6 Best Brokers for IRA Matching in 2026
Matching isn't just for 401(k) plans anymore. Here's the scoop on the brokers and robo-advisors that offer an IRA contribution match.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.
Gone are the days when an employer-sponsored 401(k) was the only way to land some free money in your retirement account. A growing number of brokers and robo-advisors now offer 401(k)–style matches on IRA contributions or rollovers, usually as a retention incentive for new clients.
While an IRA match is certainly a nice perk, taken alone, it isn't a good enough reason to choose or switch to a new broker — you'll also want to look at things any reputable provider should offer, like a solid investment selection, low fees and a good platform.
The 6 best investment platforms for IRA matches
Self-directed accounts:
Public: 1%
Robinhood: 1% or 3% with Robinhood Gold
SoFi: 1%
Webull: 1% or 3.5% with Webull Premium
Robo-advisors:
Acorns: 1% or 3% for Gold users
Stash: 3% for Stash+ users
Company | NerdWallet rating | Fees | Account minimum | IRA Match | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.6/5 | $0 | $0 | 1% of contributions or rollovers/transfers | Learn moreon Public's website | |
Learn moreon Public's website | |||||
Learn moreon Public's website | |||||
4.5/5 | $0 | $0 | 1% match on contributions (3% for Gold members) | Learn moreon Robinhood's website | |
Learn moreon Robinhood's website | |||||
Learn moreon Robinhood's website | |||||
4.6/5 | $0 per trade | $0 | 1% on contributions and 401(k) rollovers | Learn moreon SoFi Invest®'s website | |
Learn moreon SoFi Invest®'s website | |||||
Learn moreon SoFi Invest®'s website | |||||
5.0/5 | $0 per trade | $0 | 1% on contributions (3.5% for Webull Premium subscribers) | Learn moreon Webull's website | |
Learn moreon Webull's website | |||||
Learn moreon Webull's website | |||||
4.5/5 Reviewed in: Oct. 2025Period considered:Aug. - Oct. 2025 | $3 - $12 per month | $0 | 1% for Silver members and 3% for Gold members on contributions | ||
A few more things to know about IRA matches before you dive into this list:
You can contribute up to $7,500 to IRAs for 2026, or $8,600 if you’re over age 50, until April 15, 2027 (tax day). Matching funds generally don’t count toward these limits.
Most IRA match programs require users to keep their money in the account for some period of time in order to keep the match, typically 4 or 5 years. If you withdraw money from your IRA before then, whether by cashing out or transferring it to another custodian, the original custodian may claw back the match.
The accounts listed below offer an IRA matching program on a continuous basis, but others may occasionally offer a match on contributions or rollovers as a limited-time promotion. The accounts above may also sometimes boost their matching percentage on a limited-time basis.
Self-directed brokers that offer IRA matches
If you like to choose your retirement investments yourself — say, because you're willing to accept more risk than you'll get in an index fund, by trading individual stocks or options — then you probably want to open an IRA through an online broker instead of a robo-advisor. Four of the brokers reviewed by NerdWallet offer IRAs with contribution matches, and three of those also offer rollover matches. The details of these programs are listed below.
Public
The matching program
Public offers all users a 1% match on IRA rollovers, IRA contributions and IRA transfers. That means that you can earn 1% when you roll over your 401(k) to Public, 1% on any annual contribution you make up to the IRS limit, and 1% if you choose to transfer another IRA you have elsewhere to Public. Public will also cover transfer fees for IRA rollovers.
Rollovers must be done through Capitalize, with whom Public has a partnership. Matched funds must also stay in the account for at least five years to avoid an early removal fee.
Other unique features
Public stands out for its basket-trading feature — it offers multi-asset orders called "investment plans" which allow users to buy a customizable mix of stocks, ETFs and crypto in a single transaction.
While several brokers reviewed by NerdWallet offer free options trades, Public is the only broker we review that pays you to trade options. It pays users a rebate of between $0.06 and $0.18 per contract traded, depending on volume.
Options trading can be risky, and isn't necessarily a conventional investing strategy for retirement accounts. But for investors with a longer investment horizon (allowing plenty of time to recover from potential losses) and a high risk tolerance, it may offer a way to boost returns if you're well-versed and well-practiced in this more advanced strategy.
