Best brokers for online stock trading in 2025

Best brokers for trading stocks online: Top picks for 2025

It's hard to make a bad choice when it comes to picking an online broker. The key features you want in a digital trading platform — commission-free stock trading, low account minimums, access to market research and portfolio management tools — come standard across the industry.

That doesn't necessarily mean you should throw a dart to decide which one to use. For some investors, it's the subtle differences between services that make a particular online broker feel like it was custom-built to help them achieve their financial goals.

Charles Schwab has a long pedigree of helping individual investors, and that tradition remains firmly intact. Schwab really does everything well, from strong trading platforms and a broad array of tradable securities and services to responsive customer support at any time.

Who are they best for?

From novice investors to seasoned pros, Schwab is an overall good choice for those who want to go at it themselves and have professionals on call just in case.

Why we like them

• Great trading tools
• Excellent customer support
• Wide range of research and educational materials, all with no commission

Pricing

Schwab meets the industry standard on stock and ETF commissions — zero. Options trades, though, still ring up a 65-cent-per-contract fee.

Whether you’re looking for a great trading platform, low commissions or helpful customer support, Fidelity will do right by you. This broker does it all well, and it’s one of the easiest to use, especially if you’re just starting out, but works well for advanced investors, too.

Who are they best for?

Investors just starting out can benefit well from Fidelity’s wide range of easily digestible educational tools.

Why we like them

• Fidelity has a strong reputation for offering some of the best research and tools for investors planning for retirement. The information available on its platform — which includes sophisticated screening tools — makes the account a good option for investors who want to dig in.
• Fidelity is a financial powerhouse where customers can organize their finances, offering not just stock trading but virtually any kind of financial service.
• Fidelity also has zero fees on many other services that other brokers routinely charge for.

Pricing

Along with most of the industry, Fidelity charges no commissions on stock and ETF trades, a boon to all traders, but especially long-term buy-and-hold investors.

Robinhood won over millions of devoted followers with its commission-free trading and user-friendly mobile app. It has continued to raise the bar further with no-commission trading on options and cryptocurrency, although customers do pay a built-in markup on the latter.

Who are they best for?

Robinhood is a great platform for investors who want to start trading stocks and ETFs quickly without too much hassle and aren't looking for in-depth research.

Why we like them

• You’ll get no-fee trading on stocks and ETFs as well as options and cryptocurrencies.
• It also has a debit card that allows you to invest as you spend and gives you access to thousands of fee-free ATMs.
• You can join their premium tier, Robinhood Gold, for $5 a month and gain access to research and discounted margin trading and other perks.

One downside: Robinhood offers only individual taxable accounts and traditional and Roth IRAs. Also note that the broker does not offer mutual funds.

Pricing

Not only does the fintech company offer zero-fee stock, ETF and options trading, it is aggressively striving to disrupt the industry and become a platform that offers all kinds of financial products and services, including automated portfolio management (Robinhood Strategies) and a rewards credit card.

E-Trade provides a solid option, regardless of what type of investor you are — passive or active, novice or expert. And it has a great educational section, offering not only a library of educational tools, but a merry-go-round of webinars, news clips and educational videos aimed at investors of all levels.

Who are they best for?

Great for all levels of investor, especially if you’re looking for research and education. E-Trade’s discounts on volume options trading are a huge benefit if you trade often.

Why we like them

• E-Trade analysts provide up-to-date analysis and commentary that can help you craft your trading strategy.
• Access to 24/7 phone support and an online chat option.
• Active traders may appreciate the broker’s flagship trading platform, Power E-Trade, which offers tons of tools and comes in a mobile version, too.

Pricing

Like other major brokers, E-Trade charges zero commissions for stock and ETF trades and 65 cents per options contract. Traders can receive a discounted commission of 50 cents per contract if they make 30 or more trades each quarter.

Interactive Brokers has long been known as a brokerage for professionals and active investors, with a powerful trading platform, access to worldwide markets and good trade execution. It has also expanded its offerings to become more attractive for average investors.

Who are they best for?

Investors who might already know a thing or two and want to further their investment game will be spoiled by the Trader Workstation platform. The broker’s basic trade interface — IBKR Lite — is aimed at more casual traders.

Why we like them

• It’s taken strides in recent years to become more attractive to newer investors, in particular with a “lite” version of its service that has no-fee trading.
• Improved customer support and research make this broker a better fit for newer investors than before.
• A redesigned customer support page is easier to navigate while still providing high levels of functionality.

