Brokers
From 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:beginners to advanced traders looking for options trading, international exposure, and alternative investments, there is a brokerage firm for every investor across all levels of experience, income, and risk tolerance. Learn how 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:the best brokers work and which ones are suited to help you reach your financial goals𝐆.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/bestbrokersTaxSCpageimage-5060321b22a84f7bb7987d491ff4fc0c.png)
Investopedia / Alice Morgan
Best Brokers for 2025
Investopedia’s experts put 27 companies through a rigorous evaluation process to identify the best online brok𓄧erages for you. We evaluated these platforms based on 92 weighted criteria, and used our subject matter expertise to develop a process for finding the best brokers, focusing on costs, range of offerings, trading technology, and more.
Winners
- Best Overall: Fidelity
- Best for Beginners:
- Best for Advanced Traders:
- Best for Options Trading:
- Best for International Trading:
- Best for Mobile Investing & Trading:
- Best for Cryptocurrency Trading:
- Also Good for Cryptocurrency Trading:
- Best for Risk Management:
- Best for Generating Stock Trading Ideas:
- Best for Algorithmic Trading:
- Best for Low Costs: Fidelity
- Best for ETFs: Fidelity
- Best for Cash Management: Fidelity
Guide to Brokers
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/PRM-BestBrokerAwards-BestOnlineBrokersandTradingPlatforms-1eb95e8ab19646f78d688a7df41a1f55.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/howtoopenonlinebrokerageaccount-3075fa1a9fa4447293ccee1838a226ec.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/broker.aspfinal-33e95da8ded44831a5703fdd6723f129.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/BestBrokerAwards-Fidelity-342336074f7b46dab124b00fd7dba725.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/PRM-BestBrokerAwards-Methodology2-4472d15f143c4c259a623971af8da200.png)
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Brokerage accounts are not FDIC-insured like deposit accounts at banks. Instead, the money you have in a brokerage account may be insured by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). The SIPC doesn't insure you against losses resulting from market activity or fraud. The SIPC will reimburse investors for up to $500,000, including $250,000 in cash, in the event of a firm's insolvency. The SIPC only covers member firms.
Learn More: Who Insures Your Investment in the Stock Market? -
Yes. Because minors are not eligible to open their own brokerage account, parents and guardians can open and manage a custodial account in a child's name. Funding options for custodial accounts include cash, stocks, and mutual fund transfers. The process of opening a custodial account involves providing personal and banking information and completing a series of forms online.
Learn More: How to Open a Brokerage Account for Your Child -
Find the best brokerage firm and account that satisfies your investing style and needs. Then evaluate how a brokerage can help you manage risk. Apply for and set up the account and then fund the account. Before investing your money in the brokerage account, consider educating yourself about how stocks and other investments work (remember, investing always comes with the risk 🐎of losing your principal deposit).
Learn More: How to Open an Online Brokerage Account -
Brokerage cash is a top-line cash total in your investing account. It's the cash amount before stripping out items like unsettled trades and collateral. Not all of your brokerage cash is immediately available for trading or withdrawing. That would be a bottom-line number which may be called buying power, cash available for withdrawal, or something similar. Cash in these accounts can be parked to collect interest, reinvested, or withdrawn for paying bills.
-
Brokerage accounts are taxable investment accounts through which you can buy and sell stocks and other securities. IRAs are designed for retirement savers and allow tax-free or tax-deferred growth on the investments you hold in the account. Unlike brokerage accounts, IRAs have strict contribution limits, and withdrawals may trigger a penalty. Brokerage accounts and IRAs are taxed differently, which can be a deciding factor when choosing an account.
Key Terms
- Brokerage Fee
A b꧃rokerage fee is a fee a broker charges to execute transactions or provide services for clients. Brokerage fees are based on a percentage of the transaction, as a ꧒flat fee, or as a hybrid of the two, and vary according to the industry and type of broker.
