Best Online Stock Brokers 2022
If you want to actively trade stocks and other securities, having a stockbroker is a must, and thankfully- there are a plethora of online stock brokers for you to choose from. Whether you're a high-volume day trader or make only a few trades each year, here are our picks for the best investing tools.
In this Guide:
Best Investment Apps for Active Investing
- E*TRADE — Best Overall, with Great Customer Service
- TD Ameritrade — Best Tools for Active Traders
- Ally Invest — Best For Beginners
- Robinhood — Best for Self-Directed Investors
- Merrill Edge — Best User Experience
- ZacksTrade — Best for Trading On The Go
- Charles Schwab — Best for Quick Trade Execution
1. E*TRADE — Best Overall, with Great Customer Service
Our Score: 9.5
- Minimum investment: None
- Commissions on stock trades: $0
- Customer service: Phone, email, and live chat 24/7
- Current promotions: None
- It's a full-service brokerage offering investments in stocks, bonds, and other fixed-income assets, as well as a selection of more than 8,000 mutual funds, ETFs, target-date funds, options, and futures. You can choose to open a regular, taxable brokerage account or an IRA, Individual 401(k), or Profit Sharing Plan.
- If you want financial advice, E*TRADE offers a robo-advisor service, E*TRADE Core Portfolios. This service uses computer algorithms to custom-design and manages a portfolio just for you so you can “set it and forget it.”
- E*TRADE's mobile investment app is second to none. Available for both Android and Apple systems, it provides investors with nearly all the functionality of the E*TRADE website. Our reviewer felt he could use it instead of the traditional website. It's perfect for active traders on the go.
- Comprehensive trading platform
- User-friendly interface
- Accommodates investors of different levels
- Oriented toward active traders for options
2. TD Ameritrade — Best Broker for Experienced Traders
Our Score: 9
- Minimum investment: $0
- Commissions on stock trades: $0
- Customer service: Phone, live chat, text, and email 24/7
- Current promotions: None
TD Ameritrade is one of the biggest and most popular online discount stock brokers in the U.S. It offers a wide range of investment and account options, as well as several resources and tools, including tax-loss harvesting.
- Within the brokerage, there are four trading platforms to use. These include the award-winning Thinkorswim platform, which is ideal for experienced and active traders. It's a bit like having a Bloomberg Terminal but for a much lower price.
- But that's not to say TD Ameritrade isn't a good fit for more casual investors as well. We've found the broker's web trading platform to be easy to use. And you can even practice placing trades with virtual or “paper” trading on TD Ameritrade's site before you commit a single penny.
- This broker's mobile investment app is excellent, too. TD Ameritrade Mobile is available for both Android and Apple systems (and Apple Watch) and can help you keep tabs on your account no matter where you are. However, it lacks some of the functionality that active traders like on the website. For more advanced traders, there's TD Ameritrade Mobile Trader, which is the mobile companion to Thinkorswim.
- Besides, TD Ameritrade also has an affiliated bank, TD Bank. This means you can have a one-stop shop for your financial needs.
Overall, this broker might be a bit complicated for new investors. But if you have some experience, you'll find it's hard to beat.
- Access to more than 300 commission-free ETFs
- Easy-to-use interface
- Research and educational resources
- Broker-assisted trades are pricey
3. Ally Invest — Best One-Stop-Shop Investment App
Our Score: 9.5
- Minimum investment: $0
- Commissions on stock trades: $0
- Customer service: Phone, email, and chat seven days a week from 7 am-10 pm (Eastern Time).
- Current promotions: Up to $3,000 in bonus cash.
- But that's not to say Ally Invest lacks the features and functionalities you'll find with the other brokerage services. Although Ally's platform isn't quite as robust as TD Ameritrade's Thinkorswim, it does provide traders with all of the tools they need. In large part, that's because Ally Invest was created when parent company Ally Financial purchased TradeKing. The company took all of TradeKing's functions and has added on to them, too.
