Best ETF Brokers in January 2026

The post Best ETF Brokers in January 2026 by Margaret Jackson appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.

Trading exchange-traded funds (ETFs) requires choosing a platform that aligns with your trading style, experience level and needs. 

Whether you’re a seasoned professional looking for advanced tools and global market access or a beginner looking for a user-friendly interface to get started with ETFs, this guide will give you an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of each platform.   

Quick Look at the Best ETF Brokers:

• Best for advanced ETF traders: Interactive Brokers
• Best for cost-conscious investors: SoFi
• Best for beginners: eToro
• Best for active traders: E*TRADE
• Best for mobile users: Plus500
• Best for all trading levels: Charles Schwab

How We Chose the Best ETF Brokers

We chose the best ETF brokers by evaluating their fund access, fee structure and effective fund screening tools, prioritizing platforms that empower investors of all levels for cost-efficient portfolio growth.

6 Best ETF Brokers

Before choosing a platform, it helps to compare each broker’s ETF offerings, trading costs, and account features. Here’s a closer look at six of the best brokers for ETF investing today.

1. Best for Advanced ETF Traders: Interactive Brokers

Best For

Active and Global Traders

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Best For

Active and Global Traders

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Interactive Brokers is a comprehensive trading platform that gives you access to a massive range of securities at affordable prices. You can buy assets from all around the world from the comfort of your home or office with access to over 150 global markets. Options, futures, forex and fund trading are also available, and most traders won’t pay a commission on any purchase or sale.  

IBKR is geared primarily toward experienced traders and investors but now with the availability of free trades with IBKR Lite, casual traders can also acclimate to IBKR’s offerings.

Best For

• Access to international markets
• Active traders
• Sophisticated investors
• Detailed mobile app that makes trading simple
• Wide range of available account types and tradeable assets

Pros

• IB SmartRouting provides significant price improvement vs. industry
• Fractional trading allows investing regardless of share price
• Industry’s lowest margin rates
• Earn more by lending your fuly-paid shares

Cons

• Beginner investors might prefer a broker that offers a bit more hand-holding and educational resources

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a premier platform for serious ETF traders who prioritize low costs, global market access and advanced trading tools. With its tiered commission structure and access to ETFs across various exchanges, it caters to active traders and those with complex investment strategies.

Key features: 

• Fees: Interactive Brokers offers $0 commission for U.S. exchange‐listed ETFs and stocks under its IBKR Lite plan. Under the IBKR Pro plan, fees for U.S. stocks/ETFs begin at US$0.0005 per share (or equivalent) for high-volume trades. Inactivity fees are no longer charged for U.S. individual Lite/Pro accounts.

• Investment access: IBKR provides access to various ETFs, including those focused on specific sectors, geographies and investment strategies. The platform supports trading on many global exchanges, allowing access to ETFs outside the United States. Beyond ETFs, investors can trade stocks, options, futures, currencies and bonds on a single integrated platform.

• Platform experience: IBKR offers powerful desktop (Trader Workstation), web (Client Portal) and mobile applications designed for active traders. Trader Workstation is customizable and provides advanced charting tools, real-time data feeds and sophisticated order types. The mobile app offers trading on the go with many of the features available on the desktop platform. 

• Tools/Education highlights: IBKR offers many tools, including advanced charting with technical indicators, backtesting capabilities, risk-management tools and real-time news and analytics. It also offers educational resources like webinars and tutorials to help users navigate the platforms and understand trading concepts.

• Drawbacks: Interactive Brokers’ platforms and fee structures are complex and may be overwhelming for novice investors who prefer a simpler, more intuitive interface. Inactivity fees are no longer charged for most U.S. individual IBKR Lite and Pro accounts, so buy-and-hold investors with smaller accounts are not penalized for trading infrequently; however, other costs like market data subscriptions or margin interest can still affect overall trading costs.

Who it’s best for: Active and sophisticated ETF traders who want low costs, broad international market access and advanced trading. 

