Broker reviews
Independent reviews of the brokers in our matrix — scored on cost, platforms, mobile, research, education, service, range of investments, and active trading. Every review lists what the broker is genuinely best at and where you should look elsewhere.
All reviews
Fidelity review
4.7 / 5Best overall broker for long-term investors, retirement, mutual funds, and cash management. Industry-leading sweep yield, zero-expense-ratio funds, and no PFOF on equities.
Interactive Brokers review
4.6 / 5Best for active, global, and advanced traders. Lowest margin rates in the industry, broadest international access (160+ exchanges, 36 countries), and the most complete API stack in retail brokerage.
Charles Schwab (thinkorswim) review
4.5 / 5Best for full-service investors who want thinkorswim, broad 24/5 trading, deep customer service, and integrated banking. Cost-competitive on most fronts but lags on margin rates and fractional-share breadth.
E*TRADE (Morgan Stanley) review
4.4 / 5Solid full-service broker for mainstream investors who value Power E*TRADE's active-trader tools, deep mutual-fund and bond shelves, and Morgan Stanley's wealth backbone. No fractional shares is the standout weakness.
tastytrade review
4.4 / 5The #1 retail options broker in 2026. Industry-leading $1-to-open / $0-to-close pricing capped at $10/leg, purpose-built derivatives platform, and integrated Tastylive education. Avoid if you hold meaningful idle cash, want OTC, or are a buy-and-hold investor.
Public.com review
4.3 / 5Strongest modern multi-asset broker for self-directed investors who want stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, Treasuries, crypto, IRAs, and 3.30% APY cash in one AI-native app. Unique options rebate, 6.07% Bond Account, and Agents — the first agentic-AI brokerage.
Robinhood review
4.3 / 5Best mobile-first broker for beginners, casual options traders, IRA contributors who want a 3% match, and 24-hour stock access. Significant gaps in OTC, mutual funds, and bonds.
TradeStation review
4.2 / 5Best for systematic and futures traders who want EasyLanguage scripting, direct routing, deep back-testing, and active-trader margin rates. Less retail-friendly than thinkorswim but unmatched for strategy automation.
Webull review
4.2 / 5Best for cost-conscious active traders who want $0 options, free Level II, fast routing, and broad crypto coverage. Educational depth and fixed-income shelves are thinner than the full-service incumbents.
CenterPoint Securities review
4.1 / 5Best-in-class short-locate inventory for active day traders and short sellers. Now a Clear Street division with ~8,000 ETB names, an in-house HTB desk sourcing 100M+ shares/month, 40+ DMA routes, and no PFOF. $30K minimum; not for beginners or buy-and-hold.
Cobra Trading review
4.0 / 5For active day traders and short sellers with $27K+ in capital who need multi-source HTB locates, true DMA without PFOF, and a human picking up the phone. Not a fit for buy-and-hold, beginners, or anyone who wants a polished mobile app.
Firstrade review
4.0 / 5Best for OTC and penny-stock buyers who want $0 commissions, plus mainstream mutual-fund and 24/5 access. Smaller platform and research footprint than the big four, but the price floor is uncontested.
Moomoo review
4.0 / 5One of the most powerful low-cost platforms for active equity and options traders in the US. Free NASDAQ TotalView Level 2, $0 equity options, flat 6.8% margin, and Hong Kong/China A-share access. Structurally incomplete: no IRAs, no joint accounts, no mutual funds, no bonds.
SoFi Active Investing review
4.0 / 5Best one-app financial life for beginners and casual investors. Unbeatable on $0 options + IPO access + 1% IRA match. Avoid if you trade OTC, options spreads professionally, or hold meaningful idle cash.
Merrill Edge review
3.8 / 5Best for Bank of America customers with $100K+ combined balances who want IRA, banking, credit card, and brokerage under one login. Outside that fit, Fidelity, Schwab, or IBKR are stronger pure-trading platforms.
SpeedTrader review
3.7 / 5Direct-access broker built for active day traders who need DAS Trader Pro, ECN order routing, integrated short locates, and OTC/penny stock access. Strong on short-locate workflow; weak on transparency, mobile, and reputation given multiple FINRA enforcement actions.
Best brokers by use case
Roundups ranked for one job each, rather than a single overall winner.
- Best for beginners
- Best for long-term investors
- Best for retirement & iras
- Best for mutual funds
- Best for cash management
- Best for active traders
- Best for options trading
- Best for futures
- Best for forex
- Best for international markets
- Best for otc & penny stocks
- Best for 24-hour trading
- Best for fractional shares
- Best for algo / api access
Popular head-to-heads
Looking for a specific stock?
Every ticker page shows which of these brokers actually offer that security, along with 24-hour eligibility and fractional-share access. Start from the stock lists or read the how-to guides.