- Speaking of Ally Financial, the broker also benefits from its relationship with its “sibling,” Ally Bank. Ally Bank is an award-winning, fee-free online bank that pays outstanding interest rates. You can easily connect an Ally Invest account with an Ally Bank account to create a one-stop shop for all your financial needs.
- Ally Invest also offers a Cash-Enhanced Robo Portfolio that is essentially a robo advisor but charges no advisory fees. This portfolio maintains a cash buffer to protect your portfolio in case of a market downturn.
When Ally was TradeKing, it was ranked #1 by SmartMoney for customer service. I have found it to be among the most helpful customer service experiences I have had with a discount broker. Ally Invest also offers a comprehensive education center with helpful webinars and information on all the investments it provides.
Overall, there's plenty about Ally Invest to like, no matter if you're a beginning investor or an experienced trader.
- Commission-free trading
- Banking services
- Customer service
- Fund transfers can be slow
- No local branches
4. Robinhood — Best for Self-Directed Investors
Our Score: 8.5
- Minimum investment: $0
- Commissions on stock trades: $0 per trade
- Customer service: Email only
- Current promotions: None
Robinhood is another free trading platform. Customer service is very limited, making it a platform primarily for self-directed investors who don't need to rely on broker advice or information. One of the unique features of Robinhood is that you can also trade cryptocurrencies, in addition to stocks and other investments. However, be aware it doesn't offer mutual funds or a managed investment option. And if you're looking to invest through an IRA, that option isn't available either.
5. Merrill Edge — Great User Experience
Our Score: 8
- Minimum investment: $0
- Commissions on stock trades: $0
- Customer service: Phone 24/7, plus live chat and email with more limited hours.
- Current promotions: Get up to $600 when you open a new account.
Merrill Edge is a great broker for those who already have an account at Bank of America or want to have all of their financial and investment accounts in one place. You also get free access to BofA Global Research, which is a great resource for researching individual stocks.
- There are several account options available, including Roth and traditional IRA accounts, custodial accounts, joint, and taxable accounts. You can choose to invest in their web-based platform or their mobile app.
- If you want a more hands-off approach to investing, you can try Merrill Edge’s managed portfolios. These are available with a minimum deposit of $5,000 and cost 0.45% annually. While that isn’t the cheapest option out there for a robo advice service, it’s not outrageously priced either.
- And if you want a human advisor, you have the option of trying out Merrill Edge Select Portfolios. You get the technology of having a managed portfolio with the added benefit of getting the advice of a human advisor. This account requires a $20,000 minimum investment and charges 0.85% a year. You can get a discount on the select and managed portfolios if you have Preferred Rewards.
- No fees or minimums for self-directed accounts.
- Extensive research and education resources
- Discounts available for loyal Bank of America customers
Cons
- Fees for managed portfolios are higher than some competitors
- No support for futures or forex trades
6. ZacksTrade — Best for Trading On The Go
Our Score: 8.5
- Minimum investment: $2,500
- Commissions on stock trades: $0.01 per share, with a minimum of $3 total per trade
- Customer service: Phone, email, and live chat during regular business hours.
- Current promotions: Get trades as low as $1.
You might have heard of Zacks Trade research, but they also have a great trading app. Called the Handy Trader, you can manage orders, monitor your portfolio and account balance, and more. You can also trade stocks, options, and other securities.
ZacksTrade has some of the lowest trading fees in the field, although we definitely recommend them for more experienced users. They have an a la carte service so you only pay for the services that you need.
- No-Cost broker-assisted trades
- Choice of platforms – four different trading platforms are offered
- Zacks Trade, as a global company, is available to investors in more than 200 countries.
- No round-the-clock help
7. Charles Schwab — Best for Quick Trade Execution
Our Score: 9
For nearly 50 years, the name Charles Schwab has been synonymous with investing. But that doesn't mean it's a dinosaur. Schwab has kept up with the times quite well. That includes its recent decision to nix investment minimums.
