StockBrokers.com is committed to the highest ethical standards and reviews services independently. Learn how we make money.

Best Brokers for Banking Services in 2023

May 24, 2023

The StockBrokers.com best online brokers 2023 review, our 13th annual, took three months to complete and produced over 40,000 words of research. Here's how we tested. Our editorial content is independent and unbiased; here's how we make money.

As financial firms continue to evolve, many are combining banking and brokerage services under a single roof. That makes it easy to bounce between managing a checking account and trading stocks. With features such as FDIC insurance, universal login, and mobile bill pay, consumers have more choice than ever about where to take their banking and brokerage business.

To determine which online brokerage offers the best bank broker experience, we explored the availability of cash management tools across 17 brokers, starting with traditional banking products — e.g., checking accounts, savings accounts, debit cards, credit cards, and mortgages. Then we looked for other features such as mobile check deposit, debit card ATM fee reimbursement, no-fee banking, and access to local branch offices. Here are our findings.

Best Brokers for Banking

2023 StockBrokers.com annual review badge

Here are the best online brokers for banking services in 2023.

  • Merrill Edge
    - Bank of America, Merrill Edge
  • J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing - J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing, Chase Bank
  • E*TRADE
    - E*TRADE Bank
  • Ally Invest - Ally Invest, Ally Bank
  • Sofi Invest
    - SoFi
Merrill Edge
5/5 Stars 5.0 Overall

Bank of America, Merrill Edge

Minimum Deposit$0.00
Stock Trades$0.00
Options (Per Contract)$0.65

Merrill Edge, part of Bank of America, kept up its yearslong streak as our top pick for brokerages with banking services for 2023, thanks to $0 trades, thousands of retail locations, seamless universal account management and its Preferred Rewards program, which offers the best rewards of any bank broker we tested. Read full review

Pros
  • Portfolio Story, Dynamic Insights, and the Stock and Fund Stories are groundbreaking features
  • High-quality proprietary research
Cons
  • Some site elements slow to load
  • No crypto, futures, forex or penny stocks
Visit Site open_in_new

Invest in a new account and get up to $600.

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
4/5 Stars 4.0 Overall

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing, Chase Bank

Minimum Deposit$0.00
Stock Trades$0.00
Options (Per Contract)$0.65

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing’s all-in-one platform makes money and asset management simple and straightforward for customers of Chase Bank, the largest bank in the U.S. Multi-account benefits include instant transfers, mobile check deposit, universal login and high-quality proprietary J.P. Morgan research. Read full review

Pros
  • Among our best brokers for banking services
  • Multi-account benefits
  • Mobile app provides clean access to investing, education and market news
Cons
  • Platforms are very basic
  • Educational content is hard to browse
E*TRADE
5/5 Stars 5.0 Overall

E*TRADE Bank

Minimum Deposit$0.00
Stock Trades$0.00
Options (Per Contract)$0.65

Though its features trail those of leader Merrill Edge, E*TRADE offers essential banking services with 29 branch office locations across the U.S. Banking services include checking accounts with no ATM fees, high-yield savings accounts, and debit cards. Read full review

Pros
  • Watch lists are the best in the business
  • Smooth mobile navigation
  • High-quality high-net-worth Morgan Stanley proprietary research
Cons
  • Cryptocurrencies not currently available
  • Margin rates are high compared to other brokers
Visit Site open_in_new

$0 Commissions* for ETF, stocks & more

Ally Invest
4/5 Stars 4.0 Overall

Ally Invest, Ally Bank

Minimum Deposit$0.00
Stock Trades$0.00
Options (Per Contract)$0.50

Among the bank and brokerage combinations, Ally shines and competes with the best in the industry. As with Merrill Edge, bank and brokerage accounts are managed under one login, and transferring money between accounts is a breeze. Read full review

Pros
  • Excellent banking via Ally Bank
  • Universal account management
  • $0 stock and ETF trades alongside a $0 minimum deposit
Cons
  • Trails industry leaders in areas including platforms, tools, research, and education
Sofi Invest
3.5/5 Stars 3.5 Overall

SoFi

Minimum Deposit$5.00
Stock Trades$0.00
Options (Per Contract)$0.00

SoFi offers a wide range of banking services, including personal loans, home loans and the company’s flagship student loans, as well as credit cards and a cash management account that can be linked to a SoFi Invest account for funding. Read full review

Pros
  • Many popular investment options
  • Low margin rates
  • Strong crypto game
Cons
  • No open-end funds or individual bonds
  • Charts are very basic
  • Limited educational content
Visit Site open_in_new

$0 stocks, 1.25% for cryptocurrencies

Other brokers tested

In addition to our top five trading platforms for banking in 2023, we reviewed 12 others: Charles Schwab, eToro, Fidelity, Firstrade, Interactive Brokers, TD Ameritrade, TradeStation, Tradier, Robinhood, Vanguard, tastytrade, and Webull. To dive deeper, read our reviews.

