We found 11 online brokers that are appropriate for Trading Stock.
With over a decade of trading under my belt, I’ve come to appreciate just how invaluable a good stock broker can be. My broker doesn’t just execute my buy and sell orders on global exchanges—they’re the bridge that connects me to real-time research, regulatory expertise, and market insights I could never access alone. In return for that service, they earn their keep through small commissions on each trade, the spread between what I’m quoted and what I actually pay, and occasional subscription fees for premium research tools.
I’ve experimented with all three broker types: discount brokers (where I paid as little as £3 a trade and managed everything myself), online brokers (which not only charged low fees but even let me buy tiny fractions of expensive stocks like Amazon for just a few pounds), and full-service brokers (where I surrendered higher commissions—often £10 or more per trade—in exchange for hands-on retirement planning and institutional-grade reports). Each has its place in my portfolio strategy, but nothing beats the flexibility of fractional shares when I want to sprinkle just £20 into a sky-high share price or the peace of mind that comes from a full-service team guiding my long-term goals.
Working with tools like Bloomberg or Reuters, brokers conduct in-depth research and ensure your portfolio complies with regulations set by authorities including the U.S. SEC, UK FCA, ASIC, and ESMA. They align investments with your risk tolerance—whether equities, ETFs, or alternatives—and provide transparent, periodic reports detailing performance and risks.
Brokers also leverage industry connections to grant you access to IPOs, private placements, and institutional-grade research. Among the most actively traded stocks worldwide are Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN), Tesla (TSLA), which see high daily turnover on exchanges such as NYSE, NASDAQ, and Tadawul.
When selecting a stockbroker, compare fees and commissions, evaluate the quality of research platforms, assess customer support responsiveness, verify regulatory registration with the FCA, or ASIC, and ensure their trading platforms (web and mobile) meet your needs. A well-chosen broker provides you with global market access, expert guidance, and the tools necessary for successful trading.
Stockbrokers operate across major venues worldwide, including the NYSE (New York Stock Exchange), NASDAQ, Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX), Deutsche Börse (XETRA), London Stock Exchange (LSE), Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE). Each link directs you to the official exchange site for market hours, trading rules, and member directories.
Among the highest-volume stocks that brokers monitor daily are Apple Inc. (AAPL), Microsoft Corporation (MSFT), Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN), Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL), Tesla Inc. (TSLA), and Saudi Aramco (2222.SR). These stocks consistently see high daily turnover across NYSE, NASDAQ, Tadawul, and other global exchanges.
Verify Age Requirement: Most brokers require you to be 18 or older. Example: If you’re 17, you’ll need a custodial account set up by a parent, which ensures legal compliance and protects both you and the broker.
Gather Identification Documents: You’ll upload a clear scan of a passport or driver’s license plus proof of residence (e.g., utility bill dated within the last three months). Why it matters: Accurate ID verification prevents fraud and speeds up account activation.
Detail Your Financial Profile: Enter your job title, annual income (e.g., £45,000), net worth, and any trading history. Example: Indicating you have £10,000 in savings and three years of investing experience helps your broker tailor low- to mid-risk portfolios if you prefer stability.
Choose Account Type & Link Bank: Select between individual, joint, or retirement accounts (e.g., SIPP) and provide your bank’s routing and account numbers. Why it matters: Proper linking ensures instant fund transfers; choosing the right account aligns tax treatment with your goals.
Complete KYC & Sign Disclosures: Fill out the broker’s Know Your Customer form and e-sign the risk disclosure. Example: Acknowledging that leveraged trading can amplify losses helps you understand compliance requirements under regulators like the FCA, ASIC, or ESMA.
Review & Submit Application: Double-check entries before clicking submit. Why it matters: Errors in bank details or personal data can delay approval. After submission, approval often arrives within 1–2 business days, at which point you’ll receive login credentials and can start trading on your broker’s platform.
When investing, decide how much you are comfortable with and never invest more than you can afford to lose. Determine your investment goals and whether to invest in individual stocks or spread your investments. For instance, if you’re saving for a child’s college fund over 15 years, you might choose a mix of bond ETFs for stability and growth-oriented equity ETFs. Alternatively, if you want to target quick gains, you could allocate a small portion—say 5%—to high-volatility individual stocks like biotech startups or crypto-related companies.
Discount brokers charge low commissions per trade and are ideal for self-directed investors.
Discount brokers charge low commissions per trade and are ideal for investors who handle their own research and execution. For example, if you place 20 trades a month at £3 each, your total fees would be just £60—far less than what a full-service broker might charge. They don’t offer personalized financial planning or tax optimization services.
Example: Sarah, a hobby-trader, uses a discount broker to buy and sell shares of FTSE 100 companies without paying for advisory calls. She researches company reports herself and executes all orders online, saving over £500 per year in fees compared to a full-service option.