- Schwab is famous for its white glove-level customer service. That extends into its more than 300 brick-and-mortar offices across the United States. In-person help is likely just around the corner.
- For the DIY crowd, Schwab offers just about everything you can think of to trade. Stocks, options, no-fee ETFs, and mutual funds… the list goes on (however, forex is noticeably missing). For those who want to “set it and forget it,” Schwab has its own robo-advisor service, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, which provides fully automated investment portfolios.
- Schwab also offers a mobile app for both Android and iPhone systems. With the app, you can view your holdings and trade stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and options. But beyond that, it's more limited than the E*TRADE or TD Ameritrade apps. However, it could be helpful if you're also using Schwab's banking services since you can have a bird' s-eye view of all your financial accounts from one app.
- Sterling customer service
- No-fee portfolio management via Intelligent Portfolios
- No investment minimum
- Commissions on funds not on the no-load list
- No forex trades
- Not the best margin rates
Best Software for Passive Investing
- Personal Capital — Best for Investing & Personal Finance Tracking
- Betterment — Best Investment App for Beginners
- Digit — Best to Start Building Wealth
- Acorns — Best Microsavings Service
1. Personal Capital — Best Personal Finance Software for Investing & Tracking
Our Score: 9.5
If you are looking for a free web-based investment app that focuses then Personal Capital is the best option. Not only does this app allows you to track expenses, but it also helps review your investing plan.
- Personal Capital gives you a holistic view of your finances, showing you the “big picture” of your financial life.
- With excellent customer service, robust security, and reporting capabilities that its competitors just can't beat, Personal Capital is an excellent tool in your financial arsenal.
- Personal Capital's premium service offers financial advisors to guide you with your investment planning needs. It also tracks your investments for better insights.
- Powerful Investment Checkup tools
- Great drill-down tools into asset allocation and performance of your portfolio
- Easy to Use, with brain-dead simple Account setup.
Cons:
- Asset Allocation Is Not Customizable
2. Betterment — Best Investing App for Beginners
Our Score:
If you are concerned about high fees, proper asset allocation, and whether a financial advisor has your best interest at heart, Betterment is the best solution to make investing easy.
- This service is excellent for investors who want investment guidance in an automated fashion, and at a much lower annual fee than traditional financial advisors.
- Betterment focuses on your investing goals and hides the technical details on how to invest. This kind of focus is perfect for beginners who don't want to mess around with stock picking and instead want to invest for retirement.
- Betterment teaches the ropes to invest and proper asset allocation, offering simple and understandable asset allocation.
- Perfect for Young Investors
- Betterment lets you align your investments to your specific financial goals.
Cons:
- Not for DIYers
- Cannot Asset-Allocate With External Accounts
3. Digit — Best to Start Building Wealth
- Minimum investment: $0
- Cost: $5 a month
- Customer service: Email
- Current promotions: Try for free for 30 days.
If you want to start investing without even thinking about it, then consider Digit. It's both a savings and investing app and you can choose to either save your spare change or use that change to invest in an IRA.
- Like other robo advisors, you'll pick a portfolio based on your risk. You don't choose individual stocks. Instead, your funds are invested in exchange-traded funds.
- You can save for specific goals, like buying a house or going on vacation.
- You can set up an IRA and Digit takes care of the rest. Just link up your debit card and Digit will analyze your spending habits and automatically move money into your savings or IRA account. They keep in mind IRA limits so you don't over-invest.
- Automatic investing
- Simplified goals
- Easy to use
Cons
- Not free – costs $5 a month
- Limited customer service options
4. Acorns — Best Microsavings Service
Our Score: 8.5
Typically, when you are just starting off saving, you don't have enough money. To get you on the path of not only saving but also investing, you need a service that makes it as painless as possible.
