Too close to call. Webull (89.4%) and Firstrade (88.9%) are within 0.5 points, under our 3-point threshold, so we don't name a winner.
Data as of · Last updated · By VaultRubric Research · How we score · Not investment advice.
Only brokers whose official pages show a $0 minimum to open an account are included; brokers where we couldn't verify a $0 minimum are left out. Scored on trading costs, transfer-out fees, SIPC protection, IRA options and regulatory record.
Rates change often — verify on the bank's or broker's site before opening an account. Every value shows its as-of date; ⚑ marks figures from third-party sites. Not financial advice.
Too close to call: Webull and Firstrade (within 0.5 points).
Weights: Trading costs 22%, Account minimum 22%, IRA options 11%, Transfer-out fee 11%, Protection (SIPC) 17%, Regulatory record 17%
| # | Broker | Score | Options/contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Webull | 89.4% cov 100% | $0 src · 2026-10-11 | Regulatory: FINRA: $1.6M for influencer communications supervision failures |
| 2 | Firstrade | 88.9% cov 100% | $0 src · 2026-10-11 | |
| 3 | Fidelity | 87.6% cov 100% | $0.65 src · 2026-10-11 | |
| 4 | Public | 86.7% cov 100% | $0 src · 2026-10-11 | Regulatory: FINRA: $528,124 (fully paid lending); Regulatory: FINRA: $350,000 influencer supervision (reported) |
| 5 | Ally Invest | 85.6% cov 100% | $0.5 src · 2026-10-11 | |
| 6 | E*TRADE | 85.3% cov 100% | $0.65 src · 2026-10-11 | |
| 7 | Betterment | 83.9% cov 100% | not found | Regulatory: SEC: $9M tax-loss harvesting |
| 8 | Merrill Edge | 83.7% cov 100% | $0.65 src · 2026-10-11 | Regulatory: FINRA: Merrill Lynch $6M AML fine (reported) |
| 9 | M1 Finance | 80.6% cov 100% | Options not offered src · 2026-10-10 | Regulatory: FINRA: $850,000 for misleading influencer posts/supervision |
| 10 | Charles Schwab | 79.8% cov 100% | $0.65 src · 2026-10-11 | Regulatory: FINRA: $175K fine + censure: failed to report/timely report ~2.8M fractional-share trades (2018–2025); Regulatory: SEC: $10M civil penalty for off-channel communications recordkeeping failures; Regulatory: SE |
| 11 | Robinhood | 77.8% cov 100% | $0.5 src · 2026-10-11 | Regulatory: FINRA: $26M fines + $3.75M ordered paid to customers (AWC, settled; AML, supervision, disclosure violations); Regulatory: SEC: $45M combined penalties (recordkeeping, reporting, cybersecurity etc.) |
| 12 | Interactive Brokers | 77.6% cov 100% | Fixed $0.65; Tiered $0.15–$0.65 src · 2026-10-11 | Regulatory: CFTC: $20M civil penalty for off-channel communications recordkeeping; Regulatory: SEC: $35M civil penalty for off-channel communications recordkeeping; Regulatory: FINRA/Nasdaq PHLX: Reported $7.75M fine for |
| 13 | Vanguard | 76.1% cov 100% | $1.0 src · 2026-10-11 | Regulatory: FINRA: $950K fine + censure (Vanguard Marketing Corp.): inaccurate cost-basis info on statements/1099s ~2012–2023; Regulatory: SEC: $106.41M re target-date fund capital gains disclosures |
| Fact | Webull | Firstrade | Fidelity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock/ETF commission | $0 src · 2026-10-11 | $0 src · 2026-10-11 | $0 src · 2026-10-11 |
| Options (per contract) | $0 src · 2026-10-11 | $0 src · 2026-10-11 | $0.65 src · 2026-10-11 |
| Account minimum | $0 src · 2026-10-10 | $0 src · 2026-10-11 | $0 src · 2026-10-10 |
| Fractional shares | Yes src · 2026-10-10 | not found | Yes src · 2026-10-10 |
| IRA types | Traditional, Roth, Rollover src · 2026-10-10 | Traditional, Roth, Rollover src · 2026-10-11 | Traditional, Roth, SIMPLE (fee schedule), Rollover src · 2026-10-10 |
| IRA match | 3.5% with Webull Premium; base 1% per third party src · 2026-10-10 | none found | none found |
| Transfer-out fee | $75 src · 2026-10-11 | $75 src · 2026-10-11 | $0 src · 2026-10-11 |
| SIPC member | Yes src · 2026-10-10 | Yes src · 2026-10-10 | Yes src · 2026-10-10 |
| FINRA CRD | CRD 289063 src · 2026-10-10 | CRD 16843 src · 2026-10-10 | CRD 7784 src · 2026-10-10 |
| Regulatory actions (5 yrs) | 2025-05 FINRA: $1.6M for influencer communications supervision failures src | none found in last 5 yrs src · 2026-10-10 | none found in last 5 yrs src · 2026-10-10 |
Opens the tool with these platforms filled in, so you can change the weights.
Too close to call between Webull and Firstrade. Your answer depends on your priorities; adjust the weights in the tool.
Only from our curated dataset (official pages, regulators, and flagged third-party sites), with fixed formulas shown in “Show math”. No AI or live scraping, so the same comparison always gives the same result. Not financial advice.