Best Brokers for After-Hours Trading in 2026
Here's when and how to trade stocks after hours, and the best brokers to help you do it.The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.
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All the brokers listed below score well for their pre-market and after-hours trading windows and have an overall score higher than 4.5 — they're the best of the best, with the largest after-hours trading windows. For a full list of each broker's specific trading hours, see the table below.
After-hours trading is exactly what it sounds like: When you trade stocks or other investments after the stock market closes at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. There is also a trading session before the market opens at 9:30 a.m. Eastern, called premarket trading. The two combined make up extended-hours trading. Off-hours trading can be convenient because it allows you to invest when the market isn't open. But the lower volume of trading also creates pitfalls such as higher volatility.
Not all brokers offer after-hours trading, so if this is a feature you’re interested in, you’ll want to figure out if it's available up front. The best broker for after-hours trading will depend on your needs. For example, Interactive Brokers received a 5-star overall score, and it also earned the best possible score in the after-hours trading category. That being said, Interactive Brokers may not be the best fit for beginners. If you're looking for a beginner-friendly broker that also allows you to trade outside of traditional hours, Fidelity has excellent educational resources and an easy-to-use app.
Company | NerdWallet rating | Fees | Account minimum | Promotion | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Online Broker for Advanced Traders | 5.0/5 | $0 per trade | $0 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn moreon Interactive Brokers' website |
Learn moreon Interactive Brokers' website | |||||
Learn moreon Interactive Brokers' website | |||||
Best App for Investing | 5.0/5 | $0 per trade for online U.S. stocks and ETFs | $0 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn moreon Fidelity's website |
Learn moreon Fidelity's website | |||||
Learn moreon Fidelity's website | |||||
5.0/5 | $0 per trade | $0 | Up to 4% match (up to $2M) when you open and fund an account with Webull | Learn moreon Webull's website | |
Learn moreon Webull's website | |||||
Learn moreon Webull's website | |||||
4.8/5 | $0 per online equity trade | $0 | Up to $500 when you make a qualifying net deposit | Learn moreon Charles Schwab's website | |
Learn moreon Charles Schwab's website | |||||
Learn moreon Charles Schwab's website | |||||
When exactly is after-hours trading?
Each broker defines "after-hours" differently. Here's each broker's specific hours.
Broker | Hours |
|---|---|
Interactive Brokers | 4:00 a.m. to 3:50 a.m. the next day, 5 days a week. |
Fidelity | 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST. |
Webull | 24/5: 8:00 p.m. Sunday night to 8:00 p.m. Friday night. |
Charles Schwab | 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST. Overnight trading is available 24/5. |
How after-hours trading works
Trading during extended hours takes place when the major exchanges are closed, so orders are placed through computerized trading systems, or electronic markets.
This system essentially matches buy and sell orders — if you’re after 50 shares of a stock for $50 a share, and there’s someone out there looking to unload that many shares at that price, you’ll be matched and your order will be filled. If the system can’t find a match, the order will be canceled or held until regular trading hours.
Because of the lower volume of orders, there are different rules for after-hours trading. These rules are typically set by brokers and include such matters as the hours trading is available and the order types allowed during those hours. For example, orders are often required to be limit orders, which means an order will be filled only at a certain price or better.
The pros, cons and risks of after-hours trading
The main advantage is clear: The stock market keeps pretty tight banker’s hours, and after-hours trading means you’re not limited to that window. It allows you to react to events that occur after 4:00 p.m. or before 9:30 a.m. Eastern, including earnings releases or monthly jobs reports.
The negatives here mostly have to do with the risks of this trading strategy, of which there are many. The stock market is inherently risky, of course, and by actively stock trading, you’re coming to terms with that risk. But after-hours trading both enhances the standard risks of the market and introduces additional risks.
The major risks of after-hours trading are:
Low liquidity. Trade volume is much lower after business hours, which means you won’t be able to buy and sell as easily, and prices are more volatile.
Wide bid-ask spreads. This piggybacks on the above: Because trading volume is low, you might see lower bids for your sell orders, meaning an order could go unfilled or it could be filled at a price below what you could have earned during normal hours.
Order restrictions. As mentioned above, most brokerage firms allow only limit orders during extended hours, which means your orders will be executed only if they are matched with a buyer or seller at the price you’ve set or better. That leaves your orders at risk of not being executed at all.
Bigger fish. While stock trading in general is available to anyone with a brokerage account, casual investors don’t often play in the after-hours pond. Instead, it’s full of professional traders. These investors may have more practice, more money and more information than you, which puts them at an advantage and you at a disadvantage.
» Learn more: What is premarket trading?
Should you trade after hours?
After-hours trading is for investors who are comfortable with a high level of risk. If you're jumping in, consider starting with a small amount of money that you could afford to lose.
In general, most stock investors are better off sticking to a simple buy-and-hold formula that involves picking a few companies or funds you believe in and staying in for the long haul — no after-hours work required.
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