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Best Brokers for Range of Investments

Jessica Inskip

Written by Jessica Inskip
Edited by John Bringans
Fact-checked by Joey Shadeck

January 27, 2026
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Jessica Inskip Jessica Inskip

Jessica Inskip is Director of Investor Research at StockBrokers.com, bringing 15 years of experience in brokerage and trading strategy. Jessica focuses on investor education and brokerage industry research.

stockbrokers-com-favicon.ico Why you can trust us

Led by Jessica Inskip, Director of Investor Research, the StockBrokers.com research team collects thousands of data points across hundreds of variables. We evaluate features important to every kind of investor, including beginners, casual investors, passive investors, and active traders. We carefully track data on margin rates, trading costs, and fees to rate stock brokers across our proprietary testing categories.

Our researchers open personal brokerage accounts and test all available platforms on desktop, web, and mobile for each broker reviewed on StockBrokers.com. Learn more about how we test.

Having access to a wide range of investments can make a big difference, especially as your goals and strategies evolve over time. While some brokers focus on the basics, others offer a much deeper lineup that includes multiple asset classes, specialized account types, and access to global markets. The best brokers for range of investments give investors the flexibility to build and adjust their portfolios without needing multiple accounts.

Of course, variety alone isn’t enough. Investment options need to be easy to find, research, and trade across a broker’s platforms. Our analysis looks at both the range of each broker’s offerings and how smoothly those investments are supported across websites, desktop platforms, and mobile apps, helping investors understand which brokers offer the most flexibility and choice.

Best brokers for range of investments

To determine the best brokers for range of investments, we evaluated how broad and flexible each broker’s investment lineup truly is. Our analysis considers the availability of different asset classes, account types, and market access, along with how easily investors can find, research, and trade those investments across the broker’s platforms. Using hands-on testing and detailed data analysis, we aim to highlight brokers that offer not just variety, but practical, well-supported investment choices that can meet the needs of investors at different stages.

Interactive Brokers
5/5 Stars 5.0 Overall
Review

Best range of investments

Interactive Brokers is a go-to choice for professionals because of its institutional-grade desktop trading platform, high-quality trade executions and low margin rates. Read full review

Fidelity
5/5 Stars 5.0 Overall
Review

Best range of investments for retirement accounts

Fidelity is a value-driven online broker offering $0 trades, industry-leading research, excellent trading tools and an easy-to-use mobile app. Read full review

Charles Schwab
5/5 Stars 5.0 Overall
Review

Best range of investments with supporting tools

For most investors, the search for a great broker ends with Charles Schwab. Retaining the #1 Overall ranking in 2026, Schwab continues to set the industry standard. The broker uniquely balances scale with sophistication, offering both simplified mobile tools and the professional-grade thinkorswim platform. From buying a first fractional share to managing a multimillion-dollar estate, Schwab provides a platform tailored to every need, serving as the definitive operating system for modern wealth. Read full review

E*TRADE
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4.5/5 Stars 4.5 Overall
Review

Broad range of investments

With two distinct platforms (E*TRADE Web and Power E*TRADE) the broker effectively serves both the "set-it-and-forget-it" investor and the high-volume derivatives trader. Whether you aim to construct a long-term retirement portfolio or deploy complex options strategies, E*TRADE provides a sophisticated, dependable environment that grows with your ambition. Read full review

Firstrade
3.5/5 Stars 3.5 Overall
Review

Best for fund research and mobile options

Firstrade is a good choice for options traders and self-reliant investors due to its aggressive pricing model that completely eliminates per-contract fees on options. While it lacks asset classes like crypto and futures, it impresses with institutional-grade infrastructure, supporting complex account types like Trusts and Business IRAs and wide international accessibility. Read full review

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Top picks for range of investments

1. Interactive Brokers - Best range of investments

Company Overall Minimum Deposit Range of Investments
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
5/5 Stars $0.00 5/5 Stars

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is one of those rare brokers where “range of investments” actually means range. You’re not just getting the usual mix of stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and retirement accounts, you’re getting access to markets and products that a lot of brokers either don’t offer at all or only offer in a limited way. For investors who want one place to invest globally (and across multiple asset classes), IBKR is built for that.

A true multi-asset lineup: During testing, what jumped out was how far IBKR goes beyond “full-service” expectations. In addition to U.S. stocks and ETFs, IBKR gives investors access to foreign exchanges, options, futures, bonds and other fixed income, currencies, and cryptocurrencies. It also supports more specialized offerings like U.S. Spot Gold, hedge funds, plus forecast and event contracts, which is not something you’ll see at most mainstream brokerages. If you’re the type of investor who likes to branch out as you learn, IBKR makes that progression possible without needing to open new accounts elsewhere.

Trader Workstation

Interactive Brokers offers one of the most comprehensive watchlists in the industry, available on both its web and desktop trading platforms. This screenshot highlights the desktop experience, where investors can track real-time quotes, market data, and customizable columns across multiple asset classes.

Jessica's take:

"IBKR goes well beyond the basics. From global markets to fixed income, options, and even more specialized products, it’s one of the few brokers where you can truly grow into new asset classes without outgrowing the platform."

