Best ETF Platforms and Brokers of 2026
We spent hours analyzing brokers to find the best ones for ETF investors. The brokers below all offer a large selection of ETFs with no trade commission.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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Each year, writers and editors on NerdWallet's investing team do extensive, hands-on testing of popular brokers and rate them based on factors that matter most to users.
The ones that come out on top make our list of the best brokers for ETF investing. All of the brokers below have no trading commissions and no account minimums. But that's just the first test they pass. Keep reading to learn what makes each broker unique and why we score them highly.
Company | NerdWallet rating | Account minimum | Mobile rating | Promotion | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Best App for Investing | 5.0/5 | $0 | 5 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn moreon Fidelity's website |
Learn moreon Fidelity's website | |||||
Learn moreon Fidelity's website | |||||
Best Online Broker for Advanced Traders | 5.0/5 | $0 | 5 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn moreon Interactive Brokers' website |
Learn moreon Interactive Brokers' website | |||||
Learn moreon Interactive Brokers' website | |||||
5.0/5 | $0 | 5 | Get $20 worth of fractional shares when you open and fund an account with Webull | Learn moreon Webull's website | |
Learn moreon Webull's website | |||||
Learn moreon Webull's website | |||||
4.9/5 | $0 | 3 | 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 | |||||
4.4/5 | $0 | 5 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn moreon Public's website | |
Learn moreon Public's website | |||||
Learn moreon Public's website | |||||
Fidelity
Fidelity is one of our favorite brokers overall, so it's no surprise that it tops our list of the best brokers for ETF investing, too. It's the only broker we review that scores 4.5 stars or higher in all the categories that matter for ETF investing: it offers fractional shares, customizable portfolios, strong research and data tools, and a top-notch trading platform.
Good to know: Fidelity may charge a 5% fee (capped at $100) on purchases of certain ETFs. The fee doesn't apply to most popular index funds (e.g., Vanguard, State Street or iShares ETFs) but applies to some thematic funds from smaller issuers. Fidelity offers a PDF listing the ETFs affected by this fee, and the reason why, on its website.
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.
Fractional shares
Customizable portfolios
Trading platform
Research and data
Interactive Brokers
While IBKR Pro may reign supreme for advanced stock traders, IBKR Lite is a solid platform for casual ETF investors. While Lite may not have all the same bells and whistles as Pro, it has a leg up in one way: you don't have to pay any trading commissions. You also still get access to BasketTrader, a tool that lets you build custom portfolios.
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.
Fractional shares
Customizable portfolios
Trading platform
Research and data
Webull
Like other 5-star brokers we review, Webull scores high marks on many features that matter to users. But its trading platform is where it really shines; it's more advanced than some other brokers we review, but the user-friendly interface ensures new investors don't get too bogged down. Webull also offers customizable portfolios through its "Portfolio Blueprint" feature.
Bonus: If you're investing in an IRA, Webull offers a 3% match on contributions for Premium subscribers ($3.99 per month) and a 1% match for all other users.
Webull will appeal to the mobile-first generation of casual investors with its slick interface for desktop and mobile apps. The brokerage also delivers an impressive array of tools for active traders and a wide investment selection, including stocks (plus fractional shares), options, ETFs, crypto, commodities and futures. However, it lacks access to mutual funds.
Fractional shares
Customizable portfolios
Trading platform
Research and data
Schwab
Schwab is a household name — and for good reason. ETF investors will appreciate the broker's ETF Select List tool, which lets you filter through ETFs to find ones that fit your specific criteria. Schwab also offers a Personalized Portfolio Builder that helps you choose a portfolio mix that matches your goals, risk and timeline.
Good to know: While all the other brokers on this list offer fractional shares with no conditions, Schwab only lets you buy fractional shares of companies in the S&P 500. Also, it may soon roll out transaction fees on certain ETFs from certain small issuers, similar to those charged by Fidelity.
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.
Fractional shares
Customizable portfolios
Trading platform
Research and data
Public
Public scores high marks in many of the categories we look at for ETF investing. It offers customizable portfolios called "investment plans" and an innovative feature called "generated assets." With generated assets, you tell an AI research assistant the investment theme you're looking for, and it creates a custom index ETF that fits your criteria.
