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Picking a brokerage account used to mean comparing commission fees. Now, it’s all about ease of use and powerful features that help you make smarter investments, such as institutional-grade trading platforms and Level 2 market data. Below, the MarketWatch Guides team breaks down our picks for the best brokerage accounts to help you find the right fit whether you’re just starting out or managing a high-octane portfolio.
Best Brokerage Accounts of 2026
To determine the best brokerages, we analyzed over 90 factors, gathered more than 3,000 data points and surveyed 2,000 real investors to assess performance, cost, ease of use and customer satisfaction. Our top picks for the best brokerage accounts are:
- Fidelity Our Top Pick
- Charles Schwab Most Investor Friendly
- Ally Invest Best Banking-Investing Combo
- Interactive Brokers Best for Advanced Traders
- Webull Best for 24-Hour Trading Access
Fidelity
Fidelity is our top pick for its low costs, great customer support and extensive educational resources. It offers $0 commissions on stocks, exchange-traded funds and many mutual funds, including its industry-leading zero-expense-ratio index funds. That means you won’t pay a fee for fund management. Fidelity was also the most popular brokerage in our latest investing survey.
With over 40 million customers and $15 trillion in assets under administration, Fidelity is one of the most trusted names in the brokerage industry. Its commitment to customer support, robust trading platforms and retirement-planning tools make it a well-rounded choice for nearly any type of investor. Many investors use Fidelity for tracking blue-chip investments such as Apple through their comprehensive research tools.
Superior trade execution: Fidelity doesn’t accept payment from trade partners that execute their clients’ trades, also known as payment for order flow, which generally allows for faster trades at lower prices.
Wide investment selection: Fidelity customers can choose from hundreds of mutual funds, bonds, certificates of deposit, Treasury bills, options and commodities, such as gold and international stocks from 25 countries, with 16 currency exchanges.
Retirement accounts: Fidelity has individual retirement accounts and 401(k)s to help with long-term retirement planning and projections.
No futures or forex trading: Futures and foreign-exchange trading aren’t available, which may turn advanced investors off.
Charles Schwab
As a full-service brokerage, Charles Schwab provides an array of account types — including IRAs, individual 401(k)s, workplace retirement accounts and college savings plans — as well as top-notch customer support with 24/7 phone service and live chat. This makes it ideal for a range of investors, from first-timers to retirees. When asked what they liked most about the company, over 81% of the Charles Schwab customers we surveyed liked that it was easy to use.
The brokerage also has plenty of educational and research tools to support investors in addition to commission-free stock, ETF and options trades. It also carries mutual funds without loads or transaction fees, and it doesn’t charge fees or commissions for its robo-advising service, though it requires you to invest $5,000 to open an account. Schwab also has a security guarantee for victims of unauthorized account activity, one of the reasons it received such a high trustworthiness score in our review. Schwab’s thinkorswim platform is particularly popular among traders monitoring tech stocks such as Nvidia with its advanced charting capabilities.
Full-service brokerage: Charles Schwab’s wide range of assets and account types includes commission-free stocks, fractional shares, cryptocurrency and retirement accounts.
Advanced trading tools: Schwab’s thinkorswim platform provides superior charting and trade-execution technology for advanced traders.
$0 fee for robo-adviser: Schwab doesn’t charge a fee or commission for its robo-adviser account.
Limited international trading: Direct trading on international exchanges is limited.
High margin rates: Schwab’s rates for margin trades are on the high end (over 10%), while some brokerages charge less than 6%.
Lower cash-sweep interest rates: Schwab’s default cash-sweep account for uninvested cash only pays less than 0.2% annual percentage yield — much lower than some competitors, which can pay more than 3%.
Ally Invest
Out of all the brokerages we reviewed, Ally Invest delivers the best banking and investing combination. You can make instant transfers from your Ally checking or high-yield savings account to your investing account with the same login. Many competitors don’t enable you to instantly transfer funds — with a lot of brokerages, it can take one to three business days for money to post to your investment account.
Ally has $0 commission on eligible stocks, a broad selection of ETFs and thousands of no-load mutual funds that don’t charge commissions, plus a relatively low 50-cent contract fee for options. Its tools are sufficient for most investors, with streaming charts with drawing tools, screeners and research powered by Morningstar, a financial-services firm that provides investing research and management.
Ally Invest’s low-cost robo-advising option requires just $100 to open an account and doesn’t charge fees if you keep 30% cash in your account. If you keep the majority of your investment dollars in the market, it charges a relatively low 0.30% fee.
Cash movement: Ally Invest makes it easy to transfer money from your checking account or high-yield savings account to your investing account.
All-in-one app: Ally Invest accounts are integrated with the Ally Bank app, so many of your financial transactions can be under one roof.
Commission-free mutual funds: There are no transaction fees for mutual funds.
No futures, crypto or forex: You won’t find futures, cryptocurrency, foreign-exchange investing or fractional shares with Ally.
Limited research resources: Ally Invest has fewer educational investing articles and tools than many competitors.
