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2 Best Brokerage Firms in 2025
The 2 best brokerage companies that offer low trading commissions and the
highest quality of investment services
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Best Brokerage Companies in 2025
In 2025, our research ranks Charles Schwab and Robinhood as the top 2 brokerage firms for
self-directed investors. Below are their scores across key categories, their commissions and fees,
current promotions, and links to detailed reviews.
Pricing
| Broker Fees |
Stock/ETF
Commission |
Mutual Fund
Commission |
Margin
Rate |
Maintenance
Fee |
Annual IRA
Fee |
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Charles Schwab
|
$0
|
$49.95 ($0 to sell)
|
12.575%
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$0
|
$0
|
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Robinhood
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$0
|
na
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5.75%
|
$0
|
$0
|
Services
| Broker Review |
Cost |
Investment Products |
Trading Tools |
Customer Service |
Research |
Overall Rating |
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Charles Schwab
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Robinhood
|
|
|
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Promotions
Charles Schwab: $0 commissions + satisfaction guarantee at Charles Schwab.
Robinhood: 3% IRA match and up to $200 FREE stock at Robinhood.
Key Takeaways
• Robinhood and Schwab each deliver a broad set of financial services you should know about.
• Advisory accounts are available only at Schwab.
• Robinhood, but not Schwab, supports cryptocurrency trading.
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Schwab’s approach to investing, trading, and money management differs from Robinhood’s, yet the firm
delivers many advantages, such as:
Wide range of securities: Beyond Robinhood’s lineup, Schwab lets you trade bonds, preferred
shares, mutual funds, annuities, and closed-end funds. The fixed-income menu covers Treasuries, TIPS, STRIPS, commercial paper, corporates, foreign bonds, and mortgage-backed debt. Many assets trade with zero commission, and those that do not are priced reasonably (for example, $1 per bond).
Global and OTC stocks: Schwab offers access to worldwide exchanges such as Toronto and Hong Kong,
with trades in U.S. dollars or local currency. International stock trades typically cost under US$15,
and OTC orders are $6.95.
Futures and forex: Schwab also supports futures and forex. Futures cost $2.25 per contract per side,
while forex has no separate commission; Schwab earns through the bid-ask spread.
Many account types: Choices include individual, joint, SEP, SIMPLE, custodial, trust, charitable, 529, Coverdell, and estate accounts.
International accounts: Schwab opens brokerage accounts for many non-U.S. residents—no U.S. address
required, just a passport copy.
Advanced software: Schwab’s thinkorswim platform (web, mobile, desktop) delivers back-testing, direct-access routing,
pairs trading, and other pro-grade tools.
Advisory service: Schwab offers both robo and human advice with competitive fees and minimums.
High-net-worth clients can enroll in the Wealth Advisory program for in-depth tax and estate planning.
Branch network: Schwab runs 300-plus U.S. branches and several abroad (including Hong Kong and
London).
Strong education and research: Articles, videos, OnInvesting magazine, and Schwab Network live
broadcasts are available—many without logging in.
Schwab Bank: FDIC-insured checking and savings link seamlessly to brokerage accounts, with free
debit cards that reimburse worldwide ATM fees.
Insurance options: Through Crump Life Insurance Services, Schwab clients can obtain term and
permanent life, disability, and long-term care policies.
Review
Read Charles Schwab Review
Promotion
$0 commissions + satisfaction guarantee at Charles Schwab.
Visit Schwab Website
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For self-directed investors, Robinhood supplies useful tools, resources, and perks, including:
Zero-cost trading: Investors can trade U.S.-listed stocks, ETFs, and options with no commissions or
per-contract fees.
Improved option tools: The platform now shows preset strategies plus visual and numeric
profit-and-loss diagrams.
Cryptocurrency trading: Robinhood offers 22 coins—majors like bitcoin and niche names like Tezos—
commission-free aside from spreads.
User-friendly software: Website and mobile app share the same clean design and order ticket with
stop, trailing, and recurring orders.
Extended hours: Pre-market starts at 7 a.m. EST; post-market runs to 8 p.m. Plus, a 24-hour session
covers 918 stocks and ETFs, while crypto trades 24/7.
Fractional shares: Order tickets let you toggle between dollars and shares for both stocks and
crypto.
IPO access: Use the IPO hub to request shares of new offerings before they trade on exchanges.
Spending account: A separate FDIC-insured cash account (via Chase Bank) includes digital checks, a
debit card, and easy transfers.
Debit-card perks: Earn cash-back deals, get early direct deposits, split paychecks, and round up
purchases into investments—with no overdraft fees.
Rewards: Referral bonuses can add up to $1,500 a year in free fractional shares.
Retirement accounts: Robinhood offers Roth and Traditional IRAs with no annual or closing fees and
an unmatched IRA contribution bonus—currently 1% for standard users and 3% for Gold members.
Review
Read Robinhood Review
Promotion
3% IRA match and up to $200 FREE stock at Robinhood.
Visit Robinhood Website
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Charles Schwab and Robinhood stand out as the best brokerage firms of 2025. Each shines in different
areas, so the right choice depends on your specific goals. With the information above, selecting the
best partner for your investing journey should now be much simpler.
Updated on 4/22/2025.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
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