10 Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms Of January 2026 The Motley Fool

When I’m using the app, I don’t feel like I’m being nudged toward products I don’t need or instruments and strategies that are too advanced for me. Arielle has appeared on the "Today" show, NBC News and ABC’s "World News Tonight," and has been quoted in national publications including The New York Times, MarketWatch and Bloomberg News. Here is a list of our partners and here’s how we make money. We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence.

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Fundrise lets those of all income brackets enter the real estate investment game with REITs on private commercial and residential properties. Betterment does it one better by factoring in all of your various financial indicators and choosing the best trade options for you. This app offers members equity social, equity metric, equity reports, iqcent broker social comparisons, and metrics, along with ETF and mutual fund reports. Operating under its parent company Bank of America, Merrill provides a rich yet accessible entryway into trading that appeals to both experienced and casual traders. The customer service is exceptional too, which is critical for those long-term investors and those who plan on making adjustments as they go.

• As of this writing, you can get up to 12 free stocks when you sign up for a new account).
• Vanguard is one of the best brokerages for passive investors who want to buy low-cost index fund ETFs.
• Additionally, advancements in mobile trading apps have made it easier for investors to monitor and manage their portfolios in real-time.
• Knowing how an ETF’s portfolio diverges from the average allows for better performance expectations—and better investor outcomes.
• Active traders who want a mobile-first way to trade stock shares, ETFs, and options will like Webull, which has emerged as one of the best investment apps in 2026.

What Fees Should I Expect With Investing Platforms Or Robo-advisors?

• Many of the best investment apps offer user-friendly interfaces and tools tailored to various experience levels, making it easier than ever to get started with investing.
• They can be difficult to research (and thus difficult to properly invest in), but they can provide uncorrelated returns compared to the stock and bond markets, so many savvy investors like to diversify into these assets.
• Investors should track key metrics such as return on investment (ROI), volatility, and correlation with benchmarks.
• Investors should remain flexible and willing to adapt their strategies in response to changing market dynamics.

The amount of money needed to open a brokerage account varies by firm. Read platform tutorials and stock trading books, attend webinars, and study real examples. With most standard brokerage accounts, you can choose to trade in a cash account or apply for margin. ETFs bundle many stocks into one trade, which can reduce the risk of simply https://tradersunion.com/brokers/binary/view/iqcent/ choosing the wrong single company in an otherwise successful industry, theme, or strategy. Whether you’re planning for retirement, exploring global markets, or refining advanced strategies, Fidelity’s innovative tools and reliable platform make it a superb choice.

How Do Global Economic Conditions Affect Investments In 2026?

Morningstar ranks the wide- and narrow-moat stocks in the broad index by https://www.mouthshut.com/product-reviews/iqcent-reviews-926191491 lowest price/fair value to find the 50 cheapest wide- and narrow-moat stocks. All the firms surveyed expect non-US stocks to outperform US stocks. Those interested in trading cryptocurrency, however, might use Robinhood to fill a niche that the larger platforms have yet to enter. Offering free management for college students, Acorn takes your savings and invests it in the most practical and profitable ways possible for your financial situation.

• Before placing your first order, it’s important to understand price discovery, market hours, and how settlement works.
• The best places to invest your money in 2026 are markets and regions offering strong growth, reliable income, and safe-haven stability, such as the US, Europe, and select emerging markets.
• “In the past, non-US stocks have had relatively low correlations with their US stock counterparts, leading to better risk-adjusted returns for a globally diversified portfolio,” says Arnott.
• Starting out with investing platforms or robo-advisors brings specific costs.

Stocks are one of the best long-term investments you can make to build wealth, and it’s never been easier or cheaper to trade stocks online. You might want a simple, set-it-and-forget-it portfolio with just a handful of choices, while I might want a self-directed account with all the investment options I can handle. These have become the standards for apps to meet, almost necessitating these features to compete in the investing market. That’s why many investors sign up for platforms with solution-oriented customer service departments … and swipe left on apps with unhelpful help lines that operate during very limited hours. Every app on this list features commission-less trading on at least stocks and ETFs, passing more savings to you and your ability to invest more. Not only does this give small-money investors the opportunity to diversify their portfolios in ways that were previously not possible, but it also makes investing more accessible to people of all backgrounds.

Importance Of Staying Informed

$0 commission trading on stocks, ETFs, & crypto Low-cost investing with a full-featured platform At The Motley Fool, we’ve spent over 30 years helping investors make smarter financial decisions.

Sofi Invest® (best For Personal Finance-focused Investors)

On Public, users can invest in not just stocks and ETFs, but also more than 25 different cryptocurrencies—and more recently, alternative assets from art to sneakers. Public.com is a commission-free investing app, geared toward Millennials and Gen-Zers, that as of late has built up the types of assets available to its users. Unlike many brokerage companies that might have more limited offerings, SoFi’s app allows you to manage a much wider range of financial services and products, such as banking, student loans, insurance, and mortgages. The interface is very much geared toward younger, less experienced investors, too—everything is focused on simplicity and ease of use, rather than an expanse of sophisticated tools.

• Webull also has an industry-leading crypto trading platform that all Webull users have access to in the app, and their new account promotions are some of the best in the market.
• Alternative investments are over-the-counter equity securities that have been issued pursuant to Regulation A of the Securities Act of 1933.
• If funds are withdrawn and later redeposited manually into the SoFi Invest® account, the manual deposit will not be eligible for the bonus.
• With the right strategy, these apps can simplify the process of managing and growing your money effectively.

Summary Of Money’s Best Online Trading Platforms Of 2026

This performance is often attributed to the resilience of companies that prioritize sustainability and their ability to adapt to changing market conditions. Research indicates that sustainable funds can perform as well as, or even better than, traditional funds over the long term. Investors seeking to align their portfolios with their values should consider this growing trend. Additionally, understanding the market size and growth potential is critical for assessing the viability of the startup’s business model. Investors should conduct thorough due diligence on potential startups and their business models before committing funds. Gold has traditionally been seen as a safe haven during economic uncertainty, while silver is often considered a growth asset due to its industrial applications.

You can invest in thousands of assets across global markets. If you’re new to investing, Public delivers the right mix of simplicity and substance. Some are better for long-term investors, others cater to active traders.

The SoFi Active Invest Brokerage Account has no required minimum balance, charges no commissions on stock, ETF, and options trades, and its options trading is free of contract fees, too. SoFi is a multi-faceted financial company that offers everything from credit cards and insurance to student loans and mortgages … and they also allow you to trade and invest through its SoFi Invest app. And on top of all the free features mentioned above, Webull also runs frequent promotions that allow investors to collect free stocks. More importantly, though, Robinhood has evolved from a bare-bones app appealing to mostly beginner investors to a fuller-featured account suitable for a wider range of experience levels. It will regularly check your portfolio for tax-loss harvesting opportunities, then take the proceeds from selling those investments and reinvest them where it makes sense for you. That makes Betterment one of the best investment apps for beginners—especially those who don’t want to be particularly active in selecting what they hold.

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Choose from investing platforms, brokers, and robo-advisors to start building your wealth with confidence. We are not an investment adviser, loan provider, or a broker and we do not offer loans or mortgages directly to end users, but only allows users to match with lending partners and platforms that may extend a loan. To keep the bonus, you must keep the money you transfer into Robinhood in your Robinhood individual brokerage account for at least 2 years.