Whether you’re a long-term investor or short-term trader, experienced or new to the stock market, here’s our list of the top seven online brokerages. Interactive Brokers remains the top choice for professional and institutional traders due to its advanced trading tools, global market access, and competitive pricing. Blain Reinkensmeyer has 20 years of trading experience with over 2,500 trades placed during that time. He heads research for all U.S.-based brokerages on StockBrokers.com and is respected by executives as the leading expert covering the online broker industry.

• Elsewhere in Europe, markets were also positive, with France’s benchmark Cac 40 index gaining 0.4%, and Germany’s Dax index also increasing by 0.4%.
• Also like Fidelity, Schwab has embraced the times and continued to improve its technology offerings and the user experience of its web and mobile platforms.
• Some brokers focus on stocks, while others offer forex, crypto, commodities, and ETFs.
• Britons worried about their pensions and investments can also rest a little easier as stock markets have rallied back somewhat.
• The tariffs «pause» announced on Wednesday has put paid to that – but markets were still pricing in an 85% chance of a cut in May yesterday afternoon, up from 70% before Trump shocked the world with his double-digit tariffs.
• In one recent report, eToro found Gen Z investors are twice as likely to discuss their portfolios with friends and family as baby boomers.

While IBKR’s tools—which support advanced charting and complex technical analysis—are best suited to experienced investors, several platforms are more beginner-friendly. IBKR offers a suite of educational resources, including courses, webinars, podcasts and a trading lab for investing newbies. These are comprehensive and user-friendly, offering advanced charting and custom trading tools. As a bonus, its in-app community lets you interact with other investors, participate in paper trading competitions and keep up with market trends.

Schwab is one of the few brokerages on our list with physical branches that offer in-person customer service. In our 13th annual survey, Investor’s Business Daily and polling partner TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence asked thousands of investors to rate their online broker. Nowadays, most online brokers have very similar fee structures, so that’s less of a consideration than it used to be. Also, for algorithmic traders, IBKR offers a suite of pre-built algorithms and a complete list of API languages.

Trading platforms tested

Importantly, all of these tools are available in its paper trading environment. A robust mobile trading experience ensures investors can trade on the go with ease. A good platform should provide advanced charting, market research, AI-based insights, and real-time quotes.

We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our editorial team. Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers. Owned by Bank of America, Merrill Edge is notable for its extensive market research and analysis. Plus, if you’re a Bank of America customer, you can bank and invest on the same platform and easily transfer funds.

Charles Schwab has over 36 million brokerage accounts as of late 2024. Britons worried about their pensions and investments can also rest a little easier as stock markets have rallied back somewhat. Check the lists to see how your online broker compares with others in the areas that matter to you. If it doesn’t stack up, consider whether another broker in the study would better meet your needs.

Best Online Brokers List For 2025: These 3 Brokerages Top The Rest

And to learn more, read our Best Online Brokers overview story for this year’s report. Merrill Edge, owned by Bank of America, topped the rankings for investment research, portfolio analysis and tools, and an attribute new to this year’s Best Online Brokers survey, risk management. I have personally used every single one of the brokerages on this list (and many others) and ranked them based on my experience.

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She uses her editing expertise to communicate complex topics in straightforward, reader-friendly ways. EToro and TradeStation are the only brokerages on our list that charge an inactivity fee. Some of the best brokers on our list—Charles Schwab, Fidelity and IBKR—don’t charge for withdrawals. TradeStation started as a software development company in the 1980s, which explains its focus on offering innovative trading tools.

After three grinding years of making ends meet, the food bank organiser – and her clients – say things aren’t improving. It’s three years since I last visited the food bank at the Marks Gate Community Hub in Romford, when the cost of living crisis was being described as the worst in a generation. We reported on analysis that showed places such as Coventry, Derby and Telford would feel it most given how many US-bound items are produced there. Welcome to Money, Sky News’ hub for personal finance and consumer news. Today we’re covering higher-than-expected growth for the UK economy, Rightmove anxiety in our Diary Of A Home Buyer/Seller series and the baby products new parents waste most money on. You can invest in over 5,000 U.S. stocks and ETFs and over 20 cryptocurrencies on Robinhood.

