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10 best brokerage accounts for buying stocks, options and more in 2024

See the fees, features and pros and cons of the best online brokerage accounts for trading and investing.

Looking to invest but not sure where to start? Opening a brokerage account is a key step, and choosing the right brokerage account can make all the difference.

With so many options out there, figuring out which one suits your needs best can be overwhelming.

Whether you’re after low fees, a user-friendly platform or a wide range of investment options, we’ve put together a list of some of the best brokerage accounts available to help you pick the right one for your needs.

And because trading fees are for the birds, we’ve only selected brokers for our list that charge no commissions for trading stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Our top picks for brokerage accounts

Our pick for transfer bonus

Go to site
Get up to $10,000 cash
  • Trade stocks, options, ETFs, mutual funds, alternative asset funds
  • $0 commission on stocks, ETFs and options, with no options contract fees
  • Complimentary access to a financial planner and automated investing

Top pick for advanced traders

Go to site
Get up to $5,000 cash
  • Trade options, futures, options on futures, stocks, ETFs
  • $0 commission to close options
  • Pro-grade platform and risk analysis tools

Our pick for investing by theme

Go to site
Earn up to $300 on new deposits
  • Trade $0 commission stocks & ETFs with as little as $1
  • Theme and ETF screener
  • Discover new opportunities with Opto's AI-driven classification system

10 best online brokerage accounts of 2024

Honorable mentions

Why trust Finder

  • 15+ online brokers reviewed and rated by our team of experts
  • Evaluated under our unbiased rating system covering eight categories
  • 20+ years of combined experience covering financial topics

We're big on editorial independence. That means our content, reviews and ratings are fair, accurate and trustworthy. We don't let advertisers or partners sway our opinions. Our financial experts put in the hard work, spending hours researching and analyzing hundreds of products based on data-driven methodologies to find the best accounts and providers for you. Explore our editorial guidelines to see how we work.

SoFi Invest®

4.2
★★★★★

Finder score

For full promotion terms please visit: https://www.sofi.com/acatoffer. SoFi does not accept cryptocurrencies and has limitations on some mutual funds and OTC stocks. Brokerage and Active Investing Products offered by SoFi Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC.
Go to site Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusGet up to $10,000 cash

Public.com

4.2
★★★★★

Finder score

Get up to $10,000 and transfer fees covered when you move your portfolio to Public
Go to site Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusGet up to $10,000 and transfer fees covered

Interactive Brokers

4.6
★★★★★

Finder score

Go to site Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusN/A

Robinhood

4.4
★★★★★

Finder score

Go to site Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusGet a free stock

Tastytrade

4.4
★★★★★

Finder score

Go to site Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusGet $50-$5,000

eToro

4
★★★★★

Finder score

Copy crypto picks from top traders
Go to site Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusFINDER EXCLUSIVE: Get a guaranteed $15 bonus

E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

4.3
★★★★★

Finder score

Go to site Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusGet up to $1,000
terms apply

Webull

4.6
★★★★★

Finder score

Earn up to 75 fractional shares and an extra 2% APY for 30 days when you open an account and make an initial deposit of the qualified amount. T&C apply.
Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusEarn up to 75 fractional shares and an extra 2% APY for 30 days

Charles Schwab

4.5
★★★★★

Finder score

Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusGet a $101 bonus

Fidelity Investments

4.6
★★★★★

Finder score

Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusN/A

Honorable mentions

While the top ten brokerage accounts highlighted in our list offer exceptional features and benefits, several other brokers worth considering narrowly missed making the cut. These “honorable mentions” still provide strong platforms, competitive fees and unique offerings that may suit your specific investing needs.

OPTO

3.1
★★★★★

Finder score

Earn up to $300 when you deposit between $500–$3,000
Go to site Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusEarn up to $300

Moomoo

4.2
★★★★★

Finder score

Get 8.1% APY for 3 months on idle cash and up to 15 free stocks with qualified deposits. T&Cs apply.
Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusGet up to 15 free stocks

Paid non-client promotion. Finder does not invest money with providers on this page. If a brand is a referral partner, we're paid when you click or tap through to, open an account with or provide your contact information to the provider. Partnerships are not a recommendation for you to invest with any one company. Learn more about how we make money.

Finder is not an advisor or brokerage service. Information on this page is for educational purposes only and not a recommendation to invest with any one company, trade specific stocks or fund specific investments. All editorial opinions are our own.

Methodology: How we choose the best brokerage accounts

Finder’s investments experts reviewed 18 brokers available on the market to narrow down the best brokerage accounts for trading and investing.

We analyzed each platform based on 147 key metrics we collected directly from brokers and assessed each provider’s performance based on eight different categories, weighing each metric based on the expertise and insights of Finder’s investment experts. We then scored and ranked each provider to determine the 10 best brokerage accounts and the best overall.

We update our best picks as products change, disappear or emerge in the market. We also regularly review and revise our selections to ensure our best provider lists reflect the most competitive available.

