Best Of · Brokers

Best Online Brokers for Stock Trading of 2026

$0 commissions on online stock and ETF trades is table stakes now — every broker on this list offers it (options contract fees still apply). What separates them is research depth, trading tools, mobile UX, and global market access. Here's who each one is best for.

Pricing verified July 2026

Our picks

Before you open an account, run the numbers on any trade with our Options Income Calculator and Position Sizer.

Best Overall Research

Fidelity

The Equity Summary Score consolidates analyst ratings from independent research firms into a single view.

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Best Trading Platform

Charles Schwab

thinkorswim — the professional-grade platform Schwab inherited from TD Ameritrade.

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Best for Options Traders

E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Power E*TRADE's risk-visualization tools make multi-leg option strategies easier to read.

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Best for Global / Advanced Traders

Interactive Brokers

Access to 150+ markets in 30+ countries — with margin rates that are hard to beat.

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Best Mobile-First Experience

Robinhood

Robinhood Legend is the desktop platform for active users, with 90+ indicators.

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Best Paper Trading

Webull

Replay mode lets you paper-trade past market days, not just live sessions.

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At-a-glance comparison

Broker	Stock/ETF commissions	Best for	Signature feature
Fidelity	$0	Long-term investors who want deep research at no cost.	The Equity Summary Score consolidates analyst ratings from independent research firms into a single view.
Charles Schwab	$0	Active traders who want a powerful desktop platform without paying for it.	thinkorswim — the professional-grade platform Schwab inherited from TD Ameritrade.
E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley	$0	Options traders who want purpose-built risk visualization.	Power E*TRADE's risk-visualization tools make multi-leg option strategies easier to read.
Interactive Brokers	$0	Advanced traders and investors who need global market access.	Access to 150+ markets in 30+ countries — with margin rates that are hard to beat.
Robinhood	$0	Newer investors who want a clean mobile-first experience.	Robinhood Legend is the desktop platform for active users, with 90+ indicators.
Webull	$0	Traders who want to practice — including on historical days.	Replay mode lets you paper-trade past market days, not just live sessions.

Fidelity

The Equity Summary Score consolidates analyst ratings from independent research firms into a single view.

Commissions

$0 commissions on online stock/ETF trades (options contract fees still apply)

Best for

Long-term investors who want deep research at no cost.

Pros

Equity Summary Score aggregates independent analyst ratings
Strong fractional-share support
Broad retirement account lineup

Cons

Trading platform less flashy than thinkorswim
Some tools spread across web + Active Trader Pro

Run the numbers first: Options Income Calculator · Position Sizer.

Learn more

Charles Schwab

thinkorswim — the professional-grade platform Schwab inherited from TD Ameritrade.

Commissions

$0 commissions on online stock/ETF trades (options contract fees still apply)

Best for

Active traders who want a powerful desktop platform without paying for it.

Pros

thinkorswim desktop, web, and mobile
Deep charting and options analytics
Full-service brokerage backing

Cons

Interface has a learning curve for new traders

Run the numbers first: Options Income Calculator · Position Sizer.

Learn more

E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Power E*TRADE's risk-visualization tools make multi-leg option strategies easier to read.

Commissions

$0 commissions on online stock/ETF trades (options contract fees still apply)

Best for

Options traders who want purpose-built risk visualization.

Pros

Power E*TRADE risk visualization
Strong options screener
Solid mobile app

Cons

Fewer international markets than IBKR

Run the numbers first: Options Income Calculator · Position Sizer.

Learn more

Interactive Brokers

Access to 150+ markets in 30+ countries — with margin rates that are hard to beat.

Commissions

$0 commissions on online stock/ETF trades (options contract fees still apply)

Best for

Advanced traders and investors who need global market access.

Pros

150+ global markets
Competitive margin rates
Institutional-grade tools (TWS)

Cons

TWS interface intimidating for beginners
Some features assume trader-level knowledge

Run the numbers first: Options Income Calculator · Position Sizer.

Learn more

Robinhood

Robinhood Legend is the desktop platform for active users, with 90+ indicators.

Commissions

$0 commissions on online stock/ETF trades (options contract fees still apply)

Best for

Newer investors who want a clean mobile-first experience.

Pros

Cleanest mobile UX in the category
Robinhood Legend desktop with 90+ indicators
Fractional shares

Cons

Research and educational depth thinner than Fidelity or Schwab

Run the numbers first: Options Income Calculator · Position Sizer.

Learn more

Webull

Replay mode lets you paper-trade past market days, not just live sessions.

Commissions

$0 commissions on online stock/ETF trades (options contract fees still apply)

Best for

Traders who want to practice — including on historical days.

Pros

Replay-mode paper trading
Solid charting for a free platform
Extended-hours access

Cons

Fewer retirement account features than the full-service brokers

Run the numbers first: Options Income Calculator · Position Sizer.

Learn more

How we chose

What we looked at

Research quality, trading-platform depth, mobile experience, options tooling, global market access, and how each broker's strengths map to a specific type of investor.

What "$0 commissions" doesn't include

Options contract fees (typically $0.50–$0.65 per contract), regulatory fees, margin interest, and any account-level fees still apply — we treated all six equivalently on baseline commissions because they are.

Affiliate disclosure

We have no active broker affiliate deals as of this writing — the "Learn more" links go directly to each broker's public site. If we add partner arrangements, we'll update this page and disclose them clearly.