Merrill Edge Alternatives

The best alternatives to Merrill Edge are

1. Fidelity - US stockbroker
2. Ally Invest - US stockbroker
3. Chase You Invest - US-based discount broker
4. Vanguard - US stockbroker

Let's see in a bit more detail how the Merrill Edge alternatives compare to Merrill Edge and each other:

Why are these brokers considered good alternatives to Merrill Edge? There are many areas based on which Merrill Edge can be compared with others. When we say a given online broker is a good alternative to Merrill Edge we mean these brokers are comparable in the following areas:

• The products they offer, meaning you can buy mostly the same things, i.e. stocks, CFDs, options, etc.
• The type of clients they target, i.e. beginners, experienced investors, or day traders.

Merrill Edge alternatives recommendations

Brokers are different in a number of ways, which means each of them may be suitable for different people. Here's how they compare overall:

• Merrill Edge is recommended for investors and traders who looking for low fees, quick account opening, and simple platforms
• Fidelity is recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and great trading platforms
• Ally Invest is recommended for investors and traders looking for low fees and focusing on the us market
• Chase You Invest is recommended for beginners and buy-and-hold investors focusing on the us stock market
• Vanguard is recommended for long-term investors who are looking for great etf and mutual fund offers

Important factors of finding Merrill Edge alternatives

So far BrokerChooser has reviewed 85 online brokers in detail, which gives this comparison a solid starting point.

Not only that, but all of these brokers are reviewed using the exact same broker review methodology, which makes everything easily comparable. For each broker, we

• open a live account
• check over 100 criteria, with weighting based on readers' preferences
• refresh data regularly

Whether Merrill Edge or one of its alternatives is the best choice for you is on the following five broker characteristics that most interest people:

Fees. There are different types of fees that your online brokerage may charge, and both the number and the size of these fees may vary significantly from broker to broker. Both of these aspects can impact your returns and your overall experience. Merrill Edge is one of the cheaper brokers, so if this is an important consideration for you, make sure you pick a similarly low-cost Merrill Edge alternative.

Account opening. To open an account some brokers require at least €50,000 to be invested, while others don't set a minimum first-time deposit. The time it takes to open your account can be very different as well. At Merrill Edge this is not a problem as you can have it ready on the same day you registered.

Deposit/withdrawal. The number of ways that you can deposit or withdraw money to or from your account matters a lot. For example, while you cannot make a deposit with your credit card at Merrill Edge, some alternatives might allow you to do that.

Web trading platform. While online brokers are usually available on various platforms like mobile apps, tablet apps or desktop software, most people use them through their web platform in a browser. User-friendly trading platforms that offer many different resources can significantly increase your trading comfort.

Markets and products. A lot of people have specific products they would like to invest in. Knowing whether stocks, forex, mutual funds, and other products are available at the given Merrill Edge alternative is a must.

Now let's dive into the details of how Merrill Edge and its alternatives perform in the most important areas!

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

Read review

Fees

4.2

Fidelity has low trading and non-trading fees, including commission-free stock trading. On the negative side, margin rates and fees for some mutual funds can be high.

Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX

Read review

Account opening

3.6

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

If you are interested more in Fidelity minimum deposit, this overview will help you.

Read review

Deposit and withdrawal

3.8

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

Read review

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.

Learn more about Fidelity's web trading platform in the detailed Fidelity review.

Read review

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.

Read review

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.

Below you can find links to all aspects of Fidelity in this comprehensive collection.

Lower fees, lower costs?

We detailed this in our Fidelity fees article.

What about the minimum deposit?

Our ultimate guide to the Fidelity minimum deposit is updated regularly.

How to start your Fidelity account?

Look no further than our evaluation of the Fidelity account opening.

How's their trading app?

Here's our expert view after checking the Fidelity trading app.

Is the quality of customer service satisfactory?

All you need to know about the Fidelity customer service.

Legit or scam?

Is Fidelity legit features all the key aspects you need to look at to see if a broker is safe and legit.

Free or premium? Or both?

A glance at actual costs and whether Fidelity is really free.

Is this broker good for beginners?

We checked it in Is Fidelity good for beginners.