Acorns is that service. Once you link up your credit card, Acorns will round up each transaction to the nearest dollar and invest the difference. While not as ideal when compared to Betterment, Acorns is targeting primarily Millennials just starting with little money to save.- A painless way to save
- You can start investing with no money
- It's only for “Boosting” your savings
Best Services for ETFs and Mutual Funds
- Fidelity — Best as One-stop-shop Banking & Investing service
- Vanguard — Best for Mutual Funds & Financial Planning
- Public.com — Best Commission-Free Stock & ETF Trading App
1. Fidelity Investments — Best as One-stop-shop Banking & Investing service
Our Score: 9
With a history stretching back more than 70 years, Fidelity has had time to become one of the world's biggest stock brokers. In addition to its online service, which began practically at the dawn of the internet, Fidelity operates nearly 150 investment centers throughout the U.S.
- Fidelity's portfolio of mutual funds is legendary. You can use them for exposure to everything from U.S. large-cap stocks to real estate. And many of them are commission-free, to boot.
- We also really like Fidelity's mobile investment app. If you're logged in, you can see real-time market quotes, along with up-to-the-minute news stories about events that could affect your investments and the markets as a whole. You can also use the app to trade stocks, options, ETFs, and mutual funds, as well as monitor your positions.
- Like many of the other major stock brokers, Fidelity has rolled out a robo advisor, Fidelity Go. Fees for this service are competitive, at only 0.35-0.45% per year.
- No minimums for personal trading accounts
- Huge selection of commission-free ETFs
- Lots of investment options
- Platform missing some functionality for active traders
- High margin rates
- Expensive broker-assisted trades
2. Vanguard — Best for Mutual Funds & Financial Planning
Our Score: 9
Vanguard has long been the go-to for indexed-based mutual fund investing. The company's founder, the late Jack Bogle, understood that over 80% of all actively managed funds don't beat the market's indices. His mantra: If you can't beat the market, you should become the market.
- Vanguard is the largest no-load mutual fund company in the world. But that doesn't mean it's limited to just low-cost index funds. Instead, Vanguard also offers a vast selection of actively managed mutual funds and ETFs that are still low-cost.
- You can use Vanguard to invest in taxable accounts, as well as both traditional and Roth IRAs. You can also invest in both fixed-income and variable annuities that are among the lowest priced in the industry.
- Vanguard offers a decent, reliable app for trading with your fingertips. However, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles that you'll find with more app-centric brokerages like Robinhood. However, it does the job well for both Android and Apple mobile systems.
- There's no minimum deposit required to start investing with Vanguard, and there are no commissions charged on most stock, options, and ETF trades.
- Great selection of free funds
- Handy screener tools
- Good customer service
- High minimum for mutual funds ($3,000)
- Website feels outdated
3. Public.com — Best Commission-Free Stock & ETF Trading App
Our Score: 7
Minimum investment: $0
- Commissions on stock trades: $0
- Customer service: Phone and live chat during regular business hours, plus email.
- Current promotions: None
Public.com is a stock and ETF trading app available on iOS and Android. It offers commission-free trades and there is no required minimum to open an account.
- The platform takes its name from its social element. The investing profile of users is public, so you can check out what others are investing in (although not how much they invested). This gives you the chance to see what companies are popular among investors and discover new companies or funds.
- We also love that you can buy fractional shares of stock. Buying a full share of stock in a popular company like Facebook or Coca-cola is expensive. With fractional shares, you buy a small portion of the full share, which makes it more accessible. This is a great resource if you want to diversify your funds or don’t have a lot of money to invest but want to get started with active trading.
- If you’re unsure of what to invest in, you can also check out Public.com’s themes. These are lists of stocks that are separated by category. For example, “Stay at Home” features companies that are likely to benefit from social distancing.
- The downside is that Public.com doesn’t support mutual funds, bonds, or other investments. But if you’re looking for an easy-to-use app that lets you buy and sell a stock, then Public.com is worth considering.
- Public.com also has a sharing feature, so you can see what others are investing in, without seeing the exact dollar amounts. It's a great way to explore trends and discover new companies that you may not have been aware of before.
