Best Custodial Brokerage Accounts for 2026
A custodial account is a savings or investment account an adult opens and administrates on behalf of a minor. The best custodial accounts offer features that matter most to both child and adult account owners: low fees, investment education and strong customer support.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.
Our deep, independent analysis of online brokers sorts through key account details to find and evaluate the information investors want when choosing an account. To see our full methodology and learn more about our process, read our criteria for evaluating brokers.
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A custodial account is a common way for adults to start an investment account for a child, whether it's for their own child, a grandchild or another minor. With custodial accounts, the adult — also known as the account custodian — manages and maintains ownership of the account until the child reaches the age of majority, which varies by state. At that point, the child is generally able to take control of the account and funds, though in some cases the adult may be able to continue to apply restrictions.
You may also see custodial accounts described as UGMA/UTMA accounts. This is based on the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act or the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act — the legislature that allowed for the formation of these custodial accounts.
Not all brokers offer custodial accounts. To arrive at our list of the best custodial accounts, we looked at factors that matter most to both the adult who started the account, as well as the child who will eventually take control of it. These factors include the range of accounts offered and how robust a broker's educational materials are.
Our editorial team's picks for the best custodial accounts
Company | NerdWallet rating | Fees | Account minimum | Promotion | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 | |||||
4.5/5 | $0 per trade. Other fees apply. | $0 | Get up to $1,500 when you open and fund an E*TRADE brokerage account. Terms apply. | Learn moreon E*TRADE's website | |
Learn moreon E*TRADE's website | |||||
Learn moreon E*TRADE's website | |||||
4.2/5 | $0 per trade | $0 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn moreon Vanguard's website | |
Learn moreon Vanguard's website | |||||
Learn moreon Vanguard's website | |||||
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 | |||||
4.5/5 Reviewed in: Oct. 2025Period considered:Aug. - Oct. 2025 | $3 - $12 per month | $0 | $10 sign-up bonus | Learn moreon Acorns' website | |
Learn moreon Acorns' website | |||||
Learn moreon Acorns' website | |||||
More about each of these brokers
2026 Best-of Award winner: Charles Schwab is NerdWallet's pick for the best online broker for IRA investors. Charles Schwab has earned its strong reputation: The broker offers high-quality customer service, four free trading platforms, a wide selection of no-transaction-fee mutual funds and $0 commissions for stocks, ETFs and options.
E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley has long been one of the most popular online brokers. The company's $0 commissions and strong trading platforms appeal to active traders, while intermediate investors benefit from a large library of educational resources.
Vanguard is the king of low-cost investing, making it ideal for buy-and-hold and retirement investors. It offers a top-notch selection of proprietary, low-cost mutual funds, including many ESG options. Despite its $0 trade commission, active traders will find the broker falls short due to the lack of a strong trading platform.
2026 Best-of Award winner: Interactive Brokers is NerdWallet's pick for the best online broker for advanced traders. Don't let the name fool you: IBKR Lite offers commission-free stock trading (including international trade capabilities), more than 21,000 mutual funds, and a well-featured platform.
Acorns is known for its automatic roundups that make saving and investing easy. The downside? At small account balances, Acorns' fees can cut into investment returns. Acorns has great tools for kids at the most expensive tier, such as a bank account and debit card designed to help them learn about all things money. But Acorns has zero financial advisor access or tax tools and higher than average transfer fees.
Stash offers both DIY and automated investing, meaning it's a good option if you're looking for more customization. Keep in mind that only a standard brokerage account can be managed automatically. If you want an IRA managed as a robo-advisor, you'll need to look elsewhere. Stash also has no tax strategy or human advisor access.
2026 Best-of Award winner: Fidelity is NerdWallet's pick for the best online broker for beginning investors and the best app for investing. Fidelity is one of the largest and most well-established brokerages, and it shows. Fidelity charges no trading commissions, offers an extensive set of no-fee, no-minimum index funds. It also stands out for its top-notch research tools, a renowned trading platform and very strong customer service.
Ally Invest’s lack of fees, portfolio management feature and cash management options make it a good choice for beginner investors.
Merrill Edge's extensive research and educational offerings, its Idea Builder investment-finder tool, and its seamless integration with other Bank of America accounts make it a solid choice for beginner investors.
Methodology
NerdWallet’s comprehensive review process evaluates and ranks the largest U.S. brokers by assets under management, along with emerging industry players. 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 brokers and our process, read our full methodology.