Best Online Stock Brokers For Beginners in June 2026

M1 Finance is a Chicago-based financial service that has been in operation since 2015. The goal of M1 Finance founder, Brian Barnes, was to create an app that would make personal finances easier to manage. With that in mind, Barnes devised an all-in-one solution for portfolio building, money-management, and robo-advising. In other words, M1 Finance is a unique personal finance umbrella product.

M1 Finance combines automated investment features with other useful financial products. You will have brokerage account, a tailor-made portfolio, as well as the option to borrow money using your securities as collateral and open a retirement account.

At the moment of writing our M1 Finance review, this company had over $5 billion in assets and more than 500,000 clients.

Commissions & Fees

M1 offers commission-free trading, but clients may be subject to a $3 monthly platform fee or a $3 monthly IRA fee. These monthly fees can be waived by maintaining at least $10,000 in total M1 assets or having an active M1 Personal Loan.

M1’s first-deposit minimum is $100 for individual, joint, custodial, and crypto accounts; $500 for traditional, Roth, and SEP IRAs; and $5,000 for trust accounts.

Trading Technology

After you open an account with M1 Finance, you’ll need to create an investment portfolio. Luckily, this process is streamlined, as your portfolio comes in the form of a pie with various security-based slices. The only thing you’ll need to do is deposit funds and section the pie any way you want it. Each portion represents a security you want to invest in, and can be anything from stocks to ETFs.

Once you set up your portfolio, M1 Finance will continue to manage it. The platform offers a fintech approach to trading, so you won’t need to do anything manually. In other words, the primary purpose of M1 Finance is to automate your trading according to your financial goals.

M1 also supports fractional shares, which can make it easier for beginners to build diversified portfolios with smaller deposits.

Customer Experience

If you want to open an account at M1, go to the company’s website and tap on the “Get Started” button in the top-right corner of the screen. During the registration process, you’ll need to provide basic information, like your name, email, driver’s license number, etc. The company allows you to choose between individual and joint investment accounts. Also, you can opt for a margin account.

Depending on the type of mobile device you use, you can download the Android or iOS M1 Finance mobile app. The app is easy to use, even if you haven’t used similar products before. Alternatively, you can access your portfolio through a web browser.

Final Words

If you don’t have time to build your investment portfolio manually, you will be content with what M1 Finance has to offer. You just need to create an account, download the app, deposit money, and create a pie-based portfolio.

Public.com is a registered broker dealer regulated by the SEC and FINRA. Brokerage accounts opened on Public.com are held through Open to the Public Investing, Inc., a member of FINRA and SIPC.

With a selection of stocks, ETFs, bonds, options, crypto, and other investment products, plus fractional-share investing, Public.com is an excellent option for first-time investors who want a modern investing experience.

Commissions & Fees

If you decide to open your account with Public.com, you’ll appreciate the brokerage’s commission-free trading on US-listed stocks and ETFs.

Public charges $0 commissions on self-directed US-listed stock and ETF trades placed online during regular market hours. Other fees, such as regulatory fees, subscription fees, wire-transfer fees, and paper-statement fees, may apply.

Extended-hours stock and ETF trades cost $2.99 per trade for regular users and $0 for Premium members. Public Premium costs $10/month or $96/year, with the fee waived for accounts over $50,000.

Trading Technology

Public.com has one of the most approachable apps on the market. The platform is available for Android and iOS devices, while the web-based solution can be accessed from any browser.

Public supports fractional shares, which allows beginners to buy slices of many stocks and ETFs instead of needing enough money to buy a full share.

Customer Experience

Although the company is fairly new to the industry, it has managed to put together a comprehensive customer service support package with a team of FINRA-associated specialists.

The company’s FAQ and Learn sections are very detailed and informative, while the support email is active and responsive.

If you need urgent assistance, Public.com will review your questions through in-app or web chat. You can also seek support through Instagram and Twitter.

Public also produces daily live shows where you can tune in and learn about the latest market trends, investing strategies, and financial education.