- Free to invest
- Fractional shares supported
- No account minimums
- No web account management
- Limited available investments
- Limited account types
Best for Investement Research & Tips
Morningstar — Best Investment Research
Our Score: 8
For those looking to research mutual funds, ETFs, or investing in stocks, Morningstar is a great resource! The website does not offer technical charts advising when you should buy and sell but instead provides you with information about proper asset allocation, low fee investment vehicles, and investments that generate consistent returns.
Every Morningstar investment review includes an analysis to give you the pros and cons. The service has a super-useful X-ray tool that ensures you aren't over-allocated in a specific sector or stock and a Cost Analyzer to help you choose one mutual fund or ETF over another. Free membership is available, but we believe the premium membership is well worth the cost, as you will likely make it up quickly in investment returns. Its Portfolio X-ray tool is second to none for usefulness and has some of the best investment research available.
- You can Test drive their service free for 14-days with no obligation
- Designed to support a different investment style and preferences
- Could be pricey for some users.
How Did We Choose These Stock Brokers?
In selecting these investment tools, we had the requirement that they must:
- Help either increase your investment returns
- Help decrease your expenses
- Help improve your asset allocation
We've created the following as a shortcut for your investing needs, but this doesn't mean we didn't fully test out these services. With most of the brokerage accounts listed, we've done an in-depth review. So please also read the full review to find out why these services are on our recommendation list.
Not only do we share which ones are the best, but we explain why they're at the top in their industry and what makes them so helpful. Of course, this is all from our perspective and personal experiences. Here are the online stock brokers we see as the best ones.
How to Choose the Right Stock Broker
Choosing the right stock broker for you depends on your particular trading style and goals. So we've compiled these factors to help you choose:
- Cost Per Trade — Be sure to investigate all costs. Don't get tempted to the lowest commission per trade. Look at fund fees if you're investing in ETFs or mutual funds, as well as any hidden fees like for assisted trades.
- Minimum Initial Investment Required — Choose a broker with no required minimum, or one that requires only a few hundred dollars to start investing.
- Types of Retirement Accounts Available — Confirm what kind of accounts they offer before you sign up. Do they offer an IRA, a rollover IRA or just traditional taxable accounts?
- Proper Asset Allocation Guidance — Find a broker that offers asset allocation with a minimum additional charge. For example, if you choose a robo advisor, check to see how their portfolios are invested to see if they are diverse enough for your needs.
- Easy-to-use Website — Make sure the platform is easy to use and that all fees are clearly defined.
- Direct Investment Advice — Be sure to choose a service that provides a full investment advisory service.
- Access to Investment Research — Find a discount broker that offers research papers for free.
Get the full, in-depth, criteria list here.
Is Stock Trading Safe?
Generally speaking, it's safe to trade stocks online. But that doesn't mean you'll never be affected by threats. Online brokers are doing all they can to minimize those threats. But as a responsible online trader, you also have to do your part to implement your security measures.
Despite the potential security threats, the benefits of online trading certainly outweigh those threats. Online trading enables you to participate in true self-directed investing, the kind where you not only choose your investments but also execute the trades. And there's no question online trading enables you to avoid the complicated paper trail that was required back in the days before online trading was a thing.
Review your broker's security measures, implement your own, and use common sense when trading, and you should come out unscathed.
What Are the Risks of Online Stock Trading?
Unfortunately, there are several risks involved when you trade stocks online, just as is the case anytime you engage in any internet-related activity. Some of the more common ones include:
- Identity theft. What's not always fully appreciated is the degree to which identity theft is an inside job. It makes perfect sense. People inside an organization have access to your information. When you trade stocks online, the potential is real for an insider to compromise one of your most valuable asset accounts.
- Computer viruses and malware. Often the main purpose of viruses and malware is to install spyware on your computer. Thieves can use this to gain access to your passcodes and other information. One way they do this is by installing spyware that enables them to engage in keylogging. This allows thieves to track your keystrokes, giving them access to valuable information.
