The Ascent's 2020 Stock Broker and Robo-Advisor Awards Winners award banner The Ascent's 2020 Stock Broker and Robo-Advisor Awards Winners

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The Ascent's 2020 stock broker and robo-advisor awards winners offer a deep bench of perks, including rock-bottom costs, great customer service, high-quality trading platforms, and more. See below to learn which ones topped the podium position this year.

TD Ameritrade

Best Stock Broker Overall

TD Ameritrade

Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
5.0/5 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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TD Ameritrade wins Best Stock Broker Overall for its superior desktop trading platform and mobile app, as well as its best-in-class educational resources and stock research access. TD Ameritrade also scores high marks for its mutual fund availability and wide variety of account types. Plus, with a large network of branch offices, TD Ameritrade is one of the best in the business when it comes to customer service.

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Charles Schwab

Best Stock Broker for Beginners

Charles Schwab

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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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Charles Schwab offers no-commission trading, no account minimums, and excellent customer service. It also has a wide variety of educational resources, investment research, and a network of branches for in-person customer service, all of which are extremely valuable to beginning investors. However, what really pushed Schwab to the top of the list is the availability of fractional share investing, which makes higher-cost investments more accessible to beginning investors who may not have a ton of capital.

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E*TRADE

Best Stock Broker for Options Trading

E*TRADE

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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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$0 options trading commissions ($0.65/contract) are just the starting point for why we recognized E*TRADE as a leading options broker. E*TRADE’s trading platform has built a big fan base, particularly with options traders looking for an edge. Add in the fact that E*TRADE has a well-rounded suite of investment solutions, and you can see why the broker is a solid pick, for options traders, and more.

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E*TRADE services are available just to U.S. residents.

TD Ameritrade

Best Stock Broker for IRAs

TD Ameritrade

Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
5.0/5 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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It can be tough to understand all the rules, limitations, and advantages of IRAs. TD Ameritrade takes top honors in IRAs in part because it makes that information easily accessible via its online tools and plentiful research sources. You can analyze fees and examine your risk profile to choose the best kind of IRA for you, and TD Ameritrade offers plenty of options for constructing your retirement portfolio within your IRA, including commission-free ETFs, no-transaction fee mutual funds, stocks, bonds, and CDs.

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Robinhood

Best Stock Broker for Fractional Shares

Robinhood

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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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Robinhood's zero-commission model revolutionized the brokerage industry and its fractional shares offering goes a step further. This uncommon perk helps investors diversify portfolios and buy into more expensive stocks even if they don't have a lot of cash. As little as $1 can buy you part of a more expensive stock. That kind of versatility, combined with Robinhood's fee-free ethos, puts it at the top of our list.

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Robinhood disclosure

All investments involve risk and loss of principal is possible. 

Securities are offered through Robinhood Financial LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Cryptocurrency services are offered through an account with Robinhood Crypto, LLC (NMLS ID 1702840). Robinhood Crypto is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Cryptocurrency held through Robinhood Crypto is not FDIC insured or SIPC protected. For more information see the Robinhood Crypto Risk Disclosure.

Trades of stocks, ETFs and options are commission-free at Robinhood Financial LLC.  Other fees may apply. Please see Robinhood Financial’s Fee Schedule to learn more.

Fractional shares are illiquid outside of Robinhood and are not transferable.  Not all securities available through Robinhood are eligible for fractional share orders. For a complete explanation of conditions, restrictions and limitations associated with fractional shares, see the Fractional Shares section of our Customer Agreement

Robinhood Gold is an account offering premium services available for a $5 monthly fee. Not all investors will be eligible to trade on Margin. Margin investing involves the risk of greater investment losses. Additional interest charges may apply depending on the amount of margin used. Bigger Instant Deposits are only available if your Instant Deposits status is in good standing.

Wealthfront

Best Robo Advisor Overall

Wealthfront

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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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Wealthfront earns the title of best robo-advisor because of its low fees, low minimum account balance, and user-friendly interface. There are no fees for most services, and the annual advisory fee is just 0.25%. Tax-loss harvesting is available for all investment accounts, while some robo-advisors limit this feature to those with a high minimum balance. And you'll have a wider choice of account types than with some robo-advisors, as Wealthfront offers 401(k) rollovers; Roth and traditional IRAs; SEP IRAs; 529 accounts; and individual, joint, or trust accounts.

