Side-by-side comparison of the top platforms for investing
Last checked: April 2026. Coming into 2026 I had accounts scattered across Robinhood ($18,400 mostly in VOO and a few meme stocks from 2021), E*TRADE ($42,300 rolled over from an old employer 401(k)), and Vanguard ($61,800 in a Roth IRA + taxable VTSAX). Three logins, three tax forms, three rebalances every January. I consolidated everything into Fidelity over a weekend in February 2026.
The ACAT transfers took 4 business days for E*TRADE, 6 for Robinhood (crypto holdings had to be liquidated first — cost me about $40 in spread), and 5 for Vanguard. Fidelity reimbursed all three outbound ACAT fees (totaling $225) after I emailed their transfer team. My holdings transferred "in kind," meaning VOO stayed VOO — no tax event triggered on the taxable accounts.
Post-consolidation value: $122,500 in one place. I immediately set up auto-investing on Fidelity: $2,000/month into FZROX (0.00% expense ratio) split across my Roth and taxable. The biggest win wasn't a fee — it was that I actually started rebalancing because it took 90 seconds instead of a half-hour across three apps. One login, one statement, one tax form. If I'd known consolidation was this easy in 2023 I would have done it years earlier.
Choosing the right brokerage is one of the most important financial decisions you will make. The best platforms offer $0 commissions, strong research tools, and robust retirement account options. We tested and compared 8 of the most popular online brokerages to help you find the best fit.
| Brokerage | Commission | Acct Min | Mutual Funds | ETFs | Research | Mobile App |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Best Overall | $0 | $0 | 10,000+ | 2,000+ | Excellent | Excellent |
| Charles Schwab | $0 | $0 | 8,000+ | 2,000+ | Excellent | Very Good |
| Vanguard | $0 | $0 | 3,000+ | 1,800+ | Good | Good |
| E*TRADE | $0 | $0 | 6,500+ | 2,200+ | Very Good | Very Good |
| Robinhood | $0 | $0 | N/A | 500+ | Basic | Excellent |
| Interactive Brokers | $0* | $0 | 40,000+ | 13,000+ | Advanced | Good |
| Merrill Edge | $0 | $0 | 5,000+ | 2,000+ | Very Good | Good |
| TD Ameritrade | $0 | $0 | 11,000+ | 2,300+ | Excellent | Excellent |
* Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite has $0 commissions; IBKR Pro has tiered pricing starting at $1.
Fidelity is our top overall pick and the best choice for beginners. It offers a complete investing platform with $0 commissions on stocks, ETFs, and options; no account minimums; and fractional shares starting at just $1. Fidelity's research tools are among the best in the industry, powered by 20+ independent providers including Morningstar, Argus, and Zacks.
What sets Fidelity apart for beginners is its Learning Center, which offers structured courses, webinars, and articles organized by experience level. Combined with 24/7 phone support and over 200 physical branches, Fidelity provides the hand-holding that new investors need while offering the depth that experienced investors demand.
Additional highlights: zero-expense-ratio index funds (FZROX, FZILX), excellent retirement planning tools, and automatic investing features that make building wealth on autopilot simple.
TD Ameritrade's thinkorswim platform is the gold standard for active traders. The desktop application offers professional-grade charting with 400+ technical indicators, customizable screeners, paper trading, and real-time Level II quotes — all for free. No minimum balance or trading requirements.
The mobile version of thinkorswim is equally impressive, offering nearly the full feature set of the desktop version. For options traders, the platform's risk analysis tools, probability calculators, and multi-leg order entry are unmatched in the retail space.
Note: TD Ameritrade was acquired by Charles Schwab, and accounts are gradually being migrated. New accounts are opened through Schwab, but the thinkorswim platform remains available.
Vanguard invented the index fund and remains the best choice for long-term, buy-and-hold retirement investing. Its Target Retirement Funds automatically rebalance your portfolio as you age, making retirement investing completely hands-off.
Vanguard's unique ownership structure (the funds own the company, and shareholders own the funds) means the company is structurally incentivized to keep costs low. Average expense ratios are among the lowest in the industry. For retirement accounts specifically, Vanguard's IRA offerings, required minimum distribution (RMD) calculators, and retirement income planning tools are excellent.
The tradeoff: Vanguard's website and app feel dated compared to competitors, and it lacks some of the advanced trading tools offered by Fidelity or Schwab. But for retirement-focused investors who value low costs above all else, Vanguard is hard to beat.
Ready to start investing? Use our compound interest calculator to see how your investments could grow over time, or try our retirement calculator to build a plan.
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