Best IRA Accounts of August 2024
In our analysis, the best IRA accounts offer a large selection of low-cost mutual funds and ETFs, helpful retirement planning tools, educational guidance and strong customer support.
Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
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.
Why trust NerdWallet
An IRA is an account that can help you invest for retirement and save on taxes, too.
IRAs work by taking the money you contribute and investing it in ETFs, mutual funds and other assets. You can open an IRA through a broker, and you'll want to consider factors such as investment selection, retirement planning tools, customer service and educational resources the provider offers. You may also want to capitalize on any sign-up promotions currently available. If you have a workplace retirement account such as a 401(k), it can be convenient to open your IRA at the same firm — Fidelity, Vanguard and Charles Schwab are common 401(k) account administrators. This allows you to monitor your retirement savings across accounts in one place.
Our list of the best IRAs divides IRA accounts into two categories:
Best IRA brokers for hands-on investors who want to pick and choose their investments.
Best IRA robo-advisors for hands-off investors who want help building and managing their IRA investments.
No matter what you're looking for, you'll find the best IRA account for you on our list below. The first table shows all of the providers at a glance. We have more details on each provider below.
Note: The star ratings on this page are for the provider overall. Some companies with a lower overall rating are still included here because IRAs are where they excel.
Why trust NerdWallet
An IRA is an account that can help you invest for retirement and save on taxes, too.
IRAs work by taking the money you contribute and investing it in ETFs, mutual funds and other assets. You can open an IRA through a broker, and you'll want to consider factors such as investment selection, retirement planning tools, customer service and educational resources the provider offers. You may also want to capitalize on any sign-up promotions currently available. If you have a workplace retirement account such as a 401(k), it can be convenient to open your IRA at the same firm — Fidelity, Vanguard and Charles Schwab are common 401(k) account administrators. This allows you to monitor your retirement savings across accounts in one place.
Our list of the best IRAs divides IRA accounts into two categories:
Best IRA brokers for hands-on investors who want to pick and choose their investments.
Best IRA robo-advisors for hands-off investors who want help building and managing their IRA investments.
No matter what you're looking for, you'll find the best IRA account for you on our list below. The first table shows all of the providers at a glance. We have more details on each provider below.
Note: The star ratings on this page are for the provider overall. Some companies with a lower overall rating are still included here because IRAs are where they excel.
One factor that doesn't vary between IRA providers is the contribution limit, which is set by the IRS. In 2024, you can contribute up to $7,000 to an IRA if you’re under 50, or $8,000 if you're 50 or older.
Best IRA Accounts
Broker | NerdWallet rating | Fees | Account minimum | Promotion | Learn more |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Robinhood IRA Learn more on Robinhood's website | 4.3 /5Best for Hands-On Investors | $0 | $0 | 1% match on eligible contributions up to IRA contribution limits. | Learn more on Robinhood's website |
![]() Charles Schwab Learn more on Charles Schwab's website | Best for Hands-On Investors | $0 per online equity trade | $0 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn more on Charles Schwab's website |
![]() Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite Learn more on Interactive Brokers' website | Best 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 |
![]() E*TRADE IRA Learn more on E*TRADE's website | Best for Hands-On Investors | $0 per trade. Other fees apply. | $0 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn more on E*TRADE's website |
Our pick for
Hands-On Investors
For people who want to pick their own investments, opening an IRA at an online broker makes a lot of sense. At the best brokers, you’ll find a large list of low-cost investments to choose from, including index mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. Here are the best IRAs from our analysis.
$0
$0
1% match
on eligible contributions up to IRA contribution limits.
Pros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
IRA with 1% match.
Streamlined interface.
Investment recommendations available for IRA portfolios.
High interest rate on uninvested cash.
Cons
No mutual funds or individual bonds.
Limited customer support.
Why We Like It
Robinhood shook up the IRA market with its 1% match on contributions — an offer that is typically only common among employer retirement plans.
$0
per online equity trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Above-average mobile app.
Large selection of no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
Strong retirement planning tools.
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, gives users access to extensive research and charges no commission for stock, options and ETF trades.
Best Online Broker for Advanced Traders 2024
$0
per trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
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.
Website can be difficult to navigate.
Why We Like It
Don't let the name fool you: IBKR Lite offers commission-free stock trading (including international trade capabilities), more than 19,000 mutual funds, and a well-featured 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
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Easy-to-use platform.
App connects all Chase accounts.
In-person customer support at Chase branches.
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. J.P. Morgan offers traditional and Roth IRAs.
$0
per trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Leader in low-cost mutual, index and exchange-traded funds.
High interest rate on uninvested cash.
High order execution quality.
Cons
Basic trading platform only.
Limited research and data.
No fractional shares.