2. Best for Cost-Conscious Investors: SoFi

Best For

IPO Investing

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Disclosure: Other fees, such as exchange fees, may apply. Please view our fee disclosure to view a full listing of fees. Investing in alternative investments and/or strategies may not be suitable for all investors and involves unique risks, including the risk of loss. An investor should consider their individual circumstances and any investment information, such as a prospectus, prior to investing. Interval Funds are illiquid instruments, the ability to trade on your timeline may be restricted. Brokerage andActive investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA(www.finra.org) /SIPC(www.sipc.org). There are limitations with fractional shares to consider before investing. During market hours fractional share orders are transmitted immediately in the order received. There may be system delays from receipt of your order until execution and market conditions may adversely impact execution prices. Outside of market hours orders are received on a not held basis and will be aggregated for each security then executed in the morning trade window of the next business day at market open. Share will be delivered at an average price received for executing the securities through a single batched order. Fractional shares may not be transferred to another firm. Fractional shares will be sold when a transfer or closure request is initiated. Please consider that selling securities is a taxable event. Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire investment Before trading options please review the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Utilizing a margin loan is generally considered more appropriate for experienced investors as there are additional costs and risks associated. It is possible to lose more than your initial investment when using margin. Please see: https://www.sofi.com/wealth/assets/documents/brokerage-margin-disclosure-statement.pdf for detailed disclosure information Probability of Member receiving $1,000 is a probability of 0.026%; If you don’t make a selection in 45 days, you’ll no longer qualify for the promo. Customer must fund their account with a minimum of $50.00 to qualify. Terms and conditions apply*. For 401k rollovers, existing SoFi IRA members must complete 401k rollovers via this link For SoFi members without a SoFi IRA, a SoFi IRA must first be opened, and 401k rollover must be completed utilizing Capitalize via this link. SoFi and Capitalize will charge no additional fees to process a 401(k) rollover to a SoFi IRA. SoFi is not liable for any costs incurred from the existing 401k provider for rollover. Please check with your 401k provider for any fees or costs associated with the rollover. For IRA contributions, only deposits made via ACH and cash transfer from SoFi Bank accounts are eligible for the match. Click here 3. for the 1% Match terms and conditions. For full promotion terms please visit: https://www.sofi.com/acatoffer. SoFi does not accept cryptocurrencies and has limitations on some mutual funds and OTC stocks. Brokerage and Active Investing Products offered by SoFi Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC.

Best For

IPO Investing

N/A

1 Minute Review

SoFi®’s mission is simple: to help reach clients like you reach their financial independence and realize their ambitions. SoFi knows that this independence comes from making decisions that help your money start to work for you in the long run. The brand helps individuals make these decisions through personal financial products such as personal loans, student loans and automated and active investing. 

The brand additionally provides in-person experiences such as educational and networking events, personalized guidance from experienced financial planners. SoFi’s services have been highlighted in outlets such as Forbes, Medium, and CNBC’s Make It.

SoFi Plus is a premium membership that gives members access to our best APY, discounts, rewards, and more when they set up Eligible Direct Deposit, receive $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits, or pay the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee. Benefits are subject to change and may not be available to everyone. All terms and conditions <> applicable to the use of SoFi Plus apply. To learn more about SoFi Plus and available benefits and terms, please see the SoFi Plus page.

Best For

• IPO Investing
• Investors

Pros

• No Contract Fees
• Highly-rated mobile app for iPhone and Android
• No account fees; Transfer and Inactivity Fees are easily avoided
• More than most tradable securities included alternative asset funds

Cons

• Only available in the U.S.
• Limited selection of research and tools.

SoFi Invest is there to help you plan for the future, including saving for a house down payment or paying for college and investing for large purchases. The platform will help rebalance your investments, avoid risk and help you stay “hands-off” with your investments.

