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Largest IRA Provider Companies in 2026
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Fidelity Pricing
| Investments | Commissions |
|---|
| Stocks and ETFs | $0 |
| Stocks and ETFs broker assisted | $29.95 |
| Options | $0.65 per contract |
| Mutual funds | $49.95 to buy; $0 to sell. $49.95 if sold within 2 months |
| Bonds and CDs (new issues) | on a net yield basis |
| Bonds and CDs (secondary issues) | $1.00 per bond ($250 maximum) |
| Investments | stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options, commercial paper, UITs, ETFs |
| Fidelity minimum deposit to open account | $0 ($0 for Rollover IRA; $2,500 or $200 per month for Roth and Traditional IRA) |
Fidelity Advantages
Of all brokerage firms, Fidelity is one of the best values. Offering stock and ETF trades for just $0 and options for just 65¢ per contract, investors not only get low commissions, but also 24/7 customer service. Clients who prefer in-person service won't be disappointed with the firm, either. Fidelity has more than 180 branch locations across the United States. These offer seminars that cover a wide range of topics, including global investing, annuities, and charitable giving. New investors will benefit from the broker's website, which has a wealth of financial education. These resources include videos, articles, self-guided courses, webinars, and infographics. They cover many important topics, ranging from ETF valuation to retirement accounts.
Mutual fund investors will find much to be pleased with at Fidelity. There are over 11,500 mutual
funds available for purchase. Roughly 1,800 of these come with no load and no transaction fee.
The broker's screener is able to narrow these choices down based on a variety of criteria. These
include Morningstar rating, fund family, expense ratio, and return history. A screener's results
can also be sorted based on any of the search criteria. For investors who prefer exchanged-traded
funds, Fidelity offers all of the free to trade.
Investors who would like some assistance in deciding what to invest in will be in good hands with
Fidelity. Professional investment advice and portfolio management are available. Clients who need assistance with education savings or retirement planning also have good resources here. Several education accounts are available, including UGMA/UTMA accounts and the 529 plan. Retirement savers can open a wide variety of Individual Retirement Accounts. The firm also offers services for 401(k) plans. Life insurance and long-term care planning resources are also on the Fidelity website. Throw in an excellent cash management account, and this broker is a great all-around financial services company.
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Charles Schwab Pricing
| Investments | Commissions |
|---|
| Stocks and ETFs | $0 |
| Options | $0.65 per contract |
| Mutual funds | $0 for Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource funds, up to $49.95 per purchase for other funds, $49.95 short-term redemption fee on certain OneSource funds held 90 days or less |
| Futures | $2.25 per contract |
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CDs, Corporate Bonds, Municipal Bonds, Government Agencies, Zero-Coupon Treasuries,
including STRIPS and Mortgage-Backed Securities
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$1 per bond, $10 minimum, $250 maximum |
| Preferred Stocks and REITs | $0 |
| Commercial Paper, Foreign Bonds, Unit Investment Trusts | call for pricing |
| Investments |
stocks, bonds, mutual funds, futures, Treasury issues, options, CDs, insurance, ETFs,
forex, annuities, non-U.S. securities and ADRs, preferred stocks, REITs, and Canadian foreign orders
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| Minimum deposit to open an account | $0 for cash account, $2,000 for margin account |
Charles Schwab Advantages
Schwab offers a decent selection of mutual funds. The broker's clients can choose from 5,100 mutual funds. Of these, over 3,100 come with no load and no transaction fee. The broker's selection of mutual and exchange-traded funds that are free to trade is one of the largest in the industry. Despite its emphasis on fund trading, the broker is also a good choice for equity traders. Stocks are $0 per transaction, and options are an additional 65¢ per contract.
Besides trading securities, customers can also do a lot of research and learning on the Schwab
website. The broker offers many good educational resources, including articles, videos, and live
webinars. The Schwab website has a helpful community forum where clients can discuss trading issues
and economic news. A Schwab representative is available to answer any account-related questions.
Learning the broker's advanced desktop platform, thinkorswim, is a breeze with the firm's educational
videos and webinars. Besides a desktop platform, the broker also offers a useful mobile app, a simple
web-based platform, and an app for Apple Watch.
Schwab also has good customer service options. A representative is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The broker provides service over the phone and through an on-line chat system. Some representatives are able to speak Mandarin and Cantonese. For customers who need in-person service, there are over 325 Schwab branch locations throughout the United States. Customers can also open a retirement account or an FDIC-insured bank account with the broker, making Schwab a convenient one-stop financial solution.
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Charles Schwab Website
$0 commissions + ACAT reimbursement + satisfaction guarantee at Charles Schwab.
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Robinhood Pricing
| Investments | Commissions |
|---|
| Stocks and ETFs | $0 |
| Stocks and ETFs broker assisted | Not available |
| Stock and ETF options | $0 per contract, plus regulatory fees on sell orders |
| Index options | $0.50 per contract, or $0.35 with Robinhood Gold, plus exchange fees |
| Mutual funds | Not available |
| Treasuries, bonds, CMOs, CDs, and UITs | Not available |
| Futures | $0.75 per contract per side, or $0.50 with Robinhood Gold, plus exchange & regulatory fees |
| Crypto | Fee tiers may apply to some crypto orders routed through smart exchange routing. Network fees may apply to crypto transfers. |
| Investments | stocks, ETFs, options, index options, certain OTC equities, futures, crypto, and fractional shares |
| Robinhood minimum deposit to open account | $0 |
Robinhood Special Offer
Robinhood Advantages
New investors who want a simple way to get started should take a look at Robinhood's investing app. The platform is built around an easy account-opening process, simple order tickets, and a clean mobile experience. Stocks and ETFs can be traded with $0 commissions, and fractional-share trading makes it possible to invest with small dollar amounts. Recurring investments, dividend reinvestment, and cash or margin account choices are also available, which gives beginners several ways to build a portfolio over time.
Robinhood's charting software has become much stronger than it used to be. Advanced charts are available on the app, web platform, and Robinhood Legend. Traders can add technical indicators, save chart preferences, and follow price action in more detail. Robinhood Legend is the broker's browser-based desktop platform, and it offers customizable layouts, chart widgets, watchlists, options tools, and trading directly from charts. The platform also includes many technical indicators, such as moving averages, RSI, MACD, VWAP, and Bollinger Bands.
Robinhood also offers tools for more active traders. Options chains, index options, futures, crypto trading, and extended-hours stock trading are available to eligible customers. Robinhood Gold adds extra features, such as larger instant deposits, margin benefits, and access to professional research. Educational pages are available throughout Robinhood's website and app, and the broker continues to add more tools for investors who want a simple platform with low trading costs. Investors who would like to try out the broker's features can open an account with no minimum deposit and get $0-commission stock, ETF, and stock/ETF options trades .
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