Why We Like It
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.
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
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Offers several index funds with no expense ratios.
Helpful retirement planning tools.
Strong customer support.
Free research and data.
High interest rate on uninvested cash.
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 (including no-fee, no-minimum index funds) and innovative tools to help you plan for retirement and check in on your progress.
Our pick for
Hands-Off Investors
If you'd prefer to let someone — or something — else manage your investments, a robo-advisor may be a good fit for you. Robo-advisors will select investments for your IRA and then manage them over time. Here are the best IRAs offered by robo-advisors.
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 portfolio management fee.
Low investment expense ratios.
Cons
Limited portfolio options and customization.
$3,000 account minimum.
Why We Like It
Vanguard Digital Advisor is an affordable robo-advisory service that uses several of Vanguard’s key ETFs to create a personalized retirement plan and portfolio. Vanguard offers traditional, Roth and rollover IRAs.
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 limit uninvested cash in portfolios.
Low management fee.
Cons
Additional fee for access to financial advisors.
Why We Like It
Betterment offers a powerful combination of goal-based tools, affordable management fees and no account minimum. Betterment has a wide range of investments, including socially responsible and crypto portfolios and gives clients access to Roth, traditional, inherited, rollover and SEP IRAs.
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
1% match on IRA contributions
Only offers made via ACH are eligible for the match. ACATs, wires, and rollovers are not included.
Pros
Broad range of low-cost investments.
Free portfolio management.
Access to certified financial planners.
1% match on IRA contributions.
No account minimum.
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. SoFi supports Roth, traditional, SEP and rollover IRAs and offers a 1% match on contributions.
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 is our highest-scoring robo-advisor thanks to its blend of automated investment portfolios and DIY stock investing portfolios, its wide variety of account options, excellent tax strategy and low management fee. Wealthfront offers Roth, traditional, rollover and SEP IRAs, along with backdoor Roth conversions and 401(k) rollovers.
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
Goal-focused investing approach.
Portfolio mix that factors women’s needs.
Members get discounted sessions with coaches and certified financial planners.
No account minimum.
Cons
No tax-loss harvesting.
Some portfolios have minimum investment requirements.
Why We Like It
Ellevest offers a single flat-fee plan which costs $12 a month — that's on the pricier end of robo-advisors. Clients get discounted access to professional financial planning, alongside free educational resources and the only investing platform that factors in women’s pay gaps, career breaks and longer lifespans. Ellevest allows you to invest through traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE and inherited IRAs.
Want to compare more options? Here are our other top picks:
Note: Some of the IRA promotions above 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. You may be eligible for the IRA promotion if you're rolling over your existing IRA balance from another provider or account.
More on why we picked these hands-on IRA account providers
Robinhood is known for active trading, and it pioneered the idea of free stock trading, as well as active trading via mobile app. But in early 2023, the broker started offering IRAs with a 1% match, which was previously unavailable within these accounts. (Matching contributions are common through employer plans like 401(k)s.) The account also offers a robo-advisor-like feature that will suggest portfolios of ETFs.
Charles Schwab is one of the leading providers of retirement accounts, including workplace plans, such as 401(k)s, so it's no surprise that it excels in IRAs. The company offers a variety of different types of IRA accounts, including self-employed plans. Schwab has helpful retirement planning tools — including educational content and calculators — and a large selection of mutual funds. It earns five stars in our analysis across three categories that we heavily consider in our methodology: number of no-transaction-fee mutual funds, number of low-expense-ratio funds and number of low-minimum funds. That makes it easy and inexpensive for retirement investors to start an IRA. The company also offers a service that manages your portfolio for you — Charles Schwab Intelligent Portfolios.
We'll be honest and say our testers were surprised by how well Interactive Brokers scored when it comes to its IRA accounts — the broker is known for catering to active traders. But there are plenty of investors who want to trade in their IRA accounts — and there can be tax benefits for doing so — and Interactive Brokers deserves a spot on this list for its mutual fund offering alone. The broker has one of the largest mutual fund selections available, and our testers found the user experience of opening an account surprisingly smooth, even for novice investors.
J.P. Morgan makes this list because it's a well-rounded broker that's ideal for both beginner retirement investors and current Chase customers. The company offers a respectable selection of mutual funds alongside a portfolio builder tool ($2,500 minimum required) that's exactly what the name implies — it helps guide you through the process of building a portfolio.
IRA accounts are where Vanguard shines — the company is known for its low-cost index funds, which form the basis of many retirement accounts. The broker is especially appealing to investors who want direct access to Vanguard funds — while the overall fund selection here is on the smaller side, the quality of the funds and associated costs are better than many other brokers. One hitch: Many Vanguard funds do have investment minimums of $1,000 or more. Vanguard's robo-advisor service, Vanguard Digital, also makes this list for those who want help assembling Vanguard funds into a diversified IRA account. It offers many of the IRA account benefits of Vanguard alongside portfolio management.
