9 Best Trading Platforms & Online Brokers for Beginners in 2025

Whether you’re scrolling on your phone, watching TV, even on the subway or walking down the street, there’s an online broker vying for your attention – and your money.

I don’t blame you if you don’t know where to start.

So I’ve personally reviewed and tested more than 60 trading platforms (with a little help from my friends) to help you cut through all this noise and pick a platform that’s right for you.

Pressed for time? These are my three favourite brokers for beginners and I’d vouch for any of them to get you started safely:

My top 3 trading platforms

4.6

eToro

Min. Deposit $100

Fees 1%

No. assets 3600+

Demo account Yes

Visit site

eToro review

Cryptocurrency is offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk, and content is provided for educational purposes only, does not imply a recommendation, and is not a guarantee of future performance. Invezz.com is not an affiliate and may be compensated if you access certain products or services offered by the MSB.

4.5

Plus500

Min. Deposit $100

Fees From 2%

No. assets 2800+

Demo account Yes

Visit site

Plus500 review

This information is NOT relevant to EU residents who are to be serviced by EU subsidiaries of the Plus500 Group, such as Plus500CY Ltd, authorized by CySEC (Reg. 250/14). Different regulatory requirements apply in Europe, such as leverage limitations and bonus restrictions.

Best trading platforms

Min. Deposit n/a

Fees -

No. assets n/a

Demo account -

Visit site

If you’re still with me, great. Let’s dive in to the reasons behind each pick.

Detailed reviews of the best online brokers

1. eToro. Best for beginners, copy-trading & demo-account

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4.5

Ratings

$100

Min. deposit

0% commission

Fees

3,600

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love eToro because it’s a crypto trading platform built with beginners and casual traders in mind. The platform combines an interactive, social trading experience with an easy-to-use interface, making it ideal for novice traders.

The far-reaching catalog of 100 cryptocurrencies includes big names like Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as smaller crypto tokens with high growth potential. Some supported tokens can be seamlessly transferred to the eToro Money crypto wallet for safekeeping.

One feature we particularly appreciate is the ability to interact with eToro’s 35 million users on any asset, market, or portfolio page. If you find traders whose strategies match your risk tolerance, you can copy their portfolios automatically using eToro’s flagship copy trading functionality. eToro crypto’s Smart Portfolios offer a great entry point into digital currencies, an opportunity to learn and potentially benefit from the expertise of more experienced traders.

If you don’t feel comfortable investing your cash straight away, you can use a free demo account, credited with $100,000 virtual dollars. This offers plenty of opportunities to try out a trading strategy that works for you across the 100 crypto tokens available.

Highlights

No. of tradable assets	3600+
Min. Deposit	$100
ID verification required	Yes
Free demo account	Yes
Supported assets	Stock CFDs, ETF CFDs, Forex CFDs, Index CFDs, Commodity CFDs, NFTs, Crypto
Mobile trading app	Yes
Web trading platform	Yes
Regulatory bodies	ASIC, FCA, CySEC, FinCEN

Fees & Costs

Trading fees	Yes, on certain assets
Inactivity fees	Yes
Rollover/overnight fees	Yes, on CFDs
Withdrawal fees	Yes
Spreads	Yes, on certain assets
Conversion fees	Yes, for non-USD currencies

Pros & Cons

Great for beginners, simple to set up and get started Competitive, industry-leading commissions Popular ‘Copy Portfolios’ function lets you follow top traders Excellent customer service, with live chat support provided

Comparatively high fees for withdrawals and account inactivity Does not integrate with the MetaTrader platform High spreads on some assets

Read review Visit eToro

Cryptocurrency is offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk, and content is provided for educational purposes only, does not imply a recommendation, and is not a guarantee of future performance. Invezz.com is not an affiliate and may be compensated if you access certain products or services offered by the MSB.

2. Plus500. Best for international trading*

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4.5

Ratings

$100

Min. deposit

From 0.08%

Fees

2,800

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love Plus500 because it is one of the industry’s most transparent and reliable brokers. Its fees are clear and you’ll know exactly what you will be paying before you trade. Its technology driven platform gives access to futures for the two biggest cryptos, Bitcoin and Ethereum. 