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SoFi Automated Investing

Best Robo Advisor for Low Costs

SoFi Automated Investing

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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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SoFi Automated Investing is one of the cheapest robo advisory services in the business, with no management fees whatsoever and underlying investment funds with minimal expenses. As if that wasn't enough, SoFi gives clients access to human financial advisors -- and not just a little, but unlimited access. Since SoFi offers personal loans, mortgages, and other financial products, it also scored points for giving investment clients discounts on interest rates for those products.

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Charles Schwab

Best Stock Broker for Customer Service

Charles Schwab

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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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Charles Schwab’s 24/7 customer support is just the beginning of why the broker is held in such high regard for customer service. It’s also one of the few brokers with a big national branch network where customers can take care of their day-to-day investing and banking needs. Face-to-face customer support is an important feature for many people, even as brokers move almost entirely online.

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TD Ameritrade

Best Trading Platform

TD Ameritrade

Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
5.0/5 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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TD Ameritrade’s thinkorswim® trading platform – available as a downloadable app on your computer, online via browser, or as a mobile app – gets accolades for solid reasons. It’s highly customizable, allowing you to trade and follow all sorts of investment vehicles in one place, from stocks to IRAs to ETFs, and offers sophisticated automation and tracking. Thinkorswim® even looks great – its sophistication can be configured to look the way you like it, from streamlined simplicity to full-on NASA control room.

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Robinhood

Best Low Cost Stock Broker

Robinhood

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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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Robinhood's trail-blazing zero-commission trading set a new standard for online brokers, and it continues to stand out. Its spirit of low cost and simplicity shine through its app and online platform. For example, if you want to buy into pricier stocks but don't have the cash, Robinhood offers fractional shares. You can also buy cryptocurrencies and earn interest on your uninvested cash. If you're willing to pay $5 a month for the Robinhood Gold premium app, you can also invest using margin. If you're after a simple no-frills, low cost broker, Robinhood is hard to beat.

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Robinhood disclosure

All investments involve risk and loss of principal is possible. 

Securities are offered through Robinhood Financial LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Cryptocurrency services are offered through an account with Robinhood Crypto, LLC (NMLS ID 1702840). Robinhood Crypto is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Cryptocurrency held through Robinhood Crypto is not FDIC insured or SIPC protected. For more information see the Robinhood Crypto Risk Disclosure.

Trades of stocks, ETFs and options are commission-free at Robinhood Financial LLC.  Other fees may apply. Please see Robinhood Financial’s Fee Schedule to learn more.

Fractional shares are illiquid outside of Robinhood and are not transferable.  Not all securities available through Robinhood are eligible for fractional share orders. For a complete explanation of conditions, restrictions and limitations associated with fractional shares, see the Fractional Shares section of our Customer Agreement

Robinhood Gold is an account offering premium services available for a $5 monthly fee. Not all investors will be eligible to trade on Margin. Margin investing involves the risk of greater investment losses. Additional interest charges may apply depending on the amount of margin used. Bigger Instant Deposits are only available if your Instant Deposits status is in good standing.

Charles Schwab

Best Stock Broker for ETFs and Index Investing

Charles Schwab

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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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No broker can top Charles Schwab’s breadth of ETF and index investing offerings. In addition to having one of the largest ETF marketplaces, Charles Schwab has its own line of branded ETFs that rival the lowest cost options in the market. What’s more, the broker automates building an ETF portfolio within minutes by answering a few simple questions. This is a standout, free feature for hands-off investors.

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Vanguard

Best Stock Broker for Mutual Fund Investing

Vanguard

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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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Vanguard has been a leading broker for mutual fund investing for decades. We see no reason why that should change in 2020. The broker has built a legacy with its high-quality, branded mutual funds that are among the lowest costs in the industry, even as others have been nipping at its toes playing catch up. Vanguard also offers popular mutual funds outside of its branded offerings, including thousands with no transaction fees.

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Vanguard disclosures

Visit vanguard.com to obtain a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus, for Vanguard and non-Vanguard funds offered through Vanguard Brokerage Services. The prospectus contains investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other information; read and consider carefully before investing.

Options are a leveraged investment and are not suitable for every investor. Options involve risk, including the possibility that you could lose more money than you invest. Before buying or selling options, you must receive a copy of Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options issued by OCC. A copy of this booklet is available at theocc.com. It may also be obtained from your broker, any exchange on which options are traded, or by contacting OCC at 125 S. Franklin Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60606 (888-678-4667 or 888-OPTIONS). The booklet contains information on options issued by OCC. It is intended for educational purposes. No statement in the booklet should be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell a security or to provide investment advice. For further assistance, please call The Options Industry Council (OIC) helpline at 888-OPTIONS or visit optionseducation.org for more information. The OIC can provide you with balanced options education and tools to assist you with your options questions and trading.

