When you are just getting started investing, it is extremely important that you start with the best stocks for the foundation of your stock portfolio.
For the last 5 years, the Motley Fool has been the BEST source of stock picks as they have beaten the market by over 60% the last 5 years. Learn more about their service by reading our Motley Fool Review.
Then, once your know what stocks you want to buy, you will need to open a real brokerage account (click here to get FREE stock when you open this commission-free broker account).
STOCK INVESTING 101 STARTER GUIDES
What Are Stocks and How Do They Work?
Learning about stocks and how they work is essential to achieving strong investment returns and will allow for significant financial advantage.
Buying stocks can be intimidating, learn the best tips and practices you need to apply when purchasing these investments.
The stock quote gives plenty of insight into the company. Understand how to read this information in order to make better purchase decisions.
Investment strategies is the game plan to your portfolio. Use one that’s right for you and significantly increase your chances of success.
Picking the right stockbroker is as important as picking the right stocks. Ensure you conduct the proper research.
MUTUAL FUNDS STARTER GUIDES
A mutual fund pools money from a bunch of investors to purchase securities. Mutual funds come with advantages and disadvantages – learn the ins and outs here
Investments are managed by a portfolio manager – they decide when to buy and sell investments. Learn about how mutual funds work and how to make money off them.
Thinking of investing in mutual funds? It’s critical you know the advantages and disadvantages of investing in a mutual fund over a single stock.
Thinking about investing but not sure how to buy mutual funds? The selection process is actually easier than you think. Learn how and where to buy mutual funds
Need a quick-and-dirty opinion on a fund? Get familiar with mutual funds ratings. It’s important to know how a fund has performed before investing in it.
BONDS STARTER GUIDES
What Is A Bond? How Do Bonds Work?
Bonds are seldom as sexy as those wild-ride shares, but they’re reliable money-makers. Learn about bonds and how to match them to your personal investing style.
Bonds may be lower risk, but they are not risk-free. You should research bonds just as you would stocks before purchasing them. Learn how and where to buy bonds.
The bond market is where participants can issue new debt or buy and sell debt securities to provide long-term funding for public and private expenditures.
A bond index is a method of measuring the value of a section of the bond market. Investors use it to describe the market and compare the return on investments
A bond quote is the price at which a bond is trading. It’s expressed as a percentage of par value. A bond quote above 100 means the bond is trading above par.
PENNY STOCK STARTER GUIDES
What are Penny Stocks And How Do They Work?
Penny stocks may sound enticing but do you know what penny stock are and how they work? Find out if these riskier investments are right for your portfolio.
The penny stock market is significantly different from that of regular stocks. Before investing in them, find out more about how the market works.
There is no shortage of places that offer a shopping cart full of penny stocks. Finding them is easy, picking the right ones is the tough part.
Thinking about investing but not sure how to buy penny stocks? The selection process is actually easier than you think.
How To Trade And Invest In Penny Stocks?
Learn how to trade in the penny stock market and arm yourself with these essential tips to increase your chances of success.
We are experienced users of dozens of stock trading platforms. We stay up to date on these platforms' service offerings, subscription fees, trade commissions, and welcome bonuses. The brokerages listed below are for U.S.-based investors, and are ranked in order of overall value received after taking advantage of their sign-up and/or referral offers. $3 monthly 10k in assets Growth $3; + $9 Month Bronze $3; Silver $6; Gold $12 a monthThe Best U.S. Brokerages as of June 30, 2025
Ranking of Top U.S. Stock Brokerages Based on Fees, Features, and Sign-Up Bonuses
Rank
Brokerage
Fees
Features
Sign-Up Bonus
Read Our Review
1.
Robinhood$0
✅ U.S. stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptos
✅ Now 23 million users
✅ Cash mgt account and credit card
Free stock up to $200 with new account, plus up to $1,500 more in free stock from referrals
Robinhood Review
2.
Moomoo
$0
✅ Free Level 2 Nasdaq quotes
✅ Access to U.S. and Hong Kong markets
✅ Educational tools60 free stocks with $5k deposit; or 25 free stocks with $2k deposit
Moomoo Review
3.
Interactive Brokers
$0
✅ Access 150+ global stock exchanges
✅ IBKR Lite & Pro tiers for all
✅ SmartRouting™ and deep analyticsRefer a Friend and Get $200
Interactive Brokers Review
4.
Robinhood Gold
$5
✅ 4% APY on cash
✅ 3% IRA match
✅ Level II data
✅ No interest on first $1,000 of margin Save with Annual Fee
Robinhood Gold Review
5.
M1 Finance
✅ Automated investing “Pies”
✅ Banking & low-interest loans
✅ No trading fees with scheduled trades$75-$500 Tiered Sign-up bonus
M1 Finance Review
6.
Webull
$0
✅ Extended-hours trading
✅ Great charts and screeners
✅ Commission-free options trading$10 and a 30-day complimentary subscription to Webull premium;
$200-$30,0000 Tiered Sign up bonusWebull Review
7.
Public
$0
✅ Fractional shares
✅ No payment for order flow model
✅ “Alpha” tool with earnings calls$100-$10,000 Tiered Cash Account Transfer Bonus
Public Review
8.
Composer
$32 a month
✅ Invest in automated strategies
✅ Build custom strategies easily
✅ IRAs$49 per successful referral with no limit on the number of referrals
Composer Review
9.
Stash
✅ Stock-Back® debit card rewards in fractional shares
✅ Auto-invest and budgeting tools
✅ Curated theme portfolios$5 when you invest $5
Stash Review
10.
Acorns
✅ Automated investing portfolios
✅ ESG curated portfolios
✅ Acorns Early Invest for Kids' AccountsGet a $20 bonus when you start saving & investing
Acorns Review
11.
Etoro
$0
✅ CopyTrading™ to follow top traders
✅ Trade U.S. stocks, ETFs, and crypto
✅ Trades with themed portfolios$10 Crypto Sign-Up Bonus
Etoro Review
12.
Cash App
$0
✅ U.S. stocks and bitcoin; $1 minimum
✅ Peer-to-peer payments
✅ Beginner-friendly financial ecosystemUp to $200 in free overdraft coverage and earn 4% on cash
Cash App Review
Fees, features, sign-up bonuses, and referral bonuses are accurate as of May 31, 2025. All information listed above is subject to change.