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.
Account minimum
$0.
Stock trading costs
$0 ($2.99 per trade for after-hours trades or OTC stocks, for non-Premium members.)
Options trades
$0. Public pays options traders a rebate of $0.06 to $0.18 per options transaction, as a share of their payment-for-order-flow revenue, depending on volume
Account fees (annual, transfer, closing, inactivity)
$75 ACAT outgoing transfer fee (partial or full). No annual fee for non-Premium members — Public Premium costs $10 a month or $96 a year.
$3.99 monthly inactivity fee for accounts with no activity for six months and balances below $70. Instant withdrawals cost 3.5% of the amount withdrawn, with a minimum of $1.
Interest rate on uninvested cash
New users can opt into a high-yield cash account with yield of over 4% by checking a box at sign-up.
Number of no-transaction-fee mutual funds
Not rated.
Tradable securities
Stocks, ETFs, options, cryptocurrency, American Depositary Receipts, fractional shares and bonds.
Trading platform
Public's mobile and web platforms offer a smooth sign-up, funding and trading experience, but are fairly basic when it comes to tools like charts and screeners.
Mobile app
Public's iOS and Android apps are both well-liked by users and offer virtually the same features as the web trading platform.
Research and data
Research from Morningstar, TradingView and S&P Global. Public offers earnings call playback, as well as bespoke company metrics like subscriber numbers.
Customer support options (includes how easy it is to find key details on the website)
Email and chat support available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday. Responses prioritized for Premium members. Website is fairly easy to navigate.
IRA match
1% match on all rollovers and contributions.
Robinhood
The matching program
Robinhood offers a 1% match on all IRA contributions, rollovers and transfers for all users. To avoid an early removal fee, you must keep the balance in your account above the amount it was when you received the match for at least five years. For Robinhood Gold users, the annual contribution match increases to 3% — although you are required to keep Robinhood Gold for at least 12 months from the first Gold IRA contribution to keep that extra match.
Other unique features
Robinhood is one of the few brokers we review that offer 24/5 trading, meaning you can place an order at any time between Monday morning and Friday night.
Fractional share trading, however, may be limited during extended trading hours. Many popular index ETFs, such as the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY), cost several hundred dollars per share. So the inability to put in a fractional order outside of normal trading hours, plus low liquidity, higher bid-ask spreads and therefore suboptimal prices, all really limit the usefulness of Robinhood's extending-hours trading feature.
I personally have been foiled by Robinhood's limited-fractional-shares-after-hours thing several times when I've tried to put $100 into my SPY position after 4 p.m. However, Robinhood does allow you to schedule a fractional order for the next morning in that situation, which somewhat mitigates the inconvenience.
Robinhood Gold users get other perks, such as one of the highest interest rates on uninvested cash of any broker we review. It's currently 3.35%, although Robinhood sometimes offers limited-time interest rate boosts (typically an extra 0.50% for a couple of months) to users who make large deposits of $1,000 or more. Gold users also get access to the Robinhood Gold credit card.
Robinhood pioneered both the mobile-first brokerage app and the IRA match, and it's still a standout in both categories. But it is missing a few platform features and asset classes that old-school investors might want. Read our full Robinhood review to see what we mean.
Robinhood shook up the IRA market with its 1% match on contributions — an offer that is typically only available through employer retirement plans. While some competitors have since added similar offers, it is still relatively rare among IRA providers.
Account minimum
$0 for brokerage accounts, Robinhood Gold accounts and IRAs.
Stock trading costs
$0.
Options trades
$0 for equity options. $0.50 for index options, or $0.35 for Gold accounts.
Account fees (annual, transfer, closing, inactivity)
No annual or inactivity fees. $100 ACAT outgoing transfer fee. Robinhood Gold costs $5 a month or $50 per year. Matching funds in IRAs may be taken back if money is withdrawn in less than five years. Instant withdrawals cost 1.75% of the amount withdrawn, with a minimum fee of $1 and a maximum of $150.
Interest rate on uninvested cash
0.01% for free accounts, 3.35% for Gold accounts
Tradable securities
Stocks, ETFs, Options, Cryptocurrency, American Depositary Receipts for over 650 global companies, Futures, Fractional shares. Bonds only available in the form of bond ETFs.
