How to Choose a US Stock Trading Platform? 2025 Low-Commission High-Efficiency Broker Summary

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Choosing the right US stock trading platform is your first step toward investment success. Low commissions, high efficiency, and fund security are the core demands of every investor. Many people want to know how to buy US stocks? We directly reveal the three brokers with the best overall performance in 2025:

Overall Best: Interactive Brokers Beginner-Friendly: Futu/Moomoo Zero-Commission Representative: Firstrade

How was this list determined? The following provides detailed selection criteria and in-depth reviews to help you find the platform most suitable for you.

Key Takeaways

• When choosing a US stock platform, consider trading fees, platform experience, fund security, and feature richness.
• Trading costs include commissions, margin rates, and deposit/withdrawal fees, which directly affect investment returns.
• Platform experience includes software usability, order execution speed, and Chinese customer service quality.
• Fund security depends on regulatory qualifications, fund segregation, and SIPC insurance to ensure your money is protected.
• Based on your investment style and needs, choose the most suitable broker; there is no best, only the most appropriate.

Core Criterion One: Trading Costs and Fee Structure

Trading costs are the most direct factor affecting your investment return rate. Even small fee differences can have a huge impact under long-term compounding. Therefore, when choosing a platform, you must carefully review its complete fee structure, not just the “zero commission” marketing slogan.

Trading Commissions and Hidden Costs

Commissions are the fees you pay the broker for each buy or sell of stocks or ETFs. Although many brokers advertise zero commissions, you still need to pay attention to other potential hidden costs.

• Stocks and ETFs: Most US-based brokers (such as Firstrade, Charles Schwab) offer zero commissions for stocks and ETFs.
• Options Trading: Options trading usually has commissions, mainly calculated per contract. In addition to the base contract fee, you need to pay fees like the Options Regulatory Fee (ORF) and FINRA Trading Activity Fee. For active traders, some brokers offer tiered pricing; higher volume means lower per-contract fees. For example, when monthly volume exceeds 100,000 contracts, fees can be as low as $0.15 per contract.

Margin Rates and Leverage Costs

If you plan to use leverage (i.e., “margin” or “margin trading”) to amplify investments, margin rates are a key cost you must consider. This is the interest you pay to borrow from the broker. Rates vary significantly between platforms, directly determining your leverage trading costs.

Platform Fees and Account Management Fees

Some brokers may charge platform usage fees or account inactivity fees. Platform fees are usually fixed monthly or annual charges. Inactivity fees target accounts with no trading activity over a certain period. For infrequent traders or those with smaller funds, these fixed fees erode profits.

Currency Conversion and Deposit/Withdrawal Fees

For non-US region investors, currency conversion and fund transfers are two important costs.

Tip: You usually need to convert local currency to USD first, then deposit via wire transfer, etc. This process involves two fees: currency conversion spread and bank wire fees.

• Currency Conversion: Spreads (difference between buy and sell rates) vary greatly between platforms. For example, Interactive Brokers’ spread is extremely low, around 0.002%, while others may be as high as 0.05% to 0.1%.
• Deposit/Withdrawal Fees: When wiring funds from your bank account (e.g., a Hong Kong-licensed bank) to the broker or withdrawing, both bank and broker may charge. For example, Firstrade charges $35 for international wire withdrawals, while Interactive Brokers offers one free per month, then $10 each.

To give you a more intuitive comparison, we have compiled the following overview table of mainstream broker fees:

Note: The table data is as of early 2025 for reference only. Specific rates may change with market and broker policies; please refer to the official website for the latest information.

Core Criterion Two: Platform Experience and Trading Efficiency

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Beyond fees, an excellent trading platform must provide smooth software experience and efficient trade execution. Poor software design or frequent system delays may cause you to miss optimal trading opportunities or even unnecessary losses.

App and PC Software Usability

Good trading software, whether mobile App or PC, should feel intuitive. You need to focus on whether the interface design is straightforward, charting tools are easy to use, and finding/analyzing stock information is convenient.

Key Points: Excellent platform design lets you focus on investment decisions rather than getting lost in software features. You should easily complete core operations like placing orders, viewing positions, and analyzing markets.

