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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
Among brokerage firms, Fidelity is one of the best values. With stock and ETF trades at $0 and options at just 65¢ per contract, investors get low trading costs along with 24/7 customer service. Clients who want in-person help will also be satisfied. Fidelity has more than 180 branch locations across the United States. These locations offer seminars on many topics, including global investing, annuities, and charitable giving. New investors will benefit from the broker’s website, which has a large collection of financial education. These resources include videos, articles, self-guided courses, webinars, and infographics. They cover many key topics, from ETF valuation to retirement accounts.
Mutual fund investors will find a lot to like at Fidelity. There are more than 11,500 mutual
funds available to buy. About 1,800 of these have no load and no transaction fee.
The broker’s screener can narrow these choices using many filters. These
include Morningstar rating, fund family, expense ratio, and return history. A screener’s results
can also be sorted by any of the search settings. For investors who prefer exchange-traded
funds, Fidelity offers many that trade for free.
Investors who want help deciding what to invest in will be well supported at
Fidelity. Professional investment advice and portfolio management are available. Clients who need help with education savings or retirement planning also have good tools here. Several education accounts are offered, including UGMA/UTMA accounts and 529 plans. Retirement savers can open many types of Individual Retirement Accounts. The firm also provides services for 401(k) plans. Life insurance and long-term care planning tools are also available on the Fidelity website. Add in a strong cash management account, and this broker is a solid all-around financial services company.
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Charles Schwab Pricing
| Investments | Commissions |
|---|
| Stocks and ETFs | $0 |
| Stocks and ETFs broker assisted | $29.95 |
| US Over-The-Counter (OTC) Equities | $6.95 |
| Options | $0.65 per contract |
| Mutual funds | $49.95/$74.95 to buy, $0 to sell |
| Futures | $2.25 per contract |
| CDs, Corporate Bonds, Municipal Bonds, Government Agencies, Zero-Coupon Treasuries, including STRIPS and Mortgage-Backed Securities | $1 per bond, $10 minimum, $250 maximum |
| Commercial Paper and Foreign Bonds, Unit Investment Trusts | call for pricing |
| Investments |
stocks, bonds, mutual funds, futures, Treasury issues, options, CDs, insurance, ETFs, futures,
annuities, non-U.S. securities and ADRs, WEBs and Canadian foreign orders
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| Charles Schwab minimum deposit to open account | $0 for cash account, $2,000 for margin account |
Charles Schwab Advantages
Schwab offers a solid range of mutual funds. Clients can choose from about 5,100 mutual funds. More than 3,100 of these have no load and no transaction fee. The broker’s list of mutual and exchange-traded funds that trade for free is one of the largest in the industry. Even with a strong focus on funds, the broker is also a good option for stock traders. Stocks trade for $0, and options cost an extra 65¢ per contract.
Besides trading, customers can also research and learn on the Schwab website. The broker provides many helpful learning tools, including articles, videos, and live webinars. There is also futures content from Schwab’s subsidiary, optionsXpress, which offers futures trading. The Schwab website has a community forum where clients can discuss trading topics and market news. A Schwab representative is available to answer account questions. Learning the broker’s advanced desktop platform, thinkorswim, is easy with Schwab’s videos and webinars. The platform only requires a $1,000 account balance and is easier to use than TD Ameritrade’s advanced system. In addition to the desktop platform, Schwab also offers a mobile app, a basic web platform, and an app for Apple Watch.
Schwab also provides strong customer service. Representatives are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Support is offered by phone and online chat. Some representatives speak Mandarin and Cantonese. For clients who want in-person help, there are more than 325 Schwab branch locations across the United States. Customers can also open retirement accounts and FDIC-insured bank accounts, making Schwab a convenient one-stop financial firm.
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Charles Schwab Website
$0 commissions + ACAT reimbursement + satisfaction guarantee at Charles Schwab.
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TD Ameritrade Pricing
| Investments | Commissions |
|---|
| Stocks and ETFs | $0 |
| Stocks and ETFs broker assisted | $25 |
| Mutual funds | $49.99 to buy, $0 to sell |
| Treasuries at auction | $25 |
| All other bonds and CMOs, CDs | on a net yield basis |
| Futures | $2.25 per contract plus exchange & regulatory fees |
| Forex | Non-commission currency pairs trade in increments of 10,000 units (and do not contain a "#" symbol suffix). There are no additional fees or charges. |
| Investments | stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, bonds, CDs, UITs, futures, and forex |
| TD Ameritrade minimum deposit to open account | $0 |
TD Ameritrade Closed Its Doors
TD Ameritrade Advantages
New investors who want to practice trading before using real money should try TD Ameritrade’s
Paper Trade feature. This paper trading system lets users test many order types, such
as trailing stop, one triggers other, and stop on quote. Stocks can be sold short, and futures
can also be traded. It is a good way to try different products and strategies.
Even better, it is free for all customers. The system starts with $100,000 of virtual money, and the
account balance changes as trades are completed. This lets users see how trades affect account balances.
The broker’s charting tools are very advanced and run inside a web browser. A chart can be detached
and expanded to full screen for more detail. Many technical studies are available, including linear
regression trendline, acceleration bands, and time series forecast. Drawing tools are also included.
These include channels, resistance lines, and pitchforks. A chart can show data from 1 day to 10 years.
Time intervals can be as fast as tick-by-tick. The software is fully customizable. Charts can be printed
or saved, and the price history of another security can be added for comparison.
The TD Ameritrade website also has strong tools for futures trading. For example, Idea Hub scans many
futures contracts based on bullish or bearish views and creates a probability chart. A trade button
fills in the proper order ticket automatically. Futures research and learning tools are also
available on the site. Helpful videos explain how to use these features. Investors
who want to try the broker’s tools can get $0-commission trades by opening
a new account and making a deposit.
Updated on 1/6/2026.
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