Plus500 has something for all types of crypto trader, no matter what level of experience. Its low margin requirements of $20 for Ether and $100 for Bitcoin make it a top choice for day traders. At the same time, its trading academy is packed with educational content, perfect for beginners just starting. 

For accurate instrument availability, visit plus500.com.

The fees: Plus500 charges a commission of $0.49 per Micro contract and $0.89 per Standard contract (per side). There is an Auto-Liquidation fee of $10 per contract. Other exchange fees may be applicable and can be found on the CME group website. 

*Based on a comparison of 60+ leading brokers and trading platforms.

Highlights

No. of tradable assets	2800+
Min. Deposit	$100
ID verification required	Yes
Free demo account	Yes
Supported assets	Stock CFDs, ETF CFDs, Forex CFDs, Crypto CFDs, Index CFDs, Commodity CFDs
Mobile trading app	Yes
Web trading platform	Yes
Regulatory bodies	FSA, ASIC, FMA, FCA, CySEC

Fees & Costs

Trading fees	No
Inactivity fees	Yes
Rollover/overnight fees	Yes
Withdrawal fees	No
Spreads	Yes
Conversion fees	Yes

Pros & Cons

Free demo account for every user Secure broker, licensed by top-tier regulators Wide variety of CFDs to trade Several good risk management tools

No support on trading information and education Website isn’t brilliantly designed to help users find answers to their questions No MetaTrader trading platform compatibility

Read review Visit Plus500

This information is NOT relevant to EU residents who are to be serviced by EU subsidiaries of the Plus500 Group, such as Plus500CY Ltd, authorized by CySEC (Reg. 250/14). Different regulatory requirements apply in Europe, such as leverage limitations and bonus restrictions.

3. Public. Best for AI analysis

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4

Ratings

$20

Min. deposit

Spreads

Fees

9,000

No. assets

No

Demo account

Overview

We love Public because it makes use of cutting-edge AI technology to enhance your trading and investing experience. Public’s AI-powered feature, Public Alpha offers personalized insights and recommendations through its natural language interface in real time. 

Public’s AI technology helps you make more informed decisions by analyzing massive amounts of data and providing actionable insights. These AI-driven insights are easily accessible and give users access to the latest advancements in crypto analysis and trading. 

Not only do can you use AI to help your crypto investments, Public is one of the lowest cost brokerage firms out there. You can invest in a selection of cryptocurrencies without breaking the bank or having to invest large sums. Public charges 1.25% of your order amount, which is considerably cheaper when compared to similar platforms. 

The fees: There are no fees for investing in stocks during regular trading hours in the US – 9.30am-4pm EST. There is a $2.99 fee for trades outside of regular hours. Alternative investments, including cryptocurrency, are charged a 1.25% fee per transaction.

Highlights

No. of tradable assets	9,000 +
Min. Deposit	$20
ID verification required	Yes
Free demo account	No
Supported assets	Stocks, ETFs, Crypto, , ,
Mobile trading app	Yes
Web trading platform	Yes
Regulatory bodies	SEC, FINRA, SIPC

Fees & Costs

Trading fees	Yes
Inactivity fees	Yes
Rollover/overnight fees	No
Withdrawal fees	No
Spreads	Yes
Conversion fees	Yes

Pros & Cons

Commission free stock and ETF investing Share and compare your portfolio on a social trading platform Trade crypto, fractional shares, and alternative investments

You can't trade on margin or use leverage No forex, options, funds, metals, or bonds

Read review Visit

Cryptocurrency execution and custody services are provided by Apex Crypto LLC (NMLS ID 1828849) through a software licensing agreement between Apex Crypto LLC and Public Crypto LLC. Crypto trading on Public platforms is served by Public Crypto LLC and offered through APEX Crypto. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved before trading.

What is an online broker, and how does it work? 

An online broker is an intermediary that helps people buy and sell stocks, funds, and bonds. Unlike traditional brokers, online brokers offer self-directed trading platforms through which users can directly engage with the financial markets. 

These platforms typically include a suite of features, including trading tools, educational materials, and research and analysis capabilities. 

You can buy and sell assets directly on a trading platform; the broker will transmit the order to the market and facilitate the trade for you. The assets you can buy include, but are not limited to, stocks, ETFs, funds, bonds, and cryptocurrency. 

How do I open a brokerage account? 