Order Execution Speed and Stability

Order execution refers to the process from clicking “buy” or “sell” to trade completion. Speed and stability are crucial.

• Execution Speed: For active traders chasing small price differences, millisecond delays can affect final fills. According to FINRA Rule 606 reports, brokers disclose order execution quality, key metrics include:
  • Percentage of shares executed at or better than quote
  • Percentage of shares with price improvement
  • Average savings per order
  • Average execution speed
    For example, Charles Schwab reports an average order execution speed of 0.05 seconds, representing extremely high processing efficiency.
• System Stability: During intense market volatility, trading system stability faces the greatest test. You need a platform that handles high concurrent volumes. Historically, global outages from major cloud providers (like Amazon AWS or Cloudflare) have caused some broker trading services to crash for hours, highlighting the importance of underlying technical architecture.

Chinese Customer Service Quality

When encountering account issues, transfer questions, or trading failures, timely and effective customer support is your important safeguard. For Chinese users, high-quality Chinese support is especially key.

You need to check if the broker provides 24/7 Chinese support. For example, Firstrade is known for its 24/7 full-time Chinese customer service. Additionally, customer satisfaction is an important reference. Futu Securities has over 98% customer satisfaction and quarterly retention rates, proving its service has gained widespread user recognition.

Core Criterion Three: Security and Regulatory Qualifications

Your fund security is the cornerstone of investing, far more important than any trading fees or software features. A reliable broker must be impeccable in regulation, insurance, and company stability.

Regulatory Bodies and Licenses (SIPC/FINRA)

Legitimate brokers must undergo strict financial regulation. In the US, the most important regulators are the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). They set industry rules and protect investor interests. Your chosen platform must hold valid licenses from these bodies.

Key Tip: You can check any broker’s regulatory records on FINRA’s BrokerCheck website.

Here is the regulatory status of several mainstream brokers:

Regulation by multiple top-tier bodies usually means higher compliance standards for the broker.

Fund Segregation and Insurance Protection

Your fund security has two core layers of protection. First is fund segregation, meaning the broker must keep your assets separate from company funds, ensuring your money is not misused.

Second is Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) insurance. If the broker unfortunately goes bankrupt, SIPC provides protection for your account.

• Each customer’s account receives up to $500,000 in coverage.
• Including up to $250,000 in cash protection.

Some strong brokers also provide additional commercial insurance. For example, Charles Schwab purchases “excess SIPC insurance” through London insurers, offering clients far exceeding SIPC limits.

Company Background and Listing Status

The broker’s company background and operating history are equally important. A long-established, reputable company is usually more trustworthy.

Additionally, listing status is an important plus. Publicly listed companies (like Interactive Brokers and Charles Schwab) must regularly disclose financials to the public and regulators, with higher financial transparency. This means their operations and financial health are under broader supervision, adding an extra layer of security for you.

Core Criterion Four: Features and Product Richness

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A powerful trading platform is not just an order tool but your investment research center. Rich features and product selections allow you to complete the entire process from analysis to trading on one platform, greatly improving investment efficiency.

Free Real-Time Quotes and Charting Tools

Real-time quotes are the foundation for your trading decisions. All brokers provide free Level 1 real-time quotes, i.e., the latest stock transaction prices. But for active traders, Level 2 quote data is more important, showing depth of buy/sell orders to help judge market sentiment.

Note: Level 2 data is usually a paid service, but policies vary by platform.

• Webull offers new users one month of free Nasdaq TotalView Level 2 quotes. Afterward, subscription is $2.99 monthly.
• Moomoo provides free Level 2 market data for users with accounts reaching $100.
• Some platforms like Ironbeam offer it directly free.
• While TradeStation charges $11.00 monthly for Nasdaq Level 2.

You need to judge based on your trading frequency whether this advanced feature is worth paying for.

Research Reports and Market Data

High-quality research reports provide valuable decision support. Some brokers offer in-house research team analyses, while others integrate third-party authoritative data (like Morningstar, Refinitiv). Additionally, platforms like Interactive Brokers provide in-depth educational materials on mutual funds and fixed income products to help understand more complex tools.

