2020's Investing
Winners
Best Broker for Stock Trading Platform and Research (tie)
on TD Ameritrade's website
on TD Ameritrade's website
$0
per trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Commission-free stock and ETF trades.
- Free research.
- High-quality trading platforms.
- No account minimum.
- Good customer support.
- Large investment selection.
Cons
- No fractional shares.
Pros
- Commission-free stock and ETF trades.
- Free research.
- High-quality trading platforms.
- No account minimum.
- Good customer support.
- Large investment selection.
Cons
- No fractional shares.
$0
per trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Commission-free stock and ETF trades.
- Free research.
- High-quality trading platforms.
- No account minimum.
- Good customer support.
- Large investment selection.
Cons
- No fractional shares.
Pros
- Commission-free stock and ETF trades.
- Free research.
- High-quality trading platforms.
- No account minimum.
- Good customer support.
- Large investment selection.
Cons
- No fractional shares.
$0
per trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Commission-free stock and ETF trades.
- Free research.
- High-quality trading platforms.
- No account minimum.
- Good customer support.
- Large investment selection.
Cons
- No fractional shares.
Pros
- Commission-free stock and ETF trades.
- Free research.
- High-quality trading platforms.
- No account minimum.
- Good customer support.
- Large investment selection.
Cons
- No fractional shares.
Why this BROKER made the list
TD Ameritrade offers best-in-class tools for researching and executing trades across a range of investments.
Read our methodologyBest Broker for Stock Trading Platform and Research (tie)
on Interactive Brokers's website
on Interactive Brokers's website
$0.005
per share; as low as $0.0005 with volume discounts
$0
Exclusive!
US resident opens a new IBKR Pro individual or joint account receives 0.25% rate reduction on margin loans. Tiers apply.
Pros
- Per-share pricing.
- Volume discounts.
- Large investment selection.
- Extensive tools for active traders.
- Powerful trading platform.
- NerdWallet users who sign up for IBKR Pro get a 0.25% discount on the first $100,000 of a margin loan.
Cons
- Complex pricing on some investments.
- Website is difficult to navigate.
Pros
- Per-share pricing.
- Volume discounts.
- Large investment selection.
- Extensive tools for active traders.
- Powerful trading platform.
- NerdWallet users who sign up for IBKR Pro get a 0.25% discount on the first $100,000 of a margin loan.
Cons
- Complex pricing on some investments.
- Website is difficult to navigate.
$0.005
per share; as low as $0.0005 with volume discounts
$0
Exclusive!
US resident opens a new IBKR Pro individual or joint account receives 0.25% rate reduction on margin loans. Tiers apply.
Pros
- Per-share pricing.
- Volume discounts.
- Large investment selection.
- Extensive tools for active traders.
- Powerful trading platform.
- NerdWallet users who sign up for IBKR Pro get a 0.25% discount on the first $100,000 of a margin loan.
Cons
- Complex pricing on some investments.
- Website is difficult to navigate.
Pros
- Per-share pricing.
- Volume discounts.
- Large investment selection.
- Extensive tools for active traders.
- Powerful trading platform.
- NerdWallet users who sign up for IBKR Pro get a 0.25% discount on the first $100,000 of a margin loan.
Cons
- Complex pricing on some investments.
- Website is difficult to navigate.
$0.005
per share; as low as $0.0005 with volume discounts
$0
Exclusive!
US resident opens a new IBKR Pro individual or joint account receives 0.25% rate reduction on margin loans. Tiers apply.
Pros
- Per-share pricing.
- Volume discounts.
- Large investment selection.
- Extensive tools for active traders.
- Powerful trading platform.
- NerdWallet users who sign up for IBKR Pro get a 0.25% discount on the first $100,000 of a margin loan.
Cons
- Complex pricing on some investments.
- Website is difficult to navigate.
Pros
- Per-share pricing.
- Volume discounts.
- Large investment selection.
