Ranking

Best brokers for retirement investing 2026

Over 30 years the ongoing cost ratio matters more than any single decision. Alongside cheap savings plans, tax-advantaged wrappers count here — ISA, 401(k)/IRA, Swiss pillar 3a or local equivalents depending on your country. A broker without access to the right wrapper can be the worse choice despite lower fees.

Investor's country

Shows only brokers that accept clients from the selected country.

brokers rated: 24
Data as of: 30 Aug 2026

Country of residence:No country of residence chosen — all offers are shown.

Retirement

The top 3 in detail

Why these three lead — derived from the criteria this category weights most heavily.

Advertising disclosure: where a partnership is active, we may earn a commission through broker links. The provider’s terms apply. Commissions do not influence our ratings; paid placements are separately labelled as sponsored.

Interactive Brokers

The cheapest serious route to almost every market on earth — if you can live with the learning curve.

Ahead on Fees (4.9) and Product range (5.0) — together those two carry 50% of this category's weighting.

US stocks from USD 0.0035 per share on the Tiered plan, minimum USD 0.35 per order and capped at 1% of trade value
Currency conversion at 0.20 basis points (minimum USD 2) — an order of magnitude cheaper than most European brokers' 0.25%–1.5%
Roughly 160 market destinations in 36 countries from a single multi-currency account, with 28 settlement currencies
No inactivity fee since 2021, plus no custody fee and no platform fee

Group index 90/100Protection depends on your legal entity

SECFCACBIASIC

StocksETFsOptionsFuturesForexCFDsCryptoBonds+4

4.7

Category score

Overall score: 4.5 / 5

Strengths in this category

Fees34%

4.9

Safety & regulation26%

4.8

Product range16%

5.0

Education12%

4.0

Stocks (per order): 0.05 %
Minimum deposit: None
FX conversion: 0 %

Open account Read review

Investing involves risk. Your capital is at risk.

Risk warning: CFDs and other leveraged products are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how these products work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Charles Schwab

The full-service US giant that also owns thinkorswim, a professional-grade trading platform.

4.6

Ahead on Safety & regulation (4.9) and Fees (4.6) — together those two carry 60% of this category's weighting.

USD 0 commission on every online listed US stock and ETF order, with no share cap and no proprietary-fund restrictions
thinkorswim desktop, web and mobile are included free — full options chains, thinkScript, backtesting and paperMoney simulation
Options at USD 0.65 per contract, with the fee waived on buy-to-close orders at USD 0.05 or less

Group index 93/100Protection depends on your legal entity

SECFINRA

StocksETFsOptionsFuturesForex+4

Strengths in this category

Fees34%

4.6

Safety & regulation26%

4.9

Product range16%

4.2

Stocks (per order): Free
Minimum deposit: None
FX conversion: 1 %

Open account Read review

Investing involves risk. Your capital is at risk.

Fidelity Investments

The research-and-education benchmark for US investors, with the cheapest funds in the industry attached.

4.6

Ahead on Fees (4.7) and Education (4.8) — together those two carry 46% of this category's weighting.

USD 0 online US stock and ETF commissions, and Fidelity does not accept payment for order flow on equity orders
Zero-expense-ratio index mutual funds (the FZROX family) — no other major US broker matches this on fund cost
Options exercise and assignment cost USD 0, and buy-to-close orders at USD 0.65 or less are free

Group index 73/100Protection depends on your legal entity

SECFINRA

StocksETFsOptionsCryptoBonds+2

Strengths in this category

Fees34%

4.7

Safety & regulation26%

4.7

Product range16%

3.9

Stocks (per order): Free
Minimum deposit: None
FX conversion: 1 %

Open account Read review

Investing involves risk. Your capital is at risk.

Also worth a look

Rank 4 and below, ordered by category score.

tastytrade

4.2

An options-specialist US broker: USD 1 per contract to open, closing commission-free — built by people who trade premium for a living.

