broker finder tool. If you enter the name of your country, it will show only the brokers that are relevant to you. Want more details? Compare brokers with the help of this detailed comparison table.
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