Online brokers combine discount pricing with web/mobile platforms, often offering real-time quotes, robo-advisors, and fractional shares.
Online brokers bring discount-broker pricing to web and mobile platforms and often offer features like real-time quotes, robo-advisor integrations, and fractional-share trading. For example, Tom has £50 to invest each month, so he uses an online broker’s fractional-share feature to buy a piece of Apple stock alongside larger holdings in broad-market ETFs.
Example: Emma opens an account in under five minutes on her phone. The broker’s app notifies her when Tesla’s share price dips by 3%, and she purchases 0.02 of a share—something she couldn’t do with a traditional broker without committing hundreds of pounds.
Full-service brokers offer tailored advice, tax strategies, retirement planning, and institutional-grade research.
Full-service brokers offer end-to-end wealth management, including personalized advice, retirement planning, and tax-loss harvesting strategies. They typically charge higher fees or commissions but deliver in-depth research and one-on-one support.
Example: Raj is 55 and wants to retire at 65. His broker develops a tailored plan: a mix of UK gilts for income, US technology stocks for growth, and periodic rebalancing to manage risk. Raj also gets quarterly in-depth market reports and annual tax strategy sessions—services he wouldn’t get from a discount or online broker.
Second Example: A high-net-worth client with a £2 million portfolio uses a full-service firm’s dedicated trading desk. If a sudden geopolitical event moves oil prices, the broker’s platform auto-executes a pre-approved hedge, protecting the client’s gains without any manual intervention.
In my own stock trading journey, I started buying fractional shares of high-priced stocks—just £5 of Amazon or a £10 slice of Alphabet. This flexibility let me diversify even with limited capital. However, I noticed selling tiny fractions (like 0.1 of a share) during volatile sessions could take several minutes to fill, often at a wider spread than full shares. That’s because my broker uses an internal matching system rather than the open market for these orders. Always test small trades first and review your broker’s fractional share execution policies, fees, and typical bid-ask spreads to avoid surprises when cashing out.
Broker Type | Commission (per trade) |
Min Deposit | Mobile App Rating | Key Feature |
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Discount | £3 | £0 | 4.2/5 | Self-directed |
Online | £1–£5 | £0 | 4.5/5 | Fractional shares |
Full-Service | £10+ | £5,000 | 4.0/5 | Advisory & research |
If you’re new to stock brokering, consider opening accounts with several brokers to compare their platforms and services. For example, try a broker with a intuitive mobile trading app and for its comprehensive educational webinars and tutorials. Dedicate time each week to attending broker-hosted market outlook webinars or completing their online trading courses, so you stay informed on the latest equity trends. Also, diversify your portfolio across multiple asset classes—for instance, by pairing US large-cap stocks with international ETFs or corporate bond funds—and maintain a long-term perspective to help soften the impact of short-term market fluctuations.
I’ll never forget my first venture into stock trading—I felt like I’d jumped into a pit of sharks without a life vest. To get a lay of the land, I opened accounts with a few well-known brokers. First up was IC Markets. Their web platform was lightning-fast and boasted deep liquidity, and although advanced conditional orders like trailing stops or OCO orders require manual entry, this gave me full control and a deeper understanding of each trade I placed.
Next, I signed up with XTB. Their educational hub felt like a goldmine, with in-depth video tutorials and live webinars hosted by seasoned analysts. While the demo account focuses on single-leg strategies and the live platform requires a minimum balance for certain order types, this encouraged me to start small, master the basics, and build confidence before scaling up my positions.
Then there was eToro, famous for its social trading features. Copying top investors was exhilarating, and the mobile app’s design made it all feel intuitive. The platform’s straightforward charting tools and competitive spreads on mainstream stocks mean I can quickly spot top-performing portfolios—and for more detailed analysis, I combine eToro’s insights with third-party charting software.
I experimented with RoboForex. Their leverage options are generous (but really high risk of loss), and they support a good range of exotic instruments. Although high leverage demands careful risk management, experiencing rapid market moves taught me the importance of setting pre-defined safeguards and relying on RoboForex’s responsive support to guide me through complex scenarios.
Through these ups and downs, I learned that no broker is perfect. Now I split my activities: I use IC Markets for fast order execution on major equities, XTB for structured long-term positions (thanks to its excellent research), eToro for small speculative trades and social insights, and RoboForex only when I fully understand the margin risks. It’s not flawless—platform outages, hidden fees, and order restrictions still catch me off-guard occasionally—but knowing each broker’s strengths and shortcomings helps me plan smarter and reduce costly surprises.
We have conducted extensive research and analysis on over multiple data points on Stock Brokers to present you with a comprehensive guide that can help you find the most suitable Stock Brokers. Below we shortlist what we think are the best stock brokers after careful consideration and evaluation. We hope this list will assist you in making an informed decision when researching Stock Brokers.
