Best stock brokers in the US for 2021

To help you to find the best stock broker in the US, we went ahead and did the research for you. First, we selected 93 quality stock brokers, scrutinized their trading and non-trading fees, with special focus on stock fees, inactivity fees and withdrawal fees. Then we took measure of their stock selection, trading platforms and more. We went deep, so you won't have to.

5 brokers made it to the top in the US and we highly recommend all 5 to you. And now, without further ado...

Our top 5 picks for the best stock brokers of 2021 for the US citizens:

1. Interactive Brokers is the winner. Low trading fees. Wide range of products. Many great research tools.
2. Fidelity came second. Commission-free US stocks and ETFs. Great trading platforms and research. US and international stocks.
3. Zacks Trade rounds out the top three. Low fees. Extensive stock and ETF selection. Great customer service.
4. TD Ameritrade, numero quattro. Low trading fees (free stock and ETF trading). Superb desktop trading platform. Great customer support.
5. E*TRADE, just made it to the list in fifth place. Low trading fees (free stock and ETF trading). User-friendly mobile trading platform. Great research tools.

What makes a good stock broker? First, they need to have fair fees. It is especially important that their commissions, inactivity fees and withdrawal fees are low or close to zero. They should also offer a great selection of exchanges and stocks. Finally, it weighs heavily if the overall profile of the broker - platforms, safety, account opening process - makes the mark .

The key factors are easy to list, but hard to figure out. We test brokers along ~300 criteria with real accounts and real money. We know what's up.

Not sure which broker to choose? For a tailored recommendation, check out our broker finder tool. If you enter the name of your country and your preferences, it will display relevant matches only. Want more details? Compare brokers with our in-depth comparison table.

And now, let's see the best stock brokers in the US one by one, starting with the winner, Interactive Brokers.

Interactive Brokers review summary

Interactive Brokers was founded in 1978 and is one of the biggest US-based discount brokers. The broker is regulated by several financial authorities globally, including top-tier ones like the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

As it has licenses from multiple top-tier regulators, Interactive Brokers is considered safe. Having a long track record and publicly disclosed financials while being listed on a stock exchange are also great signs for its safety.

Our overall Interactive Brokers rating

Compare this broker to the best Interactive Brokers alternative here.

Recommended for traders looking for low fees and a professional trading environment

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#1 Interactive Brokers
Stock trading fees

Interactive Brokers stock trading fees are low.

It is not so easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. What did we do at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in two popular markets, the US and the UK.

A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 and then sell them.

This catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if they apply), and commissions for all brokers.

Here is the verdict:

All spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding it for a week, and closing it.

Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:

Non-trading fees

Interactive Brokers has low non-trading fees.

Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.

#1 Interactive Brokers
Account opening

3.4

IB's account opening process is fully digital and the required minimum deposit is low. On the negative side, the process is complicated, and account verification takes relatively long.

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#1 Interactive Brokers
Deposit and withdrawal

3.5

Interactive Brokers offers many account base currency options and one free withdrawal per month. The main drawback is that you can only use bank transfer.

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#1 Interactive Brokers
Markets and products

5.0

Through Interactive Brokers, you can access an extremely wide range of markets, and all product types are available.

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#1 Interactive Brokers
Web trading platform

4.5

Interactive Brokers's web platform is simple and easy to use, even for beginners.

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#1 Interactive Brokers
Verdict

Interactive Brokers is one of the biggest US-based discount brokers, regulated by several top-tier regulators globally. We recommend this broker mainly for advanced traders.

On the plus side, IB has low fees, a vast range of available markets and products, and diverse research tools. 

There are some drawbacks, though: we weren't satisfied with the level of customer service and the account opening process is complicated. The desktop platform is complex and hard to get a handle on, especially for beginners.

If you have experience navigating complex platforms and enjoy transparent, low-cost trading, Interactive Brokers could be a great fit for you.

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Fidelity is a US stockbroker founded in 1946. It is regulated by top-tier authorities like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Fidelity is considered safe because it has a long track record and is regulated by top-tier financial authorities.

Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and great trading platforms

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#2 Fidelity
Stock trading fees

Fidelity stock trading fees are low.

It is not so easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. What did we do at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in two popular markets, the US and the UK.

A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 and then sell them.

This catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if they apply), and commissions for all brokers.

Here is the verdict:

All spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding it for a week, and closing it.

Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:

Non-trading fees

Fidelity has low non-trading fees.

Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.

#2 Fidelity
Account opening

3.6

Opening an account at Fidelity is easy and there is no minimum deposit. You can also choose from many account types. However, account verification is a bit slow.

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#2 Fidelity
Deposit and withdrawal

3.8

Fidelity offers an exceptionally wide range of base currencies. On the negative side, credit/debit cards are not accepted.

