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Intro and winners
How did we come up with this list of best stock brokers in the US in 2023?
- We first selected 102 quality brokers,
- We scrutinized their trading and non-trading fees (with a special focus on stock fees, inactivity fees and withdrawal fees),
- Then we took measure of their stock selection, trading platforms and more,
- We opened an account and tested the trading platform with our own money.
Save hours of research!
Our expert team has done all the work for you, and reviewed brokers based on BrokerChooser's unique methodology. Now let's jump straight to the results.
Our top 5 picks for the best stock trading platforms in the US in 2023:
- Interactive Brokers is our winner. - Low trading fees. Wide range of products. Many great research tools.
- eToro - Free stock and ETF trading. Seamless account opening. Social trading.
- 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.
- Charles Schwab - Free stock and ETF trading. Outstanding research. Great customer service.
| Interactive Brokers | eToro | Fidelity | TD Ameritrade | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broker intro | International broker providing all asset classes | Global social trading broker | US stockbroker | US-based stockbroker | US discount broker |
| Overall score | 4.9 stars | 4.8 stars | 4.8 stars | 4.9 stars | 4.8 stars |
| Served countries | Globally | Globally | US | US, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Canada (through TD Direct Investing) | US |
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $10 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Award | Best online broker | Best broker for beginners | Best broker for bonds |
Best stock brokers
Stock trading fees
Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in 3 popular markets, the US, Germany and the UK. A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 (or the equivalent amount in EUR or GBP for German and UK equities).
| Interactive Brokers | eToro | Fidelity | TD Ameritrade | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $1.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| German stock | $3.0 | $0.0 | $18.8 | - | - |
| UK stock | $3.4 | $0.0 | $10.2 | - | - |
All commissions, spreads and financing rates (if applicable) for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Want to check the details by yourself? Here you go:
| Interactive Brokers | eToro | Fidelity | TD Ameritrade | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.005 per share, min. $1, max. 1% of trade value. Free for US clients choosing IBKR Lite plan. | Free stock and ETF trading | Free stock and ETF trading | Free stock and ETF trading | Free stock and ETF trading |
Best stock brokers
Other fees at best stock brokers
| Interactive Brokers | eToro | Fidelity | TD Ameritrade | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $5 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Best stock brokers
Trading platforms at stock brokers
A well functioning trading platform makes trading stocks much easier.
| Interactive Brokers | eToro | Fidelity | TD Ameritrade | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 3.8 stars | 4.4 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.3 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.5 stars | 4.9 stars | 5.0 stars | 4.8 stars | 4.2 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.8 stars | - | 4.3 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.0 stars |
#1 Best stock broker
Interactive Brokers
Recommended for traders looking for broad market access and a professional trading environment
| Interactive Brokers snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Stock fee class | Low |
| Fractional share dealing | Yes |
| OTC share dealing | Yes |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Interactive Brokers services, check out our review for 2023 |
#2 Best stock broker
eToro
Recommended for traders interested in social trading (i.e. copying other investors’ trades) and zero commission stock trading
| eToro snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Stock fee class | Low |
| Fractional share dealing | Yes |
| OTC share dealing | No |
| Minimum deposit | $10 |
| Inactivity fee | Yes |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of eToro services, check out our review for 2023 |
#3 Best stock broker
Fidelity
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and great trading platforms
| Fidelity snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Stock fee class | Low |
| Fractional share dealing | Yes |
| OTC share dealing | Yes |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Fidelity services, check out our review for 2023 |
#4 Best stock broker
TD Ameritrade
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and a well-equipped desktop trading platform
| TD Ameritrade snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Stock fee class | Low |
| Fractional share dealing | No |
| OTC share dealing | Yes |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of TD Ameritrade services, check out our review for 2023 |
#5 Best stock broker
Charles Schwab
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research, low fees and great customer service
| Charles Schwab snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Stock fee class | Low |
| Fractional share dealing | Yes |
| OTC share dealing | Yes |
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Charles Schwab services, check out our review for 2023 |
Best stock brokers
What makes a good online stock broker?
Now that you know which are the top 5 brokers, you're probably wondering how we came up with this list. Let's go through a few points quickly.
Are these brokers safe?
Yes, the brokers on this list are all considered safe and rock solid. You can be sure none of them is a scam. They are each regulated by at least one top-tier regulator.
How did BrokerChooser pick the best online stock brokers?
We test online brokers based on close to 500 criteria, using real accounts and real money. We don't want to overwhelm you, so we will only list the five most important criteria here.
| 1. Stock fees | Trading fees of a specific stock trade can be 50 times higher at one online broker compared with another. The best brokers presented here all have low fees. We also include other costs in our calculation such as custody fees if the broker charges them. |
| 2. Stock selection | Best stock brokers should provide access to a broad selection of stock exchanges to trade on. |
| 3. Non-trading fees | At some brokers, you can expect charges even if you don't trade. A notable example is the inactivity fee, which is levied if you don't use your account for a certain period of time. |
| 4. Overall quality | Our methodology contains a comprehensive set of criteria designed to score the overall quality of a broker's services. This includes safety, platforms, the account opening process and much much more. |
Still unsure? Use our broker finder tool to find the best broker for you, or learn more about investing your money.
