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Blain Reinkensmeyer has 20 years of trading experience with over 2,500 trades placed during that time. He heads research for all U.S.-based brokerages on StockBrokers.com and is respected by executives as the leading expert covering the online broker industry. Blain’s insights have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and the Chicago Tribune, among other media outlets. A brokerage account at a bank allows you to invest where you take care of traditional banking transactions, like taking out a car loan or paying bills. Morgan Chase & Co. and Bank of America can own both FDIC-insured banks and security brokers, which have different rules and different regulators than banks.

The prospectus contains investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other information; read and consider carefully before investing. Many of the top platforms today are low-cost and self-directed (you’re the one calling the shots on your investments). But best brokerage account deals they vary widely in how much support, service, and flexibility they offer. Morgan Self-Directed Investing offers easy trading, an optional robo-advisor, and seamless Chase integration. For active traders, the desktop platform delivers advanced charting and technical analysis tools that few competitors can match. Whether you’re a beginner opting for the Lite plan or a pro trader choosing the Pro plan, Interactive Brokers has a platform built to fit your needs.

• They offer robust tools, strong customer service, and the option to manage everything — from retirement accounts to checking and credit cards — all under one roof.
• For a limited time, download the SoFi Invest app and open a new SoFi Active Invest account for the chance to earn up to $1,000.
• Whether you’re interested in buying stocks online for the first time or simply want to earn a cash bonus or free stock, see which brokers offer a promotion before you sign up.
• Beyond its $0 stock and ETF commissions, Interactive Brokers stands out for its low margin rates, which are among the most competitive we’ve reviewed.
• If that’s the case, the income is still taxable.Money deposited into a traditional IRA is not immediately taxable but does count towards your total contribution for the year.

You’ll receive your cash reward two weeks after the initial 90-day period, assuming you meet eligibility requirements. You’re limited to one per account and only one account per client when you receive a referral. Most Popular is calculated from the number of times each affiliate product was selected by Forbes users over a six month time period.

Best Brokerage Bonuses & Investment Promotions – September 2025

Instead of one upfront cash credit, it combines several smaller rewards with a larger cash bonus that is spread out over two years. The content on Young and the Invested is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as professional financial advice. Should you need such advice, consult a licensed financial or tax advisor. References to products, offers, and rates from third party sites often change. While we do our best to keep these updated, numbers stated on this site may differ from actual numbers. We may have financial relationships with some of the companies mentioned on this website.

You can set up alerts based on changes in price, bids, turnover ratio, and more. Free Level 2 market data helps you get a greater understanding of a stock’s value, determine how liquid a stock truly really is, and better time your trades. You can even enjoy 24/7 financial news handpicked by Moomoo’s editorial team. J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing, a product offered through Chase, combines the prestige of a major financial institution with the ease of a modern online trading platform. It’s an ideal choice for those who already bank with Chase or want an intuitive investing experience backed by a reputable brand.

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SogoTrade doesn’t offer many of the bells and whistles other brokers do, and if you want to trade crypto, you’ll have to use a third-party app. Charles Schwab is the best all-around brokerage for investors, offering a wealth of research, educational materials and access to advisory services. Merrill Edge is offering a bonus of up to $600 when you open and fund a new account. You need to open an account with at least $20,000 to qualify for the minimum bonus of $100. Funds must be deposited within 45 days of account opening, and the balance maintained for at least 90 days.

→ How to earn free cash to put toward stock on Robinhood

Margin investing involves the risk of greater investment losses. Additional interest charges may apply depending on the amount of margin used. Bigger Instant Deposits are only available if your Instant Deposits status is in good standing. Public is one of my favorite commission-free trading platforms.

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• Sam holds the Chartered Financial Analyst and the Chartered Market Technician designations and is pursuing a master’s in personal financial planning at the College for Financial Planning.
• To qualify, ask a friend or family member with a Schwab account to send you their unique referral code.
• Interactive Brokers (IBKR) has a comprehensive selection of investment products, and you can expect to pay low or no commissions.
• The bonus applies on either taxable brokerage accounts or traditional and Roth IRA accounts.

Plus, opening multiple accounts can help you take advantage of more than one sign-up bonus. That said, the best online broker for you is the one that meets your needs. If you get get a sign-up bonus while you’re at it, go for it. But whatever you do, avoid signing up for a platform that you don’t understand just to get the bonus.

You won’t be able to trade or buy crypto, futures or fractional shares, which we think takes away from Merrill Edge’s positives. Additionally, the trading platform isn’t the most beginner-friendly of the platforms in our rankings. Merrill Edge also offers assistance at its financial centers around the country, which may be appealing to investors looking for in-person customer service.

In that sense, both are safe, but FDIC insurance is considered a stronger guarantee than the industry-backed SIPC. Banks do not offer the ability to buy and sell stocks in checking or savings accounts, so, if you want to invest, you’ll have to open a broker account. Think of a cash management account as a brokerage account with a debit card and other bank-like features. The cash management feature enables you to use a debit card to spend any uninvested cash in your brokerage account. Your debit card can be used for everyday purchases such as groceries, dining, entertainment, and leisure. Robinhood Gold is an account offering premium services available for a $5 monthly fee.