Brokerage reviews 2025

Firstrade is a low-cost broker that may especially appeal to options traders and mutual fund investors.

WellsTrade

WellsTrade offers a basic trading experience that may appeal to investors who bank with Wells Fargo, but more active traders may be disappointed by the bare bones approach.

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing

JP Morgan provides all the core functionality you'll need, and the new ability to buy fractional shares makes it a better fit for beginning investors.

Interactive Brokers

5.0 Bankrate Score

Interactive Brokers continues to strengthen its offering with access to worldwide markets, improved trading platforms and more no-transaction-fee mutual funds.

E*Trade

E-Trade should appeal to both active traders and long-term investors because of its advanced trading platforms, available research, discounted options trades and thousands of no-transaction-fee mutual funds.

Ally Invest

Ally Invest offers all of the core trading functionality, including options, at an attractive price. Existing Ally customers will likely find it to be a great extension of their current relationship.

Merrill Edge

Merrill Edge offers a solid brokerage experience with access to top-notch research and an advanced trading platform that may especially appeal to current Bank of America customers.

Fidelity

5.0 Bankrate Score

Fidelity is consistently one of the best brokers in the industry, offering customers low-cost trading, top-notch research and educational resources, great customer service and more.

Charles Schwab

5.0 Bankrate Score

Charles Schwab is a great all-around broker, whether you’re just getting started investing or are more advanced, and it can bring the heat on almost anything you’re likely to need. Add on strong customer support, a wide investment selection, no-commission mutual funds, along with tons of research, and you have the makings of a five-star broker.

Webull

Webull is a great pick for mobile trading, not only for no commissions on stocks and options but also for its new addition of futures.

Robinhood

Robinhood gives customers commission-free trading on stocks, ETFs and options, and continues to add features that move it beyond its mobile app origins.

Vanguard

Vanguard remains a low-cost leader for buy-and-hold investors looking to build wealth over time rather than trading their way to riches.

TradeStation

TradeStation caters to advanced traders, including sophisticated trading platforms and options tools, as well as the ability to trade futures.

SoFi Active Investing

SoFi Active Investing provides commission-free trading on stocks, ETFs and options, and its fractional shares offering should appeal to new investors.

moomoo

Moomoo may appeal to individual traders looking for low commissions on stocks, ETFs and options, as well as access to international markets such as Hong Kong and China.

Zacks Trade

Zacks Trade is a broker that should appeal to active traders with its advanced trading platform and ample research offering. New investors may be turned off by the high account minimum and fees for mutual fund trades.

Lightspeed

3.0 Bankrate Score

Lightspeed is all about active traders who can deliver volume to the broker, and so everything is optimized around making the experience the best for them. That means discounted prices for high-volume trades and multiple high-power trading platforms, but it also means no concern for eliminating the nickel-and-dime costs that other brokers routinely slash.

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