Simply click “sign up” on your chosen online trading platform and submit the necessary information. They usually include: 

• Your full legal name
• Contact information
• Information on tax and income

Make sure that the platform accepts clients from the country you reside in – many online brokers in Europe and the UK, including Degiro or Avatrade, don’t accept users from the US. 

Do I have to verify my identity with an online broker?

Yes, you do. This process could involve everything from verifying your bank information to more elaborate verification procedures, including photo IDs such as driver’s licenses or passports.

The overarching term for this layer of security is “KYC”, which stands for “Know Your Customer.” The best trading platforms, including brokerages and other financial institutions, use KYC guidelines to help prevent people from laundering money or conducting financial scams.

Do I need any extra software to set up an online brokerage account? 

It depends on the platform you use. Many require no additional software – allowing you to trade simply on the browser or through the platform’s app. However, some might require integration with popular forms of trading software such as MetaTrader4.

Read more: best TradingView brokers

How much money do I need to open an online brokerage account? 

There is no universally set amount of money required to start trading. The amount you need depends on your chosen platform’s minimum deposit requirements and the price of the asset you intend to buy. 

Many online brokers lifted minimum deposit requirements, but some still have it. eToro, for example, requires at least a $100 deposit to activate your account. 

Are online trading platforms safe? 

In general, yes, they are safe, although not all of them are. We recommend you only use trading platforms regulated by authorized bodies like the SEC in the US, which protects client deposits from loss due to broker failure for up to $500,000 or $20,000 in cash through the SIPC. 

Can I lose money while trading? 

Yes, you can lose money while trading. Deposit insurance doesn’t protect you against losses that result from market movements. The value of the assets you buy can go up or down due to various factors – this is a key risk for beginner traders who work without a financial advisor. 

Ideally, extensive research, solid knowledge of the market forces, and your risk tolerance should guide your decisions. Without these, you can be vulnerable to market volatility. 

You can, though, use the educational resources many brokers offer to defend yourself and curb impulse trading.  

The top online brokers for your needs

What’s best for you depends on three main factors: 

• Your level of experience, 
• What you want to trade, and 
• How often you want to do so. 

Here we help answer common questions to give you a sense of the best type of broker for your trading style.

What is the best trading platform for beginners?

eToro is the best trading platform for beginners. Its CopyTrader and social trading features, combined with a low cost of trading, make it ideal for new traders.

The best trading platforms to learn trading should be easy to use, with an intuitive interface that guides you through the most important information. 

It should offer lots of guides and tutorials to run you through how to trade. 

What is the best demo trading account?

eToro is the best online brokerage platform with a demo account. With eToro, you can switch between real money and a paper trading account at the touch of a button and use the same features on each one. 

Here are some of the best online trading platforms with demo accounts:

Read more: best demo trading accounts

What is the best penny stock trading platform?

Besides being one of the best trading platforms with the lowest fees, Degiro also has the largest range of international markets where you can buy cheap stocks from around the world. Low-fee trading in European markets and free trading on US stocks are additional bonuses. 

Read more: best penny stock trading apps

What is the best copy trading platform?

eToro is the best social and copy trading platform. You can share your trading tips and see what other people are thinking. 

To find a great social platform, look for an interface that mixes social media with a trading platform and where you can follow and copy your favorite traders. 

Here are the best copy trading platforms:

Read more: best copy trading platforms

What is the best day trading platform?

AvaTrade is the best day trading platform. With competitive spreads, over 1000 assets available, and the opportunity to place trades through MetaTrader4, it’s the top option for any fast-paced day trading strategy. 

Here are the best day trading platforms:

How to compare online trading platforms

Platform security and regulation are vital, while cost is an important factor for everyone. 

The features below give you an idea of what to look for and how to compare brokers.

1. Top-tier regulation

All trading platforms in the US must be regulated by the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), a government organization that regulates the issuing, marketing, and trading of securities and protects investors like yourself. 

The best American trading platforms are also members of the SIPC (Securities Investor Protection Corporation), which provides additional investor protection by insuring the cash you deposit to online brokerage accounts.

The SIPC insures up to $500,000 of investor cash and securities in the event your brokerage firm becomes insolvent. You can see which online brokers are members of the SIPC by looking for its logo on their websites. 

The SIPC is a federally mandated program to protect investors, but equivalents exist in many countries around the world.

