How We Test

Since 2009, our mission at StockBrokers.com has been to provide in-depth, unbiased reviews of online stock brokers for U.S. traders and investors. Our editorial principles have earned the trust of millions of readers; our data-driven broker reviews and guides have been visited by over 20 million investors.

We research, fact-check, and audit data throughout the year. Your trust in us, as well as the trust we have earned from the industry as a whole, is of the utmost importance to our mission and our charter as a Certified B Corporation™.

Review Categories

For the StockBrokers.com 2026 Annual Awards, 14 U.S. online brokerage firms were reviewed across more than 300 variables spanning six core categories: Range of Investments, Advanced Trading, Research, Mobile Trading Apps, Education, and Ease of Use.

Brokers are ranked within each category, with standout performers recognized through category awards. Each category is then weighted and combined to determine Overall rankings, helping investors see not just who excels in specific areas, but who delivers the strongest experience overall.

Overall Score Calculation

Each of the core categories listed above contribute to the Overall score for each broker. The weightings for each Annual Awards scoring category are as follows:

Review Category	Weighting
Ease of Use	20%
Education	10%
Mobile Trading Apps	20%
Advanced Trading	10%
Range of Investments	20%
Research	20%

Category Scoring Methodology

Our testing framework is built on two distinct types of variables: quantitative and qualitative. Together, they ensure we measure both the breadth of a brokerage’s offerings and the quality of the experience.

Quantitative variables measure whether a feature or capability exists. These variables are initially collected through detailed surveys and then verified by our testing team. Each quantitative variable is binary, meaning it is scored as a yes or no, and assigned a fixed point value. Quantitative scoring answers the question: Is the feature offered?

Qualitative variables go beyond a checkmark. They evaluate how well a feature is implemented and how it feels to use in practice. These variables assess usability, clarity, integration, and overall experience. Each qualitative variable is assigned a maximum point value and graded on a scale, allowing us to distinguish between basic availability and best-in-class execution.

In total, our methodology evaluates 309 variables:

235 quantitative variables, measuring feature availability and platform breadth
74 qualitative variables, measuring experience quality and execution depth

Weighting Considerations

Each variable is assigned a weighting based on its impact on the investor experience and its significance across the brokerage industry. Weightings reflect not just whether a feature exists, but how meaningfully it contributes to usability, differentiation, and competitive advantage.

Foundation variables represent table-stakes requirements. These are essential for participation but do not differentiate platforms, such as the ability to display quotes or maintain a functional website. Foundation points are awarded only on the quantitative side and carry a maximum of 25 points.

Low weighting variables have limited influence on both the overall score and industry positioning. These features contribute marginally to the experience and are capped at 3 points.

Medium weighting variables reflect meaningful functionality that improves usability and breadth but is increasingly expected across platforms. These variables are worth up to 6 points.

High weighting variables materially enhance the investor experience and meaningfully influence competitive outcomes. These features carry a maximum of 10 points.

"Game Changer" variables represent high-impact capabilities that significantly elevate the platform experience and typically require greater investment to build and maintain. Examples include advanced strategy builders and sophisticated analytical tools. Game Changers are weighted most heavily at 12 points.

This structure ensures scores reward true impact over box-checking, while still recognizing the importance of foundational functionality.

Each individual category score is also translated into a star rating as follows:

Category score	Rating
95% - 100%	5 Stars
85% - 94.99%	4.5 Stars
75% - 84.99%	4 Stars
65% - 74.99%	3.5 Stars
55% - 64.99%	3 Stars
45% - 54.99%	2.5 Stars
35% - 44.99%	2 Stars
25% - 34.99%	1.5 Stars
15% - 24.99%	1 Stars
5% - 14.99%	0.5 Stars
0% - 4.99%	0 Stars

Note: The exception within this methodology is the Overall category, which uses a 90% - 100% range for 5 Stars, 80% - 89.99% for 4.5 Stars, 70% - 79.99% for 4 Stars, etc.

How we score

StockBrokers.com rankings are built on a dual-layer scoring framework designed to measure both what a brokerage offers and how well it delivers those features in practice. Our methodology combines quantitative verification with qualitative, hands-on evaluation to ensure results reflect real-world investor experiences.

