When you think about the stock market, it can be a lot to think about for some people. There used to be a time when it was difficult for the average person or anyone other than professional investment firms and high net-worth individuals to access the ability to buy and sell stocks, but those days are gone because it isn’t the 1920’s anymore… it’s the 2020’s and it’s a whole new world out there where virtually anyone can have a piece of the stock market and many of their favorite companies if they so desire (and can afford it). But, be warned: results are not guaranteed and even many of the sharpest investment minds have turned great sums of money into virtual nothingness in a very quick timeframe… but the reverse also happens as well, where someone turns a relatively small sum into a gargantuan fortune.
To break it down a bit for those that are not intimately familiar with the stock market’s inner workings, just know that the “US Stock Market,” as it is called, is essentially comprised of the NYSE (New York Stock Exchange), NASDAQ, AMEX, and OTC Exchanges, and these exchanges are where many major (and not so major) companies sell small percentages of ownership, also known as shares of “stock,” in their companies to everyday investors like you, as well as to large investment conglomerates like BlackRock, Vanguard, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, and Berkshire Hathaway, to “market makers” like Citadel Securities and Virtu Financial, to name a few, as well as a plethora of Hedge Funds, Sovereign Wealth Funds, Endowments, Private Equity Firms, and all sorts of other institutional investors. For individuals like you- sometimes people invest in the stock market indirectly via their 401K or IRAs, but millions of other investors prefer to invest directly just like the big dogs are able to do. Plus, for those who want exposure to emerging markets and foreign securities, most every major foreign stock in the world is also offered on one exchange or another to American Investors via American Depository Receipts or “ADRs,” and then there’s also the Bond Market and Treasuries to learn about, Futures, Forex, and a whole lot more.
Again, remember, there’s a lot to grasp when it comes to investing. For the most part, it may be easiest to focus on stocks first and then expand your horizons… but the choice is up to each individual.
The point is, economically, the stock market is basically like the “engine” that helps power the world. When the engine is running at full blast- usually everything else is in top gear also, so housing markets are typically strong, spending is up, pricing and inflation are fairly in check, people have money to burn and are spending it freely, leading to a strong economy, etc.. these are some things that may happen in “bull cycles” where general investment sentiment is considered positive aka “bullish.”
However, when things are running a bit lagged and the market is in need of a bit of a tune-up, well… often fortunes follow the markets, both good and bad. When things are really bad, it can even become what’s called a recession after a certain amount… but that’s a separate topic to be covered in another article at a separate time. Nonetheless, oftentimes economical analysis and that kind of stuff is something economists and companies are left to worry about, and typically there are many people looking to invest across all cycles. That’s what online brokerages are for, right?
Nowadays, there are several platforms online which discerning investors can use to build their own portfolios. Plus, nearly every major bank has some sort of stock trading features available also. Regardless, do be sure to note that investing in the stock market can be risky and it’s recommended to do your own due diligence before ever investing in anything.
That said, please read on to learn a bit more about 11 Online Stock Trading Platforms To Choose From In 2023.
11 Online Brokerages For Trading Stocks In 2023
Robinhood
Year Founded: 2013
Website: https://www.robinhood.com/
CEO: Vlad Tenev
Account Minimum: $0
Products Available To Trade: Stocks, Options, ETFs, and Crypto
Fees To Buy And Sell Stocks (Other Product Fees May Differ): Free
SoFi
Year Founded: 2011
Website: https://www.sofi.com/
CEO: Anthony Noto
Account Minimum: $5
Products Available To Trade (Via SoFi Invest): Stocks, Options, ETFs, Mutual Funds, and Crypto
Fees To Buy And Sell Stocks (Other Product Fees May Differ): Free
Charles Schwab
Year Founded: 1971
Website: https://www.charlesschwab.com/
CEO: Walter W. Bettinger II
Account Minimum: $0
Products Available To Trade: Stocks, ETFs, Options, Mutual Funds, Bonds, and more.
Fees To Buy And Sell Stocks (Other Product Fees May Differ): $0 for US-listed Stocks & ETFs, but there are some fees for Options and certain other trades.
