The Finance Ape rating4.9/5Ideal for guided investment advice Fees$0per tradeAccount minimum$0Promotion1% bonuswhen you transfer your portfolio to SoFi Active Invest. Terms & Conditions Apply.Our TakePros
No commissions on stock, options and ETF trades
IPO access.
IRA match.
Cons
Low interest rate on uninvested cash.
Why We Like ItSoFi Active Investing's $0 trading commission, fractional shares and $0 account minimum are attractive to new investors. More advanced investors will appreciate the company's wide mutual fund selection and IPO access.
The Finance Ape rating4.8/5Best for a smooth user experience Fees$0per tradeAccount minimum$0Promotion1 Free Stockafter linking your bank account (stock value range $5.00-$200)Our TakePros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Streamlined interface.
Cryptocurrency trading.
IRA with 1% match (3% for Gold members).
High interest rate on uninvested cash.
Cons
No mutual funds.
Little third-party research.
Why We Like ItRobinhood provides free stock, options, ETF and cryptocurrency trades (but no bonds or mutual funds), and its account minimum is $0, too. Robinhood Gold offers a high interest rate on uninvested cash and low margin rates.
The Finance Ape rating4.8/5Best for one-on-one advisor access Fees$0per tradeAccount minimum$0PromotionGet up to $700when you open and fund a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account with qualifying new money.Our TakePros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Easy-to-use platform.
App connects all Chase accounts.
In-person customer support at Chase branches.
Cons
Bare-bones trading platform isn't for advanced traders.
Low interest rate on uninvested cash.
Why We Like ItJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is a clear-cut investment platform that is great for beginners looking to learn how to buy and sell investments. More advanced investors, however, may find it lacking in terms of available assets, tools and research. If building an investment portfolio from scratch seems overwhelming, J.P. Morgan's Self-Directed Investing Portfolio Builder tool makes the process less intimidating.
The Finance Ape rating4.7/5Ideal for effortless investment diversification Fees$0Account minimum$100PromotionGet up to $500in your new Brokerage Account when you sign up and make a deposit within 14 days. Plus, earn up to $10,000 to invest when you transfer your brokerage account to M1 within 30 days of opening an M1 account.Our TakePros
Commission-free trades for stocks and ETFs.
Highly rated mobile app.
Dynamic Rebalancing feature ensures cash moving in and out of the portfolio helps maintain target percentages of each investment “Slice.”
High interest rate on uninvested cash.
Cons
Restricted trading windows.
Limited educational sources.
No options trading.
Why We Like ItM1 Finance stands out for its unique investment approach — it helps investors visualize their portfolios as a pie, with "slices" made up of different securities. The mix of automation and manual investing will appeal to beginner investors who want to grow their skills and long-term investors who want help maintaining their portfolio allocation.
The Finance Ape rating4.6/5Best for effortless investing Fees$0per tradeAccount minimum$0PromotionGet up to $700when you open and fund a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account with qualifying new money.Our TakePros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Easy-to-use platform.
App connects all Chase accounts.
In-person customer support at Chase branches.
Cons
Bare-bones trading platform isn't for advanced traders.
Low interest rate on uninvested cash.
Why We Like ItJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is a clear-cut investment platform that is great for beginners looking to learn how to buy and sell investments. More advanced investors, however, may find it lacking in terms of available assets, tools and research. If building an investment portfolio from scratch seems overwhelming, J.P. Morgan's Self-Directed Investing Portfolio Builder tool makes the process less intimidating.
The Finance Ape rating4.4/5Great for investing in index funds and ETFs Fees$0per tradeAccount minimum$0PromotionNoneno promotion available at this timeOur TakePros
Commission-free stock, options and ETF trades.
Leader in low-cost mutual, index and exchange-traded funds.
High interest rate on uninvested cash.
High order execution quality.
Cons
Basic trading platform only.
Limited research and data.
No fractional shares for stocks.
Why We Like ItVanguard is the king of low-cost investing, making it ideal for buy-and-hold and retirement investors. It offers a top-notch selection of proprietary, low-cost mutual funds, including many ESG options. Despite its $0 trade commission, active traders will find the broker falls short due to the lack of a strong trading platform.