Number of no-transaction-fee mutual funds
Not rated; no mutual funds.
Trading platform
Robinhood's mobile and web platforms are known for their smooth sign-up, funding and trading processes. The broker now also offers a desktop platform, Robinhood Legend.
Mobile app
Mobile trading platform includes customizable alerts, news feed, advanced charting and ability to listen live to earnings calls for some companies. Reviews are mostly positive, although the average star rating on both iOS and Android is below the 4.5 star line.
Research and data
Access to professional research from Morningstar and Level II market data from the Nasdaq Stock Exchange (with Gold subscription).
Customer support options (includes how easy it is to find key details on the website)
24/7 chat support. Phone support available from 7:00 a.m. ET to 9:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday. Decent suite of educational articles and webinar events, and an easily-navigable website.
IRA match
1% match on IRA contributions for free accounts, 3% for Gold accounts.
SoFi
The matching program
SoFi offers all users a 1% match on IRA rollovers and contributions. Rollovers must be done through Capitalize, with whom SoFi is partnered, and matched funds must be maintained in the account for five years.
Unique features
SoFi is unique among brokers we review for offering users unlimited access to a financial advisor for a relatively small fee. Previously, users could qualify for unlimited access to an advisor simply by setting up direct deposit through SoFi; however, that perk has since expired. Still, SoFi Plus users get unlimited appointments included in their $ 10-a-month subscription. At $120 per year, that breaks down to a 0.48% fee on a $25,000 balance. This is very competitive, and that fee percentage would only fall as your balance grows.
All this, combined with the IRA match and SoFi's extensive fractional-share offering, may make SoFi a good choice for beginner investors looking to get a head start on saving for retirement.
For more on what we like about SoFi's user experience — as well as things that short-term traders or uninvested cash savers might miss — read our full SoFi review.
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A low management fee that includes one meeting with a financial advisor makes SoFi Robo Investing a solid choice for beginning and younger investors.
Account minimum
$0
Stock trading costs
$0
Options trades
$0
Account fees (annual, transfer, closing, inactivity)
Annual fee: $0 Inactivity fee: $25 (easily waived) IRA closing fee: $100
Interest rate on uninvested cash
0.01%
No-transaction-fee mutual funds
6,800
Tradable securities
Stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, options, interval funds
Trading platform
Two: Mobile app and web
Mobile app
Available for iOS and Android
Research and data
Four: Xignite, Morningstar, TipRanks and Benzinga
Customer support options (includes how easy it is to find key details on the website)
Phone and chat support Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern. Access to financial advisors.
IRA match
1%
Webull
The matching program
Webull offers a 1% match on IRA contributions for free users, and a 3.5% match for Webull Premium users. In theory, the Premium offering is the highest IRA match of any broker we review, but in practice, it comes with more restrictions than the other matching programs above.
The above match is for contributions only, not for rollovers (though Webull does occasionally run limited-time promotions that match rollovers).
Like Robinhood Gold, Webull Premium requires users to keep their premium subscription for a year to maintain the higher matching percentage; otherwise, it will claw back the extra match.
Depending on how much you contribute to your IRA and how much you like Webull Premium, that extra 0.5% match may put you ahead of a Robinhood Gold user in dollar terms.
The main drawback of Webull Premium compared to Robinhood Gold is just that you are likely to get an unpleasant surprise in the form of a small match clawback (calculated by a complicated, opaque formula) if you do ever downgrade to a regular Webull account during a time when you're making frequent IRA contributions.
Other unique features
Webull offers a very high interest rate on uninvested cash (3.35% at the time of last update) and also offers a good balance of advanced charting and trading tools with an easy-to-use mobile interface.
If you're a day trader or just generally into high-risk, high-potential-reward speculation, Webull will likely appeal to you, with its trading-oriented UX and wide selection of speculative investments. These include dozens of cryptocurrencies (which are no longer sequestered in the Webull Pay sister app) as well as prediction markets on things like stock index movements, crypto prices, and economic events such as Fed decisions.
However, it's worth mentioning that this kind of short-term betting is generally not recommended as a long-term wealth-building strategy by most financial advisors, and it's not something we like to encourage here at NerdWallet. But if it's your thing, and you understand the risks, Webull could be a good choice for you.