Final Words

Public.com is a commission-free* social investment platform that offers trading via its robust mobile app or the web. It’s a great choice for those looking for an easy-to-use platform with no account minimums.

You can trade stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies, and alternative assets at a relatively low cost***. The company also allows fractional shares**** for those with limited capital.

All in all, Public.com has everything you need to start investing.

• Fractional investing
• Alternative assets
• SEC- and FINRA-regulated

^{Disclosures: This does not constitute investment advice. Investing involves the risk of loss, including the potential loss of principal. Public.com launched in October 2019. Brokerage accounts opened on Public.com are held through the registered broker dealer, Open to the Public Investing, Inc. (Public), a member of FINRA and SIPC. Public provides brokerage services for US listed and registered securities only. Cryptocurrency trading on Public.com is conducted through Apex Crypto LLC(NMLS ID 1828849). Apex Crypto is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Brokerage services for alternative assets on Public.com are offered through Dalmore Group LLC, a registered broker dealer and a member FINRA and SIPC. Alternative assets and cryptocurrency investments are not covered by SIPC and are not held in a brokerage account.} 

^{Full terms, conditions and disclosures including fractional share disclosure and fee schedule at www.public.com/disclosures. New customers of Public receive free stock valued between $3 - $1,000 (0.3% receive the maximum value).}

^{*$0 commission applies to US-listed securities trading during regular market hours.}

^{**Full terms and conditions of the offer at public.com/transfer-account. For a breakdown of all fees, see Public’s Fee Schedule at public.com/disclosures/fee-schedule}

^{***For a breakdown of all fees, see Public’s Fee Schedule at public.com/disclosures/fee-schedule}

^{****Fractional shares are illiquid outside of Public and not transferable. For a complete explanation of conditions, restrictions and limitations associated with fractional shares, see Public.com’s Fractional Share Disclosure.}

Acorns is a company with a decade long experience in the field of investing, as it was founded in 2012. Its easy-to-use platforms for desktop and mobile are well-suited for beginners. What’s more, Acorns’ educational resources explain all the basics of stock trading and include other relevant topics.

The platform offers a $5 referral bonus for those who get a friend to sign up. There are also offers and rewards that are frequently updated. 

Commissions & Fees

Acorns doesn’t charge any commissions for trading stocks and bonds. However, you do have to subscribe to a plan to be able to open an account. There is no minimum amount to open an account, but keep in mind that, in order to start investing, you should have a minimum balance of $5.

Acorns subscription plans cost $3 per month for Bronze, $6 per month for Silver, and $12 per month for Gold. These plans include different combinations of investing, retirement, banking, and family features.

Acorns says users can automatically invest as little as $5 daily, weekly, or monthly.

Trading Technology

Acorns enables its users to invest in ETFs (stocks and bonds). Its main selling point is that the platform allows you to automate your investing and build savings. To start investing, you may use their web-based platform. For those who are keen on trading on the go, there is a native mobile app, available for both iOS and Android.

Options that let you automate the investing process include the Round-Ups® feature and recurring investment options. If you turn on Round-Ups®, Acorns rounds up eligible purchases from a linked account and invests the spare change.

Round-up multiplier works on that same principle. The only difference is that you set how many times you want the spare change to be multiplied. You may multiply it two, three, or ten times. 

Acorns Gold also gives customers access to Custom Portfolios with individual stocks and ETFs alongside a managed portfolio.

Finally, the recurring investments feature allows you to choose the amount you would like to invest and how frequently. You get to choose if you want to make daily, monthly, or weekly investments. 

Customer Experience

Acorns’ investing platforms provide a seamless user experience owing to an extremely intuitive user interface.

The Acorns customer support is easily reachable through the live chat available on the website. There’s also a comprehensive FAQ section and educational content that will help you find what you’re looking for. 

Final Words

All in all, Acorns enables you to open investing accounts suitable for beginners. The easy-to-use and elegantly designed platform makes for a pleasant user experience.