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers is a powerhouse for seasoned traders, providing institutional-grade tools, low fees and unmatched global-market access. Its Trader Workstation platform and SmartRouting system deliver customized trading views and trade execution speed few competitors can match. Professional traders often rely on Interactive Brokers when analyzing Tesla stock movements and other volatile securities due to its sophisticated risk-management tools.
We’re impressed by IBKR’s low margin rates at 5% or below, as well as its expansive range of investment options, including futures, bonds, cryptocurrency and forecast contracts. Forecast contracts are speculative financial instruments that allow you to take positions on economic indicators or the outcome of an event, such as a political race. IBKR also offers two pricing tiers — Lite and Pro — to accommodate both commission-free investors and high-frequency traders who benefit from its low margin rates and superior trade execution.
Institutional-grade: IBKR provides advanced tools such as stress testing, backtesting and portfolio value at risk, and order types such as adaptive algorithmic orders typically used by asset managers and professional traders.
Global trading: IBKR gives access to trading in 160 markets, 36 countries and 28 currencies — far more than many competitors.
Low margin rates: IBKR’s margin rates are some of the lowest in the industry, including low fees overall for high-volume traders when compared with many competitors.
Complex platforms for beginners: While IBKR offers an app and trading platform designed for newer investors, there’s still a steep learning curve, and many of its other apps and platforms can be overwhelming for basic investors.
No cash sweep for lower balances: IBKR doesn’t pay interest on uninvested cash balances below $10,000.
Webull
Webull is a mobile-app-based brokerage with solid tools and features for in-app trading. We like that it offers extended market hours so you can trade 24 hours a day, five days a week: Sunday at 8 p.m. through Friday at 8 p.m.. The company charges $0 commission on U.S.-based and eligible ETFs, but it’s really known for its diverse options and futures trading, which are supported by its desktop platform.
Webull’s desktop platform features paper trading with virtual funds, which lets you practice trading stocks, options, futures and more without trading real money. The firm’s advanced market data and technical analysis tools also set it apart, as they’re more in line with offerings from Interactive Brokers. Webull offers Nasdaq Total View and Level 2 market data for a trial period, and more than 60 indicators, 20 drawing tools and customizable charts for its app and desktop platforms.
Competitive margin rates: Webull’s premium members pay interest rates below 6% for margin trading — lower than some competitors offer.
IRA matches: Premium subscribers can score a 3.5% IRA match on any contributions, which is paid out to your taxable account over five years.
No contract fees on options: Unlike most competitors, Webull doesn’t charge commissions or contract fees on options trades, helping high-volume traders save money.
No mutual funds: Webull doesn’t offer mutual funds.
Subscription required for best rates: To access the best margin rates and cash-management rates, you’ll need a premium subscription, which runs $3.99 per month or $40 per year.
Best Brokerage Accounts Compared
To help you find the best online brokerage for your investing needs, we’ve compared the top-rated platforms based on fees, account minimums and overall user experience. Each brokerage below earned high marks from our research team, with all offering commission-free trading and $0 minimums for self-directed accounts.
| Company | MarketWatch Guides Star Rating | Best For | Fees | Minimum Investment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity | 4.9 out of 5 stars | Our Top Pick | $0 per stock trade, 65 cents per options contract | $0 for self-directed accounts |
| Charles Schwab | 4.8 out of 5 stars | Most Investor-Friendly | $0 per stock trade, 65 cents per options contract | $0 for self-directed accounts |
| Ally Invest | 4.8 out of 5 stars | Best Banking and Investing Combo | $0 per stock trade, 50 cents per options contract | $0 for self-directed accounts |
| Interactive Brokers | 4.7 out of 5 stars | Best for Advanced Traders | $0 per stock trade, 15 to 65 cents per options contract | $0 for self-directed accounts |
| Webull | 4.7 out of 5 stars | Best for 24-Hour Trading Access | $0 for U.S. stocks and eligible ETFs | $0 for self-directed accounts |
How To Choose the Best Brokerage Account
Brokerage accounts let you access a range of investing assets. When choosing the best brokerage account for you, consider factors such as:
Financial Goals
When deciding on a brokerage, first figure out what your financial goals are and which features matter to you the most. For example, if you’re interested in tracking S&P 500 performance for index investing, you’ll want a brokerage with robust index fund options and market tracking tools.
“It’s better to first identify a financial plan and objective of the new account,” Marta Norton, chief investment strategist at Empower Investments, told MarketWatch Guides. “Is this to fund retirement? For college savings? For an emergency fund? Once that objective is identified, investors can then focus on picking the type of investment that is best suited to achieve that objective.”
Costs
Most brokerages offer commission-free trading, but the cheapest brokerages offer commission-free stock, ETFs and options trading, plus low margin rates and minimal account fees. If you’re a high-volume trader, look for brokerages with discounts for volume. Active traders following Amazon’s stock activity and other high-volume securities should pay special attention to margin rates and order execution quality.
Trustworthiness
All licensed broker-dealers in the U.S. must be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and any applicable state securities regulators. These financial regulatory authorities enforce securities laws and oversee conduct and licensing. Brokerages can be fined if they break securities rules. Research each brokerage to see whether it has been fined and how large any fines were.