Should you buy your silver bullets on Fidelity?

Research for silver bugs in the Silver buy on Fidelity guide

I want to trade options, are they available at Fidelity?

We explored the topic in Can you trade options on Fidelity?

Read review

Ally Invest is a US stockbroker regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Its parent company, Ally Financial Inc. dates back to 1911 when its predecessor, General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) was founded. Ally Financial Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and has a banking subsidiary, Ally Bank.

Ally Invest 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 low fees and focusing on the us market

Read review

Fees

4.5

Ally Invest has low trading fees and non-trading fees, including zero base commission on most stocks and ETFs. On the negative side, margin rates are quite high.

Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX

Read review

Account opening

4.4

Account opening is fully digital and user-friendly, and involves no minimum deposit in most cases. On the other hand, account verification takes relatively long.

If you are interested more in Ally Invest minimum deposit, this overview will help you.

Read review

Deposit and withdrawal

2.6

Ally Invest doesn't charge a deposit fee, and transferring money is easy. On the other hand, you can use only bank transfer, and wire transfer withdrawals are expensive.

Read review

Web trading platform

3.5

Ally Invest's web trading platform is user-friendly, with a convenient search function. On the negative side, there is no clear fee report, and we also missed two-step login.

Learn more about Ally Invest's web trading platform in the detailed Ally Invest review.

Read review

Markets and products

2.9

At Ally Invest you can trade various asset classes from stocks to options. On the negative side, it covers only the US market, and futures or forex trading is not possible.

Read review

Verdict

Ally Invest is one of the biggest US stockbrokers and is overseen by top-tier regulators. Retail clients of Ally Bank will appreciate that its banking and brokerage platforms are very well integrated - so it's very easy to move cash between those accounts.

Ally Invest has low trading and non-trading fees and offers a good product range in the US. The account opening process is easy and fully digital. We also liked the high quality of its educational tools.

Ally Invest has some drawbacks though. You can trade only on US exchanges. Forex trading is available only through a separate Ally Forex account provided by GAIN Capital (Forex.com). Lastly, there is no option to turn on two-factor authentication for added security.

Still, as trading fees are low and no inactivity fee is charged, feel free to try Ally Invest.

Below you can find links to all aspects of Ally Invest in this comprehensive collection.

Lower fees, lower costs?

We detailed this in our Ally Invest fees article.

What about the minimum deposit?

Our ultimate guide to the Ally Invest minimum deposit is updated regularly.

How to start your Ally Invest account?

Look no further than our evaluation of the Ally Invest account opening.

How's their trading app?

Here's our expert view after checking the Ally Invest trading app.

Is the quality of customer service satisfactory?

All you need to know about the Ally Invest customer service.

Legit or scam?

Is Ally Invest legit features all the key aspects you need to look at to see if a broker is safe and legit.

Free or premium? Or both?

A glance at actual costs and whether Ally Invest is really free.

Is this broker good for beginners?

We checked it in Is Ally Invest good for beginners.

Should you buy your silver bullets on Ally Invest?

Research for silver bugs in the Silver buy on Ally Invest guide

I want to trade options, are they available at Ally Invest?

We explored the topic in Can you trade options on Ally Invest?

Read review

Chase You Invest is a US-based discount broker established by J.P. Morgan in 2018. The parent company, J.P. Morgan, is one the biggest global Tier 1 investment banks listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Chase You Invest is considered safe because the parent company has a long track record, is listed on the stock exchange, has a banking background, discloses its financials regularly and is regulated by top-tier regulators.

Recommended for beginners and buy-and-hold investors focusing on the us stock market

Read review

Fees

4.9

Chase You Invest offers commission-free trading, but transaction and other smaller fees may apply.

Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX

Read review

Account opening

5.0

Account opening at Chase You Invest is seamless and fully digital. It took us one day to open an account, however only US clients are accepted.

If you are interested more in Chase You Invest minimum deposit, this overview will help you.

Read review

Deposit and withdrawal

2.2

At Chase You Invest there is no deposit fee and transferring money is simple and easy, although withdrawal options could be more numerous.