Selecting a reliable and reputable online Stock trading brokerage involves assessing their track record, regulatory status, customer support, processing times, international presence, and language capabilities. Considering these factors, you can make an informed decision and trade Stock more confidently.
Selecting the right online Stock trading brokerage requires careful consideration of several critical factors. Here are some essential points to keep in mind:
Our team have listed brokers that match your criteria for you below. All brokerage data has been summarised into a comparison table. Scroll down.
When choosing a broker for stock trading, it's essential to compare the different options available to you. Our stock brokerage comparison table below allows you to compare several important features side by side, making it easier to make an informed choice.
By comparing these essential features, you can choose a stock broker that best suits your needs and preferences for stock. Our stock broker comparison table simplifies the process, allowing you to make a more informed decision.
Here are the top Stock Brokers.
Compare stock brokers for min deposits, funding, used by, benefits, account types, platforms, and support levels. When searching for a stock broker, it's crucial to compare several factors to choose the right one for your stock needs. Our comparison tool allows you to compare the essential features side by side.
All brokers below are stock brokers. Learn more about what they offer below.
You can scroll left and right on the comparison table below to see more stock brokers that accept stock clients.
Broker |
IC Markets
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Roboforex
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eToro
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XTB
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XM
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Pepperstone
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AvaTrade
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FP Markets
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EasyMarkets
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SpreadEx
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FXPro
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Regulation | Seychelles Financial Services Authority (FSA) (SD018) | RoboForex Lid is regulated by Belize FSC, License No. 000138/7, reg. number 000001272. RoboForex Ltd, which is an (A category) member of The Financial Commission, also is a participant of its Compensation Fund | FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) eToro (UK) Ltd (FCA reference 583263), eToro (Europe) Ltd CySEC (Cyprus Securities Exchange Commission), ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission) eToro AUS Capital Limited ASIC license 491139, CySec (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission under the license 109/10), FSAS (Financial Services Authority Seychelles) eToro (Seychelles) Ltd license SD076 | FCA (Financial Conduct Authority reference 522157), CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission reference 169/12), FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority), XTB AFRICA (PTY) LTD licensed to operate in South Africa, KPWiG (Polish Securities and Exchange Commission), DFSA (Dubai Financial Services Authority), DIFC (Dubai International Financial Center), CNMV (Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores), KNF (Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego), IFSC (Belize International Financial Services Commission license number IFSC/60/413/TS/19) | Financial Services Commission (FSC) (000261/4) XM ZA (Pty) Ltd, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) (license 120/10) Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) (number 443670) Trading Point of Financial Instruments Pty Ltd | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), Capital Markets Authority of Kenya (CMA), Pepperstone Markets Limited is incorporated in The Bahamas (number 177174 B), Licensed by the Securities Commission of the Bahamas (SCB) number SIA-F217 | Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) Ava Capital Markets Australia Pty Ltd (406684), South African Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) Ava Capital Markets Pty Ltd (45984), Financial Services Agency (Japan FSA) Ava Trade Japan K.K. (1662), Financial Futures Association of Japan (FFAJ),, FFAJ, Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM)(190018) Ava Trade Middle East Ltd (190018), Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) AVA Trade EU Ltd, Central Bank of Ireland (C53877) AVA Trade EU Ltd, British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission (BVI) BVI (SIBA/L/13/1049), Israel Securities Association (ISA) (514666577) ATrade Ltd, Financial Regulatory Services Authority (FRSA) | CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) (371/18), ASIC AFS (Australian Securities and Investments Commission) (286354), FSP (Financial Sector Conduct Authority in South Africa) (50926), Financial Services Authority Seychelles (FSA) (130) | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) (079/07) Easy Forex Trading Ltd, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) (Easy Markets Pty Ltd 246566), British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission (BVI) EF Worldwide Ltd (SIBA/L/20/1135), Financial Sector Conduct Authority South Africa (FSA) EF Worldwide (PTY) Ltd (54018), FSC (Financial Services Commission) (SIBA/L/20/1135), FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority) (54018) | FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) (190941), Gambling Commission (Great Britain) (8835) | FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) (509956), CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) (078/07), FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority) (45052), SCB (Securities Commission of The Bahamas) (SIA-F184), FSA (Financial Services Authority of Seychelles) (SD120) |
