Best Roth IRA Accounts of May 2024
Our picks for the best Roth IRAs stand out for their low costs and large selection of retirement investments.
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The best Roth IRA accounts charge no or very low account fees, provide high-quality retirement planning tools and offer strong customer support. In selecting the providers for this list, we also look at:
Selection of mutual funds, index funds and exchange-traded funds — these are the investments many retirement savers rely on to build their portfolios. This includes the range of funds on offer, but also the number of funds with low minimum investment requirements (crucial if you're just starting to save) and the number of low-cost funds.
Usability, including how easy it is to navigate the Roth IRA account provider's website and how intuitive the account-funding process is.
Educational resources, including retirement planning and investing guidance, videos and articles.
Our analysis and hands-on testing ensures you can open a Roth IRA at these account providers quickly — often in as little as 15 minutes — and transfer money in from your bank account, a brokerage account or from another Roth IRA.
How does a Roth IRA account work?
Roth IRAs are a retirement-savings powerhouse: They shield your retirement savings and investment growth from taxes, meaning you can take money out of the account in retirement tax-free.
This means Roth IRA accounts are about delayed gratification: Unlike other individual retirement accounts, with a Roth IRA you don't get a tax deduction for making contributions each year. But also unlike other individual retirement accounts, with a Roth you pay no taxes on distributions — including your investment growth — when you reach retirement age, assuming you follow the IRS rules.
Roth IRAs also allow you to withdraw contributions at any time without a penalty. That makes Roth IRAs a good tool not only for retirement savings, but also for goals such as saving for college or a down payment on a house. You can even tap them in the case of financial emergencies, though it's a good rule of thumb to avoid draining retirement savings during your working years unless it’s absolutely necessary.
While that Roth IRA flexibility is attractive, it’s important to know that it applies only to the amount you’ve contributed to the account, not to any additional money that your Roth IRA investments have earned. Any earnings withdrawn from the account before age 59½ would typically be penalized twice: an initial 10% penalty taken off the top, then the usual tax you’d pay on the additional income (though there are some exceptions — see the Roth IRA withdrawal rules).
Of course, the longer you avoid withdrawals and make annual contributions to a Roth IRA, the more cash you’ll potentially accrue, and the greater tax savings you’ll likely have down the line. The “pay now, save later” tax feature is especially appealing if you expect your tax bracket to rise in the years ahead and remain relatively high in your retirement years.
How Roth IRAs are different from traditional IRAs
The Roth IRA, like a traditional IRA, builds savings by allowing its owner to make regular contributions and invest them in a portfolio of stocks, bonds, mutual funds or other investments. But a traditional IRA offers you a tax deduction in the year you make contributions — you then pay taxes when you take money out of the account in retirement.
With the Roth IRA, the reward for paying more taxes now is potentially a heftier tax savings down the line as your investments grow. As this Roth IRA calculator shows, a 35-year-old who contributes $7,000 each year to a Roth IRA until retiring at 67 could end up with $1.3 million in savings (assuming a 6% annual return).
But unlike a traditional IRA, all those post-retirement withdrawals would be tax-free, offering a savings of more than $130,000 in retirement. (Fans of traditional IRAs, however, might note that those accounts could offer tax benefits throughout the saver’s working years that a Roth could not.)
Summary of the best Roth IRAs
Many online brokers, investment advisors and banks offer Roth IRA accounts, but so many options can make it difficult to choose the best Roth IRA provider for you. Our evaluation of the best Roth IRA accounts brings the best options to the forefront. We've selected providers that fall into two main categories: Online brokers and robo-advisors.
The core difference:
Online brokers allow you to choose your investments on your own, so you can build a portfolio with more flexibility. You can choose from individual stocks, funds and other investments, and take a hands-on approach to portfolio management.
Robo-advisors build your Roth IRA portfolio for you for a small management fee (typically .25% to .50% of your Roth IRA account balance per year). They are a good choice if you don't want to directly manage your own investments — with these Roth IRAs, you don't need to do the work of picking and choosing your own investments.
Best Roth IRAs: online brokers
Note: The star ratings on this page are for the provider overall. Some providers with a lower overall rating are included here because Roth IRAs are where they excel.
The best Roth IRA accounts charge no or very low account fees, provide high-quality retirement planning tools and offer strong customer support. In selecting the providers for this list, we also look at:
Selection of mutual funds, index funds and exchange-traded funds — these are the investments many retirement savers rely on to build their portfolios. This includes the range of funds on offer, but also the number of funds with low minimum investment requirements (crucial if you're just starting to save) and the number of low-cost funds.