Commission-free trading of Vanguard ETFs applies to trades placed both online and by phone. All ETFs are subject to management fees and expenses; refer to each ETF's prospectus for more information. Account service fees may also apply. All ETF sales are subject to a securities transaction fee. See the HYPERLINK "https://investor.vanguard.com/investing/transaction-fees-commissions/etfs" Vanguard Brokerage Services commission and fee schedules for full details.

Vanguard funds not held in a brokerage account are held by The Vanguard Group, Inc., and are not protected by SIPC. Brokerage assets are held by Vanguard Brokerage Services, a division of Vanguard Marketing Corporation, member FINRA and SIPC.

Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor of the Vanguard Funds

Betterment

Best Stock Broker for Cash Management

Betterment

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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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Betterment’s cash management offerings broaden the robo-advisor's appeal to investors seeking more than just a low cost, high-quality investment solution. Betterment offers a cash account with a high APY and a no-fee checking account, which reimburses all ATM and foreign transaction fees.

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Betterment disclaimers

†Betterment Cash Reserve ("Cash Reserve") is offered by Betterment LLC. Clients of Betterment LLC participate in Cash Reserve through their brokerage account held at Betterment Securities. Neither Betterment LLC nor any of its affiliates is a bank. Through Cash Reserve, clients' funds are deposited into one or more banks ("Program Banks") where the funds earn a variable interest rate and are eligible for FDIC insurance. Cash Reserve provides Betterment clients with the opportunity to earn interest on cash intended to purchase securities through Betterment LLC and Betterment Securities. Cash Reserve should not be viewed as a long-term investment option.

Funds held in your brokerage accounts are not FDIC‐insured but are protected by SIPC. Funds in transit to or from Program Banks are generally not FDIC‐insured but are protected by SIPC, except when those funds are held in a sweep account following a deposit or prior to a withdrawal, at which time funds are eligible for FDIC insurance but are not protected by SIPC. See Betterment Client Agreements for further details. Funds deposited into Cash Reserve are eligible for up to $1,000,000.00 (or $2,000,000.00 for joint accounts) of FDIC insurance once the funds reach one or more Program Banks (up to $250,000 for each insurable capacity—e.g., individual or joint—at up to four Program Banks). Even if there are more than four Program Banks, clients will not necessarily have deposits allocated in a manner that will provide FDIC insurance above $1,000,000.00 (or $2,000,000.00 for joint accounts). The FDIC calculates the insurance limits based on all accounts held in the same insurable capacity at a bank, not just cash in Cash Reserve. If clients elect to exclude one or more Program Banks from receiving deposits the amount of FDIC insurance available through Cash Reserve may be lower. Clients are responsible for monitoring their total assets at each Program Bank, including existing deposits held at Program Banks outside of Cash Reserve, to ensure FDIC insurance limits are not exceeded, which could result in some funds being uninsured. For more information on FDIC insurance please visit www.FDIC.gov. Deposits held in Program Banks are not protected by SIPC. For more information see the full terms and conditions and Betterment LLC's Form ADV Part II.

**The annual percentage yield ("APY") on the deposit balances in Betterment Cash Reserve ("Cash Reserve") is 4.00% and represents the weighted average of the APY on deposit balances at the banks participating in Cash Reserve (the "Program Banks") and is current as of Feb. 6, 2023. This APY is variable and subject to change daily. Deposit balances are not allocated equally among the participating Program Banks. A minimum deposit of $10 is required, but there is no minimum balance required to be maintained. The APY available to a customer may be lower if that customer designates a bank or banks as ineligible to receive deposits. APY applies only to Cash Reserve and does not apply to checking accounts held through Betterment Checking. Cash Reserve and Betterment Checking are separate offerings and are not linked accounts.

For Cash Reserve (“CR”), Betterment LLC only receives compensation from our program banks; Betterment LLC and Betterment Securities do not charge fees on your CR balance.

*A complete list of 2020 award winners, from credit cards to mortgages, can be found here.

**You can also find more brokers and robo-advisors to compare by checking out The Ascent's best stock brokers page.

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