Compare Online Brokerage Accounts
Review Investment Choices
Ensure that the brokerage offers the securities and funds you invest in.
Consider Trading Habits
Cost of trades may differ based on your account balance & activity.
Assess Brokerage Services
Check out the research & trading tools, customer service and site speed.
Online brokerages accounts offer easy access to investing for just about anyone. Generally, online brokerage firms charge lower fees compared to full-service brokers.
Most online brokerages provide a wide-range of investment options including stock, bonds, mutual funds and ETFs in taxable accounts or IRAs and other tax-deferred investment vehicles.
Brokerage accounts can vary based on research tools, trading platforms, order execution speed, customer service and margin accessibility.
Related Definitions
ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds)
An exchanged-traded fund is a single security that tracks an index, like a mutual fund, except that it trades like a mutual fund. ETFs tend to have lower expense ratios compared to the average mutual fund.
IRA (Individual Retirement Account)
A type of retirement account that provide tax advantages on savings earmarked for withdrawal during retirement. The two most popular forms of IRA are the traditional IRA (for pre-tax deductions) and the Roth IRA (for tax-free distributions).
Margin
Margin is borrowed money that is used to purchase securities. The brokerage firm may charge interest on the borrowed funds.