Jessica Inskip

jessica_inskip_170.png

Not just variety, it’s usable: IBKR doesn’t just pile on investment choices and call it a day. The platform does a solid job of connecting the experience so you can actually find what you need and act on it. The detailed quote pages are loaded with data and research, and the “connections” features help surface related products and ideas in a way that feels practical (not random). It’s a big platform, but it’s organized enough that you can build real workflows around it.

Best fit for investors who want flexibility: If your investing is strictly “buy a couple ETFs and chill,” IBKR might feel like overkill. But if you want broad access, global reach, and the ability to invest across markets from one broker as your needs evolve, IBKR sets the bar for range of investments.

2. Fidelity - Best range of investments for retirement accounts

Company Overall Minimum Deposit Range of Investments
Fidelity logoFidelity
5/5 Stars $0.00 5/5 Stars

Fidelity is one of the most well-rounded brokers for investors who want lots of ways to build a portfolio, without feeling like they need a finance degree to use the tools. It doesn’t try to be everything (you won’t find futures or forex here), but in the “core” categories most investors actually use like stocks, funds, options, fixed income, and retirement accounts, Fidelity is deep, polished, and genuinely practical.

Strong lineup across traditional asset classes: In testing, Fidelity impressed most with the depth of its traditional offerings. You get access to stocks, ETFs, options, fixed income, precious metals, and international trading, plus a massive mutual fund lineup (including plenty of no-transaction-fee options). If you’re a long-term investor building a diversified portfolio, Fidelity gives you a lot of flexibility without forcing you to open multiple accounts at different firms.

Fixed income and retirement are real differentiators: Fidelity’s fixed income experience is a standout, especially for investors who want more than a basic bond quote. You can screen a huge inventory of bonds and CDs, participate in Treasury auctions online, and use tools like the CD ladder builder and fixed income dashboard to plan and manage income. On the retirement side, Fidelity is a powerhouse, with a wide variety of retirement account types and strong support for ongoing account maintenance (beneficiaries, conversions, distributions, permissions, and more).

A broker you can grow with: Fidelity also does a great job serving investors at different life stages. Families get excellent options like custodial accounts, 529 plans, and genuinely innovative choices like Roth IRAs for kids and the Fidelity Youth Account (built for teens with parental oversight). Add in Fidelity Go (robo-advisor), basket trading, and wealth management solutions, and you’ve got a broker that can scale with you, whether you’re investing your first $20 or managing something much larger.

Interactive Brokers Connections research tool

Interactive Brokers’ Connections tab, shown here for NVIDIA (NVDA), gives investors a 360° contextual research view by linking the selected stock to related competitors, thematic sectors like AI infrastructure and data centers, and tradable products such as Forecast Contracts and ETFs. Connections helps traders uncover peers, trends, and broader market relationships beyond just the price quote.

3. Charles Schwab - Best range of investments with supporting tools

Company Overall Minimum Deposit Range of Investments
Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
5/5 Stars $0.00 4.5/5 Stars

Charles Schwab checks the “full-service” box and goes beyond it. You get the core lineup (stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, and fixed income), but Schwab’s strength is how wide the menu gets once you move past the basics, especially if you want to trade more actively or build out a more customized portfolio over time.

Range across markets and products: In testing, Schwab stood out for offering access points that many brokers either don’t support or put behind extra steps. Beyond traditional investments, Schwab supports futures trading and access to forex through thinkorswim, and it also offers 24/5 trading on hundreds of securities. On the equity side, you’ll also find IPO access and the ability to invest in foreign markets (including local currency trading), which adds meaningful flexibility for globally minded investors.

Desktop chart of U.S. unemployment rates alongside a live news feed and streaming headlines

This screenshot showcases a desktop chart of U.S. unemployment rates alongside a live news feed and streaming headlines, enabling traders to track macroeconomic trends in real time. Access to this level of economic insight helps investors connect data with market movement.

Fixed income depth: Schwab’s fixed income offering is more than “here are some bonds.” It’s built to help you make decisions. You get broad access to CDs, Treasuries, municipal bonds, and corporate bonds, plus practical tools like CD and Treasury ladder builders that make it easier to structure income. Schwab also does a nice job bridging market context with product selection, with market insights and educational resources integrated into the fixed income experience.

Customization and account features: Schwab offers a lot of ways to personalize your investing experience, from fractional share trading in stocks via Stock Slices (note: not ETFs) to robo-advice through Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, plus premium planning support if you want it. With strong support for trusts and small business accounts, a wide range of retirement options, and solid self-service account tools, Schwab is well suited for investors whose needs may get more complex over time.

4. E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley - Broad range of investments

Company Overall Minimum Deposit Range of Investments
E*TRADE logoE*TRADE
4.5/5 Stars $0.00 4.5/5 Stars

E*TRADE offers a broad investment lineup, covering the basics like stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and options, plus futures, fixed income, and brokerage CDs. It’s a solid “one-stop shop” if you want access to multiple markets without juggling accounts at different brokers.

