All US stock-brokers are different and the best way to figure out what broker is best for your investing goals is to compare the key account features and products on offer. We’ve put together a list of the major American stock brokers that offer online and phone trading and investing as well as other peripheral products such as ETFs (exchange traded funds), cryptocurrencies, options and futures.
Best US Stock Brokers 2024
Our comparison table of US stock trading brokers covers the key account features. These include, tight pricing, financial security, regulation, range of markets, added value and reviews. Trading and investing carries a high level or risk and losses can exceed your deposits. Featured brokers appear first.
| US Stock Trading Platform | US Stocks Available | US Stock Trading Costs | Our Rating | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 3,500 | 0.003% | See Platform | |
 | 2,019 | 0% | See Platform |
Interactive Brokers: Best Overall US Stock Broker
Interactive Brokers Review
Name: Interactive Brokers
Description: Interactive Brokers is a major US online automated electronic broker company. The financial broker is listed on the Nasdaq Exchange with ticker IBKR. The firm operates in 150 electronic exchanges in 34 countries, and offers trading in 28 currencies. Interactive Brokers has more than 3.19 million institutional and retail customers.
Why we like them
Interactive Brokers is an exceptional trading platform that offers institutional-grade trading capabilities to private clients around the world. IBKR has some of the lowest trading and investing fees and the widest market range in the industry.
Pros
- Very low dealing fees
- Wide market range
- Direct market access
- Complex order types
Cons
- Customer services can be slow
- No financial spread betting
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Pricing
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Market Access
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Apps & Platform
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Customer Service
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Research & Analysis
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Overall
4.8FAQs
Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions by people searching for the best stock brokers in America.
If you looking to open your first brokerage account or need an additional broker for diversification there are a few key questions you need to ask yourself. You can read our full guide on how to open a brokerage account or use our US stock broker comparison tables to find your perfect broker.
- There are three different types of account
- Self-directed – you make your own investment decisions
- Managed portfolio – a professional manages your investments
- Robo-advisor – an automated investment account
If you want to buy US stocks you need a US stock broker to buy them on your behalf. This is by far the most efficient way of getting exposure to a companies share price.
These are the main things to compare when choosing a US stock broker:
- Commissions
- This is how much the broker charges your for each trade. Despite online stock trading being highly competitive there is actually quite a significant difference between broker commissions.
- Account fees
- One top of commission some brokers will also charge a fees for market access, live pricing, research, inactivity and administration.
- Trade frequency
- The more you trade the lower your costs. If you are a regular trade look out for brokers with frequent trade promotions.
- Support
- When something goes wrong you need to know that you can get through to the right person on the phone. In investing mistakes can be costly if not dealt with promptly.
- Minimums
- Some brokers will ask you to make a deposit when you open an account, whilst other will let you get an account in place before you are ready to make your first trade and deposit.
- Investment products
- Read our guide to brokerage accounts to see the difference between trading through stocks, futures, options and ETFs etc.
- Experience
- Some brokers are better for beginners and other brokers offer investment products that are only suitable to experienced traders with a high risk appetite. Make sure you choose a broker that is best for your level of investment experience.
As a rule you should think in percentages of your net worth. The higher the risk the lower the percentage of you net worth you should allocate to it. All investments (even the safest) come with risk so be prepared to lose money as well as profit from the stock market.
Always stay within your comfort zone and never invest money you cannot afford to lose.
Investing in two stocks for example is more risky that investing in twenty. This is because you are diluting your exposure to things going wrong. For example if you hold a stock which has a profit warning and loses 50% of it’s value. It will have a greater impact on your net worth if you have a portfolio of two stocks rather than twenty because you will hold a greater value of it.