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#2 Fidelity
Markets and products

3.9

Fidelity offers a lot of different trading products, from stocks to options, including international stocks. However, forex and futures trading is not available.

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#2 Fidelity
Web trading platform

4.5

Fidelity's web platform is easy to use, has many order types and provides two-step authentication. On the negative side, it is not customizable.

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#2 Fidelity
Verdict

Fidelity is one of the biggest US stockbrokers and is regulated by top-tier authorities.

Fidelity offers commission-free US stocks and ETFs. The trading platforms and research are outstanding, with many tools including trading ideas and detailed fundamental data. The offered range of products includes international stock exchanges in addition to the US market, which is not common among US brokers.

Fidelity has some drawbacks, though. Some mutual funds have high fees, and the margin rates are high as well. The account verification process and live chat support are both a bit slow. 

As it has great research tools, a user-friendly web trading platform, and charges no inactivity fee, feel free to try Fidelity's services.

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Zacks Trade is a US-based discount broker and a division of LBMZ Securities. LBMZ Securities was founded in 1978 and is regulated by the top-tier US financial authorities SEC and FINRA.

LBMZ Securities's clearing and execution services are provided through Interactive Brokers, a global stockbroker regulated by many top-tier financial authorities globally.

If you're familiar with the services of Interactive Brokers, you might notice that many of Zacks Trade's services are the same. To sum up:

• Zacks Trade has its own, different fee structure, product selection, educational tools and customer support.
• The account opening and deposit/withdrawal processes, trading platforms and research tools are the same as at Interactive Brokers.

Zacks Trade is considered safe because it has a long track record and is overseen by top-tier regulators. 

Recommended for traders and investors looking for comprehensive research tools, a wide product selection and low fees

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#3 Zacks Trade
Stock trading fees

Zacks Trade stock trading fees are low.

It is not so easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. What did we do at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in two popular markets, the US and the UK.

A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 and then sell them.

This catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if they apply), and commissions for all brokers.

Here is the verdict:

All spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding it for a week, and closing it.

Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:

Non-trading fees

Zacks Trade has low non-trading fees.

Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.

#3 Zacks Trade
Account opening

2.8

Zacks Trade has a fully digital account opening for clients all over the world, and there is no minimum deposit. On the negative side, we found the process slow and hard to navigate.

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#3 Zacks Trade
Deposit and withdrawal

3.5

Zacks Trade offers one free withdrawal per month for nearly all base currencies. However, you cannot use credit/debit cards or electronic wallets to deposit or withdraw funds.

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#3 Zacks Trade
Markets and products

3.8

Zacks Trade offers international stocks, ETFs and bonds, which is fairly unique for a US broker, as well as US funds and options. However, you cannot trade futures or forex.

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#3 Zacks Trade
Web trading platform

4.5

The Zacks Trade web platform is simple and easy to use even for beginners.

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#3 Zacks Trade
Verdict

Zacks Trade is a great US discount broker. It is a division of LBMZ Securities, which is regulated by the SEC and FINRA.

On the plus side, Zacks Trade has low fees, outstanding stock and ETF selections and great customer service.

There are some drawbacks though, as its desktop trading platform and research tools are quite complex. The account opening is complicated and slow. Lastly, we missed some useful educational tools.

As Zacks Trade provides a demo account and doesn't require any minimum deposit, feel free to try it.

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This TD Ameritrade Review concludes that it is recommended for investors and experienced traders looking for solid research and a well-equipped desktop trading platform, the Thinkorswim platform.

It is one of the biggest US-based stockbrokers, founded in 1975. As an online broker, it is regulated by top-tier authorities like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

It is considered to be a safe broker as it has a long track record, is listed on a stock exchange, has a banking background, discloses its financials, and is overseen by top-tier regulators.

Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and a well-equipped desktop trading platform

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#4 TD Ameritrade
Stock trading fees

TD Ameritrade stock trading fees are low.

It is not so easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. What did we do at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in two popular markets, the US and the UK.

A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 and then sell them.

This catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if they apply), and commissions for all brokers.

Here is the verdict:

All spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding it for a week, and closing it.

Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:

Non-trading fees

TD Ameritrade has low non-trading fees.

Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.

#4 TD Ameritrade
Account opening

3.6

TD Ameritrade offers many different account types, and there is no minimum deposit for US citizens.

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#4 TD Ameritrade
Deposit and withdrawal

2.2

The account funding is user-friendly with no deposit fees, but USD is the only available base currency, and wire transfers incur a high fee.

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#4 TD Ameritrade
Markets and products

4.0

You can trade many asset classes, from stocks to futures and forex, while nice extras include social trading and robo-advisory. On the other hand, only the US market is covered.