Options premium sellers
High-volume multi-leg traders

USD 0 to close — No commission to close options positions

Stocks (per order): Free
Minimum deposit: None
FX conversion: n/a

StocksETFsOptionsFutures+5

Pros: Equity options are USD 1 per contract to open, USD 0 to close and capped at USD 10 per leg — large multi-leg orders scale for free
Cons: FINRA censured and fined tastytrade USD 850,000 in 2026 for failing to run adequate best-execution reviews on equity orders routed to five payment-for-order-flow market makers between 2020 and 2023

Group index 82/100

FINRASEC

Protection depends on your legal entity

Visit broker Read review

Risk warning: investing in securities involves risk. You may lose some or all of the capital you invest.

Nordnet

4.2

The Nordic default: a listed Swedish bank with SEK 1 minimum commissions — if you live in the right four countries.

Nordic residents
Long-term ISK savers

Stocks (per order): tiered
Minimum deposit: None
FX conversion: 0.25 %

StocksETFsOptionsFutures+4

Pros: Commission from 0.25% with a SEK 1 minimum on Nordic orders up to SEK 15,600 — small monthly share purchases are genuinely viable
Cons: Residents of Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland only — there is no route in from Germany, Austria, Switzerland or the rest of the EU

Group index 93/100

Protection depends on your legal entity

Visit broker Read review

Risk warning: investing in securities involves risk. You may lose some or all of the capital you invest.

Questrade

4.2

Canada's biggest independent broker, now genuinely commission-free — with a 1.5% currency spread as the sting in the tail.

Canadian self-directed investors
Registered account investing (TFSA, RRSP, FHSA, RESP)

Stocks (per order): Free
Minimum deposit: None
FX conversion: 1.5 %

StocksETFsOptionsForex+6

Pros: CAD 0 commission on every Canadian and US stock and ETF trade, on both the buy and the sell side, with no ECN fees at all on Canadian orders
Cons: The 1.5% CAD/USD conversion charge is high and unavoidable unless you deliberately manage currency; on a CAD 20,000 US-stock purchase it costs CAD 300, dwarfing any commission saving

Group index 76/100

CIROOSC

Protection depends on your legal entity

Visit broker Read review

Qtrade Direct Investing

4.1

Canada's best-researched discount broker — now commission-free, still let down by its mobile app.

Research-driven stock and ETF investors
Mutual fund investors

Stocks (per order): Free
Minimum deposit: None
FX conversion: n/a

StocksETFsOptionsBonds+2

Pros: CAD 0 commission on equities, ETFs and mutual funds alike — the only Canadian broker of the three to make mutual funds free as well
Cons: Cash pays 0.00% on every balance up to CAD 2,000,000 — on a CAD 25,000 cash buffer that is roughly CAD 1,100 a year of foregone interest against a Wealthsimple chequing balance

Group index 76/100

CIROBCSC

Protection depends on your legal entity

Visit broker Read review

Trading 212

4.1

One of the cheapest mainstream ways to buy stocks and ETFs in Europe - 0% commission, 0.15% FX, and almost nothing else to pay.

Low-cost ETF investing
Monthly savings plans

EUR 8–100 reward — Reward via promo link or promo code

Note: this button leads to the Trading 212 home page and is not a promo link. The reward is only available through a promo link, or a promo code you enter no later than ten days after opening the account.

Stocks (per order): Free
Minimum deposit: €1
FX conversion: 0.15 %

StocksETFsForexCFDs+3

Pros: One of the lowest all-in costs among mainstream European brokers for buy-and-hold investors: no commission, no custody fee, no inactivity fee, free withdrawals with no minimum, and a 0.15% FX conversion fee.
Cons: Research is the weakest of any broker at this size. There is no meaningful screener, no analyst consensus, no fundamental data worth the name and no export tooling - you will make every decision using data from somewhere else.

Group index 75/100

FCABaFin

Protection depends on your legal entity

Visit broker Read review

Wealthsimple Trade

4.1

The best consumer app in Canadian finance, and the first broker in the country to make equity options genuinely free.

