Intro and winners
- Interactive Brokers - the best stock broker in the US in 2023. Low trading fees and high interest (up to 4.58% for USD) on cash balances. 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.
- 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.
- Zacks Trade - Low fees. Extensive stock and ETF selection. Great customer service.
- Vanguard - Stocks and ETFs are free to trade. Easy account opening. Great mobile trading platform.
- E*TRADE - Low trading fees (free stock and ETF trading). User-friendly mobile trading platform. Great research tools.
- Ally Invest - Low trading and non-trading fees. Easy and fully digital account opening. Great education.
Best stock brokers
Overview of the best stock brokers in the US
While many online stock brokers offer an excellent service, the ones in our toplist go the extra mile.
| Broker | Minimum deposit | Time to open account |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers | $0 $0 for non-margin client accounts, $2,000 for margin accounts. (A margin account is where you trade with borrowed money, also known as leverage.) | 1-3 days |
| eToro | $10 For Israeli clients, the minimum first-time deposit is $10,000. For residents of Australia and the US, it is $50, while for residents of Russia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau, it is $500. | 1 day |
| Fidelity | $0 No minimum account balance | 1-3 days |
| TD Ameritrade | $0 $0 for US non-margin accounts, $2,000 for US margin accounts, and clients in Malaysia and Singapore are recommended to start with $3,500. | 1-3 days |
| Merrill Edge | $0 No minimum deposit | 1 day |
| Charles Schwab | $0 $0 for US clients and $25,000 for non-US clients | 1 day |
| Zacks Trade | $0 No minimum deposit, but Zacks Trade recommends to open an account with $2500 | >3 days |
| Vanguard | $0 No minimum deposit; however, for funds and ETFs there is an investment minimum (starting with $1,000). | 1-3 days |
| E*TRADE | $0 No minimum deposit for non-margin brokerage account, while $2,000 for margin accounts and $500 for Core Portfolios | 1-3 days |
| Ally Invest | $0 No minimum account balance | 1-3 days |
Popularity of the best stock brokers in the US
Interested in what others think? Here's how many people chose these brokers at BrokerChooser in the last 6 months.
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Best stock brokers
Stock trading fees
| Broker | US stock | German stock |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers | $1.0 Fixed pricing: $0.005 per share, min. $1, max. 1% of trade value. Free for US clients choosing IBKR Lite plan. | $3.2 Fixed €3 for trade value less than €6,000, 0.05% of trade value for more than €6,000 |
| eToro | $0.0 Free stock and ETF trading | $0.0 Free stock and ETF trading, except for clients from Australia, where a 0.09% spread cost per transaction applies |
| Fidelity | $0.0 Free stock and ETF trading | $20.3 €19 per trade |
| TD Ameritrade | $0.0 Free stock and ETF trading | - Not available |
| Merrill Edge | $0.0 Commission-free stock and ETF trading | - Not available |
| Charles Schwab | $0.0 Free stock and ETF trading | - Not available |
| Zacks Trade | $1.0 $0.01 per share commission for stocks priced above $1, or 1% of trade value for stocks priced below $1. The minimum fee is $1. | $12.8 0.3% of trade value with a €12 minimum |
| Vanguard | $0.0 Commission-free | - Not available |
| E*TRADE | $0.0 Free stock and ETF trading | - Not available |
| Ally Invest | $0.0 Free stock and ETF trading for stocks priced above $2, otherwise $4.95 commission plus $0.1 per share | - Not available |
Best stock brokers
Non-trading fees
| Broker | Account fee | Inactivity fee |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers | No account fee | No inactivity fee |
| eToro | No account fee | $10 per month after one year inactivity. Inactivity means that you don't log in to your account |
| Fidelity | No account fee | No inactivity fee |
| TD Ameritrade | No account fee | No inactivity fee |
| Merrill Edge | No account fee | No inactivity fee |
| Charles Schwab | No account fee | No inactivity fee |
| Zacks Trade | No account fee | $15 per month, but waived for account balances above $25,000 |
| Vanguard | $20 per year for standard accounts unless you hold $10,000+ or choose electronic statements | No inactivity fee |
| E*TRADE | No account fee | No inactivity fee |
| Ally Invest | No account fee | No inactivity fee |
#1 Best stock broker
Interactive Brokers
Recommended for traders looking for broad market access and a professional trading environment
| Interactive Brokers snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $1.0 |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Mobile platform score | 3.5 stars |
| 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 stock 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 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Mobile platform score | 4.9 stars |
| Time to open account | 1 day |
| 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 | |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Mobile platform score | 5.0 stars |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days |
| 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 | |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Mobile platform score | 4.8 stars |
| 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 |
#5 Best stock broker
Merrill Edge
Recommended for investors and traders looking for low fees, quick account opening and simple platforms
| Merrill Edge snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | No |
| Mobile platform score | 4.8 stars |
| 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 |
#6 Best stock broker
Charles Schwab
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research, low fees and great customer service