To see our take on Webull's app, and to learn more about its advantages for traders and limitations for long-term investors, check out our full Webull review.
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.
Account minimum
$0.
Stock trading costs
$0.
Options trades
$0 per trade and $0 per contract on equity options. $0.30 to $0.50 per contract on non-equity options such as index options.
Account fees
Annual fee: $0. Inactivity fee: $0. Outgoing transfer fee (partial or full): $75.
Interest rate on uninvested cash
3.6% for Premium users. 3.25% for non-Premium users with assets totaling more than $25,000, and 0.5% below that.
Number of no-transaction-fee mutual funds
None; mutual funds not available.
Tradable securities
Stocks, ETFs, Treasury bonds, Options, ADRs, Crypto, Futures, Prediction markets
Trading platform
Five: Web, desktop, two mobile apps (Webull and Webull Lite), APIs.
Mobile app
Available for iOS and Android.
Research and data
More than a dozen providers, including Benzinga, Nasdaq Total View, S&P, Dow Jones and CBOE.
Customer support options (includes how easy it is to find key details on the website)
Customer support is available by phone from 9:00 a.m. Eastern time to 4:15 p.m. Email and an in-app help center are available 24/7.
IRA match
1% contribution match for free accounts, 3.5% for paid accounts.
Robo-advisors that offer IRA matches
If you prefer a more hands-off style of retirement investing — one in which you just earn market rates of return via index funds — then an IRA with a robo-advisor may be more your speed. Two of the robo-advisors reviewed by NerdWallet offer some kind of match on IRA contributions: Acorns and Stash.
Acorns
The matching program
Acorns offers a 1% match on the first year of IRA contributions for Silver users and a 3% match for Gold users.
Acorns also puts clawback provisions on its matches similar to those imposed by others: Users must keep the funds in their IRAs for at least 4 years to keep the match, and downgrading from Gold to Silver during that time will result in the extra match being taken back. Both conditions are imposed on a pro-rata basis, meaning that each deposit has its own 4-year clock.
Other unique features
Acorns' signature offering is a feature where you can link payment cards to it and have it automatically invest the "spare change" on small purchases. For example, if you spend $5.75 on a latte with a linked card, Acorns will round the purchase up to $6 and invest the extra $0.25 automatically.
The Acorns Earn program also allows users to earn small amounts of cash back on purchases from select retailers. The Earn program is multi-tiered, with Gold users earning higher cash-back rewards. You can put these little round-ups and cash-back rewards in your Acorns IRA, and earn a match on them (provided that the match would be greater than or equal to 1 cent).
Acorns' round-up and cash-back features may appeal to investors who are on very tight budgets, as they help such people put something away for retirement, which is better than nothing. But it's worth noting that occasional sub-dollar contributions probably won't be enough to max out your IRA or fund a comfortable retirement. You can play with NerdWallet's retirement calculator with small monthly contribution amounts to see what we mean.
Overall, Acorns has a unique set of pros and cons. It's geared toward beginner, small-balance investors in many ways, but in other ways, it really nickle-and-dimes them. See our full Acorns review to learn more.
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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.
Account minimum
$0 to open account; $5 required to start investing.
Account management fee
Prices are per month: Bronze Tier: $3. Silver Tier: $6. Gold Tier: $12.
IRA match for qualifying contributions at Silver and Gold tiers could wipe out management fees.
Investment expense ratios
0.04% to 0.22%.
Account fees (annual, transfer, closing)
$35 per ETF to have them transferred to another broker when you close your taxable Acorns account; no charge to sell your investments and have the resulting cash transferred.
Portfolio mix
Well-diversified portfolio with exposure to domestic and international stocks, bonds, REITs and a Bitcoin-linked ETF.
Socially responsible portfolio options
Sustainable portfolio built with ESG ETFs available for no extra cost.
Accounts supported
Individual non-retirement accounts.
Roth, traditional and SEP IRAs.
UTMA/UGMA accounts available at the $12-per-month plan.
Tax strategy
Not available.
Human advisor option
Not available.
Bank account/cash management account
Acorns offers impressive high-yield checking and savings accounts. At the time of this review, the checking account earns 2.57% APY and the savings account earns 4.05% APY, with no minimum balance to receive the interest rate. The checking account has no overdraft fees and access to 55,000+ fee-free ATMs.
