Best Trading Platforms 2025: Complete Comparison
Top Trading Platforms Ranked
1. Interactive Brokers - Best for Professionals
- Lowest margin rates (2.66% - 1.59%)
- Access to 150+ markets globally
- Advanced trading tools and APIs
- Commission: $0.005/share (min $1)
- Best for: Active traders, international markets
2. TD Ameritrade / Charles Schwab - Best All-Around
- Excellent thinkorswim platform
- Commission-free stocks and ETFs
- Superior education resources
- 24/7 customer support
- Best for: All experience levels
3. E*TRADE - Best for Options
- Power E*TRADE platform
- $0.50-$0.65 per options contract
- Excellent mobile apps
- Options analyzer tools
- Best for: Options traders
4. Fidelity - Best Research
- Zero commissions
- Superior research tools
- No account minimums
- Excellent retirement planning
- Best for: Long-term investors
5. TradeStation - Best for Automation
- EasyLanguage programming
- Advanced backtesting
- Automated trading strategies
- RadarScreen market scanning
- Best for: Algorithmic traders
Platform Feature Comparison
| Platform | Stock Trades | Options | Minimum | Best Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers | $0.005/share | $0.65 | $0 | Global markets |
| TD Ameritrade | $0 | $0.65 | $0 | thinkorswim |