Our deep, independent analysis of online brokers sorts through key account details to find and evaluate the information investors want when choosing an account. To see our full methodology and learn more about our process, read our criteria for evaluating brokers.
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Hands-on testing of the account funding process, broker websites and stock-trading platforms.
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The best options platforms come from brokers that offer low options contract fees, no trading commissions, quality trading tools, an abundance of high-quality research and the customer service necessary to support everyone from beginner investors to advanced traders.
Over the last year, there’s been a trend in options trading: Removing per-contract fees entirely. Similar to how many online brokers eliminated trading commissions several years ago, options trading platforms are in the middle of a race to zero when it comes to contract fees, which are charged per purchase or sale of an options contract and have typically ranged from $0.50 to $0.65.
Below, we’ve flagged the brokers that charge no options contract fees. (There’s even one, Public, which offers rebates, essentially paying you to trade options on its platform.) These companies may be particularly compelling for options traders who are looking for the platforms with the lowest fees, but our analysis also factors in our experience testing each broker’s trading platform and options trading tools.