Quantitative variables measure whether a brokerage offers a specific feature or capability. These variables are collected through detailed broker surveys and then independently verified by our testing team.

Each quantitative variable is binary: the feature either exists (Yes) or it does not (No).
Each variable is assigned a fixed point value based on its importance, ranging from foundational requirements to higher-impact capabilities.
Points are awarded only when a feature is verified as available.

Quantitative scoring answers the question: Does the brokerage offer this capability?

Qualitative variables assess how well a feature is implemented and how it performs in real-world use. These variables are evaluated directly by our testing team through hands-on platform reviews.

Each qualitative variable has a maximum point value based on its weighting.
Features are graded on a scored scale, allowing us to distinguish between basic implementation and best-in-class execution.
Evaluations consider usability, clarity, workflow design, integration, and overall usefulness.

Qualitative scoring answers the question: Is the feature actually good, intuitive, and effective?

To calculate a score for a category, the total points earned for both qualitative and quantitative variables and are divided by the total points possible, producing a percentage score.

Example:

If Broker XYZ earns 295 points out of a possible 376 points in a category, its score for that category is 78.5%.

Determining Category Rankings and Overall Rankings

Once each brokerage receives a final percentage score for every core category, brokers are ranked relative to one another within that category. These rankings determine category leaders and help investors quickly identify which firms excel in specific areas such as Research, Mobile Trading Apps, or Ease of Use.

After category rankings are established, each category’s percentage score is then applied to its assigned weighting. These weighted category scores are combined to calculate a brokerage’s Overall Score, which determines the final Best Brokerage Firm rankings.

How Overall Rankings are Calculated

Broker XYZ earns the following category scores:

Research: 96% (weighted at 20%)
Mobile Trading Apps: 90% (weighted at 20%)
Ease of Use: 88% (weighted at 20%)
Range of Investments: 92% (weighted at 20%)
Education: 85% (weighted at 10%)
Advanced Trading: 80% (weighted at 10%)

Each category score is multiplied by its respective weighting, and the results are summed to produce the Overall Score:

Research: 96% × 20% = 19.2
Mobile Trading Apps: 90% × 20% = 18.0
Ease of Use: 88% × 20% = 17.6
Range of Investments: 92% × 20% = 18.4
Education: 85% × 10% = 8.5
Advanced Trading: 80% × 10% = 8.0

Broker XYZ's Overall Score: 89.7

Customer Service

For the past ten years, StockBrokers.com has partnered with customer experience research group Confero to conduct phone tests from locations across the United States.

Confero agents used one of 10 unique, proprietary scenario templates provided by StockBrokers.com (on average, three questions are asked) to assess each broker. To ensure fairness as well as to gather the highest quality data, each agent used a single template to test all brokers.

To score each test, three separate buckets are assessed:

Time to connect
The ability of each broker representative to professionally (and thoroughly) answer each question and
A Net Promoter Score for the overall support experience.

Response times are 15% of each test score, representative assessments are 35%, and Net Promoter Scores make up the remaining 50%.

Once all individual test scores were compiled, they were combined to determine an overall score for Customer Service. This final score is then also translated to a star rating.

Variables

We hand-collect and collaborate directly with the industry to audit data across more than 200 variables in our coverage of the best online brokers.

For a full list of the variables used for our annual scoring methodology, including complete broker-by-broker breakdowns, reference the StockBrokers.com Premium Report.

Annual Awards

Based on our hands-on testing and data collection, the StockBrokers.com 2026 Annual Awards recognize brokerage firms who push the industry forward while delivering excellent value to U.S. investors.

Jessica Inskip, Director of Investor Research at StockBrokers.com, leads research, testing, and scoring for the Annual Awards.

Category Awards

Category Winners in the StockBrokers.com Annual Awards are brokers that stand out as the best of the best in our carefully curated Awards Categories. Our Awards Categories are designed to reflect the features, products, and services that matter most to investors and traders.

Click below to find a breakdown of the individual methodologies for our Category awards.

Overall

This award represents our highest distinction. We determine the winner by combining rigorous quantitative scoring with expert qualitative assessment across all testing categories: Range of Investments, Advanced Trading, Research, Mobile Trading Apps, Education, and Ease of Use. The winner achieved the strongest total performance across the full range of our evaluation, demonstrating an exceptional balance of feature depth and usability. This brokerage sets the industry standard for the self-directed investor.

