3 best online stock trading platforms to try

3 best online stock trading platforms to try

Research suggests that the country represents 54.5% of the world’s stock market capitalization. People are now exploring stock trading in this new era of investing. The first step to building a strong portfolio is picking the right trading platform that meets your needs. If you also want to learn to invest in the stock market but cannot pick the right trading platforms, here are the top three online stock trading platforms.

Fidelity
This is the ideal platform for beginners and advanced investors. Fidelity charges no account fees or minimum deposit for opening a brokerage account and serves as a good platform for research and trading with commission-free stocks and ETFs. It received the title of the best broker for beginners and retirement investing by the 2022 Bankrate awards.

Pros:
Best for hands-off investors
Cutting-edge tech and qualified financial advisors
Sophisticated screening tools
Users get 0.25% on the investment balance per year
For premium advice, 0.4% per year

Cons:
Limited portfolios and ETFs
No individual stock, MF, or ETF trading
High minimum balance required for personalized financial advice

TD Ameritrade
This is one of the best online stock trading platforms that caters to all types of investors, even if you need guidance to start investing. TD Ameritrade has the best desktop trading platform, according to a survey by StockBrokers. Here are its pros and cons:

Pros:
Access to educational content—videos, webcasts, and articles
Users can trade using bonds, options, and futures apart from stocks
Users can trade using a mobile app with no minimum account balance
Advanced stock tracking tools

Cons:
No-load mutual funds need a high commission
Navigation can be difficult for beginners

E-Trade
E-Trade has over 9,000 mutual funds to invest in, and over 4,000 of them are no-load and no-transaction-fee funds. The online listed stocks, exchange-traded funds, and options trade have 0$ fees, making them ideal for newbies to build portfolios.

Pros:
Customized stock screening and mobile platform for trading
E-trade analysts offer an analysis that helps users devise their trading strategy
Users get 24/7 phone support and chat option
Power E-Trade offers many tools in the mobile version as well

Cons:
To open automated investment accounts, you need to spend a minimum of $500
Mutual funds require a $19.99 transaction fee.

Of the top 3 online stock trading platforms, TD Ameritrade is the best desktop trading platform, E-Trade is the best web trading platform, and Fidelity serves as the best investor app.

Factors to consider
Before picking a stockbroker and online trading platform, consider the following factors to find the one that best suits your needs.

Price: Many brokers have slashed trading commissions on stocks and EFTs to $0. Look for no or minimum investment requirements if you are new to the trading platform.
Resources: Ask questions like what research tools the broker can offer and what advice they can give you. Also, you should consider the quality of the trading app and its ability to place trades quickly and reliably.
Strategy: You can select the top trading platforms according to how each investment platform tailors its offerings to beginners and experienced traders. Personal investment strategy affects the way you trade and gain profits.

By taking these factors into consideration and choosing from the top platforms, you can find the one that fits your level of expertise and your budget.