App-first Canadian investors
Options sellers and covered-call writers

Stocks (per order): Free
Minimum deposit: None
FX conversion: 1.5 %

StocksETFsOptionsFutures+3

Pros: CAD 0 commission on Canadian and US stocks and ETFs, plus USD 0 per equity and ETF options contract on every tier, including free assignment
Cons: The 1.5% CAD/USD conversion is the same as Questrade's. A USD account (CAD 10 a month on Core, free on Premium from CAD 100,000) removes it on the US trades themselves but not on the CAD you convert into it, which still costs 1.5% per transaction under CAD 10,000 and falls to 0% only from CAD 100,000; journalling at CAD 9.95 is the other way round it

Group index 69/100

CIRO

Protection depends on your legal entity

Visit broker Read review

Webull

4.1

A desktop-grade trading terminal wrapped in a zero-commission app — with a support desk that lags badly behind the software.

US options traders
Chart-driven active traders

Stocks (per order): Free
Minimum deposit: None
FX conversion: n/a

StocksETFsOptionsFutures+5

Pros: USD 0 commission on US-listed stocks, ETFs and equity options, with no per-contract fee — index options are the only equity-derivative exception at USD 0.50 per contract
Cons: Customer support is the standing complaint: Trustpilot sits at roughly 1.3–1.4 out of 5, with transfers and account access the most common themes

Group index 86/100

FINRACFTC/NFA

Protection depends on your legal entity

Visit broker Read review

flatex

4.0

One flat EUR 5.90 per order, free ETF savings plans and a German banking licence — the incumbent that actually competes on price.

Medium and large single orders
ETF savings plan investors

Stocks (per order): €5.90
Minimum deposit: None
FX conversion: 0.35 %

StocksETFsCFDsCrypto+5

Pros: EUR 5.90 flat commission on German, US, Canadian and other foreign orders with no percentage component up to EUR 40,000 — a EUR 10,000 trade costs the same as a EUR 1,000 trade
Cons: 0.00% p.a. credit interest on cash balances. Competitors pay 1%–1.75% on the settlement or call account, so an investor holding EUR 20,000 in cash gives up EUR 200–350 a year that never shows up in any fee table

Group index 79/100

BaFin

Protection depends on your legal entity

Visit broker Read review

AJ Bell

4.1

The value pick among the big UK platforms — low, capped charges without giving up service.

Cost-conscious UK investors
Share and ETF portfolios in an ISA

Stocks (per order): £5
Minimum deposit: None
FX conversion: 0.75 %

StocksETFsBondsFunds+3

Pros: Custody charge on shares, ETFs and investment trusts capped at GBP 3.50 a month in the Dealing account and ISA, and GBP 10 a month in the SIPP — GBP 42 and GBP 120 a year respectively
Cons: The 0.25% custody charge on funds is uncapped up to GBP 250,000, so a GBP 200,000 fund portfolio pays GBP 500 a year where a flat-fee platform charges under GBP 100

Group index 86/100

FCA

Protection depends on your legal entity

Visit broker Read review

Risk warning: investing in securities involves risk. You may lose some or all of the capital you invest.

interactive investor

4.1

The UK's flat-fee platform: one monthly subscription, and your charges stop growing with your portfolio.

Portfolios above GBP 40,000
SIPP and drawdown savers with larger pots

Stocks (per order): £3.99
Minimum deposit: None
FX conversion: 0.75 %

StocksETFsBondsFunds+2

Pros: Flat monthly subscription instead of a percentage of assets — GBP 71.88 a year on Core covers a GBP 100,000 portfolio, against GBP 250–350 at percentage-based rivals
Cons: The flat fee is punishing on small balances — GBP 71.88 a year is 1.44% on a GBP 5,000 portfolio, where a percentage platform would charge under GBP 20

Group index 77/100

FCA

Protection depends on your legal entity

Visit broker Read review

Risk warning: investing in securities involves risk. You may lose some or all of the capital you invest.