The features that make automated investing possible are great for those who lead busy lives but would still like to be consistent with their investment habits.

Launched in 2013, Robinhood is an online trading platform designed for people with a small budget who want to try their luck on the stock market. Unlike most online brokerages, Robinhood doesn’t charge a trading commission.

In addition, Robinhood has an intuitive interface that makes the otherwise complicated trading experience more approachable for ordinary people. If you haven’t used similar platforms before, Robinhood is the right place to start. Many trading functions are automated and easy to use.

Thanks to its cost-free service and consumer-oriented platform, Robinhood has an extensive user network, mostly people in their 20s and 30s. At the moment of writing, over 13 million people were using Robinhood to trade traditional securities - stocks, options, gold, as well as various cryptocurrencies.

Commissions & Fees

As we already mentioned, Robinhood is a fee-free trading platform. You won’t pay anything to open an account and won’t incur any maintenance costs, either.

Moreover, you won’t be obligated to maintain a minimum account balance, nor pay any closing fees if you want to terminate your Robinhood account. Finally, unlike many other online brokerage services, Robinhood will not charge you inactivity fees.

As a cost-free trading service, Robinhood’s main advantage is that its price doesn’t change depending on the securities you choose to trade. Whether you want to buy or sell stocks or ETFs, Robinhood won’t charge you trading fees. Even options trading is commission-free at Robinhood, which is uncommon, to say the least. Usually, you would be required to pay fees for options trading, but Robinhood doesn’t charge for this service.

Robinhood charges $0 commissions for stocks, ETFs, and their options, but regulatory trading fees and other account-service fees may still apply. Stock and ETF options have no Robinhood contract fees, while index options may have separate contract fees.

If you are keen on crypto trading, Robinhood is the right place for you.

Trading Technology

Robinhood is a beginner-friendly platform, so many experienced traders will notice that some important trading tools are missing. For instance, you won’t be able to trade directly from the charts or set up order size.

On the other hand, you will get all basic trading platform features, including stock quotes followed by charts, recent trading news, stop-limit orders, and similar.

Robinhood Legend adds a browser-based desktop platform for stocks, options, crypto, and more.

Customer Experience

As we already mentioned, Robinhood’s main selling point is ease of use. The app is designed for small screens and has a game-like interface. Of course, you can also use its web-based platform and have the same investing experience as with the app.

Recently, the platform launched a new feature named “recurring investments.” With this feature, you can schedule automatic investments to repeat regularly. It is available for thousands of securities, but is primarily used for stocks and ETF trades. 

Robinhood’s trading actions are simplified to suit beginners. However, if you still have problems with Robinhood’s trading platform, the site’s help section does offer plenty of resources that explain everything about the platform’s functions.

Final Words

In our opinion, Robinhood is a good solution for first-time traders. Although the platform doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles its more advanced counterparts include, it still has all the essential features new traders need.

On top of that, Robinhood is an excellent place to start if your budget is limited, as there are no costs for account maintenance or trading, whether it’s for stocks, ETFs, options, or cryptocurrencies.

E*Trade is one of the oldest trading companies in the United States, and the first of its kind to process electronic trades. For decades, E*Trade has led technology forward, always staying in the lead. Today, it is a company every respectable stock trader is familiar with. But how is it for an absolute beginner? Is the experience equally great? Let’s find out.

Commissions & Fees

E*TRADE charges $0 commissions for online US-listed stock, ETF, mutual fund, and options trades. Exclusions may apply, and options trades carry a standard $0.65 per-contract fee.

The options contract fee drops to $0.50 for clients who execute at least 30 stock, ETF, and options trades per quarter.

Beginner traders that are in it for options should definitely compare E*TRADE’s pricing with other brokers before choosing a platform.

Trading Technology

E*Trade is completely web-based. If you have a device that connects to the internet, you’re all set and ready to buy stocks online.

