2020's Investing
Winners
From low-cost investing platforms to robo-advisors and more – our list of winners can help newbie investors and seasoned traders alike. And while many of the winners are our partners, this did not influence our decisions or opinions.
Best-Of Awards > Investing
Best Broker for Stock Trading Platform and Research (tie)
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Free research.
- High-quality trading platforms.
- No account minimum.
- Good customer support.
- Large investment selection.
Cons
- No fractional shares.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Free research.
- High-quality trading platforms.
- No account minimum.
- Good customer support.
- Large investment selection.
Cons
- No fractional shares.
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Free research.
- High-quality trading platforms.
- No account minimum.
- Good customer support.
- Large investment selection.
Cons
- No fractional shares.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Free research.
- High-quality trading platforms.
- No account minimum.
- Good customer support.
- Large investment selection.
Cons
- No fractional shares.
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options trades.
- Free research.
- High-quality trading platforms.
- No account minimum.
- Good customer support.
- Large investment selection.
Cons
- No fractional shares.
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and options 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
Fees
$0.005
per share; as low as $0.0005 with volume discounts
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
Exclusive!
0.25% 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 get a 0.25 percentage point discount on margin rates.
Cons
- Complex pricing on some investments.
- Inactivity fees.
- 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 get a 0.25 percentage point discount on margin rates.
Cons
- Complex pricing on some investments.
- Inactivity fees.
- Website is difficult to navigate.
Fees
$0.005
per share; as low as $0.0005 with volume discounts
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
Exclusive!
0.25% 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 get a 0.25 percentage point discount on margin rates.
Cons
- Complex pricing on some investments.
- Inactivity fees.
- 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 get a 0.25 percentage point discount on margin rates.
Cons
- Complex pricing on some investments.
- Inactivity fees.
- Website is difficult to navigate.
Fees
$0.005
per share; as low as $0.0005 with volume discounts
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
Exclusive!
0.25% 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 get a 0.25 percentage point discount on margin rates.
Cons
- Complex pricing on some investments.
- Inactivity fees.
- 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 get a 0.25 percentage point discount on margin rates.
Cons
- Complex pricing on some investments.
- Inactivity fees.
- 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
Monthly Fee
$0
APY
0.35%
With $1 minimum balance
Monthly Fee
$0
APY
0.35%
With $1 minimum balance
Monthly Fee
$0
APY
0.35%
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
Fees
0%
management fee
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
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.
Fees
0%
management fee
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
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.
Fees
0%
management fee
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
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
Fees
$100 and up
per month (free initial consultation)
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
15% off
one year of financial planning (requires annual payment upfront)
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.
Fees
$100 and up
per month (free initial consultation)
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
15% off
one year of financial planning (requires annual payment upfront)
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.
Fees
$100 and up
per month (free initial consultation)
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
15% off
one year of financial planning (requires annual payment upfront)
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
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Large investment selection.
- Strong research and tools.
- Over 4,300 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.
- Inactivity fees on IBKR Pro.
Pros
- Large investment selection.
- Strong research and tools.
- Over 4,300 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.
- Inactivity fees on IBKR Pro.
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Large investment selection.
- Strong research and tools.
- Over 4,300 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.
- Inactivity fees on IBKR Pro.
Pros
- Large investment selection.
- Strong research and tools.
- Over 4,300 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.
- Inactivity fees on IBKR Pro.
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
- Large investment selection.
- Strong research and tools.
- Over 4,300 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.
- Inactivity fees on IBKR Pro.
Pros
- Large investment selection.
- Strong research and tools.
- Over 4,300 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.
- Inactivity fees on IBKR Pro.
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
Fees
0.40% - 0.50%
management fee
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
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.
Fees
0.40% - 0.50%
management fee
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
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.
Fees
0.40% - 0.50%
management fee
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
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)
on Firstrade's website
on Firstrade's website
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
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.
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
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.
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
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)
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
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.
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
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.
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
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
Fees
0%
management fee
Account Minimum
$5,000
Promotion
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.
Fees
0%
management fee
Account Minimum
$5,000
Promotion
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.
Fees
0%
management fee
Account Minimum
$5,000
Promotion
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
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
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.
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
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.
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
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
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
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.
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
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.
Fees
$0
per trade
Account Minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
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?
Use our comparison tool to explore additional options – for ETFs, stocks and more.
Explore Awards winners
Frequently Asked Questions
NerdWallet's award winners are chosen through a rigorous evaluation process involving more than three dozen of our writers and editors. For each financial product, we assess the features that we believe are most important to consumers. NerdWallet's ratings formulas for credit cards, for example, consider the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel or balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards and other features. For mortgages, our evaluation includes loan types, loan products, online capabilities, online rate information, customer service and complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. For more info, see our methodologies.
Our team of Nerdy experts is composed of writers and editors – based all across the country – who have years of experience reviewing and writing about personal finance products for consumers.
Writers and editors use comprehensive scoring formulas that assess each financial product’s key features, weighting them according to their importance to consumers.
Nope. Editorial team members are solely responsible for creating all product reviews and ratings, and these assessments reflect their opinions alone. Only products that meet the editorial team’s standards appear in our Best-Of Awards lists, meaning no company can “buy” an award.
NerdWallet’s awards are given annually to the best of the best. Our other lists of top financial products throughout the year may be longer than the list of award winners, offer additional consumer choices and get updated as products change, products are discontinued and new products emerge. The dates that this year's winners were selected: Auto Insurance, Nov. 1, 2019; Banking, Oct. 1, 2019; Credit Cards, Oct. 1, 2019; Investing, Oct. 17, 2019; Mortgages, Oct. 18, 2019; Personal Loans, Oct. 1, 2019; Student Loans, Sept. 1, 2019; Travel Rewards, Sept. 1, 2019; Taxes, Jan. 9, 2020.
Our 2019 Best-Of Award winners are still live and we encourage companies to continue to celebrate their wins from this year and past years.