Also check a firm’s history, especially any decisions that may have affected customer confidence. Read independent reviews and client testimonials to gauge the experiences of other investors. Finally, evaluate each brokerage’s transparency regarding fees, account protections, such as extra safeguards against unauthorized transactions, and how it handles customer service and communication.
Educational Offerings
Whether you’re a beginner to investing or researching a new topic, a brokerage’s educational resources can help level up your investing knowledge. In our investing survey, roughly one out of every two investors said their brokerage’s educational resources and research tools were top features. The best brokerages provide articles on a broad array of investing topics, as well as podcasts or webinars with experts, on-demand training and online classes on topics such as options or futures trading.
Market Research and Tools
For higher-frequency traders, tools such as stock reports, analyst ratings and market commentary are key. Look at a brokerage’s platform to see if it features customizable charts. Are there multiple screening tools for stocks, ETFs, options and futures? Check how many indicators are available. Look for resources such as third-party research, real-time data and Level 2 quotes. Top brokerages offer backtesting capabilities so you can test your strategies with historical data. These advanced tools are particularly valuable when researching Meta’s share price trends and other social media stocks.
Selection of Investments
If you’re a more passive investor, find a brokerage with mutual and index funds. If you’re a higher-volume trader, you may want your brokerage to offer margin trading, options, futures, forex trading and international access.
What Investors Want: Insights From Our 2025 Brokerage Survey
We surveyed 2,000 U.S. investors about their investing habits and brokerage use to understand what’s most important to customers when they’re choosing a brokerage. The responses below are stratified and weighted for gender and age.
Most Popular Brokerages
The three most popular brokerages in our investing survey were Fidelity (25%), Charles Schwab (18%) and Vanguard (10%). All three brokerages are large, well established and known for their customer service and resources.
Investing Experience
Investors in our survey reported having a lot of investing experience. Over 40% have been investing for 10 years or longer, while just 4% have been investing for less than a year. About one in five investors has been investing for three to five years.
How Much People Invest
Investment amounts varied widely. Almost one-third of those we surveyed invested between 6% and 10% of their aftertax income in taxable accounts. One-quarter invested between 1% and 5%, and just under 3% invested more than 40% of their income in taxable accounts.
Brokerage Features
Investors said what they liked most about their current brokerage was that it’s easy to use (75%). They also highlighted low fees (55%) and a wide array of investment options (41%). When we asked investors what frustrated them the most about their current brokerage, most people said hidden costs (17%) or high fees (16%).
More Investing Resources
Frequently Asked Questions About Brokerage Accounts
Yes, brokerage accounts are generally free to open, although some require a minimum opening investment. Accounts may have subscription fees, commissions, transaction fees and other costs associated with buying and selling investments.
The best brokerage account for newer investors to start with is usually an established broker such as Charles Schwab or Fidelity. Beginner-friendly brokerages such as these generally have easy-to-use apps and web platforms, along with plenty of customer support and educational tools to help get you up to speed.
Yes, brokerage accounts are usually taxable, so if you sell an investment that has gone up in value, you’ll owe taxes on gains. Typically, if you’ve held an investment for less than a year, you’ll pay ordinary income tax on the gain, while if you’ve held the investment for more than a year, you’ll pay capital gains tax, which usually ranges from 0% to 20% depending on your income and filing status.
Our Methodology
Our team researched 35 of the top brokerages in the United States, analyzing disclosures, websites and regulatory documents to collect over 3,000 data points. To determine the best brokerages, we ranked institutions in five categories: trustworthiness, investment offerings, customer support and tools, pricing and platform experience.
We looked at brokerages’ risk factors, investment and fee disclosures, state registration information and websites to understand their investment terms and options. We considered each company’s trading platform and educational tools to help investors understand usability and features. We also looked at each company’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission registration status, Better Business Bureau rating, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority membership and data security measures, among many other data points.
To learn more, read our full investing methodology.
This category measures regulatory status, BBB ratings and data security.
We scored firms based on their account types and asset options, including support for self-directed, managed and fractional-share portfolios.
We rated the quality and availability of customer service, educational support and tools, customization options, and personal advisers and robo-advisers.
We evaluated each brokerage’s affordability by analyzing trading fees, fund expenses and minimum investment requirements.
We evaluated a brokerage’s web and mobile platforms for ease of use, considering customer reviews and app store ratings.
Acorns, Ally Invest, Betterment, Charles Schwab, Citi, E-Trade, eToro, Fidelity, Firstrade, Forex.com, Fundrise, Goldman Sachs Wealth Management, Interactive Brokers, JPMorgan Chase, Merrill Edge Guided Investing, Moomoo, Morgan Stanley, Ninjatrader, Principal, Public, Raymond James, Robinhood, SoFi, T. Rowe Price, tastytrade, Titan, TradeStation, TradeZero, Uphold, Vanguard, Wealthfront, Webull, Wells Fargo, Yieldstreet, Zack’s Trade
*Data accurate at time of publication
*This review is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any financial product or service. While we strive to keep our content accurate and up to date, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of all information, including interest rates, fees and offers, which may change without notice. Please consult each provider’s website for the most current details.
