Hey everyone,
We covered the four brokerages most beginners default to in our first comparison. But two more names come up constantly, and they're worth a separate look because they don't really compete head-on with Fidelity or Schwab — they're built for a slightly different investor.
Webull
Webull is closest in spirit to Robinhood: mobile-first, $0 commissions, no account minimum. Where it pulls ahead is depth for a self-directed trader who wants more than the basics — free access to extended-hours trading, more advanced charting tools built into the free app, and periodic promotions for free shares when you open and fund an account. What it doesn't have is the breadth of account types or the hand-holding research a first-time investor might want.
Who it fits: someone who's already comfortable with the basics and wants more charting and trading tools without paying for a premium platform.
E*TRADE
E*TRADE (now owned by Morgan Stanley) sits in the middle of the pack — more capable than Robinhood or Webull for options trading and retirement accounts, but with a cleaner learning curve than Schwab's full thinkorswim suite. It's a genuinely solid full-service option if you want one account that can handle a Roth IRA, a taxable account, and eventually some options trading, without feeling like you need a finance degree to use the interface.
Who it fits: someone who wants more capability than a beginner app but doesn't want the steepest learning curve on the market.
The bigger picture
Neither of these is a "wrong" choice — they're just built for someone slightly further along than a first-time investor. If you're opening your very first account, start with the comparison in Fidelity vs. Schwab vs. Robinhood vs. Vanguard instead. If you've already got the basics down and want more tools, either of these is worth a look.
Open an account
Whichever you land on, the actual setup steps are the same everywhere — see our five-minute account setup guide.
More soon,
Learn to Love Money