Usability, including how easy it is to navigate the Roth IRA account provider's website and how intuitive the account-funding process is.
Educational resources, including retirement planning and investing guidance, videos and articles.
Our analysis and hands-on testing ensures you can open a Roth IRA at these account providers quickly — often in as little as 15 minutes — and transfer money in from your bank account, a brokerage account or from another Roth IRA.
How does a Roth IRA account work?
Roth IRAs are a retirement-savings powerhouse: They shield your retirement savings and investment growth from taxes, meaning you can take money out of the account in retirement tax-free.
This means Roth IRA accounts are about delayed gratification: Unlike other individual retirement accounts, with a Roth IRA you don't get a tax deduction for making contributions each year. But also unlike other individual retirement accounts, with a Roth you pay no taxes on distributions — including your investment growth — when you reach retirement age, assuming you follow the IRS rules.
Roth IRAs also allow you to withdraw contributions at any time without a penalty. That makes Roth IRAs a good tool not only for retirement savings, but also for goals such as saving for college or a down payment on a house. You can even tap them in the case of financial emergencies, though it's a good rule of thumb to avoid draining retirement savings during your working years unless it’s absolutely necessary.
While that Roth IRA flexibility is attractive, it’s important to know that it applies only to the amount you’ve contributed to the account, not to any additional money that your Roth IRA investments have earned. Any earnings withdrawn from the account before age 59½ would typically be penalized twice: an initial 10% penalty taken off the top, then the usual tax you’d pay on the additional income (though there are some exceptions — see the Roth IRA withdrawal rules).
Of course, the longer you avoid withdrawals and make annual contributions to a Roth IRA, the more cash you’ll potentially accrue, and the greater tax savings you’ll likely have down the line. The “pay now, save later” tax feature is especially appealing if you expect your tax bracket to rise in the years ahead and remain relatively high in your retirement years.
How Roth IRAs are different from traditional IRAs
The Roth IRA, like a traditional IRA, builds savings by allowing its owner to make regular contributions and invest them in a portfolio of stocks, bonds, mutual funds or other investments. But a traditional IRA offers you a tax deduction in the year you make contributions — you then pay taxes when you take money out of the account in retirement.
With the Roth IRA, the reward for paying more taxes now is potentially a heftier tax savings down the line as your investments grow. As this Roth IRA calculator shows, a 35-year-old who contributes $7,000 each year to a Roth IRA until retiring at 67 could end up with $1.3 million in savings (assuming a 6% annual return).
But unlike a traditional IRA, all those post-retirement withdrawals would be tax-free, offering a savings of more than $130,000 in retirement. (Fans of traditional IRAs, however, might note that those accounts could offer tax benefits throughout the saver’s working years that a Roth could not.)
Summary of the best Roth IRAs
Many online brokers, investment advisors and banks offer Roth IRA accounts, but so many options can make it difficult to choose the best Roth IRA provider for you. Our evaluation of the best Roth IRA accounts brings the best options to the forefront. We've selected providers that fall into two main categories: Online brokers and robo-advisors.
The core difference:
Online brokers allow you to choose your investments on your own, so you can build a portfolio with more flexibility. You can choose from individual stocks, funds and other investments, and take a hands-on approach to portfolio management.
Robo-advisors build your Roth IRA portfolio for you for a small management fee (typically .25% to .50% of your Roth IRA account balance per year). They are a good choice if you don't want to directly manage your own investments — with these Roth IRAs, you don't need to do the work of picking and choosing your own investments.
Best Roth IRAs: online brokers
Note: The star ratings on this page are for the provider overall. Some providers with a lower overall rating are included here because Roth IRAs are where they excel.
Best Roth IRA Accounts
Broker | NerdWallet rating | Fees | Account minimum | Promotion | Learn more |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Charles Schwab Learn more on Charles Schwab's website | Best for Best Roth IRAs: Brokers for Hands-On Investors | $0 per online equity trade | $0 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn more on Charles Schwab's website |
Fidelity Roth IRA Learn more on Fidelity's website | Best for Best Roth IRAs: Brokers for Hands-On Investors | $0 no account fees to open a Fidelity retail IRA | $0 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn more on Fidelity's website |
Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite Learn more on Interactive Brokers' website | Best for Best Roth IRAs: Brokers for Hands-On Investors | $0 per trade | $0 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn more on Interactive Brokers' website |
Vanguard Digital Advisor Learn more on Vanguard's website AD Paid non-client promotion | Reviewed in: Oct. 2023 Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023 | 0.15% per year
(approximately) | $3,000 | No advisory fees your first 90 days of Vanguard Digital Advisor investment management (Enrollment requires a Vanguard account with a minimum of $3,000) | Learn more on Vanguard's website AD Paid non-client promotion |
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Learn more on J.P. Morgan's website | Best for Best Roth IRAs: Brokers for Hands-On Investors | $0 per trade | $0 | Get up to $700 when you open and fund a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account with qualifying new money. | Learn more on J.P. Morgan's website |
Our pick for
Best Roth IRAs: Brokers for Hands-On Investors
For people who want to pick their own IRA investments, opening a Roth IRA at an online broker can be the right choice. All the online brokers on our list here offer a large list of low-cost investments to choose from, including index mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. Here are the best Roth IRAs from our analysis of accounts.