The platform is called Power E*Trade, runs on HTML 5, and is compatible with both computers and smartphones. Even if you don’t use a native mobile app, the web one performs amazingly well and is actually a good choice for a beginner to learn on.

Power E*Trade reveals a lot of powerful features once you scratch the surface. There are dozens of drawing tools, real-time screening options, support for custom grouping, and an integrated TradeLab tool for deep analytics and research.

New traders are encouraged to explore the possibilities of this application and are never met with confusing or unfriendly interfaces. 

There are even smiley faces representing risk/reward factors, followed by carefully selected key events. It’s effortless to get information at a glance with this kind of tool.

Customer Experience

Another reason why E*Trade is among the better choices for beginner traders is how easy and fast it is to set up your account - it only takes four steps. Before you know it, you’ll have already prepared your strategy for trading and investing online.

While this process is streamlined, the site is somewhat lacking in explanations, especially in the ‘requirements’ section. For many, the mobile application is a better choice. It sports a modern design that’s easy to follow, and works with all kinds of Android and iOS devices.

Education-wise, E*Trade is setting a great example. Its video lessons and articles cover all topics imaginable. Looking for stocks choices? There’s an article on that. Stuck with creating custom views? A two-minute video lesson will help you out.

The company also organizes 12 free web seminars per month, providing even more opportunities to learn.

On the side of direct support for its customers, E*Trade offers all of the expected channels - email, phone, and live chat. Since you can’t run a stock brokerage without a presence on social media, the company can be reached through all of the popular platforms, too.

For customers who invest a lot through their online brokerage account,  the priority customer support option becomes available.

Final Words

E*Trade's zero-fee stock trading, amazing customer service, and sleek trading platform are all reasons why so many beginner traders choose this platform.

Even better, once you’ve become an experienced trader, the tools and some extra features will prove beneficial. It’s a great broker all around.

Fidelity Investments carries a lot of badges on its chest. It’s one of the oldest brokerages in the United States, having started computerized stock trading in 1984, but it’s also one of the biggest.

Today, there are more than 30 million people who trade stocks through Fidelity’s platform. It has always been a groundbreaker, so let’s see how it fares in modern times.

Commissions & Fees

What sets Fidelity Investments apart is reducing costs for customers by not asking for any payments for order flow and even showing the improved price on eligible orders. Online US stock, ETF, and options trades have $0 commissions, while online options trades are subject to a $0.65 per-contract fee.

Fidelity is also good for cash management, something we see more and more on the market. If any money is left in your portfolio, the system automatically puts it into a core position.

Trading Technology

With so many years of experience under its belt, it comes as no surprise that Fidelity runs on a highly sophisticated platform. The platform is web-based and can be connected to your Google Assistant to remind you about any portfolio updates.

Fidelity’s screeners are some of the best in the industry, combining ease of use with rich data display, while stock research can be done through nearly 20 third-party reports. We also recommend Fidelity Viewpoints as one of the better features of this platform, providing all the necessary market commentary.

Online investing is also streamlined through Active Trader Pro, a desktop platform for creating watch lists with 48 columns and managing portfolios with more than 160 studies and other tools. It’s the best trading platform for stocks, although it is free for only a year, but it will pay off quickly.

We also can’t forget traders who prefer having a mobile office. Fidelity’s mobile app is on par with the desktop one, providing almost the same level of customization and research, although it’s mostly practical for investors. Still, it’s a must if you decide to go with Fidelity Investments, proving to be a great addition to the big screen one.

Customer Experience

Fidelity Investments combines a powerful platform with an easy-to-use interface. Its similar approach to educational tools makes it a great choice when it comes to a customer’s learning process. It links with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and other voice-activated apps, so the experience is fun and fluid.

Of course, you can join an online seminar, learn through customized courses, or watch videos on specific topics. Tracking the progress of each lesson is easy with the provided roadmaps, so you always know exactly where you stand.

However, customer support is not available 24/7. Representatives are there for you Monday through Friday via phone and live chat, as well as in nearly 200 offices across the country.