Key features:

• You can start investing through SoFi with as little as $5
• Make one-time or recurring payments depending on your financial situation
• Active and passive investing plans
• You can trade other assets like options, if you like

Who it’s best for: SoFi offers trading with no commissions, simple management tools, and a range of other financial services that are excellent for anyone in any situation.

3. Best for Beginners: eToro

Best For

Social Investing

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Disclosure: Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Cryptocurrency is offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk.

Best For

Social Investing

N/A

1 Minute Review

eToro is a leading trading and investing platform that’s recognized for its stock and crypto broker services. Its standout feature, copy-trading, allows users to reproduce the trades of other investors on the platform. In addition to stocks and cryptocurrencies, eToro provides Smart Portfolios — diversified portfolios of crypto assets managed by eToro. 

The platform is regulated by regulatory authorities such as the FCA, SEC, ASIC and CySEC, ensuring a level of trust and security for users. While eToro boasts a user-friendly web and mobile platform, it has limited customizability and lean educational and research offerings. Overall, eToro provides a convenient and regulated platform for social trading and investment.

Best For

• Investors who want to follow and copy other traders
• Investors who want to trade crypto, stocks and options on the same platform
• Beginners who want to invest in stocks and ETFs with zero commissions and copy-trading features

Pros

• Commission-free stocks and ETFs trading
• Innovative social investing platform with CopyTrader feature
• Access to a wide range of cryptocurrencies, stocks and ETFs
• Free virtual trading account and digital wallet

Cons

• High spreads for buying and selling crypto assets
• Contracts for difference (CFDs) unavailable inside the U.S.

eToro provides a user-friendly platform that simplifies ETF trading for beginners, particularly those interested in learning from and interacting with a community of investors. Its social trading features and commission-free ETF trading make it a good option for investors new to trading ETFs.

Key features: 

• Fees: eToro offers commission-free trading for ETFs, which is a big advantage for beginners making smaller or frequent trades. However, investors may incur fees such as currency conversion, $5 per withdrawal charges and a $10 monthly inactivity fee after 12 months of no login activity.

• Investment access: eToro provides access to more than 300 ETFs covering various sectors, indices and strategies. eToro’s selection may not be as extensive as other platforms, but it provides a solid starting point for diversification. It also offers access to stocks, cryptocurrencies and options.

• Platform experience: The eToro platform is intuitive and visually appealing, making it easy for beginners to navigate on both desktop and mobile apps. Its interface is simple, with clear displays of asset prices and straightforward trading processes. The mobile app mirrors the desktop experience. 

• Tools/Education highlights: Beginners can learn from other traders using eToro’s social trading feature, which allows them to follow and copy other users’ trades. eToro also provides educational resources through its Trading Academy, including courses and webinars designed for different experience levels, including ETF basics. It also offers a demo account with virtual funds for practice.

• Drawbacks: Social trading access is a plus for beginners, but relying only on others’ actions without understanding the underlying strategy is risky. Accounts are primarily in USD, so users depositing and withdrawing in other currencies will incur conversion fees. The withdrawal fee is also something to consider for smaller accounts. 

Who it’s best for: Beginners who are interested in learning about ETF trading through a social platform and appreciate a user-friendly interface with commission-free ETF trading.

4. Best for Active Traders: E*TRADE

Best For

Mobile Traders

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Best For

Mobile Traders

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Boasting one of the best mobile brokerage platforms on the market and a competitive fee structure, Power E*TRADE is a popular platform for options and futures trading, especially among high frequency traders. It boasts intuitive tools and beginner-friendly options for active traders and investors. 

Best For

• High frequency traders who execute more than 30 options trades per quarter
• Investors who want to be able to trade via their phone or tablet

Pros

• Among the most advanced mobile apps, complete with a customizable dashboard
• Lower fees and margin rates for frequent traders
• Prebuilt portfolios, preset scans and automation tools that are great for passive investors and new investors.

