Change has swept through the brokerage field with the launch of new players, technologies, investments and pricing plans. Is your broker still the right one for your needs? These customer-driven rankings of the Best Online Brokers for 2022 can help you decide.
In our 10th annual study, IBD and polling partner TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence asked thousands of investors to rate their online broker. Out of eight major brokers included in the survey analysis, we recognize the three Best Online Brokers overall and in 15 performance categories that investors deemed most important. The brokers are shown in the order of their customer ratings, starting with the highest. Check the lists to see how your online broker compares with others in the areas that matter to you.
Best Online Stock Brokers 2022: Best Overall Customer Experience
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| Broker |
Strengths |
| Fidelity |
Fidelity is a perennial leader in our survey, finishing with the top overall rating in six of the past eight years. This year it ranks in the top three in 12 of the 15 performance categories below and earned the top customer rating in seven of them. Its scores for Trade Execution Speed/Price and Website Security set the high marks for customer experience. | Read more about Fidelity. |
| Charles Schwab |
Schwab is the only broker to stand among the top three in Overall Customer Experience in all 10 years of our survey. This year it ranks among the leaders in 11 of the 15 performance categories. Its Customer Service rating from its clients was the top score in that category and stood well above the rest of the brokers. | Read more about Charles Schwab. |
| E-Trade |
E-Trade broke through to the top three brokers in our survey for the first time. Its best showing was in Trade Ideas, where it earned the second-highest rating. It ranked among the leaders in four other categories: Mobile Trading Platforms, Premarket/Aftermarket Trading, Options Trading Platform and Availability Of Account Types. | Read more about E-Trade. |
| Key Attributes For Online Stock Brokers In 2022 |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Trade Execution Speed/Price
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| Broker routes your orders quickly to trading platforms for execution and gets you the best price possible. |
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Fidelity |
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Charles Schwab |
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TD Ameritrade |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Website Security
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| Protects clients' assets and personal data with strong password and user ID features; technologies and procedures prevent unauthorized account access. |
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Fidelity |
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Charles Schwab |
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Interactive Brokers |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Equity Trading Platform
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| Easy to set up buy and sell trades, gauge position size and how much your account is on margin. |
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TD Ameritrade |
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Charles Schwab |
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Fidelity |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Site Performance
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| Provides fast access to website; always available when you log in. Site is easy to use and navigate. |
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Fidelity |
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Charles Schwab |
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TD Ameritrade |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Customer Service
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| Responds to questions and requests in a way that serves your needs; may include phone, email, chat, online FAQs, or automated AI-driven tools. Short wait times. |
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Charles Schwab |
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Fidelity |
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Vanguard |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Research Tools
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| Offers screening tools and data that let you find stocks, bonds, ETFs or mutual funds based on earnings, sales, yield, duration, investing style, performance, ESG rating, social community lists, etc. |
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Fidelity |
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TD Ameritrade |
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Charles Schwab |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Investment Research
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| Offers information that helps you understand and select investments, such as analyst stock research reports, profit forecasts, buy and sell ratings, or research on ETFs, mutual funds, options, etc. |
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Fidelity |
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Ally Invest |
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Charles Schwab |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Portfolio Analysis & Reports
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| Provides tools and information for you to stay on top of your portfolio, such as monthly/quarterly reports that show gains and losses, asset allocation and performance. |
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Ally Invest |
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Fidelity |
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Charles Schwab |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Mobile Trading Platforms
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| Mobile website and apps provide a convenient way to conduct trades, perform research, track holdings and access news, with data security you trust. |
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Robinhood |
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Fidelity |
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E-Trade |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Premarket/After-Hours Trading
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| Allows investors to make trades on certain securities that are tradeable before markets open or after hours. |
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Interactive Brokers |
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Ally Invest |
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E-Trade |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Options Trading Platform
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| Provides breadth of tools to find ideas, set up complex trades, test strategies, measure risk/reward and meet your educational needs. |
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TD Ameritrade |
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Interactive Brokers |
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E-Trade |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Trade Ideas
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| Provides buy and sell ideas such as analyst recommendations, access to investor forums, or watchlists. |
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Ally Invest |
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E-Trade |
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Robinhood |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Incentives/Discounts/Pricing
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| Broker may offer discounts, cash rewards or other incentives; also, consider various other fees that you may pay. |
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Ally Invest |
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Charles Schwab |
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Fidelity |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Availability Of Account Types
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| Provides access to various types of accounts from which an investor can trade, such as Roth, 529s, Coverdell, UTMA, HSAs, charitable accounts, etc. |
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Fidelity |
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Charles Schwab |
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E-Trade |
Best Online Stock Brokers: Educational Resources
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| Assistance in learning how to invest via articles, tutorials, web tools, downloadable software, webinars, consultations with advisors or videos. |
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Fidelity |
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TD Ameritrade |
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Charles Schwab |
Results are based on a two-phase study by Investor's Business Daily and TechnoMetrica of a combined 5,325 customers of online brokers surveyed in September-December 2021.
Licensing & Reprints
The 2022 Best Online Brokers logo and accolade are available for licensing through IBD's partner, The YGS Group, at IBDlicensing@TheYGSgroup.com or 800-290-5460.
IBD/TIPP Poll
To view the latest Economic Optimism Index, Presidential Leadership Index and other polls by IBD/TIPP, a collaboration between Investor's Business Daily and TechnoMetrica, visit www.investors.com/ibdtipp.
