RI
RetailInvestor

Best Online Brokerages for 2026

We analyzed fees, features, tools, and user experience to rank the top brokerages for retail investors.

#1

Fidelity

Overall best for most investors

Commission

$0

  • +No account minimums
  • +Excellent research tools
  • +Fractional shares
  • +Zero-fee index funds (FZROX)
  • +Great customer service
#2

Charles Schwab

Full-service investing

Commission

$0

  • +No account minimums
  • +Schwab Intelligent Portfolios (robo)
  • +Extensive branch network
  • +Great for beginners and advanced
#3

Vanguard

Long-term index investing

Commission

$0

  • +Lowest-cost index funds
  • +Investor-owned (no conflicts)
  • +Best for buy-and-hold strategy
  • +$3,000 minimum for some mutual funds
#4

Robinhood

Beginners and mobile-first

Commission

$0

  • +Clean mobile app
  • +Fractional shares
  • +Crypto trading
  • +Limited research tools
  • +IRA with 1% match
#5

Interactive Brokers

Active traders and international

Commission

$0

  • +Lowest margin rates
  • +Access to international markets
  • +Advanced trading tools
  • +Can be complex for beginners
#6

E*TRADE (Morgan Stanley)

Options trading

Commission

$0

  • +Power E*TRADE platform
  • +Great options tools
  • +Extensive education
  • +Solid research

How We Ranked These Brokerages

We evaluated each brokerage on: commissions and fees, account minimums, investment options, research and education tools, mobile app quality, customer service, and special features (fractional shares, robo-advisors, crypto).

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