Cons

• Fees are higher for less frequent traders
• Forex and international markets are not available

E*TRADE provides active ETF traders with robust platforms, competitive commission structures and tools designed for analysis and rapid execution. With its focus on empowering traders through technology and education, E*TRADE caters to investors who actively manage their ETF portfolios. 

Key features: 

• Fees: ETRADE allows $0 commissions for online U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs. Options trades incur a per-contract fee (for example around $0.65 per contract for standard online trades); active traders placing large volumes may qualify for lower per-contract fees under ETRADE’s tiered pricing.

• Investment access: Active traders on E*TRADE have access to a wide selection of ETFs across various sectors, asset classes and investment strategies. Beyond ETFs, the platform supports trading stocks, options, futures, bonds and mutual funds. It also offers 24-hour trading on some ETFs. 

• Platform experience: E*TRADE offers multiple platforms for different levels of trading activity. The web platform is intuitive for general use, while Power E*TRADE, available on desktop and mobile, is designed for active traders. Power E*TRADE has customizable layouts, advanced charting, more than 30 drawing tools, Level II quotes and integrated order-entry tools. A new platform, Power E*TRADE Pro, is in a pilot phase and scheduled for full launch in June.

• Tools/Education highlights: E*TRADE provides tools such as advanced charting with technical pattern recognition, ETF and stock screeners with filtering criteria, options analytics and real-time market data. It also provides educational resources such as articles, videos, webinars and dedicated support for active traders. The Live Action scanner on Power E*TRADE helps identify real-time trading opportunities based on technical, fundamental, earnings, sentiment and news events.

• Drawbacks: Less experienced traders may find Power E*TRADE’s extensive features difficult to navigate. Although commission-free for most ETFs, active traders in options or futures will still have per-contract fees. Margin trading incurs interest charges that active traders should consider. 

Who it’s best for: Active ETF traders who want a sophisticated trading platform with advanced analytical tools, customizable interfaces and competitive pricing for high-volume trading.

5. Best for Mobile Users: Plus500

Best For

Leveraged Trading

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Disclosure: 82% of retail accounts lose money

Best For

Leveraged Trading

N/A

1 Minute Review

82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Plus500 is an online CFD broker focusing on contracts for difference (CFDs). CFDs are similar to binary options in the U.S. where traders take all-or-nothing speculation on the prices of certain securities like indices, commodities or currencies. While not legal to trade in the U.S., CFDs are legal in many jurisdictions across the globe and Plus500 offers a wide array of tradable markets using these instruments. 

Plus500 doesn’t charge commission and only profits off the spread, which is the difference between the buy and sell price of a specific security. But Plus500 is not a broker for beginners — the education materials are sparse and CFDs are risky derivatives capable of sapping out all of an investor’s capital. Only trade these instruments if you understand how they operate and the risks involved with buying them.

Best For

• Traders looking for a smooth mobile experience

Pros

• Great mobile app
• Low spreads and commissions
• Unlimited demo account

Cons

• Only derivatives are available
• Not open to U.S. residents

Plus500 offers a streamlined, mobile-centric platform for trading contracts for difference (CFDs) on ETFs. Its intuitive design and focus on accessibility are great for traders who prioritize trading on their smartphones or tablets. Plus500 primarily offers CFDs, which are leveraged derivative products that allow traders to speculate on the price movements of ETFs without owning the underlying asset. 

Key features: 

• Fees: Plus500 primarily offers CFDs on ETFs, rather than direct ownership of the underlying ETF shares. In that model, there are typically no brokerage commissions, but the broker earns via the bid/ask spread and may charge overnight financing (funding) fees for positions held overnight. This structure carries different risks and tax/treatment compared to owning the actual ETF.

• Investment access: Plus500 provides access to CFDs on many popular ETFs covering different indices, sectors and commodities. Users are not directly investing in the ETFs, but they can speculate on their price fluctuations. The range of ETF CFDs may be more limited compared to platforms offering direct ETF purchases. Plus500 also offers CFDs on other asset classes, including stocks, forex, cryptocurrencies and commodities. 