How we weigh the overall rating

CategoryWeighting
Investment options20%
Trading platforms and technology15%
Trading costs15%
Account fees10%
Account types and minimums10%
Customer support10%
Mobile app5%
Features and amenities15%

How do I open a brokerage account?

Choose a broker or robo-advisor, and complete a brief application by providing personal information such as your name, address, date of birth and Social Security number.

Completed applications are typically approved instantly, though the broker may take a couple of days to verify your information. Then, connect a bank account to fund your account.

What to look for when choosing the best brokerage account

Finder’s picks for the best brokerage accounts are meant to provide a starting point for finding the right broker for your investing style and goals.

Consider the following factors when comparing your options:

  • Fees. From trading fees to miscellaneous fees, it’s important to understand the cost to trade and invest. Consider which investment products you plan to trade and the fees that apply, but also be mindful of any back-end fees, such as inactivity or transfer fees, that can also eat into your profit.
  • Tradable assets. Not every broker offers the same investment options. Stocks, options and ETFs are standard, but some brokers will offer mutual funds, bonds, futures, forex, crypto and more.
  • Account types. What other account types, in addition to a brokerage account, does the broker offer? If you’re interested in saving for retirement, then compare brokers that offer IRAs. Consider your other investment needs and how important it is to maintain all your accounts under one roof.
  • Research and data tools. In-house research and tools simplify investing, as you don’t have to venture elsewhere to make an informed decision about an investment. If you’re a passive index investor, extensive research and analysis tools may not matter all that much. Active stock pickers may feel otherwise.
  • Mobile app reviews. Mobile trading is more popular than ever, allowing you to trade and invest from anywhere. Check out what current or previous customers say about the platform’s functionality.
  • Signup bonus. While it may not make sense to choose a broker solely based on whether or not it offers a signup bonus, a new customer incentive such as a free stock may be enough to help you choose one over another if all else is equal.
A photo of Bob Haegele

What a personal finance expert thinks about brokerage fees:

Online brokers have gone a long way in reducing fees, such as expense ratios for exchange-traded funds. However, there can still be significant fees, especially if you are trading actively. Even the best brokers can have high fees when making certain trades, such as when making stock/bond trades over the phone or when making rep-assisted trades. Be sure to pay attention to these fees when choosing a broker.

— Bob Haegele, Personal finance writer and expert

Compare and find the broker that's right for you

Match your experience level with your trading and investing goals to find the right broker for you.
If you're a And want to Consider this
Beginner investor Do most or all of your trading on your mobile device Best stock trading apps
Beginner investor Trade and invest with as few fees as possible Best discount stock brokers
Beginner investor Outsource portfolio management automatically and at a low cost Best robo-advisors
Beginner investor Gain exposure to multiple assets like stocks, bonds or gold through a single fund Best ETF brokers
Experienced investor Get an overall idea of providers on the market and what they're best for Best brokerage accounts
Experienced investor Invest internationally in stocks, ETFs and other assets Best international stock brokers
Retirement saver of any experience level Save for retirement with upfront tax benefits Best (traditional) IRA
Retirement saver of any experience level Save for retirement and enjoy tax-free withdrawals Best Roth IRA
Investor of any experience level Diversify with low-cost index funds Best brokerage accounts for index funds 2024

Frequently asked questions

What is the best brokerage account?

The best overall stock broker is Fidelity Investments, according to Finder’s analysis, for it offers the best combination of low costs, features, platform functionality and investments options. But, ultimately, you need to decide which broker is best for you.

Which brokerage account offers fractional shares?

Many brokerage accounts allow you to buy a portion of a share, known as fractional share investing. Happily, it’s now a common feature on many of the best brokerage accounts. All the online trading platforms featured above support fractional share trading in some way, but some terms and conditions may apply. For example, E*TRADE doesn’t support fractional share purchases but does allow you to reinvest dividends in fractional shares.

How much does it cost to open a brokerage account?

Most platforms don’t charge fees to open an account. However, you’ll need to fund your account before you can begin trading, and brokerage and account admin fees may also apply.

Holly Jennings's headshot
Bob Haegele's headshot
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Holly Jennings and reviewed by Bob Haegele, a member of Finder's Editorial Review Board.
Matt Miczulski's headshot
Written by

Editor, Investments

Matt Miczulski is an investments editor at Finder. With over 450 bylines, Matt dissects and reviews brokers and investing platforms to expose perks and pain points, explores investment products and concepts and covers market news, making investing more accessible and helping readers to make informed financial decisions. Before joining Finder in 2021, Matt covered everything from finance news and banking to debt and travel for FinanceBuzz. His expertise and analysis on investing and other financial topics has been featured on CBS, MSN, Best Company and Consolidated Credit, among others. Matt holds a BA in history from William Paterson University. See full bio

Matt's expertise
Matt has written 206 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Trading and investing
  • Broker and trading platform reviews
  • Money management

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