It's no surprise Fidelity is at the top of our list for the best IRA brokers — the company's name is nearly synonymous with retirement investing and IRAs, and the company services many workplace retirement plans. In fact, that's an advantage that isn't factored into our analysis, but it may be factored into your decision about which IRA account to choose: If you have a 401(k) or other plan at work that's administered by Fidelity, opening an IRA under the same roof may be an easy decision. But Fidelity also stands out for other reasons — the company's website offers innovative tools and expertise to help you in your retirement planning, and it has a wide mutual fund selection, including several of its own index funds that charge no fees.
E*TRADE is another well-rounded broker that appeals to stock traders and long-term investors alike, which makes the firm a good fit for many. Like Firstrade, E*TRADE charges no transaction fees for mutual fund purchases, and the company has a large selection of fund options. E*TRADE also stood out to our reviewers for its high-quality retirement planning tools.
Similar to J.P. Morgan, Merrill Edge benefits from seamless integration with a large bank — in this case, Bank of America. If you're an existing Bank of America customer, you'll find opening an IRA at Merrill Edge to be extremely convenient. But that's not the only reason why Merrill ends up here — the brokerage also offers high-quality educational content, which will be appreciated by retirement investors, especially those new to IRA accounts.
More on why we picked these hands-off IRA account providers
Betterment has for years ranked highly in our analysis of robo-advisors, and it's no surprise they show up here — for users who want low-fee management of their IRA accounts with the option to purchase a la cart help from financial advisors, there's almost no match. Betterment will manage your IRA portfolio for you so you can be completely hands-off, which many long-term investors prefer. The service costs just .25% of your account balance each year.
SoFi is impressive for one big reason: No management fees. The company will build and manage your IRA account completely for free. The investments used still carry management fees, but those are also among the lowest we've seen — they average just 0.03%. SoFi also offers unlimited access to certified financial planners, so there's a lifeline if you have a financial question. And SoFi gives IRA investors a 1% matching contribution, which is only matched by Robinhood.
Wealthfront often tops our list of the best robo-advisors, and it's no different when it comes to IRAs. The company offers an impressive number of portfolio options, including the ability to purchase individual stocks and an automated bond portfolio that will appeal to IRA investors who are getting closer to (or who are in) retirement. Wealthfront's online tools, including its retirement planning and goal tools, really impressed our testers.
Ellevest has built its business around serving female investors, a group that is often underserved in the investment industry. As such, many of the company's planning tools keep women's specific needs in mind, factoring in different lifetime earnings curves and longer lifespans. Ellevest provides a number of innovative planning tools to help IRA investors juggle multiple goals, but the company charges $12 per month, which can be on the high side depending on your IRA balance.
What's the best IRA according to Reddit?
We analyzed nearly 700 Reddit comments and upvotes to determine which IRA providers Reddit users liked best. Reddit users and NerdWallet writers agree: Fidelity is a clear winner.
![](https://www.nerdwallet.com/assets/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-28-at-2.36.21 PM-770x462.png)
More than 36% of Reddit users featured on two different IRA-focused Reddit threads said that Fidelity was their preferred IRA provider. Vanguard came in second at nearly 30% and Schwab came in third at 28.5%. Robinhood came in last with only eight comments and upvotes.
How do I choose an IRA account?
Picking the best IRA account will depend a bit on what matters most to you. Below, we detail some criteria to keep in mind. The sooner you get started, the better off you’ll be. Before decision paralysis slows you down, consider simply opening an account at one of our top picks — we’ve done hours of research already.
Here are some important criteria to keep in mind as you pick the best IRA account:
Low-cost investments: For long-term retirement savings success, make sure high fees don’t eat into your investment returns. Open your IRA at a broker or robo-advisor that offers low-cost investments. For many retirement investors, a smart investment is a low-cost mutual fund. Investing in a handful of mutual funds is an easy way to own a diversified portfolio, because each mutual fund invests in dozens, hundreds or even thousands of companies. With mutual funds, one of the main fees to focus on is the expense ratio. Ideally, you’re investing in mutual funds with an expense ratio of less than about 0.5%.
Low fees: While you’re keeping an eye on expense ratios, also keep other fees in mind. If you’re a do-it-yourself investor who plans to open an IRA at a broker, make sure you pick a broker with no trading commissions (or a high number of commission-free ETFs and no-transaction-fee mutual funds) and low transfer and other fees.
Investment help: If you want guidance picking investments, a robo-advisor probably is a better choice for you than a broker. All robo-advisors offer either ready-to-go investment portfolios or provide some help picking investments.