- Extensive tools for active traders.
- Powerful trading platform.
- NerdWallet users who sign up for IBKR Pro get a 0.25% discount on the first $100,000 of a margin loan.
Cons
- Complex pricing on some investments.
- Website is difficult to navigate.
Why this BROKER made the list
Interactive Brokers' IBKR Pro pairs a state-of-the-art platform with numerous research resources.
Read our methodologyBest Robo-Advisor for Cash Management
at Wealthfront
at Wealthfront
$0
0.85%
With $1 minimum balance
$0
0.85%
With $1 minimum balance
$0
0.85%
With $1 minimum balance
Why this ROBO-ADVISOR made the list
Wealthfront, a top-tier robo-advisor, pays a higher rate than the competition on its cash-management service and offers up to $1 million in FDIC coverage.
Read our methodologyBest Robo-Advisor for Low-Cost Investing
on SoFi Invest's website
on SoFi Invest's website
0%
management fee
$0
Free
career counseling plus loan discounts with qualifying deposit
Pros
- Broad range of low-cost investments.
- Free management.
- Automatic rebalancing.
- Customer support.
- Access to certified financial planners.
Cons
- Limited account types.
- No tax-loss harvesting.
Pros
- Broad range of low-cost investments.
- Free management.
- Automatic rebalancing.
- Customer support.
- Access to certified financial planners.
Cons
- Limited account types.
- No tax-loss harvesting.
0%
management fee
$0
Free
career counseling plus loan discounts with qualifying deposit
Pros
- Broad range of low-cost investments.
- Free management.
- Automatic rebalancing.
- Customer support.
- Access to certified financial planners.
Cons
- Limited account types.
- No tax-loss harvesting.
Pros
- Broad range of low-cost investments.
- Free management.
- Automatic rebalancing.
- Customer support.
- Access to certified financial planners.
Cons
- Limited account types.
- No tax-loss harvesting.
0%
management fee
$0
Free
career counseling plus loan discounts with qualifying deposit
Pros
- Broad range of low-cost investments.
- Free management.
- Automatic rebalancing.
- Customer support.
- Access to certified financial planners.
Cons
- Limited account types.
- No tax-loss harvesting.
Pros
- Broad range of low-cost investments.
- Free management.
- Automatic rebalancing.
- Customer support.
- Access to certified financial planners.
Cons
- Limited account types.
- No tax-loss harvesting.
Why this ROBO-ADVISOR made the list
SoFi charges no management fee and no administrative fees, and you still get a broad selection of investments and free access to financial advice.
Read our methodologyBest Online Financial Planning Service
on Facet Wealth's website
on Facet Wealth's website
$1,800 and up
per year (free initial consultation)
$0
Get 2 free months
off your first year of financial planning.*
Pros
- Free initial consultation.
- Comprehensive, full-service financial planning.
- Meetings are held virtually, via phone or video call.
- No additional fee for investment management.
- Fee-only advice from a designated fiduciary CFP.
- No upfront setup fee.
Cons
- Wide fee range makes it difficult for potential customers to estimate costs.
- No in-person meeting option.
Pros
- Free initial consultation.
- Comprehensive, full-service financial planning.
- Meetings are held virtually, via phone or video call.
- No additional fee for investment management.
- Fee-only advice from a designated fiduciary CFP.
- No upfront setup fee.
Cons
- Wide fee range makes it difficult for potential customers to estimate costs.
- No in-person meeting option.
$1,800 and up
per year (free initial consultation)
$0
Get 2 free months
off your first year of financial planning.*
Pros
- Free initial consultation.
- Comprehensive, full-service financial planning.
- Meetings are held virtually, via phone or video call.
- No additional fee for investment management.
- Fee-only advice from a designated fiduciary CFP.
- No upfront setup fee.
Cons
- Wide fee range makes it difficult for potential customers to estimate costs.
- No in-person meeting option.
Pros
- Free initial consultation.
