BEST OF
All of the online brokers below offer free stock trading, so investors can bypass transaction costs and build portfolios free of charge. They also charge low or no account fees.
Written by
Chris Davis
Assigning Editor
Edited by
Arielle O'Shea
Lead Assigning Editor
Fact Checked
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Why trust NerdWallet
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.
Over 60 investment account providers reviewed and rated by our expert Nerds.
More than 50 years of combined experience writing about finance and investing.
Hands-on testing of the account funding process, broker websites and stock-trading platforms.
Dozens of objective ratings rubrics, and strict guidelines to maintain editorial integrity.
Get matched with a trusted financial advisor for free with NerdWallet Advisors Match
Commission-free trades for stocks, exchange-traded funds and options are the industry standard among top online brokerages. That means investors looking for the best free stock trading platform need to compare their options on other factors — things like investment selection, trading platform and options contract fees.
We've done that work for you. Here are NerdWallet’s picks for the best brokers for free trading —these brokers also excel in other areas, offering quality customer support, high mobile app ratings and low or no account fees.
Why trust NerdWallet
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.
Over 60 investment account providers reviewed and rated by our expert Nerds.
More than 50 years of combined experience writing about finance and investing.
Hands-on testing of the account funding process, broker websites and stock-trading platforms.
Dozens of objective ratings rubrics, and strict guidelines to maintain editorial integrity.
Get matched with a trusted financial advisor for free with NerdWallet Advisors Match
Commission-free trades for stocks, exchange-traded funds and options are the industry standard among top online brokerages. That means investors looking for the best free stock trading platform need to compare their options on other factors — things like investment selection, trading platform and options contract fees.
We've done that work for you. Here are NerdWallet’s picks for the best brokers for free trading —these brokers also excel in other areas, offering quality customer support, high mobile app ratings and low or no account fees.
| Broker | NerdWallet rating | Fees | Account minimum | Promotion | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Robinhood Learn more on Robinhood's website | 4.3/5 | $0 per trade | $0 | 1 Free Stock after linking your bank account (stock value range $5.00-$200) | Learn more on Robinhood's website |
E*TRADE Learn more on E*TRADE's website | 4.4/5 | $0 per trade. Other fees apply. | $0 | Get up to $1,000 when you open and fund an E*TRADE account | Learn more on E*TRADE's website |
Webull Learn more on Webull's website | 5.0/5 | $0 per trade | $0 | Get up to 75 free fractional shares (valued up to $3,000) when you open and fund an account with Webull. | Learn more on Webull's website |
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Learn more on J.P. Morgan's website | 4.2/5 | $0 per trade | $0 | Get up to $700 when you open and fund a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account with qualifying new money. | Learn more on J.P. Morgan's website |
Charles Schwab Learn more on Charles Schwab's website | 4.9/5 | $0 per online equity trade | $0 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn more on Charles Schwab's website |
NerdWallet rating
4.3/5on Robinhood's website
Fees
$0
per trade
Account minimum
$0
Promotion
1 Free Stock
after linking your bank account (stock value range $5.00-$200)
Pros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Streamlined interface.
Cryptocurrency trading.
IRA with 1% match.
High interest rate on uninvested cash.
Cons
No mutual funds.
Limited customer support.
Why We Like It
Robinhood provides free stock, options, ETF and cryptocurrency trades (but no bonds or mutual funds), and its account minimum is $0, too. Robinhood Gold offers a high interest rate on uninvested cash and low margin rates.
NerdWallet rating
5.0/5on Webull's website
Fees
$0
per trade
Account minimum
$0
Promotion
Get up to 75 free fractional shares (valued up to $3,000)
when you open and fund an account with Webull.
Pros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Easy-to-use platform.
Advanced tools.
Access to cryptocurrency.
High interest rate on uninvested cash.
High order execution quality.
Cons
No mutual funds.
Thin educational support.