Read review

Web trading platform

2.9

Chase You Invest's web trading platform is exceptionally easy to use and it boasts a great search function. On the flip side, two-step authentication is missing, there are no clear fee reports and users can't set price alerts.

Learn more about Chase You Invest's web trading platform in the detailed Chase You Invest review.

Read review

Markets and products

2.2

Chase You Invest has a limited product portfolio including stocks, ETFs, funds, bonds and options. Unfortunately, the product portfolio only includes assets traded on the US market.

Read review

Verdict

Chase You Invest offers awesome fees: the broker does not charge additional fees for trading US stocks, ETFs, mutual funds and US bonds. Some very low charges may apply to cover costs imposed by regulatory or stock exchange authorities (e.g. $0.01 - $0.03 per $1,000 principal for US stocks and ETFs). 

The fully digital account opening is easy and fast, on-boarding is seamless. Chase You Invest's parent company, J.P. Morgan, has a banking background, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is regulated by the SEC. 

Chase You Invest has some drawbacks, though. It is only available to US residents, the product portfolio is limited, with a heavy focus on US markets and the research tools are basic. 

In a nutshell, Chase You invest offers low-cost trading and has one of the most solid parent companies. Feel free to give it a try. 

Below you can find links to all aspects of Chase You Invest in this comprehensive collection.

Lower fees, lower costs?

We detailed this in our Chase You Invest fees article.

What about the minimum deposit?

Our ultimate guide to the Chase You Invest minimum deposit is updated regularly.

How to start your Chase You Invest account?

Look no further than our evaluation of the Chase You Invest account opening.

How's their trading app?

Here's our expert view after checking the Chase You Invest trading app.

Is the quality of customer service satisfactory?

All you need to know about the Chase You Invest customer service.

Legit or scam?

Is Chase You Invest legit features all the key aspects you need to look at to see if a broker is safe and legit.

Free or premium? Or both?

A glance at actual costs and whether Chase You Invest is really free.

Is this broker good for beginners?

We checked it in Is Chase You Invest good for beginners.

Should you buy your silver bullets on Chase You Invest?

Research for silver bugs in the Silver buy on Chase You Invest guide

I want to trade options, are they available at Chase You Invest?

We explored the topic in Can you trade options on Chase You Invest?

Read review

Vanguard is a US stockbroker founded in 1975. The company is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

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

Recommended for long-term investors who are looking for great etf and mutual fund offers

Read review

Fees

3.7

Vanguard offers free ETF trading and some mutual funds and bonds are free, too. The non-trading fees are low, no inactivity fee is charged and withdrawal is also free, if you use ACH transfer. On the negative side, the fees for non-free mutual funds are high. Financing rates are also high, especially in the lower volume tiers.

Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX

Read review

Account opening

4.4

Account opening is fully digital and user-friendly. There is no minimum account balance. However, the account opening and verification process is slow, around 2-3 business days.

If you are interested more in Vanguard minimum deposit, this overview will help you.

Read review

Deposit and withdrawal

2.4

It's great that Vanguard charges no deposit fee and transferring money is easy and user-friendly. The deposit and withdrawal could be improved, though. You can use only bank transfer, and a fee is charged for wire transfer withdrawals.

Read review

Web trading platform

3.4

Vanguard has an average web trading platform. It offers a two-step login and there is a clear fee report. The trading platform's structure is a bit confusing and some features are hard to find. Search functions could be better, too, and we missed customizability.

Learn more about Vanguard's web trading platform in the detailed Vanguard review.

Read review

Markets and products

2.8

Vanguard gives access to different asset classes, from stocks to options. However, the offered products cover only the US market and you can't trade with forex and futures.

Read review

Verdict

Vanguard is one of the biggest US stockbrokers regulated by top-tier regulators.

Vanguard offers free ETF and mutual fund trading for some products, such as its own ETFs. It doesn't charge inactivity and account fees and the account opening is easy and fully digital. The mobile trading platform is user-friendly and has a great design.

It has some drawbacks, though. The product portfolio covers only the US market and the research tools are basic. Financing rates are also high when you trade on margin.

As there are low non-trading fees and no inactivity fee is charged, feel free to try Vanguard.

