Discover the best brokers for options trading in 2025. These easy-to-use platforms offer low fees, great mobile apps, and helpful tools — perfect for beginners.
Best Brokers for Options Trading in 2025: Top Trading Platforms & Apps for Beginners
Are you curious about options trading but not sure which broker to use? You’re not alone. With so many platforms out there, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re new to trading. The good news is that options trading has become more popular than ever – 2024 marked the fifth year in a row of record-breaking options activity, with 11.2 billion contracts traded on U.S. exchanges bankrate.com.
More people are getting into options because the potential rewards are high, and brokers are making it easier (and cheaper) to trade. But to succeed, you need one of the best brokers for options trading on your side. A good broker provides an easy-to-use platform, fair fees, helpful tools, and strong customer support to guide you through the process.
If you’re brand new to options, it helps to learn the basics first. (For a quick primer, check out our complete beginner’s guide to options trading on this site.) Options are financial contracts that let you buy or sell stocks at specific prices, and they can be tricky at first. Don’t worry – a top options broker can make learning and trading much easier.
In this article, we’ll use a friendly, conversational tone to walk you through how to choose the best broker for options trading and review some of the top platforms (and apps) available in the U.S. We’ll cover what makes each broker great for options trading, including fees, trading tools, and mobile app features. By the end, you’ll have a clear idea of which options trading platform fits your needs, even if you’re in 7th grade and just learning about the stock market! Let’s dive in.
How to Choose the Best Broker for Options Trading
Not all brokers are the same, especially when it comes to options. Here are some key factors to look for when comparing the best brokers for options trading:
- Low Fees: Fees can eat into your profits, so pay attention to what each broker charges. Most brokers charge no base commission for trades, but they often charge a per-contract fee for options (usually around $0.65 per contract). Some brokers offer discounts if you trade a lot, and a few even charge no contract fees at all bankrate.com! For example, one popular broker, Firstrade, lets you trade options with $0 commissions and $0 contract fees, which is a huge plus bankrate.com. Low fees mean you get to keep more of your money, especially if you trade frequently.
- Trading Platform & Tools: A good options broker should have a platform that’s easy to use and powerful. Look for features like option chain displays (lists of option prices), profit-and-loss calculators, and strategy builders. Thinkorswim, for instance, is a highly regarded trading platform (offered by TD Ameritrade/Schwab) known for its professional-level charting and options analysis tools. A friendly, intuitive interface is important too – you don’t want to feel lost clicking around. Many of the best options trading platforms also provide educational content and tutorials built in, so you can learn as you trade.
- Mobile App Availability: These days, trading on-the-go is a big deal. Be sure to check if the broker has a great mobile app. The best brokers for options trading in 2025 almost all offer mobile trading apps that let you check prices, execute trades, and monitor your portfolio from your phone. For example, Robinhood and Webull are known for their easy-to-use trading apps. Even full-service brokers like Schwab and Fidelity have solid mobile apps for options trading. A good app makes it convenient to manage your trades anywhere – whether you’re at school, at home, or on the bus.
- Research & Education: Especially for beginners, it helps if a broker offers plenty of educational resources and research tools. Does the broker provide articles, tutorials, or even courses on options trading? Some brokers have in-app lessons or simulators. For instance, brokers like Schwab and Fidelity have vast libraries of videos and articles explaining trading concepts. Good research tools (like stock screeners or analyst reports) can also help you decide which options to trade.
- Customer Support: When you’re dealing with real money, good customer service is important. Top brokers offer support via phone, email, and chat – sometimes even 24/7. Some have local branches you can visit for help (Schwab and Fidelity have physical locations, for example). Responsive support means your questions get answered and problems get solved quickly, which can be a lifesaver if you’re confused about a trade or a technical issue.
Tip: Before committing real money, try out the broker’s platform if possible. Many of the best brokers for options trading offer paper trading (demo accounts) or at least let you explore the interface. Practicing with a simulator or small trades can help you see if you’re comfortable with the platform’s tools and layout.
By considering these factors – low fees, solid platforms, mobile access, education, and support – you’ll be well on your way to finding an options broker that fits your style. Now, let’s look at some of the top options trading brokers available today.
Best Brokers for Options Trading in 2025 (Top Picks)
When it comes to options trading, a few brokerage platforms stand out from the rest. Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best brokers for options trading in 2025. We’ll explain what makes each one special and who might benefit the most from it. Remember, all of these have no commissions for stock and ETF trades; our focus will be on their options trading features.
