Best Online Brokerages of 2026
Quick answer
Our top pick is Fidelity, which charges $0 for online US stock and ETF trades, $0.65 per options contract, has no minimum to open, and publishes dated margin rates (as of 2026-10-02). Schwab is close behind with $0 online trades, no minimums and a large no transaction fee fund list. E*TRADE has the clearest fee list and cheaper options for frequent traders, while Vanguard suits buy and hold investors in its own funds but charges $1 per options contract and a $25 account fee unless you choose e-delivery. All four firms are active on FINRA BrokerCheck and state SIPC membership. Fees change, so confirm on each broker's official page.
An online brokerage account lets you buy and sell stocks, ETFs, mutual funds and other securities yourself. All four brokers here charge $0 commission on online US stock and ETF trades, so the differences show up in options contract fees, mutual fund fees, margin rates and account fees such as transfer out charges. Each broker dealer here states it is a SIPC member, and we confirmed each firm is listed as active on FINRA BrokerCheck (as of 2026-10-02). SIPC protection covers customer cash and securities if a member firm fails, up to its limits; it does not protect against investment losses. Fees and margin rates change, so confirm current figures on each broker's official page. We score each broker on Fees 25%, Value & Returns 25%, Transparency 20%, Security & Trust 15%, and Support 15%. This is information, not investment advice.
How we scored: every product below was rated 0–10 on five weighted criteria — Fees (25%), Value & Returns (25%), Transparency (20%), Security & Trust (15%), and Support (15%). Advertiser compensation never affects scores or rank order; rates and fees are cited to each provider's official disclosures with an as-of date. Read our full methodology.
2026 rankings at a glance
| # | Product | Rating | Best for | Price | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fidelity Brokerage AccountNot an affiliate — no commission earned | 8.7/10 | Self-directed investors who want $0 online stock and ETF trades, no account minimum, and clearly dated margin rates | $0 online US stock and ETF trades; options $0.65 per contract; no minimum to open (as of 2026-10-02) | |
| 2 | Charles Schwab Brokerage AccountNot an affiliate — no commission earned | 8.5/10 | Investors who want $0 online stock and ETF trades, a large no transaction fee fund list, and no minimums | $0 online listed stock and ETF trades; options $0.65 per contract; no account or trade minimums (as of 2026-10-02) | |
| 3 | E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley Brokerage AccountNot an affiliate — no commission earned | 8.2/10 | Active options traders and investors who want dated, tiered margin rates and Morgan Stanley research | $0 online stock, ETF, options and mutual fund commissions; options $0.65 per contract ($0.50 with 30+ trades a quarter) (as of 2026-10-02) | |
| 4 | Vanguard Brokerage AccountNot an affiliate — no commission earned | 7.5/10 | Buy and hold investors in Vanguard funds and ETFs who will sign up for e-delivery | $0 online stock and ETF trades; $0 online Vanguard mutual fund trades; options $1 per contract; $25 annual account service fee unless waived (as of 2026-10-02) |
Fidelity Brokerage Account
8.7/10Fidelity charges $0 for online US stock and ETF trades, $0.65 per options contract, and has no minimum to open (as of 2026-10-02). Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC is a Member NYSE, SIPC and is listed as active on FINRA BrokerCheck. Margin rates change; check Fidelity's official page.
- $0 commission on online US stock and ETF trades, per Fidelity's commissions page (as of 2026-10-02)
- Options cost $0.65 per contract (as of 2026-10-02)
Charles Schwab Brokerage Account
8.5/10Schwab charges $0 for online listed stock and ETF trades, $0.65 per options contract, and has no account or trade minimums (as of 2026-10-02). Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. is a Member SIPC and is listed as active on FINRA BrokerCheck. Fees change; check Schwab's pricing page.
- $0 online commission on listed stocks and ETFs (as of 2026-10-02)
- Options cost $0.65 per contract online; broker-assisted trades add a $25 service charge (as of 2026-10-02)
E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley Brokerage Account
8.2/10E*TRADE charges $0 commissions on stocks, ETFs, options and mutual funds and $0.65 per options contract, or $0.50 with 30 or more trades a quarter (as of 2026-10-02). Securities are offered by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, Member SIPC. Fees and margin rates change; check E*TRADE's pricing page.
- $0 commissions on stocks, options, mutual funds and ETFs (as of 2026-10-02)
- $75 fee for a full outgoing account transfer (as of 2026-10-02)
Vanguard Brokerage Account
7.5/10Vanguard charges $0 for online stock, ETF and Vanguard mutual fund trades, $1 per options contract, and a $25 annual account service fee that is waived with e-delivery (as of 2026-10-02). Vanguard Marketing Corporation is a member of FINRA and SIPC. Fees change; check Vanguard's fee schedule.
- $0 online trades for stocks, ETFs and Vanguard mutual funds (as of 2026-10-02)
- Options cost $1 per contract for clients under $1 million in qualifying assets, higher than the other brokers here (as of 2026-10-02)
Frequently asked questions
What does SIPC protection cover?
SIPC protects customer cash and securities held at a member broker dealer if the firm fails, up to its limits. It does not cover losses from market declines, and some products such as futures, forex and crypto held outside the broker dealer are not covered, as Schwab and E*TRADE note on their pricing pages.
How did you verify each broker?
We read each broker's official pricing page and searched FINRA BrokerCheck for its broker dealer: Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (CRD 7784), Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (CRD 5393), Vanguard Marketing Corporation (CRD 7452), and MORGAN STANLEY (CRD 149777) for E*TRADE's securities. All were listed as active (as of 2026-10-02).
Are $0 commissions really free?
Commission free online stock and ETF trades are standard at all four brokers, but other costs remain: options contract fees, transaction fee mutual funds, broker-assisted trade charges, margin interest, and account transfer fees. Fund expense ratios are separate and set by each fund.
How do we rank these brokers?
We use a fixed methodology weighting Fees (25%), Value & Returns (25%), Transparency (20%), Security & Trust (15%), and Support (15%). We have no affiliate relationship with these brokers on this page.
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