Min Deposit | 200 | 10 | 50 | No minimum deposit | 5 | No minimum deposit | 100 | 100 | 25 | No minimum deposit | 100 |
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Used By | 200,000+ | 730,000+ | 35,000,000+ | 1,000,000+ | 10,000,000+ | 400,000+ | 400,000+ | 200,000+ | 250,000+ | 60,000+ | 7,800,000+ |
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Platforms | MT5, MT4, MetaTrader WebTrader, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play), MetaTrader iPhone/iPad, MetaTrader Android Google Play, MetaTrader Mac, cTrader, cTrader Web, cTrader iPhone/iPad, cTrader iMac, cTrader Android Google Play, cTrader Automate, cTrader Copy Trading, TradingView, Virtual Private Server, Trading Servers, MT4 Advanced Trading Tools, IC Insights, Trading Central | MT4, MT5, R Mobile Trader, R StocksTrader, WebTrader, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play), Windows | eToro Trading App, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play), CopyTrading, Web | MT4, Mirror Trader, Web Trader, Tablet, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play) | MT5, MT5 WebTrader, XM Apple App for iPhone, XM App for Android Google Play, Tablet: MT5 for iPad, MT5 for Android Google Play, XM App for iPad, XM App for iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play), Mobile Apps | MT4, MT5, cTrader,WebTrader, TradingView, Windows, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play) | MT4, MT5, Web Trading, AvaTrade App, AvaOptions, Mac Trading, AvaSocial, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play) | MT4, MT5, TradingView, cTrader, WebTrader, Mobile Trader, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play) | easyMarkets App, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play), Web Platform, TradingView, MT4, MT5 | Web, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play), iPad App, iPhone App, TradingView | MT4, MT5, cTrader, FxPro WebTrader, FxPro Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play) |
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Up with fxpro |
Risk Warning | Losses can exceed deposits | Losses can exceed deposits | 61% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. | 69% - 83% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. | CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74.12% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. | 75-95 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs | 71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider | Losses can exceed deposits | Your capital is at risk | Losses can exceed deposits | 75.78% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs and Spread Betting with this provider |
Demo |
IC Markets Demo |
Roboforex Demo |
eToro Demo |
XTB Demo |
XM Demo |
Pepperstone Demo |
AvaTrade Demo |
FP Markets Demo |
easyMarkets Demo |
SpreadEx Demo |
FxPro Demo |
Excluded Countries | US, IR, CA, NZ, JP | AU, BE, BQ, BR, CA, CW, CZ, DE, ES, EE, EU, FM, FR, FI, GW, ID, IR, JP, LR, MP, NL, PF, PL, RU, SE, SJ, SS, SL, SI, TL, TR, DO, US, IT, AT, PT, BG, HR, CY, DK, FL, GR, IE, LV, LT, MT, RO, SK, CH | ZA, ID, IR, KP, BE, CA, JP, SY, TR, IL, BY, AL, MD, MK, RS, GN, CD, SD, SA, ZW, ET, GH, TZ, LY, UG, ZM, BW, RW, TN, SO, NA, TG, SL, LR, GM, DJ, CI, PK, BN, TW, WS, NP, SG, VI, TM, TJ, UZ, LK, TT, HT, MM, BT, MH, MV, MG, MK, KZ, GD, FJ, PT, BB, BM, BS, AG, AI, AW, AX, LB, SV, PY, HN, GT, PR, NI, VG, AN, CN, BZ, DZ, MY, KH, PH, VN, EG, MN, MO, UA, JO, KR, AO, BR, HR, GL, IS, IM, JM, FM, MC, NG, SI, | US, IN, PK, BD, NG , ID, BE, AU | US, CA, IL, IR | AF, AS, AQ, AM, AZ, BY, BE, BZ, BT, BA, BI, CM, CA, CF, TD, CG, CI, ER, GF, PF, GP, GU, GN, GW, GY, HT, VA, IR, IQ, JP, KZ, LB, LR, LY, ML, MQ, YT, MZ, MM, NZ, NI, KP, PS, PR, RE, KN, LC, VC, WS, SO, GS, KR, SS, SD, SR, SY, TJ, TN, TM, TC, US, VU, VG, EH, ES, YE, ZW, ET | BE, BR, KP, NZ, TR, US, CA, SG | US, JP, NZ | US, IL, BC, MB, QC, ON, AF, BY, BI, KH, KY, TD, KM, CG, CU, CD, GQ, ER, FJ, GN, GW, HT, IR, IQ, LA, LY, MZ, MM, NI, KP, PW, PA, RU, SO, SS, SD, SY, TT, TM, VU, VE, YE | US, TR | US, CA, IR |
You can compare Stock Brokers ratings, min deposits what the the broker offers, funding methods, platforms, spread types, customer support options, regulation and account types side by side.
We also have an indepth Top Stock Brokers for 2025 article further below. You can see it now by clicking here
We have listed top Stock brokers below.
eToro is a multi-asset platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
Please note that CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 61% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Copy Trading does not amount to investment advice. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
eToro does not approve or endorse any of the trading accounts customers may choose to copy or follow. Assets held in your name. Your Capital at risk.
This communication is intended for information and educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or investment recommendation. Past performance is not an indication of future results.
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