Bonus: Public offers a 1% match on IRA contributions.
Public provides free stock and ETF trades, pays you to trade options, and gives traders access to crypto and bonds, as well as a high-yield cash account. The platform will appeal to traders looking for a low-cost options broker and access to many types of assets.
Fractional shares
Customizable portfolios
Trading platform
Research and data
M1
While M1 doesn't have the highest star rating among the brokers we review, it makes this list because of its unique custom portfolio feature, which could be valuable for ETF investors. Your portfolio is visualized as a "pie," and each asset makes up a "slice." You can make your own pie or choose from pre-built ones.
Good to know: M1 is the only broker on this list that has an account minimum. You'll need to maintain a minimum balance of $100, or $500 if you're investing through a retirement account.
M1 Finance stands out for its unique investment approach — it helps investors visualize their portfolios as a pie, with "slices" made up of different securities. The mix of automation and manual investing will appeal to beginner investors who want to grow their skills and long-term investors who want help maintaining their portfolio allocation.
Fractional shares
Customizable portfolios
Trading platform
Research and data
Robinhood
If you'll mostly be trading ETFs on your phone, Robinhood has one of the sleekest mobile apps out there. From creating an account to placing a trade, the whole process is quick and easy. So if your main concern is convenience, Robinhood might be just what you're looking for.
Bonus: Robinhood offers a 3% match on IRA contributions for Gold subscribers ($5 per month) and a 1% match for all other users.
At Robinhood, trades of stocks, ETFs and their options are commission free, as are cryptocurrency trades. (Other fees may apply, including on index options.) Robinhood Gold offers a high interest rate on uninvested cash and low margin rates. The company does not offer mutual funds or individual bonds.
Fractional shares
Customizable portfolios
Trading platform
Research and data
SoFi
When you're just starting out, it can be hard to figure out what mix of ETFs would work best for your investment goals. SoFi makes this step easier by offering unlimited access to a financial planner through its monthly SoFi Plus subscription ($10 per month). This service would normally cost you a lot more at other online brokers.
Bonus: SoFi offers a 1% match on IRA contributions.
SoFi Active Investing's $0 trading commission, fractional shares and $0 account minimum are attractive to new investors. More advanced investors will appreciate the company's wide mutual fund selection and IPO access.
Fractional shares
Customizable portfolios
Trading platform
Research and data
Alternative to consider: Wealthfront
While the brokers above are all great options for DIY investing, if you'd rather be more hands-off with your investments, you might consider a robo-advisor instead. Wealthfront is routinely one of the highest-rated robo-advisors we review.
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's only weak spots are its account minimum ($500) and its lack of access to human advisors.
Frequently asked questions
Recently, a few brokers have moved toward a business model in which they collect back-end fees directly from ETF issuers, and put some kind of consumer-facing disincentive on ETFs from issuers who don't pay.
Fidelity charges investors a transaction fee to buy ETFs from non-backend-fee-paying issuers. Charles Schwab is expected to implement a similar transaction fee for investors soon. E*TRADE and J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing may reserve the right to drop ETFs from non-paying issuers from their investment platforms.
Check out our article on ETF transaction fees for more info — and for a list of brokers that have confirmed that they have no plans to start charging these fees.
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines.
- 1.Fidelity. ETFs Subject to Service Fee, as of June 1, 2026. Accessed Jul 14, 2026.
Methodology
How do we review brokers?
All NerdWallet reviews and lists of the best investing products are created by our editorial team of full-time writers and editors, independent of any business relationships. In this case, our investing team'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, balanced assessment of brokerages to help arm you with information to make sound, informed judgments on which ones will best meet your needs. Our highest priority is maintaining editorial integrity.
We collect data directly from brokerages through detailed questionnaires and conduct first-hand testing and observation through demonstrations. The questionnaire answers, combined with demonstrations, interviews of personnel at the brokerages and our specialists’ hands-on research, fuel our proprietary assessment process that scores each broker'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.