Customer support: Make sure the broker or robo-advisor offers customer support that meets your needs, whether that’s live chat, telephone support or access to human financial planners.
![Video preview image](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/gQZa9CHIs2o/sddefault.webp)
What is the difference between a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA?
The main way they differ has to do with taxes:
A traditional IRA earns you a tax deduction on contributions for the year they are made. You’ll then pay income taxes on the distributions you take in retirement. Because you’re delaying taxes until retirement, the investment growth in a traditional IRA is tax-deferred.
A Roth IRA offers no tax deduction when you make contributions, but qualified distributions in retirement are not taxed. That makes the investment income in a Roth IRA tax-free — you won’t pay taxes on it at all, so long as you wait until retirement to access it.
Generally, a traditional IRA is best if you expect your tax rate to be lower in retirement than it is now — by putting off taxes until retirement, you’ll pay that lower rate. If you expect the opposite to be true — your taxes are lower now and will be higher in retirement — you may want to choose a Roth IRA. For more on this decision, dig into our comprehensive comparison of Roth and traditional IRAs.
How do I open an IRA?
You can open an IRA online, at any broker or robo-advisor (though we’re partial to the ones above, for the reasons we outlined). It takes about 15 minutes, and you’ll need to provide some personal information, including your name, birthdate, mailing address and Social Security number. If you already have an IRA but you're searching for better options, switching IRAs is relatively easy: You can transfer your funds to a new provider, often without selling your investments. Here’s our guide to opening an IRA, which also includes information about how to fund and invest the account.
Which bank has the best IRA?
You might have noticed we don’t include any bank IRA accounts in our roundup of the best IRAs. Generally, an investment broker or robo-advisor is a better option than a bank for an IRA account, because for a long-term goal like retirement, you want to tap into the power of the stock market to grow your money.
Bank IRAs generally offer access to savings products such as certificates of deposit. Historically, stock market returns average about 10% per year. CD rates are typically much lower. Yes, the stock market comes 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, generally enjoy hefty gains over time.
If you decide to go with a bank CD, pick among the IRA accounts with the best IRA CD rates.
Can I lose money in an IRA?
It is possible for an IRA account to lose value and even drop to zero (though that's unlikely). The key to sidestepping this risk is to make sure your investments are diversified. That means investing in a variety of companies — of different sizes and in different industries and locations — and in both stocks and bonds. That way, when any one slice of your investments faces trouble, the others are there to keep your overall portfolio on a steady course.
The easiest path to a diversified portfolio is with mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. One single fund can invest in thousands of companies, making it a simple one-stop shop for investment diversification.
How easily can I access my money?
This is a retirement account, so the money is intended to stay put until retirement.
With a traditional IRA, you may be taxed and hit with a 10% early withdrawal penalty if you pull money out before age 59 ½. There are a few exceptions. With a Roth IRA, you can pull your contributions out at any time — remember, you’ve already paid taxes on them. You may be taxed or penalized on early distributions of investment earnings, however.
How do I invest my IRA?
Unlike savings accounts, IRAs don’t pay a set interest rate or return. 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 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 IRA at a robo-advisor, which will manage your investments for you for a small fee.
Last updated on July 12, 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.
Full list of IRA accounts considered for this list: Tradestation, Zacks Trade, Ally Invest, Charles Schwab, Interactive Brokers, Firstrade, Fidelity, Merrill Edge, Vanguard, Robinhood, SoFi Active Investing, JP Morgan Self-Directed Investing, Webull, Axos Self-Directed Trading, M1 Finance, Betterment, Wealthfront, Ally Invest Robo Portfolios, Axos Managed Portfolios, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, E-Trade Core Portfolios, Fidelity Go, Acorns, Merrill Edge Guided Investing, Ellevest, SoFi Automated Investing, Stash, Vanguard Digital Advisor, Titan
To recap our selections...
NerdWallet's Best IRA Accounts of August 2024
- Robinhood IRA: Best for Hands-On Investors
- Charles Schwab: Best for Hands-On Investors
- Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite: Best for Hands-On Investors
- Vanguard Digital Advisor: Best for Hands-Off Investors
- E*TRADE IRA: Best for Hands-On Investors
- J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing: Best for Hands-On Investors
- Betterment IRA: Best for Hands-Off Investors
- SoFi Automated Investing: Best for Hands-Off Investors
- Vanguard: Best for Hands-On Investors
- Wealthfront IRA: Best for Hands-Off Investors
- Ellevest: Best for Hands-Off Investors
- Fidelity IRA: Best for Hands-On Investors
- Merrill Edge® Self-Directed: Best for Hands-On Investors
- Schwab Intelligent Portfolios®: Best for Hands-Off Investors