- Cross
A cross is when a broker receives a buy and sell order for the same stock at the same price, and subsequently makes a simultaneous trade between two s💮eparate customers at that price. Variations of this are the market opening and market closing 🍃crosses
- Best Execution Rule
Best execution is a legal mandate that requires brokers to seek the most favorable options to execute their clients' orders within the prevailing market environment. Best execution is a significant investor protection requirement that obligates a broker to exercise reasonable care when executing an order to obtain the most advantageous terms for the customer. It requires brokers to examine, track, and document when routing an equity investment, an option, or a bond order for execution.
- Payment for Order Flow
Payment for order flow (PFOF) is the compensation🥀 a broker receives for routing trades to𝓀 execute to a particular market maker.
- Buy Side
The buy side is a segment of financial markets made up of investing institutions that buy securities for money-management purposes. A business involved in buy-side activities will purchase stocks, bonds, and other financial products based on the needs and strategy of their company's or client's portfolio. Common buy-side institutions include hedge funds, pension funds, and mutual funds.
- Deep Discount Broker
A deep discount broker is an agent who mediates trades on exchanges between securities buyers and sellers at even lower commission rates than those offered by a traditional 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:discount broker.
- Sell Side
Theꦦ sell side is the part of the financial industry that is involved with the creation, promotion, and sale of stocks, bonds, foreign exchange, and other financial instruments to the public market. The sell side can also include private capital market instruments such as private placements of debt and equity.
- Joint Brokerage Account
A joint brokerage account is a type of investment account owned by two or more people. It allows multiple individuals to contribute funds toward 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:investments and make trading decisions together. Joint brok﷽erage accounts are commonly opened by m♊arried couples, siblings, or business partners who want to invest together and pool their resources.
- Soft Dollars
Soft dollars are a means of paying brokerage firms for their services through commission revenue, as opposed♒ to through hard-dollar direct payments.
- Trailing Commission
A trailing commission is a fee you pay a financial advisor each year that you own an investment. The purpose of a trailing commission is to give an advisor an incentive to review a client's holdings and provide advice. It is essentially a r𓆉eward for keeping you with a particular fund.
- Hard Dollars
Hard dollars are cash fees or payments made by an investor or customer to a brokerage firm in return for their services. Hard dollar payments are usually set amounts that are known before a customer begins dealing with a broker. Hard dollar payments include set transaction charges, monthly account maintenance charges, as well as paying for 🌞research provided by the brokerage firm.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/BestSmallBusinessBankAccountsforJanuary2025-c09a2323456447b29a5a6ecbdba595eb.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1322678503-165e3c5da33f4fd1a350589af9c77917.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/the-best-brokers-for-day-trading-8762913-final-darklogo-bc0933b89f024530b4ae41f133ca9563.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/joint-brokerage-accounts-7497852-final-cd591b0b058c49b684536ade5c193289.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/PRM-BestBrokerAwards-BestOnlineBrokersforBeginners-a91d85b9a49047d4b0e3446925a128da.png)
Explore Brokers
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/PRM-BestBrokerAwards-BestBrokersforPennyStocks-294250f041544ebd9558dbf5fce80eae.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/the-best-brokerage-account-bonuses-8764741-v1-ae35ff0ef0f54eb392c574df70aa99ce.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-open-an-ira-7504812-final-4c3a28be178349e2a1ab0b5f9087d9c8.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/the-best-online-brokers-for-crypto-trading-8765274-v1-c87365623d8947fb8e4950a71004925d.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/bestrothiras-1e28d8ecfbc94e69b5440bbee2f55058.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/bestIRAaccounts-6b1c5e254df14d468725f0dd04b283bf.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Primary-Image-how-to-buy-fractional-shares-on-webull-7499351-42d9405110714d1cb5de848ffe68fd5d.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/the-best-brokers-for-etfs-8763336-0f93f6ba9ef2400e8a18ccd09ee81884.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Primary-Image-how-to-trade-options-on-webull-7500939-303e731955e5479ab73979c61c2e0370.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Primary-Image-how-to-buy-fractional-shares-on-fidelity-7499561-51f5f52f9bd14b65b21ad81e64fa59c4.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1192218172-c6987e6fe26f4cebb2382b6d91ca1472.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-2181096933-ec855f0553a440f99276cff740beb090.