Investing (US)
15 best online brokerage accounts of 2021
Are you thinking of starting to invest or already an investor? We have come up with a list of the best online brokerage accounts!
Learn the best online brokerage accounts of 2021
Those who want to improve their financial life usually seek to learn how to start investing. But whether you already are an investor or want to start investing, opening a brokerage account will be one of the steps you will go through. This is why we have made a list of the best online brokerage accounts.
We have separated 15 of these online accounts. Some are recommended for professionals, some are best indicated for beginners. See below our comparisons and choose which fits you best.
The 8 different types of investment accounts
In addition to having a normal bank account, you can open one of the different types of investment accounts there are. Come and see.
15 best online brokerage accounts
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Best for beginners
TD Ameritrade
| Overview | The best trading platform recommended for beginners |
| Account minimum deposit | $0 |
| Stock trades | $0 |
| Options | $0.65 |
| Offers | N/A |
| Pros | The user interface of their mobile app is quite intuitive, On this app, you can trade various products, and Their app has powerful tools and a wealth of information |
| Cons | Limited mobile live chat support, You can only trade domestic markets, and Mobile trading of mutual funds is not possible |
E*TRADE
| Overview | The best online user platform |
| Account minimum deposit | $0 |
| Stock trades | $0 |
| Options | $0.65 |
| Offers | When opening and funding an account, you can get $600+ |
| Pros | A large number of investment options are available, Customer service is outstanding, Access to a wealth of information, and Trade stocks, options, and ETFs without paying a commission |
| Cons | For streaming data, a $1,000 minimum is required, and In comparison to competitors, the range of educational materials is limited |
Fidelity
| Overview | The best for investment research and education |
| Account minimum deposit | $0 |
| Stock trades | $0 |
| Options | $0.65 |
| Offers | N/A |
| Pros | Exceptional execution quality, and Overall, commissions and fees are low |
| Cons | Margin rates can be higher than those of competitors, Their mobile device has no custom screening, and Their banking services are outsourced |
Robinhood
| Overview | The easiest tool available |
| Account minimum deposit | $0 |
| Stock trades | $0 |
| Options | $0 |
| Offers | After linking your bank account, you can receive one stock for free |
| Pros | Their user interface is simple, and Trading in cryptocurrencies is available |
| Cons | Lack of tools, There are no retirement accounts, There are no mutual funds or bonds available, and Their customer service is limited |
Merrill Edge
| Overview | The best investment research tools |
| Account minimum deposit | $0 |
| Stock trades | $0 |
| Options | $0.65 |
| Offers | N/A |
| Pros | Various account options are available, Investment options are available, Access to national branches, and |
| Cons | It is possible to outperform the trading platform, and The margin rates are higher than those offered by other providers |
For long term investing
E*TRADE
| Overview | The best online user platform |
| Account minimum deposit | $0 |
| Stock trades | $0 |
| Options | $0.65 |
| Offers | When opening and funding an account, you can get $600+ |
| Pros | A large number of investment options are available, Customer service is outstanding, Access to a wealth of information, and Trade stocks, options, and ETFs without paying a commission |
| Cons | For streaming data, a $1,000 minimum is required, and In comparison to competitors, the range of educational materials is limited |
Interactive Brokers
| Overview | Highly recommended for more experienced investors |
| Account minimum deposit | $0 |
| Stock trades | $0 |
| Options | $0.65 |
| Offers | N/A |
| Pros | Access provision to international markets, and Their mobile app presents a lot of features |
| Cons | They have a TWS desktop platform, which is recommended for professional investors |
Tastyworks
| Overview | The best online account for options trading professionals |
| Account minimum deposit | $0 |
| Stock trades | $0 |
| Options | N/A |
| Offers | N/A |
| Pros | Active option traders can take advantage of low commissions, Strong educational resources are available, and Their technology and tools are cutting-edge |
| Cons | New options traders may face a high learning curve, Global markets and fractional shares are not available, and There is no paper trading available |
TradeStation
| Overview | The best trading technology |
| Account minimum deposit | $0 |
| Stock trades | $0 |
| Options | $0.50 |
| Offers | With a qualifying deposit, you can get up to $5,000 in cash |
| Pros | Trading platforms of the highest caliber, Advanced research tools are available, and A vibrant community of traders |
| Cons | TS Select is required for free trading on the advanced platform, There aren’t no-transaction-fee mutual funds, and Plans and pricing can be difficult to understand |
Zacks Trade
| Overview | Highly recommended for more experienced investors |
| Account minimum deposit | $2,500 |
| Stock trades | $0.01 |
| Options | N/A |
| Offers | N/A |
| Pros | There are a lot of research options, Trading platform with a lot of resources, and International exchanges are available |
| Cons | Commissions lag behind competitors. and The account minimum is quite high |
The safest online
TD Ameritrade
| Overview | The best trading platform recommended for beginners |
| Account minimum deposit | $0 |
| Stock trades | $0 |
| Options | $0.65 |
| Offers | N/A |
| Pros | The user interface of their mobile app is quite intuitive, On this app, you can trade various products, and Their app has powerful tools and a wealth of information |
| Cons | Limited mobile live chat support, You can only trade domestic markets, and Mobile trading of mutual funds is not possible |
Ally Invest
| Overview | Available for Ally clients who want to invest in stocks |
| Account minimum deposit | $0 |
| Stock trades | $0 |
| Options | $0.50 |
| Offers | N/A |
| Pros | Ally Bank provides excellent financial services, and Account management on a global scale |
| Cons | Trading tools fall behind the best-in-class banks and brokers, and Education and stock research are limited |
M1 Finance
| Overview | Ideal for buying or selling stocks and ETFs |
| Account minimum deposit | $100 or $500 for IRAs |
| Stock trades | N/A |
| Options | N/A |
| Offers | Get a $30 bonus when you deposit $1,000 |
| Pros | Over 80 professional portfolios are available to view, and For ordinary accounts, automated investing is offered at no additional cost |
| Cons | Stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are the only investment alternatives, There is no assistance from a human advisor, The trading window restricts your ability to control investment transactions, and Customer service hours are limited |
M1 Finance Investing app full review
Are you a trader looking for an app with automated investing and no trading fees? Read our full review of the M1 Finance Investing app!
Charles Schwab
| Overview | The best for customer service and IRA accounts |
| Account minimum deposit | $0 |
| Stock trades | $0 |
| Options | $0.65 |
| Offers | N/A |
| Pros | Customer service over the phone has a short wait time, Live chat is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and In-person support is offered at over 300 branch locations across the country |
| Cons | Alerts, streaming quotations, and options chains are all missing from the mobile app |
Charles Schwab Investing app full review
The Charles Schwab Investing app can be great to help you research your investments and trades. Keep reading our full review to know more!
Webull
| Overview | The easiest to use |
| Account minimum deposit | $0 |
| Stock trades | $0 |
| Options | $0 |
| Offers | N/A |
| Pros | Cryptocurrencies trading is available |
| Cons | Limited tools, In terms of trading tools, research, and teaching, it lags behind the best brokers, and There is no phone assistance available |
Liked our content? Continue reading our website!
Webull Investing app full review
If you are interested in stocks and trades, you might want to know more about the Webull Investing app! So, read our full review of this app!
About the author / Thais Daou
Reviewed by / Aline Barbosa
Senior Editor
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