- Comprehensive, full-service financial planning.
- Meetings are held virtually, via phone or video call.
- No additional fee for investment management.
- Fee-only advice from a designated fiduciary CFP.
- No upfront setup fee.
Cons
- Wide fee range makes it difficult for potential customers to estimate costs.
- No in-person meeting option.
$1,800 and up
per year (free initial consultation)
$0
Get 2 free months
off your first year of financial planning.*
Pros
- Free initial consultation.
- Comprehensive, full-service financial planning.
- Meetings are held virtually, via phone or video call.
- No additional fee for investment management.
- Fee-only advice from a designated fiduciary CFP.
- No upfront setup fee.
Cons
- Wide fee range makes it difficult for potential customers to estimate costs.
- No in-person meeting option.
Pros
- Free initial consultation.
- Comprehensive, full-service financial planning.
- Meetings are held virtually, via phone or video call.
- No additional fee for investment management.
- Fee-only advice from a designated fiduciary CFP.
- No upfront setup fee.
Cons
- Wide fee range makes it difficult for potential customers to estimate costs.
- No in-person meeting option.
Why this SERVICE made the list
Facet sets its prices based on the complexity of advice required, offering clients dedicated access to CFPs for less than the cost of a traditional advisor.
Read our methodologyBest Broker for Low-Cost Investing
on Interactive Brokers's website
on Interactive Brokers's website
$0
per trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Large investment selection.
- Strong research and tools.
- Over 17,000 no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
- NerdWallet users who sign up for IBKR Pro get a 0.25 percentage point discount on margin rates.
Cons
- Website is difficult to navigate.
Pros
- Large investment selection.
- Strong research and tools.
- Over 17,000 no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
- NerdWallet users who sign up for IBKR Pro get a 0.25 percentage point discount on margin rates.
Cons
- Website is difficult to navigate.
$0
per trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Large investment selection.
- Strong research and tools.
- Over 17,000 no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
- NerdWallet users who sign up for IBKR Pro get a 0.25 percentage point discount on margin rates.
Cons
- Website is difficult to navigate.
Pros
- Large investment selection.
- Strong research and tools.
- Over 17,000 no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
- NerdWallet users who sign up for IBKR Pro get a 0.25 percentage point discount on margin rates.
Cons
- Website is difficult to navigate.
$0
per trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Large investment selection.
- Strong research and tools.
- Over 17,000 no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
- NerdWallet users who sign up for IBKR Pro get a 0.25 percentage point discount on margin rates.
Cons
- Website is difficult to navigate.
Pros
- Large investment selection.
- Strong research and tools.
- Over 17,000 no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
- NerdWallet users who sign up for IBKR Pro get a 0.25 percentage point discount on margin rates.
Cons
- Website is difficult to navigate.
Why this BROKER made the list
Many brokers offer free trades on stocks and exchange-traded funds. Interactive Brokers' IBKR Lite stands out with free trades, no minimum and no account fees.
Read our methodologyBest Robo-Advisor for Portfolio Options
0.40% - 0.50%
management fee
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Access to human advisors.
- Free portfolio analysis.
- Socially responsible investment options.
- No account minimum.
Cons
- Higher account management fees.
- Limited personal finance tools.
Pros
- Access to human advisors.
- Free portfolio analysis.
- Socially responsible investment options.
- No account minimum.
Cons
- Higher account management fees.
- Limited personal finance tools.
0.40% - 0.50%
management fee
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Access to human advisors.
- Free portfolio analysis.
- Socially responsible investment options.
- No account minimum.
Cons
- Higher account management fees.
- Limited personal finance tools.
Pros
- Access to human advisors.
- Free portfolio analysis.
- Socially responsible investment options.
- No account minimum.
Cons
- Higher account management fees.
- Limited personal finance tools.
0.40% - 0.50%
management fee
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Access to human advisors.
- Free portfolio analysis.
- Socially responsible investment options.
