Best Investment Companies Overview
The top five leading investment companies in the U.S. are E*Trade, Schwab, Robinhood, and Webull. This article will provide a detailed look at each broker, exploring the qualities that contribute to their growth and appeal to investors.
E*Trade
Originally founded as TradePlus in 1982, E*Trade became publicly traded in 1996 as E*Trade Financial Corporation. Since then, it has expanded its services and now manages more than $420 billion in client assets across its brokerage and banking divisions.
With annual revenue exceeding $2.94 billion, E*Trade employs 4,200 people who provide 24/7 phone support. The firm operates 30 physical locations across 17 states to assist clients.
E*Trade has seen steady growth since its IPO, driven by creative advertising and a comprehensive range of financial services. In addition to stocks and ETFs, E*Trade offers fixed-income products and over 10,000 mutual funds, including around 4,200 funds with no load or transaction fee.
Additional services include managed accounts, financial planning, and banking products. Portfolio management services start at a 0.30% fee for accounts with a minimum balance of $10,000, utilizing low-cost ETFs. E*Trade also provides two types of checking accounts, one of which offers unlimited ATM fee reimbursement through a Visa debit card. With such a broad range of financial services, E*Trade’s growth continues at a strong pace.
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Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab, founded in California in 1971 and publicly traded since 1987, quickly became one of the
best-known financial investment companies. By 1997, Schwab had a million online accounts, doubling that
number within a year. In 2003, Schwab established an FDIC-insured bank, and now client assets exceeded
$9.57 trillion.
Schwab’s growth is largely due to its customer-centered approach. It offers 24/7 customer service in the U.S. and operates 325 branches for clients who prefer in-person service. Clients can access an online chat function, and the firm also provides Mandarin and Cantonese phone support.
Schwab recently updated its website for smoother navigation and offers a mobile app with free live CNBC
streaming and other helpful features. The advanced desktop platform, thinkorswim, is available to all clients.
A wide selection of funds also draws investors to Schwab. It offers more than 3,000 no-load, no-transaction-fee mutual funds, which can be filtered by criteria like Morningstar rating, expense ratio, standard deviation, and performance.
Charles Schwab Bank provides a checking account that links to a securities account, complete with free checks and a Visa debit card. The brokerage also reimburses all ATM fees worldwide.
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Charles Schwab review »
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Webull
Webull has gained a significant share of the retail investment market with its top-notch trading
software and low-cost model, including zero-commission options trading. Within just few years of its
app launch, Webull reached 20 million users and continues to grow in popularity.
Webull stands out for its advanced, customizable desktop trading platform, high-tech mobile app, appealing promotional offers, and extended trading hours (4 am - 8 pm EST). Features like Level 2 Quotes and various advanced order types also keep Webull among the top brokers.
Investors can trade stocks, ETFs, options, OTC securities, futures, bonds, cryptocurrencies, and IPOs. Additional features such as cash management, paper trading, fractional shares, and a robo-advisor provide a comprehensive set of tools. Though the list of account types is limited, Webull still offers essential options, including cash and margin accounts, as well as IRAs (Roth, Traditional, and Rollover).
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Robinhood
Robinhood has attracted a large user base of
over 24.8 million customers, who invest in both taxable accounts and IRAs. It provides access to stocks, crypto, options, and ETFs, and is the first broker to offer retirement accounts with a 1% contribution match.
Robinhood’s appeal lies in its commitment to low fees and zero commissions, making it one of the most cost-effective brokers available. Despite its low-cost approach, Robinhood offers a variety of free trading tools, including a user-friendly browser-based platform.
Robinhood also offers a separate Robinhood Spending Account with features typically found in traditional banks, along with some unique benefits. These include:
- Robinhood Cash Card
- Check Sending
- Free ATM Access
- Pay & Request
- Round Up Rewards
- No Fees or Minimums
- Bank Account & Routing Numbers
- Fraud Protection
- FDIC Insured
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Robinhood review »
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Best Investment Companies Recap
While some large investment firms are consolidating, these top investment companies have grown rapidly, with some starting from scratch. Their success and ability to manage substantial funds speak volumes about the quality of their financial services.
Updated on 4/11/2025.
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