Final Words

Fidelity proved time and time again that it can create feature-rich software, remain highly competitive in the current market, and plan for the future with the integration of voice assistants in its services. The elimination of certain fees is the cherry on top.

Founded in 1978, Interactive Brokers is a big international company connected to all electronic exchanges through its global network and regulated by the FCA and the SEC. With continual support for its trading tools and a price matching its competitors, the company has earned a spot in this highly competitive market.

Commissions & Fees

IBKR Lite provides retail clients with $0 commissions on US exchange-listed stock and ETF trades, no account minimums, and no inactivity fees.

For non-exchange-listed US stocks and other non-qualifying products, IBKR Lite accounts may be subject to fixed pricing.

If you upgrade your brokerage account to IBKR Pro, expect pricing to follow the Pro commission schedule. But there are no limits on what and when you can trade, so it balances itself out.

Trading Technology

Customers will most likely be satisfied with the Lite plan and trade online through the website. That doesn’t mean the web app is inadequate. Quite contrary, it offers a plethora of analytics tools, especially for portfolios, as well as watchlist creation with real-time updates.

You can also get a debit card and pay your bills through this platform, so it doubles up in functionality without sacrificing much. Granted the research provider list is limited to 30; even the Pro plan barely sits at over a hundred, while competitors offer nearly double that number of providers.

Of course, if you want the best service possible, you’ll need to spend a little money for the Pro account. In turn, you’ll get access to the desktop version of Trader Workstation, which many consider to be the a good choice for experienced traders. The application goes even further, with heatmaps, more real-time monitoring, and the ability to submit complex options. You can also set up notifications, so you won’t have to track everything at once.

On the mobile side of things, the same platform shows 50 columns, a news feed, charting, and scanners, also allowing preset creation for faster workflow. Additionally, you can request the robo-advisor, which does incur a small fee but provides even more options.

Customer Experience

Interactive Brokers lacks in user-friendliness and navigation ease. Beginners will have a hard time figuring out exactly how much they’ll get charged for certain services, and that’s not painting a particularly great picture. The mobile app is, therefore, a much better choice, as it’s easier to navigate and presents all the information in a clear format. 

To learn about investing and trading, new users can create a demo account with $100,000 in virtual money. The virtual classroom includes webinars, online courses and short videos, as well as a glossary of terms.

Customer support is available 24/7 via phone, live chat, and email. Representatives respond fast to any beginner brokerage questions you might have. They speak several languages, and the waiting time is usually around one minute. The company doesn’t have any offices you can visit for in-person support, though.

Final Words

With the introduction of IBKR Lite, what used to be perceived as an exclusive club for experienced traders is now more welcoming to rookies. Waving fees is exactly what Interactive Brokers needed to do to make a grand entrance last year alongside its amazing platform and mobile app. 

Merrill Edge might be among the youngest brokerages we’re looking at today. Launched in 2010 as part of the Bank of America, it’s constantly evolving to challenge the competition through innovation.

Commissions & Fees

A Merrill Edge account, once again, will cost you $0 if you’re already with the Bank of America. But that’s not where the free stuff ends. This company joined other online brokers in the business during the late 2019 reforms and the biggest price war of the past decade.

That means the company has taken commissions out of the equation, introducing $0 online stock, ETF, and option trades. Per-contract options commission is now at the industry-standard rate of $0.65. If you need a broker’s assistance, this will cost you $29.95 per trade.

Another great incentive is the so-called Preferred Rewards program. This is beneficial if you have a Bank of America checking account, as it can reduce or even eliminate certain fees for Merrill investing, as well as other banking services. No other company in our online brokerage comparison offers such a program, so this is a big plus for Merrill.

There are conditions, though, as you’ll need to meet certain thresholds during three-month periods, with the minimum being a $20,000 average combined balance in the deposit account. But once you qualify, you can strive to reach higher tiers with even bigger gains.