- No account minimum.
Cons
- Higher account management fees.
- Limited personal finance tools.
Pros
- Access to human advisors.
- Free portfolio analysis.
- Socially responsible investment options.
- No account minimum.
Cons
- Higher account management fees.
- Limited personal finance tools.
Why this ROBO-ADVISOR made the list
Wealthsimple goes beyond the common menu of options with socially responsible investment choices plus a halal investment portfolio of individual stocks.
Read our methodologyBest Broker for IRA Investing (tie)
$0
per trade
$0
Up to $200
in Transfer Fee Rebates
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- $0 contract fee on options trades.
- All mutual funds are commission-free.
- Chinese language options.
Cons
- No 24/7 customer support.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- $0 contract fee on options trades.
- All mutual funds are commission-free.
- Chinese language options.
Cons
- No 24/7 customer support.
$0
per trade
$0
Up to $200
in Transfer Fee Rebates
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- $0 contract fee on options trades.
- All mutual funds are commission-free.
- Chinese language options.
Cons
- No 24/7 customer support.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- $0 contract fee on options trades.
- All mutual funds are commission-free.
- Chinese language options.
Cons
- No 24/7 customer support.
$0
per trade
$0
Up to $200
in Transfer Fee Rebates
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- $0 contract fee on options trades.
- All mutual funds are commission-free.
- Chinese language options.
Cons
- No 24/7 customer support.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- $0 contract fee on options trades.
- All mutual funds are commission-free.
- Chinese language options.
Cons
- No 24/7 customer support.
Why this BROKER made the list
Firstrade offers commision-free stock and ETF trades and a wide selection of research tools.
Read our methodologyBest Broker for IRA Investing (tie)
$0
per trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- No minimum investment.
- No inactivity fees.
- Above-average mobile app.
- 4,000+ no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
Cons
- High fee for transaction-fee funds.
Pros
- No minimum investment.
- No inactivity fees.
- Above-average mobile app.
- 4,000+ no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
Cons
- High fee for transaction-fee funds.
$0
per trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- No minimum investment.
- No inactivity fees.
- Above-average mobile app.
- 4,000+ no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
Cons
- High fee for transaction-fee funds.
Pros
- No minimum investment.
- No inactivity fees.
- Above-average mobile app.
- 4,000+ no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
Cons
- High fee for transaction-fee funds.
$0
per trade
$0
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- No minimum investment.
- No inactivity fees.
- Above-average mobile app.
- 4,000+ no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
Cons
- High fee for transaction-fee funds.
Pros
- No minimum investment.
- No inactivity fees.
- Above-average mobile app.
- 4,000+ no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
Cons
- High fee for transaction-fee funds.
Why this BROKER made the list
Charles Schwab delivers a robust array of low-cost investment options, plus $0 stock and ETF trade commissions.
Read our methodologyBest Robo-Advisor for IRA Investing
0%
management fee
$5,000
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- No management fee.
- Wide ETF selection.
- Automatic rebalancing.
- Customizable portfolio.
Cons
- High account minimum.
- Large cash allocation.
- Tax-loss harvesting only available on balances of $50,000 or more.
Pros
- No management fee.
- Wide ETF selection.
- Automatic rebalancing.
- Customizable portfolio.
Cons
- High account minimum.
- Large cash allocation.
- Tax-loss harvesting only available on balances of $50,000 or more.
0%
management fee
$5,000
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- No management fee.
- Wide ETF selection.
- Automatic rebalancing.
- Customizable portfolio.
Cons
- High account minimum.
- Large cash allocation.
- Tax-loss harvesting only available on balances of $50,000 or more.
Pros
- No management fee.
- Wide ETF selection.
- Automatic rebalancing.
- Customizable portfolio.
Cons
- High account minimum.
- Large cash allocation.
- Tax-loss harvesting only available on balances of $50,000 or more.
0%
management fee
$5,000
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- No management fee.