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#4 TD Ameritrade
Web trading platform

4.3

TD Ameritrade offers a good web trading platform with a clean design. On the flip side, the platform is not customizable.

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#4 TD Ameritrade
Verdict

It is one of the biggest US online brokers. It charges no commission on stock and ETFs.

Research and education are outstanding, the Thinkorswim desktop platform is one of the best on the market. Customer service is great.

The drawbacks are that it charges high financing (margin) rates, and it doesn't accept credit/debit cards and electronic wallets for money transfers. Furthermore, the product portfolio covers only the US markets.

We definitely recommend giving it a try, especially as their education tools include a demo as well.

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E*TRADE is a US-based stockbroker founded in 1982. It is regulated by top-tier financial authorities like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

E*TRADE is considered safe because it has a long track record, is listed on a stock exchange, has a banking background, discloses its financials, and is overseen by top-tier US regulators.

In February 2020, E*TRADE was acquired by Morgan Stanley. To find out more about the motives behind the acquisition and about the wider market context, check out this article we wrote about the deal.

Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and a great mobile trading platform

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#5 E*TRADE
Stock trading fees

E*TRADE stock trading fees are low.

It is not so easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. What did we do at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in two popular markets, the US and the UK.

A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 and then sell them.

This catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if they apply), and commissions for all brokers.

Here is the verdict:

All spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding it for a week, and closing it.

Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:

Non-trading fees

E*TRADE has low non-trading fees.

Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.

#5 E*TRADE
Account opening

4.4

Account opening at E*TRADE (only available for US clients) is fully digital and user-friendly, but the account verification process is slow.

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#5 E*TRADE
Deposit and withdrawal

2.2

E*TRADE charges no deposit fees, and transferring money is easy. On the negative side, you can only use bank transfer, and there is a high fee for wire transfer withdrawals.

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#5 E*TRADE
Markets and products

3.1

You can trade plenty of asset classes at E*TRADE from stocks to futures, but only on the US market; in addition, forex trading is not available.

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#5 E*TRADE
Web trading platform

4.5

E*TRADE has a great, user-friendly web trading platform, offering a clear fee report. On the negative side, it cannot be customized.

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#5 E*TRADE
Verdict

E*TRADE is one of the biggest US stockbrokers, and is regulated by top-tier authorities.

At the end of 2019, riding the commission-free trading trend in the US, E*TRADE introduced zero commission on stock and ETF trades. E*TRADE's research functions are of high quality and channel a lot of tools, including trading ideas and strategy builders. We liked the easy handling and the customizable features of the mobile trading platform.

E*TRADE has some drawbacks though. It doesn't accept credit/debit cards and electronic wallets for money transfers, and its product portfolio covers only US markets. In addition, live chat support is slow.

As trading fees are generally low, research tools are great and no inactivity fee is charged, you should feel free to try E*TRADE.

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Now that you know which are the top 5 brokers, you are probably curious how we came up with the list. Let's go through a few points quickly. What is an online broker? Why do we think these brokers are safe? What are the most important factors when selecting the best online brokers?

What is an online broker?

Thirty years ago, if you wanted to buy a stock, you had to pick up the phone and call your broker, who executed the transaction in return for a commission. Brokers were like characters in the movie 'Wolf of Wall Street'. They were constantly monitoring stock prices while holding the phone and shouting. The Internet changed all that. Nowadays, if you want to invest in Apple shares, you open an online account, deposit money, and create an order on the broker\'s online platform. These platforms are the online brokers. Online brokers help you buy and sell securities like stocks and ETFs. After setting up your order, the online broker executes it immediately. The entire process happens online.

Are these brokers safe?

The brokers on this list are all considered safe. You can be sure none of them is a scam. They are regulated by at least one top-tier regulator.

Nevertheless, brokerage companies can still go bust. Remember the collapse of Lehman Brothers? In such cases, it is important to know what happens with your securities and cash. Your funds are usually held in segregated accounts, so even if the broker declares bankruptcy, your funds will be safe.

If, for example, the broker steals your assets, then you have a last resort: the compensation fund of the country where the broker is regulated.

How did BrokerChooser pick the best online stock brokers?

We test online brokers based on more than ~300 criteria, with real accounts and real money. We don\'t want to overwhelm you, so we will only list the five most important criteria.

You have seen the details, now let's zoom out. Here are the best stock brokers of 2021 in the US:

Interactive Brokers is our winner, having been selected the best stock broker in the US for 2021. Low trading fees. Wide range of products. Many great research tools.

We believe that all the stock brokers on our Top 5 list are a great choice. Pick the winner, or one of the runners-up, and take the next step in your investment journey. Let us know what you think in the comments section.

Still unsure? Use our broker finder tool to find the best broker for you or learn more about investing your money.