Trading Technology

The Merrill Edge MarketPro, or MEMP for short, works as an active trader platform. In the past, many did not perceive it to be as approachable as it should be, due to some steep requirements new clients had to meet, as well as slower trade processing. All self-directed clients can access Merrill Edge MarketPro with no minimum trade requirements, no minimum deposits, and no commission fees.

The MEMP application is highly customizable, with widgets and filters that let you sort all of the data to your liking.

For traders who prefer mobile platforms, many features of the web version are available on the go. There are also a lot of integrated tools, including research and market-analysis resources.

Working with this platform is a treat. Everything is accessible and visually appealing, with interactive charts to boot. Creating watchlists couldn’t be simpler, so you can get a quick glance at your portfolio, with real-time updates.

Customer Experience

Being a Bank of America company, Merrill Edge upholds high customer service standards. New traders love this platform for all the educational and planning tools that are included. Once you open your account, a question pops up - “How do you like to learn?” Then you can choose the expertise level, and the exact topic you’d like to learn more about.

While the company doesn’t organize livestreamed webinars or integrate discussion boards into its website, the toolbox it provides is still quite rich. You can choose to learn through short courses, read articles, watch videos, and finally test your knowledge in fun quizzes.

These are also available through the mobile app, so you can learn while you’re on vacation or on your daily commute.

Customer support is available 24/7 over the phone, email, and live chat, providing quick answers to any questions you might have. For the live chat option, wait times are usually under a minute, so even the most pressing matters get resolved in a flash. And don’t forget, this is part of Bank of America, after all.

That means you can visit any of the 2,000 locations around the United States and get face-to-face support.

Final Words

Merrill Edge provides an easy-to-use trading platform, with a slew of educational tools for users. With so many great incentives, especially for existing Bank of America customers, it’s easy to understand why so many people have put their trust in this company. It is truly one of the best choices for beginners, but is also useful for seasoned professionals.

Vanguard offers investing in mutual funds, ETFs, 401(k) plans, and more, all with lower fees and commissions than you would with other investment companies, due to the company’s business philosophy of providing best possible return on investment to their investors in the long run.

Commissions & Fees

Unlike other financial firms that charge hidden fees or offer complicated commission structures, Vanguard believes in full transparency. That’s why its fees are clear and easy to understand.

If you’re interested in investing and you’re looking for one of the most affordable online stock brokers, you should know that Vanguard is known for low-cost funds and long-term investing.

Vanguard offers $0 commissions for online stock, ETF, and Vanguard mutual fund trades. Users can enjoy more than 160 Vanguard mutual funds with no transaction fees and over 3,000 mutual funds from other providers.

Vanguard Brokerage Services charges a $25 annual account service fee for brokerage accounts, but primary account owners can eliminate the fee by signing up for e-delivery of account documents.

There is no fee or minimum investment amount to open a Vanguard Brokerage Account.

Technology

Vanguard offers a robust and reliable platform tailored for both novice and experienced traders. The platform's user interface is intuitively designed, ensuring a smooth navigation experience.

Access to features like real-time market data and analytical tools and charts is essential for making informed trading decisions, and what's offered here is on par with what the industry leading online brokers have to offer.

Additionally, Vanguard doesn't just stop at desktop accessibility; it extends its platform to mobile devices. With its full-featured mobile apps, traders can execute trades, monitor their portfolios, and access market insights on the go.

Beyond trading capabilities, Vanguard offers automated portfolio rebalancing. This feature ensures that your asset allocation remains aligned with your investment goals, without requiring manual intervention. The platform also delivers regular performance reports and market insights, enabling you to stay abreast of your investments and market trends.

Customer Experience

Vanguard is dedicated to providing an excellent customer experience. From its award-winning customer service to its user-friendly platform, Vanguard goes above and beyond to make sure its clients are happy.

You can contact Vanguard's support team via phone or email. The website itself offers a comprehensive support center with FAQs and how-to guides.

Final Words

With low fees, great customer service, and powerful trading technology, Vanguard has everything you need as a beginner stock broker.