$0
per online equity trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
No minimum investment.
No inactivity fees.
Above-average mobile app.
Large selection of no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
Cons
Low interest rate on uninvested cash.
High fee for transaction-fee funds.
Why We Like It
Charles Schwab is one of the best overall IRA providers, with high-quality customer service, no account minimum and low fees. The company offers a large selection of no-transaction-fee funds and charges no commission for stock, options and ETF trades.
Best Broker for IRA Investors 2024
$0
no account fees to open a Fidelity retail IRA
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
$0 trade commissions.
Free research and data.
Strong customer support.
Low-cost index funds and mutual funds.
Cons
Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.
Why We Like It
Many investors are familiar with Fidelity as a provider of 401(k) plans — the broker is one of the biggest names in employee retirement accounts. It can be convenient to also have an IRA under the same roof, because you'll be able to seamlessly view all account balances in one place. But even for those who don't have a 401(k) with Fidelity, the company offers access to low-cost retirement investments and innovative tools to help you plan for retirement and check in on your progress.
Best Online Broker for Advanced Traders 2024
$0
per trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
Large investment selection.
Strong research and tools.
Over 19,000 no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
High order execution quality.
Cons
High minimum to earn interest on uninvested cash.
Why We Like It
Interactive Brokers' IBKR Lite is a strong option for frequent traders: The broker offers international trade capabilities, no stock-trading commission and a quality trading platform.
$0
per trade
$0
Get up to $700
when you open and fund a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account with qualifying new money.
Pros
Easy-to-use platform.
$0 commissions.
App connects all Chase accounts.
No account minimum.
Cons
Limited tools and research.
Portfolio Builder tool requires $2,500 balance.
Low interest rate on uninvested cash.
Why We Like It
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is a clear-cut investment platform that is great for beginners looking to learn how to buy and sell investments. More advanced investors, however, may find it lacking in terms of available assets, tools and research. INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE
$0
per trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
Large mutual fund selection.
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Leader in low-cost funds.
High interest rate on uninvested cash.
High order execution quality.
Cons
Basic trading platform only.
Limited research and data.
Why We Like It
Vanguard is the king of low-cost investing, making it ideal for buy-and-hold and retirement investors. But active traders will find the broker falls short despite its $0 trade commission, due to the lack of a strong trading platform.
Our pick for
Best Roth IRAs: Robo-Advisors for Hands-Off Investors
For people who want to invest for retirement but don’t want to worry about managing their portfolio over time, a robo-advisor is an easy choice. Generally, robo-advisors hire investment pros to develop a handful of portfolios aimed at different types of investors. Here are our top picks for investors who prefer help with management:
Best Robo-Advisor for Low-Cost Investing 2024
4.8
/5Reviewed in: Oct. 2023
Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023
on Vanguard's website
AD
Paid non-client promotion
0.15%
per year (approximately)
$3,000
No advisory fees
your first 90 days of Vanguard Digital Advisor investment management (Enrollment requires a Vanguard account with a minimum of $3,000)
Pros
Access to Vanguard’s investing expertise and ETFs.
Low management fee relative to competitors.
Low investment expense ratios and no additional account fees.
Cons
Limited portfolio options and customization.
Why We Like It
Vanguard Digital Advisor is an affordable robo-advisory service using several of Vanguard’s key ETFs to create a personalized retirement plan and portfolio for investors.
5.0
/5Reviewed in: Oct. 2023
Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023
on Betterment's website
AD
Paid non-client promotion
0.25%
with a balance over $20K or qualifying recurring deposit. Otherwise, $4/month.
$0
$10 to start
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
Multiple investment options.
Robust goal-based tools.
Fractional shares mean all your cash is invested.
Low management fee.
Cons
Additional fee for access to financial advisors.
Why We Like It
With its low-cost ETFs, automatic rebalancing, extensive tax strategies and retirement advice, Betterment is a strong bet for retirement investors. Betterment’s planning tools include advice on “asset location” — which types of investments are best for different types of accounts — and investors can sync outside accounts, as well.