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/WhatIsaCashManagementAccount-e814585fc3a341d3bde8f058dc408edd.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Primary-Image-how-to-buy-fractional-shares-7482606-139e9199be8e4f43b8c197f29e24d397.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1370827731-8629ef54007a4e219cd6a3b133ab6c9b.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/financial-advisor-meeting-in-a-bank-office--1060800958-002680a286674fc3801982602d7527c2.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Primary-Image-how-to-invest-in-web-3-0-in-2023-7480982-787d9b953b4944f9b8ed25a284228269.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Primary-Image-how-to-invest-in-gold-and-silver-7369625-32ca92a5fd0542b39761f0b1241438ff.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/etorovswebull-34c9fd05545542179c6c17a14473300f.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Primary-Image-robinhood-vs-webull-6754841-fa57f8e358684145becfd90fd6bf8b7d.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Webull-vs-Interactive-Head-to-Head-0bd2e230d7f74db7ba7a7c149cb52036.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/BestBrokerAwards-etoro-979ebfa9f6164765a77b3c2e159daed2.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/JP-Morgan-Chase-and-Co_recirc-ca7bed85d81642989386458c028d1e54.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Wealthsimple_recirc-d7684c43d7074c1fa439f40e3a03fb7e.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/bestonlinebrokers-e29ccfc98f36477e834c7397f80efb55.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Before-You-Open-a-Brokerage-Account-572a9eb55f9b58c34c9483e6.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/CashAccountsandMarginAccounts-565977b43df78c6ddf4d7440.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/PRM-BestBrokerAwards-BestInvestmentApps-5cde189983ff442eb6317c3a203e9ae8.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/slide-chuck-13961b873d064244bc067d590eec707e.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/business-financial-and-forex-concept--hipster-young-woman-freelancer-thinking-about-her-job-and-using-computer-laptop-showing-trading-graph-with-the-stock-exchange-trading-graph-screen-background-807201430-5962b6b95f9b583f180d921e.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/making-trading-online-on-the-smart-phone--new-ways-to-make-economy-and-trading-957725692-7b83f089bac344b49b0a367135e7da82.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-10274381821-89cf5a24cb5942ccbdf1b19cf40bf5c6.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/shutterstock_67023106-5bfc2b9846e0fb005144dd87.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/117860423-5bfc2b9d46e0fb0051bde381.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-172670299-a5b96faa1ecc433f88ec1893627583ef.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/bonds-lrg-5bfc2b234cedfd0026c104e7.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/complete-guide-to-brokers-58dc19c65f9b58468334e1dc.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-479477674-6cdc5e32886f464fa64de955d85dc5d8.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/broker-346281d4cdf94db5a910afdbd7891f9c.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-523723700-f2ad6458d6dc4f62944ada03fbdbe42a.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/115556938-5bfc2b9d46e0fb005144de45.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/141251781-5bfc2b9c46e0fb005144de21.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-596464468-0f01491a60f74330af0b6576b0327ca5.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/investing5-5bfc2b8e46e0fb0026016f0e.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/retail-shop-5bfc2b7cc9e77c002630622e.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/audittrail.asp-FINAL-1-d8d2e1f853f64d468c30c3620d6d9859.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/collaboration-d8b90cfd1c6b429ea27a77bbca1c6233.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-218281-91c1d3a5cc0447daaf63f9481b4a4b58.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/investing15-5bfc2b8fc9e77c00519aa65b.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-932632502-2328873f601a4939846d103637f93698.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/young-woman-analyzing-computer-data-699097517-2449875a3545414898052db42c932623.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1136181161-360b2449d6d0448ba2265e0cf571afaa.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/the-index-of-gasoline--down--694066008-9402ced2519746268d4f273bee856184-4af2b390b00d41dbb091e400e92d0977.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-840610244-91212bf1337b441480dd553dba2ce1a2.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Acat_sketch_final-521645b12f4c4108b2d482341787cedd.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/manhattan-office-building-from-below-637513348-5c910c5ae5b845c48bf04be53fc70340.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1007651828-807b6d257c30424e8bb46852de292622.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/139085474-5bfc2b8d46e0fb0026016ee7.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1219240186-085da1a0801a4fa2b97cfe28f1547d35.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/mortgage-33cb04da839948fc91bb91486b3b9d01.jpg)