Why We Like It
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, its relatively weak educational content may leave true beginners in the lurch, and it lacks access to bonds and mutual funds.
NerdWallet rating
4.2/5on J.P. Morgan's website
Fees
$0
per trade
Account minimum
$0
Promotion
Get up to $700
when you open and fund a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account with qualifying new money.
Pros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Easy-to-use platform.
App connects all Chase accounts.
In-person customer support at Chase branches.
Cons
Limited tools and research.
Portfolio Builder tool requires $2,500 balance.
Low interest rate on uninvested cash.
Why We Like It
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is a clear-cut investment platform that is great for beginners looking to learn how to buy and sell investments. More advanced investors, however, may find it lacking in terms of available assets, tools and research. INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE
NerdWallet rating
4.9/5on Charles Schwab's website
Fees
$0
per online equity trade
Account minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Four trading platforms with no minimums or fees.
Above-average mobile app.
Extensive research offerings.
Large fund selection.
Cons
Low interest rate on uninvested cash.
Why We Like It
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.
Best Online Broker for Advanced Traders2024
NerdWallet rating
5.0/5on Interactive Brokers' website
Fees
$0
per trade
Account minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Large investment selection.
Strong research and tools.
Over 19,000 no-transaction-fee mutual funds.
High order execution quality.
Cons
High minimum to earn interest on uninvested cash.
Website can be difficult to navigate.
Why We Like It
Don't let the name fool you: IBKR Lite offers commission-free stock trading (including international trade capabilities), more than 19,000 mutual funds, and a well-featured platform.
NerdWallet rating
4.6/5on Public's website
Fees
$0
Account minimum
$0
Promotion
Earn up to $10,000
when you transfer your investment portfolio to Public.
Pros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Rebates for trading options.
Impressive selection of alternative assets.
Easy-to-use signup and trading interface.
High interest rate on uninvested cash.
Cons
No mutual funds.
No margin trading.
Lack of tools (e.g. customizable investment screeners).
No IRA accounts.
Why We Like It
Public provides free stock and ETF trades, pays you to trade options, and gives traders access to crypto, alternative assets and bonds, as well as a high-yield savings account. The platform will appeal to traders looking for a low-cost options broker and access to many types of assets.
Best Broker for Beginning Investors2024
NerdWallet rating
5.0/5Fees
$0
per trade for online U.S. stocks and ETFs
Account minimum
$0
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Large selection of research providers.
Strong customer service.
Expense-ratio-free index funds.
Highly rated mobile app.
High interest rate on uninvested cash.
Cons
Relatively high broker-assisted trade fee.
Why We Like It
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.
NerdWallet rating
4.2/5on SoFi Invest's website
Fees
$0
per trade
Account minimum
$0
Promotion
Up to $1,000
in free stock for users who sign up via mobile app
Pros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Free financial counseling.
IPO access.
Cons
Low interest rate on uninvested cash.
Why We Like It
SoFi Active Investing's $0 trading commission, free access to financial advisors, fractional shares and $1 account minimum are attractive to new investors. More advanced investors will appreciate the company's wide mutual fund selection and IPO access.
Want to compare more options? Here are our other top picks:
E*TRADE
Ally Invest
Firstrade
Last updated on September 3, 2024
Methodology
How do we review brokers?
NerdWallet’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 assessment of providers to help arm you with information to make sound, informed judgements on which ones will best meet your needs. We adhere to strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
We collect data directly from providers through detailed questionnaires, and conduct first-hand testing and observation through provider demonstrations. The questionnaire answers, combined with demonstrations, interviews of personnel at the providers and our specialists’ hands-on research, fuel our proprietary assessment process that scores each provider’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.
To recap our selections...
NerdWallet's Best Online Brokers for Free Trading of September 2024
- Robinhood
- E*TRADE
- Webull
- J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
- Charles Schwab
- Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite
- Public
- Fidelity
- SoFi Active Investing
- Ally Invest
- Firstrade