The more financial authorities that have regulated a broker, the better. Do not deposit money to any unregulated broker. 

2. Platform fees and the cost of trading

Some online trading platforms offer zero-fee trading, but it isn’t universal. With some, you may have to pay a flat fee per trade, which can range up to $2 – $5 per transaction.

If you plan on trading often, prioritize low fees, or a subscription package where you get a certain number of free trades included.

Here are some stock trading platforms with the lowest fees:

3. Mobile app availability

The stock market can move quickly, and you might have to make fast decisions wherever you are in the world. 

A trading platform that offers quality mobile platforms or a dedicated stock trading app is worth signing up for, as we spend more and more time managing our money from our phones.

4. Demo accounts

The best stock trading platforms for beginners offer a demo or ‘virtual’ account. Follow the account opening process as normal and switch to the virtual account in your settings to access it. 

Demo accounts let you practice trading without risking real money. You can use them to get used to the stock market, test out your charting tools, and trial a day trading platform without committing to anything.

Anyone who’s a beginner stock trader should start out with a demo account. It gives you the chance to learn the rhythms of the markets without putting precious money at risk. 

Only experienced traders should use real funds to trade, and we don’t recommend that you graduate beyond a demo account until you fully understand the risks of trading.“

James Knight, Editor of Education

5. Range of assets available

The more stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds available on a platform, the more opportunities to trade and invest you’re likely to find. This is particularly important if you want to trade a specific type of stock, like penny stocks, or companies from a certain country.

Most brokers offer major US stocks from the NASDAQ and the NYSE, the two leading stock exchanges. If you want to trade stocks from outside the US, then check what’s available from each online broker before you sign up. 

As time goes on, you may also want to trade other assets, like cryptocurrency, funds, or a stock ETF. In that case, you need a broker that offers these assets. 

It’s why eToro is so popular, for example: it offers all types of assets in one simple platform.

6. Access to ETFs and mutual funds

ETFs and funds are investment vehicles that allow you to invest in many stocks simultaneously. They’re a great way to create an immediately diversified portfolio, without having to pick companies individually.

The range of ETFs and funds varies from broker to broker. A traditional stock broker is more likely to offer fund investing than an online stock trading platform.

7. Availability of managed accounts and robo advisors

Managed accounts and robo-advisors effectively automate your investing. You set your investing goals and the platform – either through a professional financial manager or a computer algorithm – decides what to invest in.

These tend to only be available through specialist platforms, such as Nutmeg. However, some brokers are designed so that you can connect them to a third-party platform that manages the account for you.

8. Research tools like stock screeners

Trading platform features like stock screeners help you identify trading opportunities by showing you companies that meet a set of defined criteria. 

For example, you could use one to find only stocks with a market cap over $500 billion, who pay a dividend yield over 2%, or where the price chart is in a particular pattern.

Third-party stock screeners like Finviz are available, but some brokerage services offer them as part of the package. This is particularly the case for brokers that charge a subscription fee and can be a reason to choose a subscription package over a broker that charges a commission.

9. Leveraged trading

Leverage allows you to stretch your money out by putting up a small deposit as collateral and borrowing the rest from your broker. 

Leverage is particularly important for high-frequency traders or scalpers, who make lots of trades that only aim to make a few pence each time, as it means you can magnify the value of the trade many times over. If you plan on trading like that, look for trading platforms that offer high leverage.

Please note: Contracts for difference (CFD) is a very popular leveraged trading instrument, allowing traders to bet on the price movements of underlying assets. 

Due to the use of leverage, CFDs are considered extremely risky and are banned in the US. This means that any CFD trading platform that accepts US residents as users is likely to be unregulated, and you shouldn’t trade with them.  Many other countries allow CFDs, including but not limited to: United Kingdom (where they are originated), Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Singapore, Spain, France, South Africa, Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Italy, Thailand, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands.

10. Charting and analysis tools

Most trading strategies are based on technical analysis. This involves studying charts to identify trends and then using that information to plot future price moves and trading accordingly. 

Charting and analysis are crucial to trading stocks successfully, and it’s important to find a desktop platform that allows you to perform your own technical analysis.

The more tools an online broker has to help you do this, such as alerts or indicators that you can use to notify you when a price move happens, the better.

11. Trading style

Many investors look for many different stocks and seek numerous different trading strategies for their asset of choice. 