Is a brokerage account the same as a bank account?

No. A brokerage account is used to buy and sell securities (stocks, ETFs, bonds, mutual funds, and other assets) and is SIPC insured, protecting up to $500,000 per customer, of which $250,000 can be cash. Many brokers offer “bank-like” services in their brokerage accounts, but they operate a bit differently under the hood than traditional bank accounts.

A true bank account is used for banking (e.g., savings, checking, bill payments) and is FDIC insured, providing up to $250,000 in protection per individual. Some brokers can automatically roll your cash balances into several banks to provide more FDIC insurance coverage beyond the individual bank limit of $250,000, which is crafty, but perfectly legal.


StockBrokers.com co-founder Blain Reinkensmeyer breaks down how a bank-brokerage works.


Which bank broker is best?

Merrill Edge, part of Bank of America, is the best broker for banking services in our annual review of stockbrokers. Whether you’re a student or an entrepreneur bringing your stock public, Bank of America and its subsidiaries offer solid resources. Aside from the industry standard $0 stock and exchange-traded fund (ETF) commissions, Merrill Edge has 3,900 retail locations and seamless universal account management. Higher- balance savers and investors will appreciate its Preferred Rewards program, which offers the best rewards of any bank broker we tested.

What is a bank brokerage?

A bank broker provides both banking services (FDIC insured) as well as stock brokerage services (SIPC protected). This combination allows you to easily move money between accounts and consolidate your finances with a single provider. Besides investing capabilities, when you open a bank brokerage account you have the benefits of a brokerage checking account and other banking capabilities, such as money transfers and debit cards.

What is a brokerage account at a bank?

A brokerage account at a bank allows you to invest where you take care of traditional banking transactions, like taking out a car loan or paying bills. Financial services holding companies such as JP Morgan Chase & Co. and Bank of America can own both FDIC-insured banks and security brokers, which have different rules and different regulators than banks. Bank-owned brokers usually make it very simple to bank and invest at the same firm.

What banks offer brokerage accounts?

Many of the largest banks in the U.S. offer online brokerage accounts through their brokerage subsidiaries. For example, Bank of America offers online investing through Merrill Edge, Chase Bank lets you manage your portfolio at J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing, and Ally offers online investments through Ally. All of these brokers let you sign on with one login and password.

Which bank has the best brokerage account?

Based on our research, Bank of America has the best bank-brokerage account offering, via Merrill Edge. Merrill Edge offers $0 stock and ETF trades, excellent bank-broker universal account management, the best rewards program of the bank-brokerages we analyzed, and outstanding customer service.

Can you use a brokerage account as a checking account?

Yes, a brokerage checking account typically allows you to write and deposit checks. There are a number of banks with brokerage accounts offered that provide checkwriting capabilities. Check to see if there are fees associated with how you intend to use the account.

More details: If you decide to write checks from your brokerage account, be sure to monitor your account balance to maintain a proper cash allocation. Some brokers can link your checkwriting to borrowing on margin. The good news is that you can access cash very quickly if you need it and, because your investments are collateral for the loan, the interest rates can be much lower than credit cards.

The bad news is that margin is a loan that has to be repaid. Just as it can be easy to max out a credit card, it can also be easy to spend down your investment account. Always monitor your checkwriting on a margin account. Most brokers offer instant transfers between accounts for convenience.

What is the difference between a brokerage account and a cash management account?

Think of a cash management account as a brokerage account with a debit card. The cash management feature enables you to use a debit card to spend any uninvested cash in your brokerage account. Your debit card can be used for everyday purchases such as groceries, dining, entertainment, and leisure. As always, be careful not to spend money you don’t have.

Is a brokerage account better than a bank account?

One is not better than the other; they are simply different vehicles for your money. A brokerage account is necessary for investing and trading in stocks, ETFs, options and futures, whereas a bank account is meant for handling your day-to-day saving and spending. Banks are slightly safer than brokerages because of gold-plated FDIC insurance, but the risk of a U.S.-regulated broker going under is low, and it’s even less likely you won’t be made whole in the event of a brokerage failure.