Active Traders

The Active Trader award evaluates how well a brokerage supports experienced, high-frequency, and strategy-driven investors across the entire platform ecosystem, not just the trading interface. This award looks beyond the active trading platform itself and assesses the full range of the offering through the lens of an active trader. The goal is to identify the brokerage that best supports active traders end-to-end. We examine platforms for relevant features from account setup and capital management to execution, monitoring, and ongoing decision-making.

Advanced Trading

Advanced Trading evaluates the depth, precision, and sophistication of a firm’s trading experience across desktop, web, and mobile. This category measures how well a brokerage empowers active and sophisticated traders through platform performance, charting capabilities, order-execution tools, analytics, and market-data quality. Only brokers offering a standalone trading platform and/or mobile app purpose-built for advanced trading are considered for qualitative assessments.

Bank for Investing

The Bank for Investing award evaluates how effectively a brokerage integrates investing with everyday cash-management and banking-like functionality. Firms are not required to be traditional banks, but must offer bank-equivalent features that allow clients to manage spending, saving, and investing within a connected ecosystem.

Beginners

The Best for Beginners award evaluates how effectively a brokerage supports new investors at the very start of their investing journey. This category is assessed through the lens of a first-time investor navigating the platform with limited prior knowledge.

Customer Service

For the past ten years, StockBrokers.com has partnered with customer experience research group Confero to conduct phone tests from locations across the United States.

To score each test, three separate buckets are assessed: 1. Time to connect 2. The ability of each broker representative to professionally (and thoroughly) answer each question and 3. A Net Promoter Score for the overall support experience. Response times are 15% of each test score, representative assessments are 35%, and Net Promoter Scores make up the remaining 50%.

Once all individual test scores were compiled, they were combined to determine an overall score for Customer Service. This final score is then also translated to a star rating.

Ease of Use

Ease of Use is a qualitative, cross-category assessment that measures how intuitively a brokerage’s platform is designed. We test whether features are easy to find and genuinely useful in real investor workflows. This category takes the longest to evaluate. Because this category is purely qualitative, the scores reflect both usability and utility. A feature that is easy to find but not meaningful scores poorly; a powerful feature that is buried or confusing also scores poorly. The highest performers strike the right balance: simplicity without sacrificing substance.

Education

Education measures the depth, clarity, and accessibility of a brokerage’s learning ecosystem from foundational content to specialized market instruction and practical planning tools. This category evaluates how effectively a firm teaches investors across all experience levels, helping them build literacy, apply concepts, and make confident investing decisions.

Futures Trading

The Futures Trading award evaluates how effectively a brokerage supports futures traders across the full lifecycle of the trade. This includes access to global futures markets, contract availability, order execution, margin transparency, risk management tools, and platform usability for both active and institutional-style workflows.

High Net Worth Investors

The High Net Worth Investors award evaluates how well a brokerage supports complex financial needs beyond basic investing. Assessment focuses on the breadth of supported account structures, long-term wealth and legacy planning tools, and the availability of specialized resources designed for investors with more sophisticated financial situations.

Mobile Trading Apps

Mobile Trading Apps measures the reliability and depth of a brokerage’s mobile trading experience. We evaluate how effectively investors can research, analyze, and place trades from anywhere. This category assesses the design, functionality, data quality, and workflow that increasingly serve as the primary trading platform for many investors.

Options Trading

The Options Trading award evaluates how well a brokerage supports options traders across the entire ecosystem, from education and idea generation to execution, portfolio management, and risk analysis. This award is not limited to order entry or options chains alone; it assesses whether the platform can support a wide range of options use cases and trader profiles.

Range of Investments

Range of Investments measures the accessibility of a brokerage’s product lineup, account structures, and trading capabilities to capture how many different ways an investor can participate in the markets on a single platform. This category is based exclusively on quantitative testing. This category identifies the brokerages that provide investors with the broadest set of choices. Whether investors are saving for retirement, trading actively, building diversified portfolios, or accessing alternative and global markets, the platform is capable of servicing the entire investor lifecycle.