Pricing

Interactive Brokers’ Lite service charges no commissions for stocks and ETFs, while its Pro service charges 0.005 cents per trade, though tiered pricing is available as well. Options cost 65 cents per contract, and volume-based pricing is available here too for truly active traders.

Merrill Edge is a full-service broker that offers high-quality tools for traders while still catering to investors looking to get started. That’s especially evident when you consider that the broker has more than 2,000 locations inside parent Bank of America’s branches, making human advisors easily accessible, a particularly valuable feature for newer investors needing a guiding hand.

Who are they best for?

Investors of all levels can benefit from Merrill’s wide range of resources and on-hand customer service support. Merrill can be especially beneficial for clients of Bank of America who are eligible for additional perks (like enhanced credit card rewards, savings account rate bumps and loan discounts) based on combined account balances with Merrill and BofA.

Why we like them

• If you become a preferred client of the broker, you’ll receive access to detailed research reports on individual stocks, but you can receive research from Morningstar and Lipper, too.
• Merrill also does well with educational materials, helping you plan your financial future.
• Customer support is available 24 hours a day throughout the week, so someone is always on hand to help you out.

Pricing

Merrill Edge charges no fees for stock and ETF trades, while options trades come in at 65 cents per contract, right in line with most of the industry.

Ally Invest has a lot that investors will like, such as its commission-free stock and ETF trades, 24/7 customer service and trading platform, which more active traders will appreciate. The standout here, however, is Ally's lower-than-average contract fee on options. You’ll also get access to news and independent research on stocks you’re following as well as a mobile app that helps you stay connected on the go.

Who are they best for?

Many investors will benefit from Ally’s offering, but existing customers of Ally’s online bank will appreciate having their finances in one place.

Why we like them

• No fees on stock or ETF trades and its 50-cent per-contract fee for options is among the best in the industry.
• The trading platform includes more than 100 chart studies and drawing tools to help active traders identify their next move.
• Customer service is available 24/7 on the phone, so you shouldn’t have any issues getting help when you need it.

Pricing

Ally charges no fees for stock and ETF trades, while options trades cost 50 cents per contract, less than most of the industry.

Tastytrade caters to active traders looking to slash costs. Its pricing structure favors high-volume clients with capped commission on options and cryptocurrencies, helping them trim trading fees while still providing high-quality service.

Who are they best for?

Tastytrade will likely fit best for active stock traders, but it’s also going to do well for those working with options and cryptocurrency.

Why we like them

• Stock and ETF trades are commission-free, while options commissions are capped at $10 per leg, so you can put up high volume and still pay a flat fee.
• Tastytrade’s trading platform is geared to traders looking to move in and out of the market.
• A “follow” feed lets you see what some of the broker’s traders are trading, so you can even mimic their trades.

Pricing

Tastytrade charges no commissions for stock and ETF trades, while options trades are $1 per contract with a $10 maximum per leg per order.

The best online stock trading brokers offer investor-friendly features and fees traders can easily justify. To come up with the list of firms consumers should consider this year, we considered the following factors:

• Price: When it comes to trading fees, you’re in luck — the majority of online brokers charge no commissions to trade stocks and ETFs. For this list, we also considered fees and trading costs on options and cryptocurrency to see how they stack up.
• Broker resources: You’ll also want to consider factors such as research tools, the quality of the digital trading app, and the ability to place trades quickly and reliably, among other details.
• Strategy: The account you really want will ultimately come down to your personal investment strategy — including how frequently you plan to trade and whether you’re a beginner or are more experienced. We considered how each investing platform tailored its offerings to a different type of consumer.

How to start trading stocks quickly and easily

Online stock trading may sound complicated, but it’s fairly easy once you’re set up with an account. Here are a few tips on how to get started quickly:

• Do your research. Researching potential investments ahead of time will allow you to hit the ground running once your account is funded.
• Gather personal information. In order to open an account, you’ll need to provide some basic personal information about yourself and any other people listed on the account. Make sure to have information like your Social Security number handy.
• Link your bank account. By linking your bank account to your online broker, you’ll be able to deposit funds faster than if you mail a physical check and cheaper than doing a wire transfer. Funding through an electronic transfer should allow you to start trading within a few days of opening your account.Can you buy stocks online without a broker?

Can you buy stocks online without a broker?

Most people will want to use an online broker to buy and sell stocks. It is true that some companies offer direct purchase programs that allow you to buy stock directly from the company, but these can be onerous to navigate and aren’t necessary when you can buy stocks through most online brokers commission-free.

Frequently asked questions

Note: Bankrate’s Brian Baker also contributed to this story.