Below you can find links to all aspects of Vanguard in this comprehensive collection.

Lower fees, lower costs?

We detailed this in our Vanguard fees article.

What about the minimum deposit?

Our ultimate guide to the Vanguard minimum deposit is updated regularly.

How to start your Vanguard account?

Look no further than our evaluation of the Vanguard account opening.

How's their trading app?

Here's our expert view after checking the Vanguard trading app.

Is the quality of customer service satisfactory?

All you need to know about the Vanguard customer service.

Legit or scam?

Is Vanguard legit features all the key aspects you need to look at to see if a broker is safe and legit.

Free or premium? Or both?

A glance at actual costs and whether Vanguard is really free.

Is this broker good for beginners?

We checked it in Is Vanguard good for beginners.

Should you buy your silver bullets on Vanguard?

Research for silver bugs in the Silver buy on Vanguard guide

I want to trade options, are they available at Vanguard?

We explored the topic in Can you trade options on Vanguard?

Read review

Merrill Edge is a US-based stockbroker founded in 2010 by Bank of America (BofA). BofA acquired Merrill Lynch during the 2008 financial crisis, and the rationale for launching Merrill Edge was to combine its online investing arm and Merrill Lynch's investment expertise. Merrill Edge offers US stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds. It is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Merrill Edge is considered safe because its parent company is a bank with a long track record and solid reputation, it discloses its financials, and is regulated by top-tier regulators. 

Recommended for investors and traders who looking for low fees, quick account opening, and simple platforms

Fees

4.4

Merrill Edge has low trading and non-trading fees, including commission-free stock and ETF trades. On the other hand, financing/margin rates are quite high.

Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k

Account opening

5.0

Account opening at Merrill Edge is seamless and fully digital, it took us less than one day to have an open account. Only US clients are accepted.

Learn more about Merrill Edge minimum deposit here.

Deposit and withdrawal

2.2

Merrill Edge has an easy-to-use deposit and withdrawal system with a bank account connection. Unfortunately, credit/debit cards cannot be used to fund the account, and there is only USD as a base currency.

Web trading platform

4.3

Merrill Edge has a user-friendly and simple trading platform, with options for secure login and for setting price alerts. However, it offers only limited customizability and the search function is not so advanced.

Learn more about Merrill Edge's web trading platform in the detailed Merrill Edge review.

Markets and products

2.3

Merrill Edge has a limited product portfolio that consists of stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. Unfortunately, the product lineup covers only the US market. The broker offers a lower diversity of products in general compared to its competition.

Verdict

Overall, Merrill Edge is a solid, easy to use trading platform created by Bank of America, one of the US's largest banks.

We rated Merrill Edge highly due to its low fees, easy process of account-opening, and safety. 

Some of the drawbacks include limited product offerings, research capabilities, and deposit/withdrawal options.

As trading and non-trading fees are generally low, the research tools are great and the account opening is seamless, feel free to try it.

Below you can find links to all aspects of Merrill Edge in this comprehensive collection.

Lower fees, lower costs?

We detailed this in our Merrill Edge fees article.

What about the minimum deposit?

Our ultimate guide to the Merrill Edge minimum deposit is updated regularly.

How to start your Merrill Edge account?

Look no further than our evaluation of the Merrill Edge account opening.

How's their trading app?

Here's our expert view after checking the Merrill Edge trading app.

Is the quality of customer service satisfactory?

All you need to know about the Merrill Edge customer service.

Legit or scam?

Is Merrill Edge legit features all the key aspects you need to look at to see if a broker is safe and legit.

Free or premium? Or both?

A glance at actual costs and whether Merrill Edge is really free.

Is this broker good for beginners?

We checked it in Is Merrill Edge good for beginners.

Should you buy your silver bullets on Merrill Edge?

Research for silver bugs in the Silver buy on Merrill Edge guide

I want to trade options, are they available at Merrill Edge?

We explored the topic in Can you trade options on Merrill Edge?

Based on our analysis, there are several good alternatives to Merrill Edge. They all offer similar products and target similar customers. Here's a recap of the results in a table.

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