Research

Research measures the quality and usability of a brokerage’s market-analysis ecosystem. We evaluate everything from raw data and analytical tools to expert insights, curated ideas, and security-specific research. This category combines quantitative testing with qualitative assessment to capture how effectively a brokerage helps investors discover opportunities, understand risks, and make informed decisions.

Retirement Accounts

The Retirement Accounts award evaluates how comprehensively a brokerage supports investors across every stage of retirement from early career and small business owners to retirees managing distributions. Assessment focuses on the range of retirement account types, the quality of educational resources, and the depth of planning tools and calculators available to help investors save and withdraw confidently.

View Award Methodologies

Industry Awards

Industry awards are determined based on the measurable, data-driven criteria that decide our Category rankings. These unique awards are designed to showcase the very best in the industry. Click below to find a breakdown of the individual Industry Awards methodologies for broker awards.

Click below to find a breakdown of the individual Industry Awards methodologies for broker awards.

#1 Active Trading Desktop Platform

This award recognizes the brokerage that delivers the strongest desktop-based trading experience for active traders. Evaluation focused on:

Depth and flexibility of charting and technical analysis tools
Options analytics and advanced order-entry capabilities
Market data and breadth indicators
Portfolio-level insights and account monitoring tools
Availability of contextual education to support complex workflows

#1 Active Trading Web Platform

This award recognizes the brokerage that delivers the strongest active trading experience in a web-based environment. Evaluation focused on:

Customization and layout flexibility, including the ability to build multi-tool workspaces
Depth of trading and analysis tools available directly in the browser
Workflow efficiency for active traders managing multiple positions and strategies
Consistency and syncing between web and desktop experiences
Innovation that enhances clarity, not complexity

#1 AI Tool

This award recognizes AI tools that meaningfully improve the investing workflow. Evaluation focused on whether the tool:

Uses AI to enhance decision-making, beyond just summarizing data
Scales analysis across large datasets efficiently
Produces actionable, transparent outputs
Replaces or improves traditional tools with clear investor value

#1 Bond Investing

This award evaluates the overall fixed income experience, not just bond trading alone. Assessment focused on:

Range of fixed income products, including bonds, CDs, Treasuries, and alternative income instruments
Depth and quality of education, from foundational concepts to advanced analytics
Research capabilities, including data-rich quote pages, yield analysis, and risk metrics
Tools for income planning, such as ladders and cash flow views
Innovation and cost efficiency within fixed income investing

#1 Client Dashboard

This award recognizes the brokerage that delivers the most effective client landing experience. Evaluation focused on:

Customization and flexibility of the dashboard layout
Clarity and usefulness of portfolio and market summaries
Contextual onboarding and guidance, especially for new clients
Integration of education, research, and tools directly into the landing experience
Ability to serve as a central navigation hub across the platform

#1 Crypto Trading

This award recognizes the brokerage that delivers the strongest crypto experience within a broader investing platform. Evaluation focused on:

Range of crypto assets offered
Seamless integration with the overall platform
Ease of use and clarity for investors
Support for long-term strategies, including auto-investing
Design quality and cohesiveness of the experience

#1 Innovation

The #1 Innovation award recognizes the brokerage that is pushing the industry forward as a whole. It goes beyond a single feature or isolated experience and focuses on innovation that reshapes how self-directed investors interact with markets. In our evaluation, we considered whether a firm:

Introduced ideas that meaningfully advance the brokerage industry
Empowered investors to make more informed, independent decisions
Thought creatively about constraints unique to financial markets
Built solutions that scale beyond one tool and influence future platform design

#1 International Trading

This award recognizes the brokerage that most effectively enables global market participation. Evaluation focuses on:

Range of international market access, including countries and exchanges supported
Account structures designed for international investors
Trading accessibility, including hours that accommodate global participation
Platform integration, ensuring international and domestic markets can be managed seamlessly

#1 Investor App

This award recognizes the brokerage that delivers the strongest mobile experience through the lens of an investor, not an active trader. Evaluation focused on:

Research and educational integration within the mobile app
Ease of use and navigation, especially for long-term investors
Functionality that supports investing decisions, not just trade execution
Design and engagement, including innovative ways to deliver insights on mobile