- Wide ETF selection.
- Automatic rebalancing.
- Customizable portfolio.
Cons
- High account minimum.
- Large cash allocation.
- Tax-loss harvesting only available on balances of $50,000 or more.
Pros
- No management fee.
- Wide ETF selection.
- Automatic rebalancing.
- Customizable portfolio.
Cons
- High account minimum.
- Large cash allocation.
- Tax-loss harvesting only available on balances of $50,000 or more.
Why this ROBO-ADVISOR made the list
Schwab Intelligent Portfolios charges no management fee, draws from more than 50 low-expense-ratio ETFs and boasts excellent goal-tracking tools.
Read our methodologyBest Broker for Beginning Investors
on Fidelity's website
on Fidelity's website
$0
per trade for online U.S. stocks and ETFs
$0
Get $100
when you open a new, eligible Fidelity account with $50 or more. Use code FIDELITY100. Limited time offer. Terms apply.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Large selection of research providers.
- Strong customer service.
- Expense-ratio-free index funds.
- Highly rated mobile app.
Cons
- Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Large selection of research providers.
- Strong customer service.
- Expense-ratio-free index funds.
- Highly rated mobile app.
Cons
- Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.
$0
per trade for online U.S. stocks and ETFs
$0
Get $100
when you open a new, eligible Fidelity account with $50 or more. Use code FIDELITY100. Limited time offer. Terms apply.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Large selection of research providers.
- Strong customer service.
- Expense-ratio-free index funds.
- Highly rated mobile app.
Cons
- Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Large selection of research providers.
- Strong customer service.
- Expense-ratio-free index funds.
- Highly rated mobile app.
Cons
- Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.
$0
per trade for online U.S. stocks and ETFs
$0
Get $100
when you open a new, eligible Fidelity account with $50 or more. Use code FIDELITY100. Limited time offer. Terms apply.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Large selection of research providers.
- Strong customer service.
- Expense-ratio-free index funds.
- Highly rated mobile app.
Cons
- Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Large selection of research providers.
- Strong customer service.
- Expense-ratio-free index funds.
- Highly rated mobile app.
Cons
- Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.
Why this BROKER made the list
Fidelity charges no account fees, requires no minimum balance and earned high marks for customer service, both on its website and in nearly 200 local branches.
Read our methodologyBest Index Funds Overall
on Fidelity's website
on Fidelity's website
$0
per trade for online U.S. stocks and ETFs
$0
Get $100
when you open a new, eligible Fidelity account with $50 or more. Use code FIDELITY100. Limited time offer. Terms apply.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Large selection of research providers.
- Strong customer service.
- Expense-ratio-free index funds.
- Highly rated mobile app.
Cons
- Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Large selection of research providers.
- Strong customer service.
- Expense-ratio-free index funds.
- Highly rated mobile app.
Cons
- Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.
$0
per trade for online U.S. stocks and ETFs
$0
Get $100
when you open a new, eligible Fidelity account with $50 or more. Use code FIDELITY100. Limited time offer. Terms apply.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Large selection of research providers.
- Strong customer service.
- Expense-ratio-free index funds.
- Highly rated mobile app.
Cons
- Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Large selection of research providers.
- Strong customer service.
- Expense-ratio-free index funds.
- Highly rated mobile app.
Cons
- Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.
$0
per trade for online U.S. stocks and ETFs
$0
Get $100
when you open a new, eligible Fidelity account with $50 or more. Use code FIDELITY100. Limited time offer. Terms apply.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Large selection of research providers.
- Strong customer service.
- Expense-ratio-free index funds.
- Highly rated mobile app.
Cons
- Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Large selection of research providers.
- Strong customer service.
- Expense-ratio-free index funds.
- Highly rated mobile app.
Cons
- Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.
Why this PROVIDER made the list
Fidelity's lineup of index funds offers investors a broad range of options at exceptionally low costs.
Read our methodologyWant to compare brokers?
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Frequently Asked Questions