1. Charles Schwab – Great All-Around Platform with Thinkorswim
Why It’s Great: Charles Schwab is a big name in the brokerage world, and for good reason. It offers a bit of everything, making it a great selection for options traders bankrate.com. If you open a Schwab account, you get access to thinkorswim, one of the most powerful trading platforms (originally from TD Ameritrade, now part of Schwab).
Thinkorswim is packed with advanced charting tools and lets you test out option strategies easily – but don’t worry, you can use it for simple trades too once you learn the basics. Schwab’s pricing is fair and straightforward: $0 commission on trades, plus $0.65 per contract for options (which is the standard fee at most brokers). There’s no account minimum, so you can start with even a small amount of money.
For beginners, Schwab shines in customer support and education. They have tons of educational resources on options trading and investing. You can find articles, webinars, and even ask questions to their representatives. Many investors also like that Schwab doesn’t nickel-and-dime you with miscellaneous fees bankrate.com – there are no inactivity fees or surprise charges, making the experience stress-free.
With over 400 branch offices, you even have the option to get help in person if needed. And of course, Schwab has a robust mobile app so you can trade options on your phone or tablet. Overall, Schwab is one of the best brokers for options trading if you want a well-rounded, reliable platform that can grow with you as you become more experienced.
Tip: If you use Schwab’s thinkorswim platform, take advantage of its paperMoney® feature (paper trading mode) to practice options trading without risking real money. It’s a safe way to learn and test strategies before putting your cash on the line.
2. Fidelity – Top-notch Research and Customer Service
Why It’s Great: Fidelity is another excellent full-service broker that competes closely with Schwab. It’s often praised for its strong customer service and a user-friendly platform. Fidelity charges $0.65 per contract for options (no base commission), which is right in line with other major brokers bankrate.com. What makes Fidelity one of the best options trading brokers is its combination of simplicity and sophistication. Their web platform and Active Trader Pro desktop platform are easy to navigate and offer plenty of tools for options analysis, from customizable charts to option strategy tools.
One big advantage of Fidelity is its research offerings. Fidelity provides a large selection of research from various providers. If you like to study before you trade, you’ll appreciate the stock and options screeners, news feeds, and detailed reports available to clients. They also have an excellent reputation for customer support – you can get help 24/7 by phone or online chat, and they have physical branches in many cities. Fidelity’s mobile app is highly rated too, allowing you to trade options and manage your account on the go with ease.
They’ve even introduced features like a learning center in the app to help newcomers understand investing. Fidelity doesn’t have flashy promotions but instead focuses on giving investors a smooth and low-cost experience (they’ve eliminated most account fees, even for things like transfers). If you want a broker that’s beginner-friendly and capable of serving you as an advanced trader, Fidelity is a top pick.
3. Interactive Brokers – Best for Advanced Traders & Global Markets
Why It’s Great: Interactive Brokers (often abbreviated IBKR) is famous as the “broker to the pros.” It has a bit of a learning curve, but it’s definitely one of the best brokers for options trading if you plan to be very active or want advanced features. Interactive Brokers offers multiple trading platforms, including Trader Workstation (TWS) for desktop, which is extremely powerful.
TWS has an Options Strategy Lab and an Options Wizard tool to help you build complex option trades and see how they might perform bankrate.com. This broker also stands out for offering access to a huge range of markets – not just U.S. stocks and options, but international markets too. So, if you ever want to trade options on foreign stocks or other assets, IBKR can do that, whereas most other brokers cannot.
In terms of cost, Interactive Brokers has competitive fees. Under their IBKR Lite program, you pay around $0.65 per options contract, and there’s no base commission. High-volume traders benefit from volume discounts – if you trade a ton of contracts (like thousands per month), the fee can drop below $0.65 bankrate.com. For most beginners, though, volume discounts won’t matter right away. Keep in mind that Interactive Brokers may not be as immediately user-friendly as some other brokers; the interface can feel complex.
However, they have improved their IBKR Mobile app and also offer a simple web-based platform for casual traders. If you’re tech-savvy or interested in the deepest tools (or you want to trade other products like futures and forex in the same account), Interactive Brokers could be a great choice. It really caters to those who want more than just the basics once they get the hang of things.
4. Ally Invest – Low-Cost Option Trading
Why It’s Great: Ally Invest might not be as flashy as some others on this list, but it’s a solid choice if keeping costs low is your priority. Ally Invest offers one of the lowest options trading fees around: just $0.50 per contract bankrate.com, with no base commission on trades. This means if you trade options with Ally, you’re paying less per contract than the typical $0.65 that most brokers charge.