Swissquote

4.0

The Swiss bank that happens to be a broker — expensive per trade, hard to beat on structure.

Swiss residents
CHF-denominated portfolios

CHF 200 credit — One-off CHF 200 trading credit for new clients

Stocks (per order): tiered
Minimum deposit: None
FX conversion: 0.95 %

StocksETFsOptionsFutures+8

Pros: FINMA-licensed Swiss bank listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SQN) with published annual results — CHF 88.7 billion in client assets and around 750,000 accounts
Cons: Commission is high by international standards — CHF 29 on a CHF 10,000 order and CHF 190 above CHF 50,000, where global discount brokers charge single digits

Group index 100/100

FINMACSSF

Protection depends on your legal entity

Visit broker Read review

Consorsbank

3.9

Free ETF savings plans, a real derivatives desk and free professional software — behind a tiered price list that rewards activity.

ETF savings plan investors
Eurex and US derivatives traders

Stocks (per order): €4.95 + 0.25 %
Minimum deposit: None
FX conversion: 0.26 %

StocksETFsOptionsFutures+5

Pros: All ETF savings plans run at 0% of the savings rate on more than 1,700 ETFs, permanently — the partners cover the fee, replacing the old 1.50% charge
Cons: The tiered pricing starts unremarkable and Consorsbank does not publish the volume thresholds for Silver, Gold and Platinum status on its public price pages, so a new customer cannot calculate what they will actually pay next year

Group index 93/100

BaFinACPR

Protection depends on your legal entity

Visit broker Read review

Risk warning: investing in securities involves risk. You may lose some or all of the capital you invest.

Quick comparison

The numbers that decide this category, side by side. Scroll right on narrow screens for every column.

Best brokers for retirement investing — Quick comparison
Broker	Category	Overall	Fees34%	Safety & regulation26%	Product range16%	ETFs	Minimum deposit	Regulation	Action
1Interactive Brokers	4.7	4.5	4.9	4.8	5.0	0.05 %	None	SECFCA, CBI, ASIC, MAS	Visit broker Risk warning: CFDs and other leveraged products are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how these products work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
2Charles Schwab	4.6	4.6	4.6	4.9	4.2	Free	None	SECFINRA, FDIC	Visit broker Risk warning: CFDs and other leveraged products are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how these products work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
3Fidelity Investments	4.6	4.6	4.7	4.7	3.9	Free	None	SECFINRA, FDIC	Visit broker Risk warning: CFDs and other leveraged products are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how these products work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
4tastytrade	4.3	4.2	4.6	4.2	3.6	Free	None	FINRASEC, NFA	Visit broker Risk warning: investing in securities involves risk. You may lose some or all of the capital you invest.
5Nordnet	4.2	4.2	4.2	4.7	4.0	tiered	None	FI	Visit broker Risk warning: investing in securities involves risk. You may lose some or all of the capital you invest.
6Questrade	4.2	4.2	4.4	4.2	4.0	Free	None	CIROOSC	Visit broker Risk warning: CFDs and other leveraged products are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how these products work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
7Qtrade Direct Investing	4.1	4.1	4.3	4.3	3.6	Free	None	CIROBCSC	Visit broker Risk warning: CFDs and other leveraged products are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how these products work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
8Trading 212	4.1	4.1	4.8	4.0	3.7	Free	€1	FCABaFin, ASIC, CySEC, FSC	Visit broker Risk warning: CFDs and other leveraged products are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how these products work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Our methodology

How we build this ranking

No editorial gut feeling — a published calculation. This category shifts the weights of our rating model towards what its audience actually needs.

Weighting in this category

24 brokers rated

The pale tick marks the weight in the general Brokaro model.

Category weight
Base model

The formula

The category score is 70% the category-specific weighting and 30% the general overall score. A strong all-rounder therefore does not drop out simply because it fails to lead one single criterion.

Category score = 0.7 × Σ(w_i × s_i) + 0.3 × Overall score

Full methodology

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