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The Best Investment Apps & Online Brokers

Six established, SIPC-member US brokers compared on costs, available assets, tools and ease of use.

Last updated Jul 2, 2026

The right brokerage affects what you pay in fees, which assets and account types you can access, and how easily you can manage your money over time. We compared six well-established US brokers on the four things that matter most — costs and fees, assets and account types, tools and research, and ease of use. This is general information to help you compare providers, not investment advice; all investing carries risk of loss, including the possible loss of principal. Every commercial link on this page is disclosed and never changes the ranking.

  1. 1

    Fidelity

    Our pick

    A full-service broker pairing commission-free US stock and ETF trades with deep research and retirement tools.

    9.0
    / 10

    Pros

    • + $0 commissions on US stocks and ETFs, plus fractional-share investing
    • + Broad account lineup including IRAs, 529s, HSAs and cash management
    • + Extensive in-house research, screeners and retirement planning tools

    Cons

    • − Interface is more feature-dense than app-first competitors
    • − Advanced charting lives in the separate Active Trader Pro desktop app
    • − No direct cryptocurrency trading in standard brokerage accounts
    From $0.00
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  2. 2

    Charles Schwab

    Best for teams

    A large established broker with commission-free trades, broad research and the thinkorswim platform for active traders.

    8.8
    / 10

    Pros

    • + $0 commissions on US stocks and ETFs with wide fund selection
    • + thinkorswim platform offers advanced charting and analysis for active traders
    • + Comprehensive research, screeners and third-party reports

    Cons

    • − Experience is split across legacy Schwab and thinkorswim systems
    • − Fractional shares limited to S&P 500 stocks (Schwab Stock Slices)
    • − Interface can feel dated for casual, mobile-first investors
    From $0.00
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  3. 3

    Interactive Brokers

    A professional-grade broker with very low costs, broad global market access and powerful trading tools.

    8.7
    / 10

    Pros

    • + Among the lowest margin rates and broad global market access
    • + Wide asset range: stocks, options, futures, bonds, forex and more
    • + IBKR Lite tier offers $0 commissions on US stocks and ETFs

    Cons

    • − Trader Workstation has a steep learning curve for newcomers
    • − Interface and fee schedule are complex compared with app-first rivals
    • − Better suited to active and experienced traders than casual investors
    From $0.00
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  4. 4

    Vanguard

    A low-cost, fund-focused broker built around long-term, buy-and-hold and retirement investing.

    8.0
    / 10

    Pros

    • + Industry-low expense ratios on its own index funds and ETFs
    • + $0 commissions on US stocks and ETFs, strong for long-term investors
    • + Deep retirement account support and long-term planning focus

    Cons

    • − Dated website and mobile app compared with rivals
    • − Limited tools and data for active or short-term traders
    • − No fractional shares on individual stocks (ETF-only fractional investing)
    From $0.00
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  5. 5

    Robinhood

    Best for beginners

    A mobile-first broker with a very simple interface, fractional shares and commission-free trading.

    7.7
    / 10

    Pros

    • + Simple, mobile-first interface that lowers the barrier for beginners
    • + Commission-free stocks and ETFs with fractional-share investing
    • + Straightforward onboarding and a low learning curve

    Cons

    • − Limited research, screeners and educational depth
    • − Fewer account types than established brokers (limited retirement options historically)
    • − History of outages and regulatory scrutiny over gamified design
    From $0.00
    Visit Robinhood
  6. 6

    Webull

    Best free

    A commission-free broker with active-trader charting and analysis in a mobile-first package.

    7.7
    / 10

    Pros

    • + Commission-free stocks, ETFs and options with fractional shares
    • + Stronger charting and technical indicators than most app-first brokers
    • + Paper-trading simulator for practising without real money

    Cons

    • − Limited fundamental research and educational resources
    • − Customer support is largely self-service with slower response times
    • − Interface can overwhelm true beginners with data and indicators
    From $0.00
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Side-by-side

The Best Investment Apps & Online Brokers — score by criterion for each product.
Product Costs & Fees Assets & Account Types Tools & Research Ease of Use Overall
Fidelity 9.2 9.0 9.1 8.2 9.0
Charles Schwab 9.0 8.9 9.0 7.9 8.8
Interactive Brokers 9.4 9.3 8.8 6.6 8.7
Vanguard 8.8 8.2 7.2 7.0 8.0
Robinhood 8.5 6.8 6.5 9.0 7.7
Webull 8.4 7.0 7.3 7.8 7.7
How we scored this

Each broker is scored 0–10 on four weighted criteria: costs and fees (weight 3), assets and account types (2), tools and research (2) and ease of use (1.5), with the overall score being the weighted average. Every broker listed is registered with the SEC and is a member of FINRA and SIPC. Ranks are our independent editorial verdict from these criteria and are not influenced by any affiliate or referral payout. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy a specific product; investing carries risk of loss, so consider your own circumstances or a licensed adviser before deciding.