You don’t have to be a high-volume trader to get that rate either – everyone gets the same low price, which is “better-than-average” for the industry bankrate.com. Saving 15 cents per contract might not sound like much, but if you trade frequently or in multiple contract lots, it adds up over time.
Ally’s trading platform is web-based and fairly straightforward. It may not have as many advanced bells and whistles as thinkorswim or TWS, but it covers the basics well and is easy for beginners to navigate. If you’re already an Ally Bank customer, an added perk is that Ally Invest integrates with Ally Bank, so you can see all your accounts in one place and move money between banking and investing easily. Ally provides decent research tools (including some basic option analysis charts) and a clear, no-frills mobile app for trading.
Customer support is available via phone and chat, though unlike bigger brokers, it may not be 24/7 (you’ll typically reach them during extended business hours). Overall, Ally Invest is one of the best brokers for options trading for cost-conscious traders or those who value simplicity and already use Ally’s banking services. It proves you don’t need to pay a lot to get started with options.
5. E*TRADE – Powerful Tools on Web and Mobile
Why It’s Great: ETRADE has been a popular online broker for decades, known for its easy-to-use interfaces and robust tools. For options traders, ETRADE offers the Power E*TRADE platform, which is excellent for charting and technical analysis. One cool feature is the options risk/reward tool (snapshot analysis) that lets you visualize the potential profit or loss of an options trade before you place it bankrate.combankrate.com.
When it comes to pricing, ETRADE’s standard fee is $0.65 per contract for options. However, they reward more active traders: if you make more than 30 options trades in a quarter, your fee drops to $0.50 per contract bankrate.com. Hitting 30 trades in three months is a reasonable goal if you become a frequent trader (it’s roughly 10 trades a month). ETRADE’s blending of solid pricing with high-end tools makes it a strong contender.
Additionally, ETRADE offers a good range of educational content about options and investing for beginners. Their website has a whole section of articles and videos explaining how options work and strategies to consider. With reliable customer service and the backing of Morgan Stanley (which acquired ETRADE), this broker is a safe and smart choice. It’s particularly great if you want a balance between a feature-rich platform and an interface that won’t intimidate a newcomer.
6. Robinhood – Best for Commission-Free Simplicity
Why It’s Great: Robinhood is famous for pioneering commission-free trading, and it remains a favorite, especially among younger investors and beginners. The biggest selling point is that Robinhood charges $0 commissions for stock and options trades, with no per-contract fee either bankrate.com. In other words, trading options on Robinhood is completely free of brokerage fees – you only pay the option’s market price and tiny regulatory fees.
This makes Robinhood one of the best brokers for options trading if low cost is your number one priority. Its mobile app is extremely easy to use, making buying or selling an option as simple as a few taps on your screen. The interface is clean and minimalist, which is great if you’re just starting out and might be overwhelmed by too many charts or numbers.
However, it’s important to note some trade-offs. Robinhood’s simplicity comes with limited tools and research compared to other brokers bankrate.com. You won’t find the in-depth analytic tools or extensive educational resources that platforms like thinkorswim or Fidelity have. For example, you can’t directly build multi-leg strategies in one order ticket as easily, and advanced charting is fairly basic on Robinhood. That said, Robinhood has introduced improvements over time, and you can still execute common strategies (like buying calls/puts or spreads) manually.
They also offer Robinhood Gold (a paid subscription) which gives access to some research reports and higher instant deposit limits, but many beginners may not need that initially. Customer support historically was only via email, but Robinhood has been adding live support for urgent issues. In summary, Robinhood is fantastic for what it is: a simple, low-cost, mobile-first platform to get you started with options trading right away.
Just keep in mind that as you grow more advanced, you might crave more features than Robinhood offers. Many traders actually start on Robinhood and later graduate to one of the more feature-rich brokers listed above once they want more tools.
7. Webull – Mobile Trading with Zero Commissions
Why It’s Great: Webull is another newer broker that, like Robinhood, offers zero-commission trading for stocks and options. In fact, Webull also charges no contract fees on options, so it’s essentially free to trade aside from those tiny regulatory fees bankrate.combankrate.com. Webull is often compared to Robinhood because it has a sleek mobile app and gained popularity around the same time, but Webull has gradually set itself apart with more robust features.
The app provides more charting capabilities, technical indicators, and a bit more data for those who want to analyze trades. It’s still very user-friendly for beginners, but if you’re a bit more curious about technical analysis, you might appreciate Webull’s extra tools. For instance, you can view candlestick charts, add indicators like moving averages, and even paper trade on Webull to practice.