Tools that support active decision-making: Where E*TRADE really shines is in how it supports active traders and strategy builders. Power E*TRADE Pro includes a customizable workspace with tools like advanced charting, a robust options chain (with lots of adjustable columns), and a surprisingly useful calendar that blends earnings, economic events, and trade-building shortcuts.

A few tradeoffs to know: There’s no true backtesting tool, but you can use paper trading mode. And while the platform has strong charting and options capabilities, drawing tools can feel finicky, which is great if you’re indicator-heavy, less ideal if you rely on precise chart annotations.

5. Firstrade - Best for fund research and mobile options

Company Overall Minimum Deposit Range of Investments
Firstrade logoFirstrade
3.5/5 Stars $0.00 4/5 Stars

Firstrade covers more ground than you’d expect from a smaller, self-directed broker. You get the core lineup of stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, and fixed income, plus a solid mix of account types, including individual and joint accounts, IRAs, custodial accounts, and even trust and small business-friendly options like SEP and SIMPLE IRAs.

Strong research for funds: In testing, Firstrade’s fund research was the real surprise. Its ETF and mutual fund quote pages are packed with Morningstar-powered data, including category comparisons, performance, risk metrics, sustainability details, and even portfolio-level breakdowns (sector/region exposure and fixed income characteristics). Firstrade also leans into options with OptionsPlay integration and education that helps traders move from idea generation to strategy selection.

What to know going in: Firstrade doesn’t offer futures, forex, crypto, or advisor services. Instead, it’s built for self-directed investors who want a range of options in traditional products and strong fund research.

Range of investments comparison

Company Overall Minimum Deposit Stock Trades Options (Per Contract)
Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
5/5 Stars $0.00 $0.00 $0.65
Fidelity logoFidelity
5/5 Stars $0.00 $0.00 $0.65
Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
5/5 Stars $0.00 $0.00 $0.65 info
E*TRADE logoE*TRADE
4.5/5 Stars $0.00 $0.00 $0.65
Firstrade logoFirstrade
3.5/5 Stars $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Our testing

Why you should trust us

Jessica Inskip is Director of Investor Research at StockBrokers.com, bringing 15 years of experience in brokerage and trading strategy. A former FINRA-licensed rep, she held Series 7, 63, 66, and 4 licenses. Jessica focuses on investor education and brokerage industry research, appears regularly on CNBC, Bloomberg, The Schwab Network, Fox Business, and Yahoo! Finance, and hosts the Market MakeHer podcast.

Blain Reinkensmeyer, co-founder of StockBrokers.com, has been investing and trading for over 25 years. After having placed over 2,000 trades in his late teens and early 20s, he became one of the first in digital media to review online brokerages. Today, Blain is widely respected as a leading expert on finance and investing, specifically the U.S. online brokerage industry. Blain has been quoted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Fast Company, among others. Blain created the original scoring rubrics for StockBrokers.com and oversees all testing and rating methodologies.

How we tested

  • We used our own brokerage accounts for testing.
  • We collected thousands of data points across the brokers we review.
  • We tested each online broker's website, desktop platforms, and mobile app, where applicable.
  • We maintained strict editorial independence; brokers cannot pay for inclusion or a higher rating.

Our research team meticulously collected data on every feature of importance to a wide range of customer profiles, including beginners, casual investors, passive investors, and active traders. We carefully track variables like margin rates, trading costs, fees, and platform features and use them to help rate brokers across a range of categories measuring ease of use, range of investments, research, education, and more.

At StockBrokers.com, our reviewers use a variety of computing devices to evaluate platforms and tools. Our reviews and data collection were conducted using the following devices: iPhone SE running iOS 17.5.1, MacBook Pro M1 with 8 GB RAM running the current MacOS, and a Dell Vostro 5402 laptop i5 with 8 GB RAM running Windows 11 Pro.

Each broker was evaluated and scored on over 200 different variables across seven key categories: Range of Investments, Platforms & Tools, Research, Mobile Trading, Education, Ease of Use, and Overall. Learn more about how we test.

Trading platforms tested

We tested 14 online trading platforms for this guide:

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About the Editorial Team

Jessica Inskip

Jessica Inskip is Director of Investor Research at StockBrokers.com, bringing 15 years of experience in brokerage and trading strategy. A former FINRA-licensed rep, she held Series 7, 63, 66, and 4 licenses. Jessica focuses on investor education and brokerage industry research, appears regularly on CNBC, Fox Business, and Bloomberg, and hosts the Market MakeHer podcast.

John Bringans

John Bringans is the Managing Editor of StockBrokers.com. An experienced media professional, John has a decade of editorial experience with a background that includes key leadership roles at global newsroom outlets. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from San Francisco State University, and conducts research on forex and the financial services industry while assisting in the production of content.

Joey Shadeck

Joey Shadeck is the Content Strategist and Research Analyst for StockBrokers.com. He holds dual degrees in Finance and Marketing from Oakland University, and has been an active trader and investor for close to 10 years. An industry veteran, Joey obtains and verifies data, conducts research, and analyzes and validates our content.

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