4.6
/5Reviewed in: Oct. 2023
Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023
on Fidelity's website
AD
Paid non-advisory client promotion
0% - 0.35%
management fee
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
Free management on balances under $25,000.
No investment-expense ratios.
Human portfolio oversight.
Integration with other Fidelity accounts.
Cons
No tax-optimization assistance.
Why We Like It
Fidelity's robo-advisor, Fidelity Go, frequently makes our list of the best robo-advisor for its low fees — including free management on balances below $25,000 — integration with other Fidelity accounts and its use of Fidelity Flex funds, which have no expense ratios.
5.0
/5Reviewed in: Oct. 2023
Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023
on Wealthfront's website
AD
Paid non-client promotion
0.25%
management fee
$500
Get a $50 customer bonus
when you fund your first taxable investment account
Pros
Get $50 customer bonus when you fund your first taxable investment account (NerdWallet promotion).
Automatic rebalancing.
Digital financial planning tools.
Low management fee.
Cons
No access to human advisors.
No fractional shares.
Why We Like It
Wealthfront takes the hassle out of IRA investing. The robo-advisor manages accounts by constructing portfolios out of low-cost ETFs, with a flat and low-cost fee structure that appeals to investors seeking a hands-off approach. What’s more, the company has built client trust by offering free management on the first $5,000 invested (for NerdWallet readers).
4.7
/5Reviewed in: Oct. 2023
Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023
on Ellevest's website
AD
Paid non-client promotion
$12
per month
$0
2 months free
with promo code "nerdwallet"
Pros
No account minimum.
Goal-focused investing approach.
Portfolio mix that factors women’s needs.
A la carte sessions with coaches and CFPs.
Cons
No tax-loss harvesting.
Why We Like It
Ellevest offers a single flat-fee plan which costs $12 a month. Clients get discounted access to professional financial planning, free educational resources and the only investing platform that factors in women’s pay gaps, career breaks and longer lifespans. Ellevest also offers Private Wealth Management for investors with $1 million or more.
4.9
/5Reviewed in: Oct. 2023
Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023
on SoFi Invest's website
AD
Paid non-client promotion
0%
management fee
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
Broad range of low-cost investments.
Free management.
Automatic rebalancing.
Customer support.
Access to certified financial planners.
Cons
Limited account types.
No tax-loss harvesting.
Why We Like It
Free management and access to financial advisors and career counselors make SoFi Automated Investing a solid choice for beginning and younger investors.
Want to compare more options? Here are our other top picks:
Note: Some of these promotions won’t apply for first-time depositors, due to IRA contribution limits of $7,000 in 2024 ($8,000 if 50 or older). We’ve included promotions with low deposit requirements where available.
Do I qualify for a Roth IRA?
The Roth IRA has income rules for contributions. For 2024, your ability to contribute begins phasing out at $146,000 for single filers and $230,000 for those married filing jointly. The contribution limit is slowly reduced until your ability to contribute is eliminated completely. If your income is above these amounts, our Roth IRA calculator will tell you how much you can contribute.
With a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA, the contribution limit is a shared limit — you can contribute a total of up to $7,000 ($8,000 if you're 50 or older) in 2024. It’s up to you to decide how you want to divvy that up between the two.
Is a Roth IRA a good fit for me?
Roth IRAs tend to be best for retirement investors who would prefer to pay taxes now rather than in retirement — that generally means you think your current tax rate is lower than you expect your tax rate to be in retirement. Roth IRAs also offer flexibility — you can withdraw your contributions at any time, without penalty, which means a Roth can act as a backup emergency fund.
Of course, it can be really hard to know what your future tax rate will be, especially if retirement is decades away, so it can make sense to contribute both to a 401(k) or traditional IRA, and to a Roth IRA, if you qualify.
No matter what, if you have a 401(k) or other workplace retirement plan, contribute enough to get the match — that’s free money you don’t want to pass up.
Can I switch Roth IRAs?
Yes, you can transfer money from one Roth IRA account to another. The key is to do a direct transfer, where your account balance is moved directly from the old Roth IRA provider to the new one, without the money ever entering your hands (or bank account). Roth IRA providers are familiar with this process. The transfer must be completed within 60 days.
Can I contribute to a Roth IRA if I already have a 401(k) or a traditional IRA?
Yes. You can have both a Roth IRA and a 401(k) and contribute the maximum you’re allowed to each.
How do I open a Roth IRA?
