⚠️ Investing carries risk and your capital is at risk. This is general information, not financial advice.
| Options /contract ▲ | Broker | Stock | Account fee | Min deposit | Fractional | Region | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free$0 options | Fidelity | Free | None | None | ✓ | US | Retirement accounts, long-term investing, research | View → |
| Free$0 options | Webull | Free | None | None | ✓ | US | Active traders, crypto investors, extended hours | View → |
| Free$0 options | Moomoo | Free | None | None | ✓ | US | Options traders, high cash rates, mobile | View → |
| Free$0 options | Firstrade | Free | None | None | ✗ | US | Cost-conscious, no-fee options trading | View → |
| Variable/ct$0 options | SoFi Invest | Free | None | $5 | ✓ | US | Young investors, low minimums, fractional shares | View → |
| Free$0 options | Public.com | Free | 3.99 (after 6 months inactivity) | None | ✓ | US | Social investing, crypto, fractional shares | View → |
| N/A/ct$0 options | M1 Finance | Free | None | None | ✓ | US | Portfolio automation, fractional shares, rebalancing | View → |
| N/A/ct$0 options | Wealthfront | Free | 0.25% AUM | $500 | ✓ | US | Automated investing, tax-loss harvesting, passive | View → |
| N/A/ct$0 options | Betterment | Free | 0.25% (Basic) or 0.65% (Premium) | None | ✓ | US | Beginner investors, human advisor option | View → |
| N/A/ct$0 options | Trading 212 | Free | None | None | ✓ | UK/EU | No-fee investing, fractional shares, EU access | View → |
| N/A/ct$0 options | Freetrade | Free | 0 (Basic) or £4.99/£9.99 (paid tiers) | None | ✓ | UK/EU | Free UK investing, ISA, fractional shares | View → |
| Variable/ct$0 options | IG | Free | None | None | ✗ | UK/EU/GLOBAL | Active traders, CFD/forex, commission-free shares | View → |
| N/A/ct$0 options | CMC Invest | Free | £6.99/month (ISA) or £132/year (SIPP) | None | ✓ | UK | Budget UK investors, fractional shares | View → |
| Varies by plan/ct$0 options | Scalable Capital | $0 (€250+ ETF), €0.99 (stocks) | 0 (FREE) or €4.99/month (PRIME+) | None | ✓ | EU | Budget ETF investors, robo-advisor option | View → |
| Variable/ct$0 options | Saxo Bank | $0.08% (€2-€2500 min/max) | 0 (Classic), tiered for Premium/VIP | None | ✗ | EU/GLOBAL | Global traders, wealth management, professional | View → |
| N/A/ct$0 options | XTB | Free | None | None | ✗ | EU/GLOBAL | CFD traders, crypto, leverage trading | View → |
| N/A/ct$0 options | Lightyear | €1 (EU), 0.1% (US, €1 min/$1 max) | None | None | ✓ | UK/EU | EU/UK investors, low FX fees, high cash rates | View → |
| N/A/ct$0 options | Revolut Invest | $0 (included with subscription) | Included in Revolut subscription | None | ✓ | EU/UK | Revolut users, integrated mobile banking | View → |
| N/A/ct$0 options | CommSec | $5 (≤$1k), $10 (>$1k) ASX; $19.95 US | $10/month (inactivity 6+ months) | None | ✗ | AU | Established AU investors, research tools | View → |
| N/A/ct$0 options | SelfWealth | A$9.50 (ASX), US$9.50 (US) | None | None | ✗ | AU | Flat-fee AU investors, high-volume traders | View → |
"$0 commission" isn't free. Brokers still earn from the FX conversion fee when you buy shares in another currency (often ~1%, but as low as 0.03% at Interactive Brokers), plus the bid-ask spread, payment for order flow, interest on your idle cash, and inactivity or withdrawal fees. On a large international trade the FX fee dwarfs any commission difference, a 1% fee on a $10,000 US-share buy is $100. The FX column above is the number most comparisons hide. Figures are indicative, checked periodically, confirm the fee schedule on the broker's site.
Common questions
How do zero-commission brokers make money?
FX fees on foreign shares, the bid-ask spread, payment for order flow, interest on your uninvested cash, and inactivity/withdrawal/data fees. Zero commission rarely means zero cost.
Cheapest broker for US/international shares?
For foreign shares the FX fee matters more than commission. Interactive Brokers is ~0.03% vs ~1% at many mainstream brokers, on a big trade that gap dwarfs any commission.
Are trading apps safe?
Reputable brokers are regulated and hold client assets under schemes like SIPC (US) or FSCS (UK), which cover broker failure, not your investments falling in value.
What fees should I watch for?
FX conversion on foreign shares, inactivity fees, withdrawal fees, deposit conversion, and wide spreads on "free" trades. Read the fee schedule, not just the headline.