Tradable Product Types (Stocks/Options/ETFs)

Your investment strategy determines the product types you need. Although almost all brokers support stocks, options, and ETFs, if you want a more diversified portfolio, check if the platform offers other products.

For example, Interactive Brokers offers an extremely rich product line to meet professional investors’ diversification needs.

In addition to the products in the table, Interactive Brokers also supports bonds and forex trading. Fractional shares allow buying part of high-priced stocks with small funds, ideal for beginners with limited capital. Mutual funds and bonds provide more options for long-term asset allocation. When choosing a platform, consider your future investment landscape and select a broker that grows with you.

Account Opening Guide: First Step to Buying US Stocks?

After understanding platform selection, the next is actual operation. Many ask, how exactly to buy US stocks? Account opening is your first step in investing in US stocks, and the process is much simpler than imagined, usually fully online.

Prepare Materials for Account Opening

Before starting the application, prepare the following key documents. Having them ready makes the process smoother.

• Identity Proof: Provide valid identity documents. Usually a mainland China resident ID card.
• Address Proof: Provide a document proving your residential address. This can be a utility bill, credit card statement, or bank statement from the past three months, with your name and detailed address.

Tip: Ensure all provided documents are clear color scans or photos and within validity.

Detailed Online Application Process

With materials ready, start the online application. Most brokers’ processes are similar.

1. Visit Official Website: Choose your preferred broker, go to its official site, find the “Open Account” or “Register” button.
2. Fill Form: Fill an online application form. It usually includes personal info, contact details, financial status, and investment experience. Fill truthfully.
3. Upload Documents: Upload prepared identity and address proofs as prompted.
4. Await Review: After submission, the broker reviews your materials. This usually takes 1 to 3 business days. Upon approval, you receive email notification.

Fund Deposit and Account Activation

After account approval, the final step is depositing funds. This is the key to answering “how to buy US stocks?” You need to transfer funds from your bank account to the broker account.

For non-US investors, a common way is international wire transfer via a Hong Kong-licensed bank. Additionally, consider third-party payment services like Biyapay for deposits, which may offer more convenient remittance experience.

Important Tip: Always use a bank account in your own name for transfers. Using others’ accounts may cause deposit failure or account freeze. Once funds arrive, your trading account is activated and ready for trading.

2025 Selected US Stock Broker Recommendation List

After detailed analysis of the four core criteria, we have compiled this 2025 selected US stock broker list. Each platform has unique strengths and positioning; based on our in-depth reviews, find the partner that best fits your investment needs.

Comprehensive Strength: Interactive Brokers

Core Recommendation Reasons: Preferred by professional traders, offering the widest global market access, institutional-grade trading tools, and highly competitive low fees.

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is globally recognized as a top broker, renowned for powerful features and professionalism. If you are an experienced investor pursuing ultimate trading efficiency and cost control, IBKR is nearly irreplaceable. It offers multiple trading platforms, including the professional desktop Trader Workstation (TWS), as well as simpler web and mobile versions.

• Main Pros and Cons
  • Pros:
    • Rich Products: Tradable in over 150 global markets including stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds, and funds, unmatched selection.
    • Low Fees: Margin rates and currency conversion spreads are among the lowest in the industry, highly beneficial for active traders and leverage users.
    • Professional Tools: Offers massive advanced tools, such as the Accumulate/Distribute Algo for large orders, and Volatility Lab and Strategy Builder for complex options analysis.
    • Strong Risk Control: Tools like IB Risk NavigatorSM help with comprehensive portfolio stress testing and risk assessment.
  • Cons:
    • Steep Learning Curve: Flagship platform Trader Workstation (TWS) is extremely powerful but complex interface; both new and experienced traders need time to learn.
    • Withdrawal Costs: Only one free withdrawal per month; subsequent withdrawals incur fees.
• Fee Overview IBKR offers two pricing plans: IBKR Pro (tiered or fixed) and IBKR Lite (zero commission for US stocks/ETFs). Pro offers better execution and lower margin rates for active traders. Lite targets zero-commission brokers for ordinary investors.
• Most Suitable For Active traders pursuing low costs, professional investors needing advanced analysis tools, and diversified investors wanting global markets.