Is a brokerage account safer than a bank account?

Both your brokerage account and your bank account typically carry insurance, the former through the SIPC and the latter through the FDIC. In that sense, both are safe. But investing or trading through a brokerage account carries market risk: Losses due to market movement are not protected by insurance.

Can I buy stocks through my bank?

Banks do not offer the ability to buy and sell stocks in checking or savings accounts. However, many large bank holding companies have a brokerage arm through which they offer online trading. For example, Bank of America offers trading through its discount brokerage, Merrill Edge, as does Chase through its wholly-owned J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing.

Can I get a debit card for my brokerage account?

Brokerages that offer banking services often include use of a debit card with your associated banking product, such as a cash management account or checking account. Our top pick this year among brokerages with banking services is Merrill Edge, which is affiliated with Bank of America and offers B of A's full suite of bank accounts and features.

Which brokerages have debit cards?

Two highly rated bank-owned brokers, Merrill Edge and E*TRADE, offer debit cards and don’t require an account at their bank. Though not owned by banks, the brokerages Fidelity, Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, Interactive Brokers, Robinhood, Vanguard, eToro and Firstrade offer debit cards. Firstrade requires a $20,000 minimum.

Can you buy stocks with a debit card?

No, you cannot use a debit card to buy stocks, at least not directly. Some brokers will allow you to use a debit card to fund your account with cash; then you can buy stock within the account. We don’t recommend choosing a broker based on whether it accepts debit card funds, because almost all will accept ACH deposits, which only require your checking account and routing numbers.

Bank Broker Pricing and Features Comparison

Here's a pricing and features comparison of the best bank brokers side by side. To compare brokers in other areas, see our online brokerage comparison tool.

Feature E*TRADE logoE*TRADE Merrill Edge logoMerrill Edge Ally Invest logoAlly Invest J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Sofi Invest logoSofi Invest
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $5.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
ETF Trade Fee $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Mutual Fund Trade Fee $0.00 $19.95 $0.00 $0 $0
Options (Base Fee) $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) $0.65 $0.65 $0.50 $0.65 $0.00
Futures (Per Contract) $1.50 N/A N/A N/A $0.00
Broker Assisted Trade Fee $25 $29.95 $20 Varies $0
Visit Site Visit Site
Visit Site
Visit Site
Feature E*TRADE logoE*TRADE Merrill Edge logoMerrill Edge Ally Invest logoAlly Invest J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Sofi Invest logoSofi Invest
Bank (Member FDIC) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Checking Accounts Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Savings Accounts Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Credit Cards Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Debit Cards Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Mortgage Loans Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Visit Site Visit Site
Visit Site
Visit Site

Broker Banking Features List

On a feature by feature basis, our top five finishers this year offer a combination of the following features to their banking customers.

Feature Definition
Member FDIC Member of the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) - fdic.gov.
Checking Accounts Offers formal checking accounts and checking services. To qualify, checking services must be marketed on the website as a client service. Basic checking through the clearing firm does not count.
Savings Accounts Offers savings accounts.
Debit Cards Offers debit cards as part of a formal banking service.
Credit Cards Offers credit cards.
Mortgage Loans Offers mortgage loans.
Mobile Check Deposit Check deposits can be made through the mobile app.
Online Bill Pay Ability for clients to add and pay bills using the website.
Mobile Bill Pay Ability for clients to add and pay bills using the mobile app.
ATM Fee Reimbursement Are debit card ATM fees reimbursed?
No Fee Banking Offers no fee banking. Requirements: no minimum balance required, no monthly maintenance fees, no debit card fees, no annual fees.
Retail Locations Total retail locations. Company HQ or similar corporate offices do not count. Must be a formally branded, publicly accessible branch office marketed on the public website.

StockBrokers.com 2023 Overall Ranking

Here are the Overall rankings for the 17 online brokers whose offerings we analyze and test, sorted by Overall ranking.