TD Ameritrade (owned by Charles Schwab)
Year Founded: 1975
Website: https://www.tdameritrade.com/
CEO: Fred Tomczyk
Account Minimum: $0
Products Available To Trade: Stocks, Options, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Forex, Futures, and more.
Fees To Buy And Sell Stocks (Other Product Fees May Differ): Free to trade US-Listed Stocks & ETFs, but fees may apply for certain other asset classes.
eToro
Year Founded: 2007
Website: https://www.etoro.com/
CEO: Yoni Assia
Account Minimum: $10 (for 1st funding of US Accounts; $50 Minimum transfers thereafter)
Products Available To Trade: Stocks, ETFs, Options, and Crypto
Fees To Buy And Sell Stocks (Other Product Fees May Differ): Free to trade Stocks, ETFs, and Options; 1% fee on all Crypto Trades
Webull
Year Founded: 2017
Website: https://www.webull.com/
CEO: Anthony Denier
Account Minimum: $0
Products Available To Trade: Stocks, ETFs, Options, and Crypto
Fees To Buy And Sell Stocks (Other Product Fees May Differ): Free
Fidelity
Year Founded: 1946
Website: https://www.fidelity.com/
CEO: Abigail Johnson
Account Minimum: $0
Products Available To Trade: Stocks, Options, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Bonds, CDs, and Precious Metals
Fees To Buy And Sell Stocks (Other Product Fees May Differ): Free, but other fees may apply to other assets.
Interactive Brokers
Year Founded: 1978
Website: https://www.interactivebrokers.com/
CEO: Milan Galik
Account Minimum: $0, but $100 minimum deposit to fund account.
Products Available To Trade: Stocks, Options, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Bonds, CDs, Futures, Forex, Crypto, and more.
Fees To Buy And Sell Stocks (Other Product Fees May Differ): Free (for retail accounts), but other fees may apply to other assets and account types like professional accounts.
TradeStation
Year Founded: 1982
Website: https://www.tradestation.com/
CEO: John Bartleman
Account Minimum: $0
Products Available To Trade: Stocks, Options, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Futures, Bonds, Crypto, and more.
Fees To Buy And Sell Stocks (Other Product Fees May Differ): Various fees apply to trade stock and other products, depending on account and product type.
E*TRADE (from Morgan Stanley)
Year Founded: 1982
Website: https://www.etrade.com/
CEO: Michael A. Pizzi
Account Minimum: $0
Products Available To Trade: Stocks, Options, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Bonds, and more.
Fees To Buy And Sell Stocks (Other Product Fees May Differ): Free, but other fees may apply for other products.
Public.com
Year Founded: 2015
Website: https://www.public.com/
Co-CEOs: Jannick Malling and Leif Abraham
Account Minimum: $0
Products Available To Trade: Stocks, Options, ETFs, Crypto and more
Fees To Buy And Sell Stocks (Other Product Fees May Differ): Free
Well, after reading this article, now you know of at least 11 online stock trading platforms to choose from in 2023. Plus, don’t forget that you can trade stocks via many major banks also- and there are certainly more online investing options on the way in the future.
Please remember, nothing in this article should be considered any sort of investment advice, and all content is solely being posted for informational and entertainment purposes. FlowerFieldz does not currently operate an online brokerage or investment platform, but may choose to do so in the future, so stay tuned for future updates because there could be another online brokerage coming soon. Also, FlowerFieldz is not current partners or receiving any compensation from any of the companies mentioned throughout this article, thus this article should not be considered any sort of endorsement or promotion of any company or investment. Also, no information is guaranteed to be accurate (despite being pulled from the company websites), and the respective companies all own their intellectual property accordingly.
In closing, sometimes the stock market can seem like a euphoric and amazingly fun rollercoaster that just keeps climbing- and other times it’s vastly intimidating, something some people would liken akin to the scary drop-off part of a roller coaster ride. No matter how you’re feeling about the market at the moment, though, one thing is certain and that’s that you need to know where you can buy and sell stocks IF it’s something you’re interested in doing. Hopefully, after reading this article, you should have a bit more information about different online brokerage platforms you can use to buy and sell stocks in 2023.