Customer support options (includes how easy it is to find key details on the website)
Customer support is available 7 days/week from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. PT via live chat, phone and email. Live chat and chat bot available 24/7.
Stash
The matching program
Stash offers a 3% match on IRA contributions for Stash+ users only ($12 a month) and pays the match on a monthly basis, not for each deposit. As a result, there's no clawback provision in the terms and conditions if you downgrade to a free account; you'd just stop receiving your monthly match starting that month.
However, like the other matching programs described in this article, Stash may claw back your match if you withdraw funds from the account after a certain period (less than 4 years in this case).
Other unique features
Like Acorns, Stash offers a round-up feature that automatically invests "spare change" from purchases with a linked payment card. These can be used as IRA contributions and augmented with the 3% match for Stash+ users.
In addition, Stash allows users to transfer money from their checking account to their Stash investment account (or IRA, with a match for Stash+ users), like conventional IRAs. Users can transfer a set amount of money on a set schedule, or use the "Smart Stash" feature, which studies their spending patterns and increases the transfer amount during periods when they spend less (or decreases it when they spend more).
Stash offers users a choice of DIY investment selections or automated portfolio management options for taxable brokerage accounts, but it's DIY-only for IRAs. That's not a huge drawback considering how many index ETFs and target date funds are available to investors nowadays, though. In fact, Stash's extra optionality — both in terms of your investment selection, and the ability to choose between making small "spare change" investments and full-size deposits — may make Stash a better choice for investors who want to start saving for retirement and aren't quite as cash-strapped as Acorns' target demographic.
You can learn more about Stash's pricing tiers — and what our reviewers do and don't like about its different services — in our full Stash review.
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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.
Account minimum
$0 ($5 for Smart Portfolios).
Account management fee
$3 per month for automated investing.
$12-a-month tier available with access to Kids Portfolios (custodial accounts) and higher Stock-Back® rewards.
Investment expense ratios
0.06% to 0.08%.
Account fees (annual, transfer, closing)
$0 standard transfer fee, or 1% fee for instant transfers.
Outgoing ACAT full or partial transfer fee: $75.
Portfolio mix
Smart Portfolio mix is well-diversified but lacks exposure to non-market correlated assets like REITs and commodities. Over 4,000 individual stocks and ETFs are available in the DIY individual brokerage account.
Socially responsible portfolio option
Offers six socially responsible portfolios focused on gender diversity, clean energy and more.
Accounts supported
Individual brokerage accounts
ROTH and Traditional IRAs
UGMA/UTMA accounts
Note: Only individual brokerage accounts are available to be managed with Smart Portfolios. IRA and UTMA/UMGA accounts are available for DIY management only.
Tax strategy
Not available.
Human advisor option
Not available.
Bank account/cash management account
Stash offers access to an online banking account with a stock-back rewards debit card, but the account doesn't pay interest.
Customer support options (includes how easy it is to find key details on the website)
Phone and email support Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Should I prioritize IRA matches over 401(k) matches?
Traditionally, IRA accounts offered no matches on contributions; matches were only a feature of employer-sponsored retirement accounts, such as 401(k) plans, until recently. But 401(k) plans still have several advantages over IRAs, even those with matching programs.
According to Vanguard's "How America Saves" report, the average employer match percentage in employer-sponsored retirement plans administered by Vanguard was 4.6% in 2025. In other words, employer-sponsored accounts such as 401(k) plans frequently offer much more generous matches than even the highest IRA match programs.
On top of that, 401(k) plans have much higher contribution limits than IRAs, and much stronger creditor protections in the event of bankruptcy. For 2026, the maximum contribution for a 401(k) plan is $24,500 ($32,500 if over age 50), while the maximum contribution you can make to any number of IRA accounts is $7,500 ($8,600 if over age 50).
Given these advantages, it might be worth maxing out your 401(k) plan first if one is available to you and you're able to hit such high maximums. If that's not feasible, consider contributing at least as much to get the company match, and then look at an IRA with a contribution matching program if you still have extra savings to put away.
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.Vanguard. How America Saves 2025. Accessed Jan 22, 2026.
- 2.IRS. 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500. Accessed Jan 22, 2026.