One interesting thing about Webull is that it offers access to cryptocurrency trading in the same app (though that’s separate from options on stocks), and it sometimes runs promotions that give free stocks for signing up or referring friends – a fun perk. As an options broker, Webull supports basic strategies (buying calls/puts, selling covered calls, etc.) and has been expanding to allow more complex multi-leg orders.
Since Webull is relatively new, it doesn’t have physical offices or a long track record of customer service like a Schwab or Fidelity. Support is mainly via app and email, but they do have a helpful online FAQ and community. Webull’s focus is definitely on being app-based and appealing to the modern, tech-savvy trader. If you want a blend of Robinhood’s cost structure with a few more analytical features, Webull is a terrific choice. It delivers a similar experience to Robinhood, and some would say even better in certain ways bankrate.com, all while keeping trading costs at zero.
Other Notable Options Trading Brokers: The seven brokers above are widely regarded as top picks, but they aren’t the only options. For example, Merrill Edge (Bank of America’s brokerage) is another solid platform that integrates with BoA accounts and offers $0.65 per contract pricing and strong research bankrate.combankrate.com. Merrill is great if you already bank with BoA, though its options tools are a bit more basic.
Another one is Firstrade, which we mentioned earlier – it stands out for truly $0 options trading (no commissions, no contract fee) bankrate.com, making it the absolute lowest-cost choice. Firstrade also provides a lot of educational content for beginners in multiple languages. Additionally, some newer app-based brokers like SoFi Invest, Public, or Moomoo have started offering options trading with no commissions as well.
These can be good for casual traders, but they might have limitations on advanced tools. As you can see, there’s a whole range of brokers available, and the best one for you depends on what features matter most to you.
Which Broker is Best for Options Trading for Beginners?
If you’re a beginner at options trading, you might be wondering where to start. The truth is, any of the best brokers for options trading we’ve discussed could work for beginners, but a few stand out depending on your needs:
- For a gentle learning curve: A full-service broker like Charles Schwab or Fidelity can be great for beginners. They offer tons of educational resources, and you can practice trading with guidance. Their platforms are robust but you can start with the basic web versions and move to advanced platforms (like thinkorswim) as you gain confidence. Plus, you can always reach customer support if you have questions.
- For absolute simplicity: If the idea of a complicated platform intimidates you, Robinhood might be the easiest introduction. The app’s design is very straightforward. You can execute a simple buy or sell of an option without wading through technical jargon. This simplicity can help you learn the very basics of how buying and selling options works. Just be careful: easy access means you should double-check that you understand the trade you’re making, since the app won’t force much analysis on you.
- For balancing ease and education: Webull or E*TRADE could be good middle-ground choices for beginners. Webull gives you a free and simple platform but with more learning tools (like paper trading and charts) once you’re ready. ETRADE has a friendly interface and lots of tutorials; you can start on the regular ETRADE site and later try Power E*TRADE’s advanced features as you progress.
Ultimately, the best options broker for a beginner is one that offers a mix of low cost, user-friendly tools, and strong educational support. You want a platform that doesn’t overwhelm you, but also grows with you. It’s perfectly okay (even smart) to start small: maybe make a single options trade on a paper trading account, or invest just a small amount to test the waters.
All the brokers we listed have no or low minimums, so you can start with as little money as you want. As you gain experience, you might stick with the broker if you love it, or switch to another that better fits your evolving style. The good news is that with today’s competitive brokerage market, beginners have plenty of great choices to safely learn and trade.
Conclusion
Choosing the right broker is a big step toward success in options trading. The best brokers for options trading in 2025 offer a mix of low fees, powerful (yet accessible) trading tools, and convenient mobile apps. Equally important, they provide education and support to help you make informed decisions – crucial when you’re dealing with options, which can be complicated at first. Whether you go with a full-service giant like Schwab or Fidelity, an advanced platform like Interactive Brokers, or a mobile-first app like Robinhood or Webull, be sure it aligns with your personal needs and comfort level.
Remember, the goal is to find a broker that makes you feel confident and in control as you learn the ropes. Take advantage of any demo accounts, tutorials, and customer service offered. Options trading can be an exciting way to invest, and having the right broker by your side will make the journey much smoother. Here’s to finding the perfect platform for your trading adventure – one that helps you grow your money while you grow your knowledge. Happy trading and always make sure to trade responsibly and within your means. Good luck on your options trading journey!
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