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The Best Online Stock Brokers for 2025

Investing is a powerful tool for building your future, and the right brokerage account makes all the difference. Whether you’re dipping your toes in the market or diving deep into advanced strategies, we’ve got you covered.

Our team has combed through the options to bring you the best stock trading platforms. These brokerage accounts aren’t just good— we think they’re the best.

These platforms offer the features, support, and resources to help you grow your wealth with confidence. Open an account today and take that crucial first step toward financial independence.

Invest With Confidence

Here at The Motley Fool, we put our money where our mouth is. The brokerage accounts on this list aren’t just recommendations—they’re the ones we use ourselves. Tried, tested, and Fool-approved.

Broker Best For Fees Special Offer Learn More
SoFi Invest® Offer Image
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Best For:

Beginner Traders, Long-Term Investors

Fees:

$0 for stocks, $0 for options contracts

Special Offer

Get up to $1,000 in stock when you fund a new Active Invest account. Circle with letter I in it. Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $50 within 45 days of opening the account. Probability of member receiving $1,000 is 0.026%. Percentages for the $1,000 are subject to decrease.

Learn More for SoFi Invest®

On SoFi Invest's Secure Website.

E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley Offer Image
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Best For:

Long-Term Investors, Stocks and Options Traders

Fees:

Commission-free stock, mutual fund, and ETF trades; other fees apply

N/A

Charles Schwab Offer Image
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Best For:

Low-cost investing with a full-featured platform

Fees:

$0 stock, ETF, and Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource® trades. No fees to buy fractional shares.

N/A

Learn More for Charles Schwab

On Charles Schwab's Secure Website.

TIP

Buying your first stocks: Do it the smart way

Once you’ve chosen one of our top-rated brokers, you need to make sure you’re buying the right stocks. We think there’s no better place to start than with Stock Advisor, the flagship stock-picking service of our company, The Motley Fool. You’ll get two new stock picks every month, plus 10 starter stocks and best buys now. The average stock pick inside Stock Advisor is up 1,054% — more than 5x that of the S&P 500! (as of 11/5/2025). Learn more and get started today with a special new member discount.

Learn More & Open An Account Today
Our Rating:
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line:

This brokerage is a clear standout for its well-rated mobile app and also has unique investment offerings like IPOs, options, and fractional shares.

Fees:

$0 for stocks, $0 for options contracts

Special Offer

Get up to $1,000 in stock when you fund a new Active Invest account.

Learn More for SoFi Invest®

On SoFi Invest's Secure Website.

Bottom Line:

This brokerage is a clear standout for its well-rated mobile app and also has unique investment offerings like IPOs, options, and fractional shares.

Our Rating:
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line:

E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley manages to cater to active traders with multiple trading platforms, while also appealing to long-term investors with thousands of mutual funds and ETFs that can be traded commission-free.

Fees:

Commission-free stock, mutual fund, and ETF trades; other fees apply

Bottom Line:

E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley manages to cater to active traders with multiple trading platforms, while also appealing to long-term investors with thousands of mutual funds and ETFs that can be traded commission-free.

Our Rating:
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line:

Charles Schwab pioneered the low-cost brokerage model decades ago, and that legacy continues with its lineup of no-commission-fee offerings. The robust lineup of account types, investment vehicles, and high quality app round out the stacked feature set.

Fees:

$0 stock, ETF, and Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource® trades. No fees to buy fractional shares.

Learn More for Charles Schwab

On Charles Schwab's Secure Website.

Bottom Line:

Charles Schwab pioneered the low-cost brokerage model decades ago, and that legacy continues with its lineup of no-commission-fee offerings. The robust lineup of account types, investment vehicles, and high quality app round out the stacked feature set.

Our Brokerage Experts