Company Overall Commissions & Fees Research Platforms & Tools Mobile Trading Apps Investment Options Education Ease Of Use Visit Site
Fidelity logoFidelity 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars Visit Site
TD Ameritrade logoTD Ameritrade 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars Visit Site
E*TRADE logoE*TRADE 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars Visit Site
Merrill Edge logoMerrill Edge 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars Visit Site
Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars Visit Site
https://count.schwab.com/1/d/c.gif?aqet=imp&img=true&adv=CharlesSchwab&ag=UM&ch=Native&pl=354808537
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars Visit Site
Firstrade logoFirstrade 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars Visit Site
Webull logoWebull 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars Visit Site
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Robinhood logoRobinhood 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars Visit Site
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
tastytrade logotastytrade 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars Visit Site
TradeStation logoTradeStation 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars Visit Site
Tradier logoTradier 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars 2/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
eToro logoeToro 3.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars Visit Site
Vanguard logoVanguard 3.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Sofi Invest logoSofi Invest 3.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars Visit Site
View More

Read Next

Explore our other online trading guides:

Methodology

For the StockBrokers.com 13th Annual Review published in January 2023, a total of 3,332 data points were collected over three months and used to score 17 top brokers. This makes StockBrokers.com home to the largest independent database on the web covering the online broker industry.

As a rapidly expanding area of brokerage services, banking features have grown in importance to stock traders who value ease of money transfer and keeping their investing and banking under one roof. Our research team evaluates each broker’s offerings, such as cash management tools, debit cards and credit cards, traditional bank accounts, mobile deposits, no-fee banking and branch accessibility. Additionally, we evaluate the commissions and fees charged by the brokerage for many popular features. In total, we evaluate more than 200 variables for each broker.

As part of our annual review process, all brokers had the opportunity to provide updates and key milestones and complete an in-depth data profile, which we hand-checked for accuracy. Brokers also were offered the opportunity to provide executive time for an annual update meeting.

Our rigorous data validation process yields an error rate of less than .001% each year, providing site visitors quality data they can trust. Learn more about how we test.

About the Editorial Team

Sam Levine, CFA, CMT
Sam Levine, CFA, CMT

Sam Levine has over 30 years of experience in the investing field as a portfolio manager, financial consultant, investment strategist and writer. He also taught investing as an adjunct professor of finance at Wayne State University. Sam holds the Chartered Financial Analyst and the Chartered Market Technician designations and is pursuing a master's in personal financial planning at the College for Financial Planning. Previously, he was a contributing editor at BetterInvesting Magazine and a contributor to The Penny Hoarder and other media outlets.


Blain Reinkensmeyer
Blain Reinkensmeyer

Blain Reinkensmeyer has 20 years of trading experience with over 2,500 trades placed during that time. He heads research for all U.S.-based brokerages on StockBrokers.com and is respected by executives as the leading expert covering the online broker industry. Blain’s insights have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and the Chicago Tribune, among other media outlets.


Carolyn Kimball
Carolyn Kimball

Carolyn Kimball is managing editor for Reink Media and the lead editor for the StockBrokers.com Annual Review. Carolyn has more than 20 years of writing and editing experience at major media outlets including NerdWallet, the Los Angeles Times and the San Jose Mercury News. She specializes in coverage of personal financial products and services, wielding her editing skills to clarify complex (some might say befuddling) topics to help consumers make informed decisions about their money.


Steven Hatzakis
Steven Hatzakis

Steven Hatzakis is the Global Director of Research for ForexBrokers.com. Steven previously served as an Editor for Finance Magnates, where he authored over 1,000 published articles about the online finance industry. Steven is an active fintech and crypto industry researcher and advises blockchain companies at the board level. Over the past 20 years, Steven has held numerous positions within the international forex markets, from writing to consulting to serving as a registered commodity futures representative.


E*TRADE: *Other fees apply.
1 Fidelity Sell orders are subject to an activity assessment fee from $0.01 to $0.03 per $1,000 of principal. Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk. Before trading options, please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. Supporting documentation for any claims, if applicable, will be furnished upon request.
*Webull Disclaimer View Disclaimer.
tastytrade, Inc. (“tastytrade”) has entered into a Marketing Agreement with Marketing Agent (“Marketing Agent”) whereby tastytrade pays compensation to Marketing Agent to recommend tastytrade’s brokerage services. The existence of this Marketing Agreement should not be deemed as an endorsement or recommendation of Marketing Agent by tastytrade and/or any of its affiliated companies. Neither tastytrade nor any of its affiliated companies is responsible for the privacy practices of Marketing Agent or this website. tastytrade does not warrant the accuracy or content of the products or services offered by Marketing Agent or this website. Marketing Agent is independent and is not an affiliate of tastytrade. tastytrade was previously known as tastyworks, Inc.
Reink Media Group is compensated if you access certain of the products or services offered by eToro USA LLC and/or eToro USA Securities Inc. Any testimonials contained in this communication may not be representative of the experience of other eToro customers and such testimonials are not guarantees of future performance or success.

close