• Some investors may want to go short (betting that the price of a stock will go down) or go long (betting that the price of a stock will go up). If you want to bet on the market to fall, you need a platform that specifically offers shorting, as not all brokers do.
• Other investors may favor hedging, which is when you make an investment designed to limit the potential downside of another investment you’ve already made. 
• Another trading option popular with certain investors is scalping. This is a method of arbitrage in which you attempt to make money by taking advantage of small price gaps between the bid price and the ask price of a specific stock on different platforms.

More about trading platforms

Which trading platform is best in my country?

There’s no one perfect answer, and it depends on your needs, budget, and long-term goals. For those of you who aren’t based in the US, our experts have rated the best brokers in different countries to help you find one that works for you.

• Best trading platforms in Austria
• Best trading platforms in Australia
• Best trading platforms in Belgium
• Best trading platforms in Brazil
• Best trading platforms in Canada
• Best trading platforms in France
• Best trading platforms in Germany
• Best trading platforms in Hong Kong
• Best trading platforms in India
• Best trading platforms in Ireland
• Best trading platforms in Italy
• Best trading platforms in Malaysia
• Best trading platforms in the Netherlands
• Best trading platforms in New Zealand
• Best trading platforms in Nigeria
• Best trading platforms in Pakistan
• Best trading platforms in the Philippines
• Best trading platforms in Poland
• Best trading platforms in Romania
• Best trading platforms in Singapore
• Best trading platforms in South Africa
• Best trading platforms in Switzerland
• Best trading platforms in the UAE
• Best trading platforms in the UK

Which trading platform offers the most payment methods?

eToro lets you deposit with a bank transfer, debit/credit card payment, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or PayPal in USD, GBP, EUR, or AUD. A range of other payment methods are available, too, but only for some users, including Neteller, Skrill, Klarna, and IDEAL.

Find brokers by your preferred deposit & withdrawal method: 

• Buy stocks with PayPal
• Buy stocks with credit card
• Buy stocks with debit card
• Buy stocks with AMEX
• Buy stocks with Apple Pay
• Buy stocks with Google Pay
• Buy stocks with Neteller
• Buy stocks with Payoneer
• Buy stocks with Paysafecard
• Buy stocks with Skrill
• Buy stocks with Venmo

Brokers that didn’t make it into our top recommendations

There are lots more stock brokers out there, and many have plenty of great features. However, some of these trading platforms didn’t stand out to us as right for the normal retail trader.

• Fidelity. Fidelity one of many well-established stock brokers that works better as a long-term investment vehicle than a trading platform. It’s better for ETF or fund investing than for retail stock trading.
• Charles Schwab. While Charles Schwab is a solid option for US customers who only want to invest in stocks listed in America, it makes it much more difficult to day trade international stocks without a premium account.
• TD Ameritrade. TD Ameritrade has been acquired by Charles Schwab, and we expect its transition to be a full part of that broker to be completed in the next few months. As a result, we removed it from consideration as one of our best trading platforms.

Best trading platforms: your reviews

One of the best ways to find top-rated trading platforms is to use review sites like TrustPilot. Here, you can find thousands of genuine reviews from existing customers. You can use these reviews to help make your decision when choosing a trading platform.

Methodology: How we choose the best trading platforms

Helping people make better financial decisions is at the heart of our mission at Invezz. 

We periodically test more than 63 trading platforms to provide our users with clear, accessible guidance on the investing options available. All testing is carried out by our panel of stock market experts, analysts, and active traders who sign up for each broker, conduct research, and score each service.

Our tests are designed to find stock brokerages that offer a beginner-friendly, secure investing experience at a fair price. To supplement our practical testing and experience, we research each trading platform to gather any further relevant information. 

We read online customer reviews and app reviews on the Play Store and App Store, and conduct user surveys to get feedback from real people about what works, and what doesn’t.

Each stock broker is awarded a final score based on 130+ data points across 8 ranking categories: cost, reliability, user experience, deposit and withdrawals, investing options, range of products/markets, research and analysis tools, and the availability of educational and learning resources.

We work closely with individual brands to ensure that all information displayed here is accurate. An independent reviewer then fact-checks all data presented. 

You can learn more about our expert panel and how we test, rate, and review platforms in our review process.

FAQs