- Data breaches. There were 1,579 data breaches in 2017. This represents an increase of 44% over 2016. You're probably familiar with the Equifax data breach, but that's just one example. The problem is major financial institutions are a treasure trove of valuable information. That makes them a gold mine for cyber hackers.
- Phishing schemes. Thieves have become adept at duplicating official-looking documentation from different financial institutions. In fact, they can copy a webpage or email with exact precision. You can receive a convincing-looking email from what looks like your online broker. But it's really just a copy, directing you to log into your account by clicking a link. But the link doesn't go to your online broker. It goes to a duplicate webpage that's designed to collect your passcodes. Your real account then becomes immediately vulnerable.
How Brokers Protect You in the Trading Process
Virtually all brokerage firms maintain strong security procedures to protect you while you're accessing your account. As well, companies and security experts regularly monitor the online environment for new threats. Most threats, old and new, will be stopped by your broker's security measures.
Common broker security measures include:
- Secure sockets layer (SSL) encryption. This typically includes the use of a 128-bit key to encrypt and decrypt data files. In fact, 128-bit encryption is generally considered unbreakable. It would require a massive computation that could take thousands of years to break.
- Secure servers. Encrypted data is stored behind secure and monitored firewalls, in fully secured facilities.
- Two-step authentication. This feature is an additional login step, over and above your passcodes. It would be best if you took advantage of this step — see below.
- Automatic logout. Your account is set up to automatically log out of your secure session following a period of inactivity. For example, after 10 minutes of inactivity, the platform may ask you if you wish to continue. If you don't respond, it automatically logs you out of your account.
- System monitoring. The financial institution regularly monitors its entire system for potential security breaches and other threats such as malware, fraudulent apps, and phishing schemes.
What You Can Do to Protect Yourself
Even with the best broker-implemented security measures in place, your account can never be completely safe without your cooperation. It would be best if you took the necessary precautions to protect yourself:
- Install good anti-virus and anti-spyware programs on your computer. This will be your best protection against viruses, malware, spyware, and other online threats. It's also important to make sure your security programs are regularly updated.
- Use strong passcodes. Most people create passcodes that are user-friendly. There's a strong preference for passcodes that are easily remembered. Even worse, many users employ the same passcodes across several financial websites. Rather than using easy-to-remember passcodes, create the type that makes no sense at all.
- None of the words or numbers in an effective passcode should be easily connected to you personally. That means don't use family names, street addresses, or common numbers, such as your phone number or your date of birth. Use a mix of both uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. It will be less convenient for you, which is exactly why it will be much harder for hackers.
- Participate in two-factor authentication. This adds another layer beyond your passcodes. Many financial institutions make two-factor authentication available to you. It would be best if you always took advantage of it. It requires you to enter a verification code after entering your passcodes. Your trading app will send you the code by either email or text, and you then type that code to gain access to your online account.
- Guard your account information. Be aware of who's around when you're logging into your account. Never leave your computer unattended when you're logged in. Log out of your account immediately after you're finished. And never leave account documentation where anyone else might find it.
Further Reading: Best Stock Trading Apps and Platforms for Day Trading for 2022
Bottom Line- Make In-depth Research Before Choosing Investment App
If you're just starting out investing via an online stock broker, make sure you consider your timeline, goals, and types of accounts you're interested in opening.
- If investing is still far along on your timeline, you're in a particularly good spot. After all, the earlier you start investing, the more you'll benefit from the magic of compound interest. Over time, your return can compound and grow your assets even larger. So if you haven't begun yet, now is a great time to get started!
- As for your goals, although returns can never be guaranteed, if history is any guide, investing in stocks can help you beat inflation. If inflation continues to increase between 1% and 3% each year, the average annual return of the S&P 500 — 8.5% — means the market is probably a good bet.
- Investing is also essential when it comes to retirement accounts. If you're not going to need your retirement funds for a few decades, investing in the stock market via an IRA or 401(k) is perhaps the best option for significant growth.
So keep these things in mind as you choose the online stock broker that's right for you.