• Platform experience: Plus500’s user-friendly mobile trading app is intuitive, with clear charts, easy order placement and accessible account management features.

• Tools/Education highlights: The Plus500 platform offers basic charting tools with some technical indicators that are suitable for mobile viewing. It also provides price alerts and risk-management tools like stop-loss and take-profit orders. Educational resources available through the website include guides and FAQs on CFD trading. The depth of analytical tools and educational content may be less extensive than platforms geared toward active, desktop traders.   

• Drawbacks: Plus500 offers CFD trading rather than direct ETF investment. CFDs are complex instruments that come with risk of losing money quickly because of leverage. The reliance on spreads as the man cost is less transparent than direct commissions for active traders. 

Who it’s best for: Mobile-first users who are comfortable with the risks of CFD trading and want a simple platform to speculate on the price movements of ETFs. 

6. Best for All Trading Levels: Charles Schwab

Best For

Fund Investing

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Best For

Fund Investing

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Charles Schwab is a solid choice for traders of all skill levels. It offers full access to the U.S. equity and options markets as well as 30 international markets. Traders can create a diverse portfolio with $0 commissions and no account minimums. Schwab’s margin trading is expensive but Schwab makes up for it with affordable futures and options trades, along with a comprehensive mobile offering.

Best For

• 3 trading platforms perfectly in sync makes matching your platform to your skill level a snap
• Excellent futures trading education for new traders
• $0 account minimum means anyone can start trading

Pros

• Wide range of available assets to trade, including futures and 30 global markets
• SmartStreet Edge platform is powerful enough for advanced traders, yet easy enough for new traders to utilize
• Unique educational resources (like infographics and podcasts) make learning fun

Cons

• Margin rates are more expensive than competitors
• More limitations on available margin than competitors
• Expensive mutual funds

Charles Schwab’s user-friendly platform caters to ETF investors of all experience levels. From beginners seeking simplicity and educational resources to active traders who want sophisticated tools, Schwab provides a balance of commission-free trading, extensive ETF selection, robust platforms and strong customer support.

Key features: 

• Fees: Charles Schwab offers $0 commissions on online trades of U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs. Options trades through the online platform incur about $0.65 per contract. Some trades (e.g., OTC equities, trades placed by phone/broker, foreign-exchange listings) may still be subject to other fees.

• Investment access: Schwab offers access to a range of ETFs, including those from its own popular and low-cost lineup and ETFs from other major providers covering divers investment strategies, sectors and geographies. Investors also can trade stocks, options, mutual funds, bonds and futures on the platform.

• Platform experience: Charles Schwab offers platforms to suit different needs and trading styles. The mobile app and Schwab.com provide an intuitive and streamlined experience for beginners and long-term investors. For more active traders, the thinkorswim platform offers advanced charting tools, technical analysis capabilities and sophisticated order entry options. 

• Tools/Education highlights: Schwab offers articles, videos, webinars and interactive tools covering ETF basics, investment strategies and market analysis. Thinkorswim provides advanced charting with numerous indicators, drawing tools, paper trading capabilities and a community for sharing ideas.

Who it’s best for: ETF investors of all experience levels, from beginners who want educational resources to active traders looking for advanced tools and a wide selection of investment products.

Choosing the Right ETF Broker

Choosing the right ETF broker can impact your investment success. The platforms offer many options catering to a variety of trader profiles.

Interactive brokers are well-suited for advanced traders who want low costs and extensive global access, while eToro offers a beginner-friendly, social trading experience. Active traders will appreciate E*Trade’s platforms and tools and Plus500 provides a streamlined, mobile-first approach for CFD-based ETF speculation. Charles Schwab dlievers commission-free trading, a wide ETF selection and comprehensive resources.

The right brokerage platform’s features, fee structures and available ETF markets should align with your investment objectives and trading styles. 

Frequently Asked Questions

The post Best ETF Brokers in January 2026 by Margaret Jackson appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.