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Brokerage Reviews

Review Updated
Cole Tretheway

Our Brokerage Expert

Nathan Alderman
Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures our experts’ opinions aren’t influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

If you're ready to get started with buying stocks, mutual funds, or other investments, you'll first need a brokerage account.

Below, you'll find links to all of our brokerage account reviews. Our experts have reviewed a wide range of stock brokers, trading platforms, and investing apps to help you find the best option for your needs.

Brokerage and trading platform reviews

Want to compare brokers?

Once you've narrowed down your search, take a look at our head-to-head comparisons to choose which brokerage account is right for you.

Best of brokerage lists

Methodology

The Motley Fool Ascent strives to provide useful and up-to-date brokerage reviews. Our financial experts rate products based on the following features: fees, ease of use, and quality of the trading platform and research offerings.

To learn more about how we go about reviewing brokers, read our ratings methodology.

Top Brokers of 2024

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.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Fees:

$0 for stocks, $0 for options contracts

Account Minimum:

$0

Highlights:

A clear standout for a modern investing experience, particularly for beginner and long-term investors. The ability to buy fractional shares, as well as the ability for everyday investors to participate in IPOs, bolsters our overall opinion.

Learn More for SoFi Active Investing

On SoFi Active Investing's Secure Website.

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.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Fees:

$0 for stocks, ETFs, and options; up to $6.99 monthly for Robinhood Gold

Account Minimum:

$0

Highlights:

With no commissions, access to trade fractional shares and cryptocurrency through Robinhood Crypto, Robinhood is a no frills but efficient brokerage account.

Learn More for Robinhood

On Robinhood's Secure Website.

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.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Fees:

Commission-free; other fees apply

Account Minimum:

$0

Highlights:

E*TRADE offers low fees and tons of account types. If you need it, chances are, E*TRADE has it. You can access advanced features through its popular Power E*TRADE platform. Open an E*TRADE account to trade fee-free mutual funds and do all your investing in one place.

Learn More for E*TRADE

On E*TRADE's Secure Website.