Part of that strategy is choosing a broker that offers a suitable trading platform for frequent trading.
Not all brokers are created equal, and not all offer the same level of trading tools.
The best day trading platforms should offer adequate tools and ample resources to help you learn and grow as a day trader.
You’re about to see our picks of the best day trading platforms for beginners, mobile trading, trading crypto and more, based on an analysis of 18 brokers. These are platforms with tools and resources to help you capitalize on intraday market movements.
Here’s our list.
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Interactive Brokers
Finder score
With its combination of investment choices, low costs and powerful trading tools, Interactive Brokers stands out as the best day trading platform overall.
Trade everything from stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to options, futures, currencies, bonds and crypto, with access to some of the lowest margin rates in the industry.
Its desktop platform, Trader Workstation, is available to both IBKR Pro and IBKR Lite users and offers traders the flexibility to customize their trading strategies and pinpoint buying opportunities — event calendars, alerts, watchlists and over 100 order types and algorithms.
Other advanced trading tools include IBKR's fundamentals explorer, a multi-leg options strategy builder, a real-time risk navigator and a paper trading account.
IBKR also stands out as one of the best forex day trading platforms for its dedicated currency trading tools and access to over 100 currency pairs.
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | N/A |
Robinhood
Finder score
Recognized for its distinctive, user-friendly platform and no commissions on stocks, ETFs, options or crypto, Robinhood delivers an intuitive trading experience that isn't bogged down by an abundance of complex features.
Beginner day traders will find standard market and limit orders, fractional shares and pattern day trade protection. This feature alerts you as you place your second, third and fourth day trades in a five trading day period to help you avoid being flagged as a pattern day trader (PDT).
Upgrading to Robinhood Gold unlocks margin investing at 5.70–6.75% depending on your margin balance, instant deposits up to $50,000, advanced market data and 4.5% APY on your uninvested cash.
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get a free stock |
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get a free stock |
Tastytrade
Finder score
Designed primarily for derivatives trading, Tastytrade boasts an impressive collection of trading products and some of the best pricing on options and futures contracts in the industry.
Stocks and ETFs are commission-free and options have no closing commissions.
Additionally, its trading platforms are equipped with an impressive array of advanced trading and analysis tools — customizable alerts, a follow feed to see trade activity from other Tastytrade users, profit and loss visualizations and a quick roll feature to roll your option position into the future, to name a few.
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get $50-$5,000 |
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get $50-$5,000 |
eToro
Finder score
Trade 21 cryptos including bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH) and more with eToro's easy-to-use web and mobile trading platforms.
Advanced charts with over 100 indicators, a technical analysis indicator with quick-view buy and sell signals and a $100,000 demo account are what make eToro stand out as the best crypto day trading platform.
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | FINDER EXCLUSIVE: Get a guaranteed $15 bonus |
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | FINDER EXCLUSIVE: Get a guaranteed $15 bonus |
Moomoo
Finder score
Moomoo's one of the most capable trading apps on the market, offering advanced, customizable charting and free access to pro-grade tools such as analyst ratings, real-time Level 2 market data and short sale analysis.
Track market capital flow to help time transactions, view position cost distribution and other technical indicators and use Moomoo's Indicator Sentiment for a quick view of the overall status of all technical indicators.
Choose from over 63 indicators and 38 drawing tools or customize technical indicators with over 190 pre-set functions, all on Moomoo's user-friendly mobile app.
You'll also find a dedicated desktop trading platform and paper trading so you can practice and test your strategies before going live.
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get up to 15 free stocks |
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get up to 15 free stocks |
TradeStation
Finder score
Suitable for day trading stocks, ETFs, crypto, futures and options, TradeStation stands out for its trading simulator, where traders can back-test trading strategies and practice advanced tactics without the risk of losing real money.
Practice trading stocks, options and futures, with unlimited simulated dollars and access to real-time market data.
Plus, access TradeStation's trading simulator on desktop, web and mobile devices, so you can practice your trading on your platform of choice.
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get $50 - $5,000 |
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get $50 - $5,000 |
Charles Schwab
Finder score
With its acquisition of TD Ameritrade, Charles Schwab now boasts the popular Thinkorswim trading platform, making it a standout broker for day trading.
Available for web, desktop and mobile, the powerful Thinkorswim trading platform offers highly customizable charts with over 400 technical studies and 20 drawings, live news, scanner tools, screeners and watchlists and complex trading instruments — such as multi-leg options.
In-platform gadgets like Trade Flash displays third-party analyst up/downgrades, block trades, trade imbalances, trading floor events and more, and a paper trading account with $100,000 of virtual currency is available to practice and refine your trading strategies.
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get a $101 bonus |
| Stock trade fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Get a $101 bonus |
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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.
Finder’s investments experts review 18 brokers available on the market to narrow down the best platforms for day trading.
We analyze each broker based on 147 key metrics we collect directly from brokers and assess 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 score and rank each provider depending on how it performs
How we weigh the overall rating
| Category | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Investment options | 9% |
| Trading platforms and technology | 33% |
| Trading costs | 8% |
| Account fees | 13% |
| Account types and minimums | 0% |
| Customer support | 5% |
| Mobile app ratings and security | 7% |
| Features and amenities | 25% |
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.
Day trading is a trading strategy that involves buying and selling the same security within the same trading day. Using various techniques, primarily technical analysis, day traders aim to profit from short-term fluctuations in a security’s price. Day traders typically close their positions before the end of the trading day and never hold a security overnight.
Choosing the best day trading platform isn’t a one-size-fits-all decision. Along with costs and investment options, you’ll want to know how the broker’s platforms perform. Insightful trading tools and an intuitive platform can help you make the most of your trades.
Factors you should consider when choosing the best day trading platform include:
Despite the enticing and hyped-up claims of making millions day trading, in reality, most people lose money. A study published in 2019 of 1,551 Brazilian day traders that traded for nearly a year showed that 97% lost money.(1)
The risk of losing money is incredibly high, so it’s important to not commit money you can’t afford to lose.
Day traders typically choose platforms that offer fast trade execution speeds, low trading costs and a trading platform that they can customize to their trading strategy and needs.
While it’s possible to make $1,000 daily with day trading, a day trader’s income depends on their specific trading strategies and the amount of capital available. However, day trading is very risky, and there’s no guarantee you’ll make any money.
There’s no guarantee day trading will be profitable, and most of the time, it probably won’t be. A study by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, for instance, found that roughly 70% of forex traders lose money every quarter and 100% of their money in less than 12 months.
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