Beginner-Friendly: Futu (Moomoo)

Core Recommendation Reasons: Modern investment platform tailored for beginners, with extremely smooth App experience, active investment community, and excellent Chinese support.

Futu and its overseas version Moomoo have quickly become popular choices for Chinese investors entering US stocks due to outstanding software design and localized service. Its interface is intuitive, charts clear and easy to understand, allowing investment beginners to get started easily.

• Main Pros and Cons
  • Pros:
    • Excellent Software Experience: App and PC clients are modern, smooth, and user-habit compliant.
    • Powerful Community Features: Built-in active investment community for exchanging insights with others and viewing influencer views, lowering information barriers.
    • Comprehensive Chinese Service: High-quality Chinese customer service and full Chinese interface, extremely high customer satisfaction.
    • Free Real-Time Quotes: Usually provides free Level 2 quotes for qualifying customers, helping judge market depth.
  • Cons:
    • Limited Product Types: Mainly stocks, options, and ETFs; no bonds, forex, or more complex products.
    • Higher Currency Conversion Costs: Compared to IBKR, higher spreads for large fund conversions.
• Fee Overview Usually offers zero commission for stocks and ETFs via promotions. Options contract fees and margin rates at industry average. Focus on currency conversion and deposit/withdrawal fees.
• Most Suitable For Investment beginners just starting with US stocks, young investors preferring mobile trading, and users wanting to learn/exchange in a community.

Zero-Commission Representative: Firstrade

Core Recommendation Reasons: Pioneer in thorough zero-commission policy, with free trading for stocks, ETFs, options, and mutual funds, ideal for cost-sensitive investors.

Firstrade is a veteran US broker attracting many investors with its ultimate zero-commission policy. If you want to minimize direct trading costs, Firstrade is undoubtedly one of the best choices.

• Main Pros and Cons
  • Pros:
    • Ultimate Zero Commission: $0 for US stocks, ETFs, options, and over 11,000 mutual funds.
    • Outstanding Chinese Service: 24/7 full-time Mandarin and Cantonese support, timely responses.
    • Convenient Account Opening: Simple process, very friendly to non-US residents.
    • Extended Hours Trading: Offers extended hours for over 1200 stocks and ETFs, more flexible for after-hours news.
  • Cons:
    • Relies on Payment for Order Flow: Zero-commission model partly relies on routing orders to market makers for rebates (payment for order flow). Per SEC Rule 607, this is compliant but may mean orders do not get best execution prices.
    • Higher Margin Rates: Relatively high in the industry, not suitable for long-term leverage users.
    • No Fractional Shares: Cannot buy parts of high-priced stocks with small funds.
• Fee Overview True zero-fee platform. No account management or inactivity fees besides trading. Main fee to note is $35 for international wire withdrawals.
• Most Suitable For Long-term investors extremely sensitive to costs, value investors trading infrequently, and users wanting options/mutual funds without commissions.

Active Traders: Tiger Brokers

Core Recommendation Reasons: Tailored for active traders, with powerful options analysis tools, highly customizable interface, and integrated AI investment assistant.

Tiger Brokers, like Futu, is an internet broker popular with Chinese users. But compared, Tiger focuses more on active traders, especially rich professional tools for options.

• Main Pros and Cons
  • Pros:
    • Powerful Options Tools: Professional options screener, P&L analysis, Greek sensitivity charts, etc., for complex strategies.
    • AI Investment Assistant: Built-in TigerAI answers investment questions 7x24, provides market analysis and stock insights.
    • Customizable Interface: Highly customizable trading platform for personal habits, integrating technical and fundamental analysis.
    • Global Markets: Besides US stocks, offers Hong Kong stocks, A-shares (interconnect), Australian stocks, etc.
  • Cons:
    • Similar Fee Structure to Futu: Higher currency conversion costs.
    • Slightly Lower Community Activity: Has community features but lower user activity and content richness than Futu.
• Fee Overview Similar to Futu, usually zero commission promotions. Options and margin fees at industry average. Compare latest promotions when choosing.
• Most Suitable For Frequent day traders, strategy investors focused on options, and tech enthusiasts using AI for decisions.