#1 Investor Community

This award recognizes the brokerage that best integrates social interaction into the investing experience. Evaluation focused on:

Depth and activity of the investor community
Ability to discuss markets, sectors, and individual securities
Integration of community content into the core platform experience
Value of peer insight when traditional research is limited

#1 New Tool

This award recognizes a single tool that meaningfully improves the investing experience. Evaluation focused on whether the tool:

Adds genuine value beyond existing platform features
Supports both idea generation and deeper analysis
Serves investors across experience levels
Integrates naturally into existing workflows

#1 Paper Trading

This award recognizes the brokerage that delivers the most effective simulated trading experience. Evaluation focused on:

Ease of access and discoverability of paper trading
Feature parity between simulated and live trading environments
Usability for beginner investors
Ability to practice strategies in realistic conditions

#1 Passive Investors

This award recognizes the brokerage that best supports long-term, hands-off investors. To qualify, firms must offer automatic ETF investing. Evaluation focused on:

Ease of setting up auto-investing
Clarity around eligible securities
Funding and ongoing maintenance experience
ETF and beginner education supporting long-term strategies

#1 Prediction Markets

This award recognizes the brokerage that best enables prediction market participation for retail investors. Evaluation focused on:

Range of prediction market offerings
Seamless integration into the core platform experience
Ease of use for first-time participants
Quality and accessibility of educational content
Potential to expand market participation responsibly

#1 Professional Trading

This award recognizes the brokerage that most effectively supports professional and institutional-style trading. Evaluation focused on:

Sophistication of screening and analytics, including prioritization and multi-factor analysis
Portfolio-level risk management and monitoring tools
Depth of order entry, algorithmic trading, and execution controls
Ability to manage complex strategies efficiently at scale

#1 Small Business Owners

This award recognizes the brokerage that best supports small business owners through every stage of their journey. Evaluation focused on:

Range of business and corporate account offerings
Availability of small business retirement plans
Account maintenance and ongoing support
Educational resources tailored to business owners
Ability to scale as a business grows

#1 Stock Research

This award recognizes the brokerage that best enables investors to evaluate individual stocks as potential investments. Evaluation focused on:

Idea generation and screening tools, including forward-looking metrics
Depth and clarity of expert opinion, both proprietary and third-party
Comparative analysis versus sectors and the broader market
Monitoring tools that support ongoing evaluation
Contextual education integrated directly into the research process

#1 Stock Trading Platform

This award recognizes the brokerage that provides the strongest end-to-end experience for stock investors. Evaluation focused on:

Depth and usability of stock research and quote pages
Quality of proprietary metrics and value-added insights
Idea generation and screening tools
Portfolio and position management features
Consistency across web and mobile platforms

#1 Thematic Investing

This award recognizes the brokerage that delivers the strongest thematic discovery and research experience. Evaluation focused on:

Range of themes and securities covered
Clarity of theme definitions and sourcing
Performance visualization and time-frame flexibility
Transparency of company inclusion through evidence and filings
Ease of moving from theme discovery to deeper research and action

#1 Trader App

This award recognizes the brokerage that offers the most complete and advanced mobile trading experience for active traders. Evaluation focused on:

Depth of order types and execution controls
Customization of options chains and charting tools
Availability of algorithmic and conditional trading features
Market scanners and real-time analysis tools
Ability to manage complex strategies directly from mobile

#1 24-Hour Trading

This award prioritizes how 24-hour trading is implemented, not just whether it exists. Evaluation focused on:

Order type design, specifically whether a single order can span all trading sessions
Continuity across overnight, extended, and regular market hours
Range of securities available for extended trading
Relevance for global and international investors

#1 Youth Investors

This award recognizes the brokerage that best supports young investors through intentional design, education, and account structure. Evaluation focused on:

Availability of youth-specific account types
Balance between independence and parental oversight
Access to real investing and money management tools
Cost structure and accessibility
Educational support that promotes long-term financial literacy

Lifetime Achievement

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual whose long-term impact has meaningfully shaped the self-directed investing industry. This award is informed by StockBrokers.com’s unique vantage point across the brokerage landscape — observing platform evolution, strategic shifts, recurring challenges, and the people driving innovation behind the scenes.