Best Online Brokerages
With commission-free trading now standard, the best brokerage comes down to fund selection, account types, tools, and how little you pay in hidden costs like fund expense ratios and cash-sweep rates. We rank for long-term investors, not day-traders chasing gimmicks.
The best online brokerages in 2026 is the Fidelity, which tops our ranking with a Money 8020 score of 97/100. We track 8 online brokerages, 8 with rates checked against the provider and a regulator. All 8 are ranked and compared below.
Which platform fits how I invest — low costs, the right funds, and tools I'll actually use?
Top 3 in this category.
Fidelity
$0 commissions on US stocks, ETFs, and options, with no account minimum.
Charles Schwab
$0 online stock and ETF trades, $0.65 per options contract, with no account minimum.
Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite
$0 stock and ETF commissions with no account minimum, sourced from our data partnership.
All 8, ranked.
Compare the numbers.
Click a column header to sort.
| Product | Rating | Annual fee | Score | Tier | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Fidelity Investments | 4.8 | $0 | 97 | Essential | View |
| Charles Schwab Charles Schwab | 4.7 | $0 | 96 | Essential | View |
| Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite Interactive Brokers | 4.7 | — | 96 | Essential | View |
| E*TRADE Morgan Stanley | 4.6 | — | 94 | Essential | View |
| Robinhood Robinhood | 4.6 | — | 94 | Essential | View |
| Webull Webull | 4.5 | — | 85 | Strong | View |
| SoFi Active Investing SoFi | 4.4 | — | 84 | Strong | View |
| Public Public Holdings | 4.3 | — | 82 | Strong | View |
How to choose the best online brokerages
To choose a brokerage, confirm $0 commissions on the assets you trade, check the account minimum, the range of investments, and the quality of research and trading tools.
- Commissions on stocks, ETFs, options, and other assets
- Account minimum to open
- Range of available investments
- Research, tools, and mobile app quality
- SIPC protection
Frequently asked questions about online brokerages
Are commission-free trades really free?
Stock and ETF trades are genuinely commission-free at most major brokerages. Brokers make money other ways — interest on uninvested cash, payment for order flow, premium tools, and expense ratios on their own funds. Those costs matter more than commissions ever did.
What should a beginner look for in a brokerage?
Low-cost index funds and ETFs, no account minimums, fractional shares so you can start small, and a clean interface that does not push you toward frequent trading. Strong automatic-investing features help you build the habit that actually drives returns.