Traditional Giant: Charles Schwab

Core Recommendation Reasons: Trusted financial giant offering one-stop wealth management, top-tier customer support, and vast research resources, a haven for steady investors.

Charles Schwab is more than a broker; it’s a comprehensive financial institution. If you value ultimate fund security, professional advisory, and full financial products, Schwab is your top choice.

• Main Pros and Cons
  • Pros:
    • Comprehensive Services: Banking, investing, retirement planning, mortgages, etc., integrate all financial activities on one platform.
    • Customer Service Gold Standard: 24/7 full-time phone and online support, over 300 physical branches for in-person professional help.
    • Rich Research Resources: In-house and third-party (like Morningstar) in-depth reports; desktop platform has over 300 technical indicators.
    • Outstanding Reputation: Long history, large scale public company; stability and credibility provide strong investor confidence.
  • Cons:
    • High Margin Costs: Among the highest in brokers.
    • International Fees Not Competitive: Higher currency conversion and international wire fees.
• Fee Overview Zero commission for US stocks and ETFs. Options contract $0.65. Main advantage not single trade costs but added value like free professional advisory and research tools.
• Most Suitable For Larger funds, long-term wealth management high-net-worth individuals, conservative investors preferring traditional institution stability, and users wanting one-stop financial services.

Social Investing Platform: eToro

Core Recommendation Reasons: Global leading social investment network; innovative “copy trading” lets beginners one-click follow top traders.

eToro combines social networking with investing, creating a new investment mode. For beginners unsure how to buy US stocks? or lacking time for research, eToro’s CopyTrader™ offers an attractive solution.

How It Works: Browse top investors’ (Popular Investors) historical performance and risk scores on the platform, select favorites, set amount one-click, and the system automatically copies all their trades in real time.

• Main Pros and Cons
  • Pros:
    • Innovative Copy Trading: CopyTrader simple and automated, greatly lowering beginner barriers.
    • Powerful Social Features: Like social media, follow, comment, interact, benefit from community wisdom.
    • Crypto-Friendly: Rich cryptocurrency varieties, simple trading process.
  • Cons:
    • Copying No Profit Guarantee: Followed traders can lose; past performance not indicative of future, you bear risk.
    • Higher Trading Fees: 1% fixed fee on all crypto trades, higher than some professional crypto exchanges.
    • Lacks Advanced Tools: Focuses on social and usability, missing depth charts and analysis for professionals.
• Fee Overview Zero commission for stocks and ETFs. Core fees in 1% crypto trades and possible non-USD deposit/withdrawal conversion fees. CopyTrader itself is free.
• Most Suitable For Investment beginners interested in social/copy trading, users allocating to cryptocurrencies, and investors without time/energy for independent research.

When choosing a platform, review the four core criteria: fees, experience, security, and features. There is no absolute best platform, only the most suitable for you. You now understand the first step of how to buy US stocks? Combine your investment style, fund size, and trading frequency to make a wise choice.

Immediately choose the broker suitable for you and start your 2025 US stock investment journey!

FAQ

How Much Money Do I Need to Start Investing in US Stocks?

You do not need much. Many brokers have no minimum deposit. Some support fractional shares, letting you buy part of high-priced stocks with as little as $5, greatly lowering the threshold.

Do Non-US Residents Investing in US Stocks Need to Pay Taxes?

You need to consider two taxes. Capital gains tax (stock price difference profits) is usually exempt. But dividend income requires withholding tax, typically 30%, depending on your region’s tax treaty with the US.

Can I Have Multiple Broker Accounts?

Yes. You can open accounts with multiple brokers for different needs. For example, use one for long-term value investing and another for short-term trading. This is an effective strategy to diversify platform risk.

Are Zero-Commission Brokers Really Completely Free?

Zero commission usually means no fees for stocks and ETFs. But watch other potential fees like currency conversion, withdrawal wires, or margin rates. There is no free lunch; comprehensively evaluate total costs.