The process is easy as can be: You can open a Roth IRA at any online broker or robo-advisor, typically online in about 15 minutes. You’ll need to provide some personal information like your name, address, birthday, Social Security number and means of funding the account, so have that handy. Here’s our step-by-step guide to opening a Roth IRA, including details about how to fund and invest the account.
How easily can I access money in my Roth IRA?
With a Roth IRA, you can pull your contributions out at any time — remember, you’ve already paid taxes on that money.
However, if you withdraw your investment earnings, you may owe income tax and/or a 10% penalty, depending on how old you are and how long you’ve owned the account. But there are quite a few situations where an early withdrawal of investment earnings is exempt from penalties and income tax. We detail the Roth IRA withdrawal rules here.
How do I invest my Roth IRA?
Once you’ve put money into the account, you need to select investments; otherwise, your money will sit in cash, which isn’t ideal for a long-term goal like retirement. Most Roth IRA providers offer a wide range of investment options, including individual stocks, bonds and mutual funds.
If that sounds out of your league, you can open your Roth IRA at a robo-advisor — like one of the providers mentioned above under the heading Best Roth IRAs for hands-off investors. Robo-advisors will manage your investments for you for a small fee.
How much do Roth IRAs earn?
How much you earn in a Roth IRA account will vary, depending on what you’re investing in. The average annual stock market return historically has been about 10%.
Of course, you want to invest in a diversified portfolio of both stocks and bonds, so that your account has a buffer from the stock market’s inevitable ups and downs. Generally, creating a diversified investment portfolio means investing in a handful of mutual funds or exchange-traded funds, which, in turn, invest in a broad swath of stocks and bonds.
A diversified investment portfolio will inevitably earn less than the stock market’s return, because bond yields tend to be in the single digits. Still, a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds generally earns more than any bank savings product, such as a savings account or CD.
What's the best bank for a Roth IRA?
Our roundup of the best Roth IRAs focuses on accounts offered by brokers and robo-advisors — not banks. Generally, a broker or robo-advisor is a better option than a bank for a Roth IRA account. That’s because, for a long-term goal like retirement, you want to harness the power of the stock market to help your account get bigger.
Bank Roth IRAs generally offer access to savings products, such as certificates of deposit. CDs are savings vehicles that guarantee a rate of return as long as you leave your money in for a specific period of time. Historically, stock market returns average about much higher than CD returns.
Of course, those higher stock market returns come with the risk that, in any given year, your account may lose value. But investors who leave their money in the market, even through those down days, historically enjoy hefty average gains over time.
If, despite the much lower rate of return, you decide to go with a bank for your Roth IRA account, be sure to pick among the accounts with the best IRA CD rates so you know you’re getting the best possible rate of return for that type of account.
Last updated on May 8, 2024
Methodology
NerdWallet’s comprehensive review process evaluates and ranks the largest U.S. brokers and robo-advisors. Our aim is to provide an independent assessment of providers to help arm you with information to make sound, informed judgements on which ones will best meet your needs. We adhere to strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
We collect data directly from providers through detailed questionnaires, and conduct first-hand testing and observation through provider demonstrations. The questionnaire answers, combined with demonstrations, interviews of personnel at the providers and our specialists’ hands-on research, fuel our proprietary assessment process that scores each provider’s performance across more than 20 factors. The final output produces star ratings from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars).
For more details about the categories considered when rating providers and our processes, read our full broker ratings methodology and our full robo-advisor ratings methodology.
To recap our selections...
NerdWallet's Best Roth IRA Accounts of May 2024
- Charles Schwab: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Brokers for Hands-On Investors
- Fidelity Roth IRA: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Brokers for Hands-On Investors
- Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Brokers for Hands-On Investors
- Vanguard Digital Advisor: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Robo-Advisors for Hands-Off Investors
- J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Brokers for Hands-On Investors
- Betterment IRA: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Robo-Advisors for Hands-Off Investors
- Fidelity Go®: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Robo-Advisors for Hands-Off Investors
- E*TRADE IRA: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Brokers for Hands-On Investors
- Vanguard: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Brokers for Hands-On Investors
- Wealthfront IRA: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Robo-Advisors for Hands-Off Investors
- Ellevest: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Robo-Advisors for Hands-Off Investors
- SoFi Automated Investing: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Robo-Advisors for Hands-Off Investors
- Ally Invest Robo Portfolios: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Robo-Advisors for Hands-Off Investors
- Firstrade: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Brokers for Hands-On Investors
- Merrill Edge® Self-Directed: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Brokers for Hands-On Investors
- Schwab Intelligent Portfolios®: Best for Best Roth IRAs: Robo-Advisors for Hands-Off Investors