7 Best Stock Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025

Because of growing interest in Treasury bonds and other kinds of fixed-income securities, this year we placed a little extra emphasis on the transparency and costs of bond trades. That dinged Ally and Interactive, which charge a fee for trading Treasuries. And it dinged Firstrade and WellsTrade, which reap commissions, often referred to as “markups,” on trades of corporate bonds. We also gave points to Proof of space firms that do not accept any payment for order flow (commissions from market makers). That gave a boost to Fidelity, J.P. Morgan, Merrill Edge and WellsTrade. Officials at each participating brokerage answered dozens of questions in seven categories.

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More than 50 years of combined experience writing about finance and investing. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. Fractional shares are another feature to look for since they let you purchase stocks or ETFs by the dollar instead of basing them on a number of shares. Her work has been featured on several of the top finance and business sites in the country, including Insider, USA Today, Bankrate, Rocket Mortgage, Fox Business, Quicken Loans and The Balance. She covers a variety of personal finance topics including mortgages, loans, what is brokerage service credit cards and insurance. While we cover a range of products, our comparison may not include every product or provider in the market.

Best online brokerage accounts for trading stocks in January 2025

• However, individual brokerage accounts often come with tax consequences which you’ll also be solely responsible for.
• Public is the red pill to brokers like Robinhood, which make money off of payment for order flow (PFOF).
• Broker-dealer platforms are a crucial component of the financial services industry, providing essential services for investors, traders, and other participants in the market.
• Kim Clark is a veteran financial journalist who has worked at Fortune, U.S News & World Report and Money magazines.
• Moomoo also offers low margin rates, making it an interesting place for traders looking for this feature.
• Stock brokers charge fees for their services, though costs have fallen dramatically in the internet era.

The firm has taken special care to ensure that the learning experience is immersive and interactive. In our search for the best online broker for beginners, Forbes https://www.xcritical.com/ Advisor evaluated 21 brokers. In side-by-side comparisons, we assessed the user friendliness of each broker’s platforms, with a strong focus on the quality of educational and research materials. Selecting a broker requires you to think about your needs, because the deciding factor is not always about price. Once you’ve found a broker, you can begin plotting your way to a more secure financial future.

The best online brokers for stocks in January 2025:

You can open other accounts types, such as the Charles Schwab High Yield Investor Checking account, CDs, and credit cards. For help opening or managing your Schwab accounts, you can visit one of over 300 branches. Brokers with strong customer support allow you to contact them and ask questions, sometimes at any hour of the day via phone or chat.

Runner Up, Best Online Broker for Beginners

We also regularly review and revise our selections to ensure our best provider lists reflect the most competitive available. To compare features and pricing, use our online broker comparison tool. Other brokerage platforms fell short of our rankings due to a relative lack of value-added features. The broker doesn’t even allow access to cryptocurrency ETFs on its platform. This is because its leadership doesn’t believe crypto assets belong in long-term portfolios. It also provides a library of resources to help you elevate your trading expertise.

Popular screeners include Big Buys / Best Bargains powered by Zacks. We appreciated the impressive range and depth of TD Ameritrade’s educational resources, in particular the TD Ameritrade Network, webcasts and immersive courses. Chat and email support were also reliable in our survey, with fast, helpful responses. For those seeking more human interaction, Fidelity serves its customers through 12 regional offices and more than 190 investor centers in the United States. Additionally, Charles Schwab recently acquired TD Ameritrade, which gives its users access to the thinkorswim platform.

Morgan leads the market in terms of the number of (Chase) bank branches with registered representatives. Analysts project 12.2% earnings growth and 5.6% revenue growth for S&P 500 companies in 2024. Fortunately, analysts see positive earnings and revenue growth for every market sector this year. Jeffrey Buchbinder, chief equity strategist for LPL Financial, said history suggests 2024 could be a good year for stocks. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance degree from Bridgewater State University and helps develop content strategies.

On the positive side, many users appreciate Robinhood’s user-friendly interface, which makes trading accessible to beginners. Conversely, many users have criticized Robinhood’s customer service, which can involve long hold times, delays in responses and multiple steps before an issue is resolved. Conversely, you won’t be able to invest in mutual funds, futures, or international stocks.

This allows users to trade crypto futures directly on the broker’s site. In today’s digital-first world, standing out from the crowd means having a strong online presence and being able to communicate your unique value effectively,” said Persoglia. “AI is a game-changer for brokers … By automating non-revenue-producing tasks like policy research, AI frees up brokers’ time to focus on client relationships and business growth. I believe in integrating AI with human intelligence – what I like to call ‘touchy tech’ – to ensure brokers get both speed and a personal touch when solving problems. I love to share my personal experiences with brokers so they can learn from my insights and mistakes and thrive in the broking world,” said Persoglia.

Some investors may require advanced platforms with access to niche markets and exotic instruments, while others happily settle for a simple, user-friendly mobile app and cost-effective pricing. Whatever your objectives, here are some key factors to consider when choosing an online broker. This idea of simplicity is really where things have been getting interesting for Interactive Brokers, as the company has committed to making its platforms more accessible to beginners. & Co. in 1978 by its current chairman, Thomas Peterffy, the company pioneered the use of computers in trading.

For example, if you’re primarily focused on investing for retirement, you may want to take advantage of Robinhood’s 1% IRA match. Charles Schwab provides extensive phone and online support for customers, or you can receive help in person at one of over 300 branch locations. You can choose from a wide variety of investment funds and take advantage of commission-free trading.

The brokers below also scored highly under Bankrate’s methodology and excel in a number of features that may appeal to certain investors. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate. We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our editorial team. Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers. While eToro recently added options trading to its asset mix, this functionality is currently offered to U.S. customers via a separate app.

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