| Charles Schwab snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Mobile platform score | 4.2 stars |
| 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 |
#7 Best stock broker
Zacks Trade
Recommended for traders and investors looking for comprehensive research tools, a wide product selection and low fees
| Zacks Trade snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $1.0 |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Mobile platform score | 3.5 stars |
| Time to open account | >3 days |
| Inactivity fee | Yes |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Zacks Trade services, check out our review for 2023 |
#8 Best stock broker
Vanguard
Recommended for long-term investors looking for great etf and mutual fund selection
| Vanguard snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | No |
| Mobile platform score | 4.4 stars |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Vanguard services, check out our review for 2023 |
#9 Best stock broker
E*TRADE
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and a great mobile trading platform
| E*TRADE snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | No |
| Mobile platform score | 4.5 stars |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of E*TRADE services, check out our review for 2023 |
#10 Best stock broker
Ally Invest
Recommended for investors and traders looking for low fees and focusing on the us market
| Ally Invest snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| US stock fee | $0.0 |
| Demo account | No |
| Mobile platform score | 3.3 stars |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days |
| Inactivity fee | No |
| Read review | For a detailed analysis of Ally Invest services, check out our review for 2023 |
Best stock brokers
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Best stock brokers
How did BrokerChooser select the best FX brokers in the US?
- We checked whether the broker is regulated by a trusted regulator,
- Compared stock fees and non-trading fees (e.g. currency conversion, withdrawal or inactivity),
- Compared the number of equity markets,
- Checked minimum deposit requirements,
- Opened an account and tested the platform (charting, features, usability, customer service).
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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 finetune 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 stock brokers
FAQ
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.
Which broker should I use as a beginner?
Low fees and an excellent mobile platform make a broker great for beginners. Beginners can also benefit greatly if a broker has excellent educational material, and tools, such as a demo account. The best way to start your journey in the world of investing is by learning. We provide a great starting point on our education page, where you can find a lot of useful learning materials. Here we give you some tips on how to start investing. To find the best online broker for your level of expertise and risk-tolerance, use our find my broker tool.
Where should a beginner invest in stocks?
Before you make stock investments, you should draw up a plan, which involves several basic questions you ought to think about, such as what is your objective, how much time do you want to spend investing and what level of risk you want to take. For beginners, one of the best ways to to starting investing in stocks is choosing an index fund or stock mutual funds, which are an easy and low-cost way to tip your toe into the stock market. We put together a guide on how to start investing in stocks, and how to buy shares online. We explicitly guide you through how to invest in stocks. We also give you tips on how much you should invest when you are starting out. You can also browse through our top recommendations for best trading platforms for stocks.
Is trading gambling?
Trading is not gambling, although some poeple might treat it like that, but they will learn quickly that gamblers lose their money. The goal of a trader is to make predictions that will be as accurate as possible to make money, while gamblers can't predict anything, they bet. People who trade for the thrill of it, or because they want to prove something, or can’t accept losing on the market from time to time, and don’t have a plan or consistency, are trading in a gambling style. New online trading apps have recently come under the spotlight for bringing a gambling aspect into trading. The gamification of trading, with easy-to-use online platforms, little education for retail traders and the social pressure of ‘FOMO’ also contribute to a gambling attitude on the market. Serious traders should consider their objectives, their attitudes to risk, and carefully devise an investment strategy when entering a market.
Is trading hard to learn?
Trading is not diffficult to learn if you invest enough time and energy into it. But that is a big if. Plenty of people trade, but the more time you spend studying trading, the more you practice, - as with everything else -, the better results you can expect. Knowing yourself, your attitude to risk-taking, and being patient and disciplined are also crucial factors if you want to be successful. Keep a cool head, don’t look for easy money, commit to studying trading and always have a trading plan. Our aim is to make personal investing as clear and accessible for you, as possible. Our educational page is a good starting point. You can also learn from our expert traders about the difference between investing and trading, and learn here about how to become a trader. You can also learn about different investment strategies from us.
Want to learn more?
Check out these articles written by our broker and trading experts:
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