• The US president’s «liberation day» tariff announcements had a positive impact on UK mortgage rates, with the global economic chaos contributing to swap rates falling and a string of major lenders cutting their rates.
• With commission-free trading now the industry standard, competition between brokerage firms is no longer about pricing — it’s about tools and features.
• Despite talk of the cost of living crisis often being in the past tense, some tell her they feel things have only become worse – and their struggle has been forgotten about.
• Yes, you can transfer an existing brokerage account to a new broker, maintaining your holdings and not having to sell them.
• After having placed over 2,000 trades in his late teens and early 20s, he became one of the first in digital media to review online brokerages.
• Along with years of experience in media distribution at a global newsroom, Jeff has a versatile knowledge base encompassing the technology and financial markets.
• Today, Blain is widely respected as a leading expert on finance and investing, specifically the U.S. online brokerage industry.

Robinhood is a primary cause of why every brokerage firm on this list offers fee-free trading. With its broad investment offerings for trading, easy-to-use mobile and desktop applications, and low fees, Robinhood is excellent for new traders. Robinhood scores just 3/5 for ease of use due to limited customer support options as well as pay-walled research behind Robinhood Gold. Many investors choose to open accounts with different brokers to access unique tools, optimize fees, or separate investment strategies.

Are There Risks Associated With Online Trading?

Here are the best online stock brokers for 2025, based on over 3,000 data points. Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers.

Charles Schwab, another leading brokerage firm, excels for stock trading whether you’re a novice investor or advanced trader in need of a suite of tools to capture alpha. Like Fidelity, Schwab offers consistent access to tools across platforms, all of the investment options needed for stock trading and excellent 24/7 customer support. In this article, we will compare the best online brokers of 2025 based on key factors such as fees, user experience, customer support, trading tools, and regulatory compliance. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a clearer understanding of which platform suits your investment style.

Services

Whether you choose a long-time favorite like Charles Schwab or an innovative new brokerage like Robinhood, ensure you’re aware of competing features and fees so you can trade as effectively as possible. Fidelity is a leading brokerage for stock trading due to its balance of accessibility with powerful optionality. This account offers a range of tools for trading for each level of investor while providing user-friendliness across all platforms. Known as a discount brokerage, it offers low fees for trading as well as options and fractional share trading.

If you want to best online brokers 2025 open a regular brokerage account, any brokerage firm will do. If you want to get started as a long-term investor, you’ll want to choose a broker that caters to that audience. In addition to trading in U.S. markets, you can also invest in the Hong Kong and China-A-shares markets. Plus, Moomoo’s paper trading feature allows you to practice your strategies with virtual funds, right from the same place. If you’re an advanced trader who needs enhanced research capabilities and access to international trading, you may prefer Interactive Brokers over TradeStation.

Some brokers are exploring DeFi trading features, allowing users to interact with blockchain-based financial products. Based on extensive research, we have compiled the best online brokers of 2025 that stand out for their exceptional services and features. Along with years of experience in media distribution at a global newsroom, Jeff has a versatile knowledge base encompassing the technology and financial markets.

Laith Khalaf, head of investment analysis at AJ Bell, said there was a «high degree of uncertainty» about what happens to mortgage rates next. I have found TradeStation to have the best combination of power and user-friendliness of all trading-centric brokerages. You can also invest in corporate bonds and Treasury Bills — a rare feature for brokerages that aren’t 20+ years old — and earn 4.6% interest with a high-yield cash account. Lead writer Jessica Inskip has over 15 years of experience in the industry and is a sought-after guest and commentator at financial outlets such as CNBC, Fox Business, and Yahoo Finance. Blain Reinkensmeyer, co-founder of StockBrokers.com, has more than 20 years of experience trading a variety of instruments. Taking the time to compare features, test demo accounts, and research broker reputations will help you make the best decision.

IBKR also has some of the lowest margin rates you’ll find on the market. One theme in 2024 was the increased importance of mobile trading platforms and broker apps. Robinhood Markets showed its strength by topping all other brokers in that attribute. You can invest in thousands of different assets across global markets.