Are all online brokerage firms full-service?

None of the brokers on our list are full-service brokers; they are all discount online brokerage firms. Traditional full-service brokers do more than assist with the buying and selling of stocks or bonds. They often offer a wide array of services and products, including investing and tax advice and regular portfolio updates.

Which brokerage accounts are considered for this list?

Full list of brokerage accounts considered for this list: Tradestation, Zacks Trade, Ally Invest, Charles Schwab, Interactive Brokers, Firstrade, Fidelity, Merrill Edge, Vanguard, Robinhood, SoFi Active Investing, JP Morgan Self-Directed Investing, Webull, Axos Self-Directed Trading, M1 Finance, Public. To recap our selections...

What does an investment broker do?

Investment brokers enable individuals to buy and sell financial securities, like stocks or bonds, on an exchange market. What does a broker do? Reputable brokers act as a boon to both buyers and sellers: They ensure that each party actually has the money to buy assets or the assets to sell.