Brokerages Articles
2026 Robo-Advice Landscape: Survivors Search for the Next Leg of Growth
June 2026 by Ken Schapiro
With most early adopters already established as clients, robo-advice platforms compete on scale, pricing, planning depth and customization.
June 2026 by Ken Schapiro
With most early adopters already established as clients, robo-advice platforms compete on scale, pricing, planning depth and customization.
Robo-Advice Update for 2025: Continued Consolidation and Greater Customization
July 2025 by Ken Schapiro
With the initial wave of users onboarded, leading robo-advisers are shifting their focus to profitability.
July 2025 by Ken Schapiro
With the initial wave of users onboarded, leading robo-advisers are shifting their focus to profitability.
2024 Robo-Advice Landscape: Industry Shifts and Leading Platforms
June 2024 by Ken Schapiro
Increased fees at one robo-adviser and the shuttering of two robos at large firms illustrate the difficulty of making a profit while offering advisory services at rock-bottom prices.
June 2024 by Ken Schapiro
Increased fees at one robo-adviser and the shuttering of two robos at large firms illustrate the difficulty of making a profit while offering advisory services at rock-bottom prices.
How to Open a Brokerage Account
October 2023 by Anine Sus
Fees, more than anything, will affect your long-term returns, so pay close attention to them when choosing your broker.
October 2023 by Anine Sus
Fees, more than anything, will affect your long-term returns, so pay close attention to them when choosing your broker.
Turmoil in the Robo-Advice Industry, Plus the Best Robo Platforms
June 2023 by Ken Schapiro
A look back at the digital advice industry and an update on current robo products and performance.
June 2023 by Ken Schapiro
A look back at the digital advice industry and an update on current robo products and performance.
A Look at Five Leading Alternative Investment Platforms
March 2023 by Charles Rotblut, Sean Murphy, Eunice Kim, Pratham Shah, Grace Malone
A new set of investing platforms has emerged to expand individual investors’ access to asset types such as cryptocurrency, private debt, private real estate and fine art.
March 2023 by Charles Rotblut, Sean Murphy, Eunice Kim, Pratham Shah, Grace Malone
A new set of investing platforms has emerged to expand individual investors’ access to asset types such as cryptocurrency, private debt, private real estate and fine art.
Best of the Web: Seven Key Sites for Investors
November 2022 by Charles Rotblut, Matthew Bajkowski, Derek J. Hageman, Sean Murphy
These handpicked websites stand out as leaders in their respective fields, providing free access to quality data and tools.
November 2022 by Charles Rotblut, Matthew Bajkowski, Derek J. Hageman, Sean Murphy
These handpicked websites stand out as leaders in their respective fields, providing free access to quality data and tools.
Execution Prices Vary Significantly for Commission-Free Trades
November 2022 by Jack Gilleland
Brokers charging zero commissions does not necessarily mean “free” to the investor due to the practice of payment for order flow.
November 2022 by Jack Gilleland
Brokers charging zero commissions does not necessarily mean “free” to the investor due to the practice of payment for order flow.
Gauging the Current Robo-Advisers on Features & Returns
June 2022 by Ken Schapiro
Insight from The Robo Report into the most compelling robo services for 2022.
June 2022 by Ken Schapiro
Insight from The Robo Report into the most compelling robo services for 2022.
Online Discount Brokers: Comparing and Contrasting the Older and the New
March 2022 by Matthew Bajkowski, Adam Scheg, Dylan Dease, Jack Gilleland, Charles Griswold, Sean Murphy
Two major additions to the offerings of online brokers are fractional shares and cryptocurrency trading.
March 2022 by Matthew Bajkowski, Adam Scheg, Dylan Dease, Jack Gilleland, Charles Griswold, Sean Murphy
Two major additions to the offerings of online brokers are fractional shares and cryptocurrency trading.
Minimum Disclosure by Brokers and Advisers
November 2021 by Adam Scheg
Regulations intended to provide investors with more information about their financial advisers’ business practices have fallen short, according to Morningstar.
November 2021 by Adam Scheg
Regulations intended to provide investors with more information about their financial advisers’ business practices have fallen short, according to Morningstar.
Robo-Adviser 2021 Innovations and Performance Drivers
June 2021 by Ken Schapiro
Robo-advisers are now looking beyond investment management to banking and various other services.
June 2021 by Ken Schapiro
Robo-advisers are now looking beyond investment management to banking and various other services.
Are You Protected If Your Broker Goes Bankrupt?
January 2021 by John Deysher
For most investors, there are several layers of protection to keep your assets from disappearing in the event of a broker liquidation.
January 2021 by John Deysher
For most investors, there are several layers of protection to keep your assets from disappearing in the event of a broker liquidation.
Comparing Discount Brokers and Apps Given Recent Industry Changes
January 2021 by AAII Staff
Zero commissions and mergers are changing the face of the online discount broker arena.
January 2021 by AAII Staff
Zero commissions and mergers are changing the face of the online discount broker arena.
Broker Notifications Push Investors to Higher Risk
September 2020 by Matthew Bajkowski
investors who receive alerts from brokers on their investments are induced to take higher risk, according to a study by the Center for Tax and Accounting Research.
September 2020 by Matthew Bajkowski
investors who receive alerts from brokers on their investments are induced to take higher risk, according to a study by the Center for Tax and Accounting Research.
Proprietary Broker Strategies Underperform
April 2020 by AAII Staff
A study looked at the allocation ability of fund investors, as well as the differences in allocation ability between brokers encouraged to suggest their firm’s products (proprietary) and independent brokers (non-proprietary).
April 2020 by AAII Staff
A study looked at the allocation ability of fund investors, as well as the differences in allocation ability between brokers encouraged to suggest their firm’s products (proprietary) and independent brokers (non-proprietary).
Resources for Checking Out an Adviser or Broker
April 2020 by Ryan Reeh
You can find out a lot from a Google search, but BrokerCheck and the SEC’s IAPD databases are treasure troves of disclosure information on investment advisers and brokerage firms.
April 2020 by Ryan Reeh
You can find out a lot from a Google search, but BrokerCheck and the SEC’s IAPD databases are treasure troves of disclosure information on investment advisers and brokerage firms.
How Schwab Invests, and His Views on the Broker Industry
March 2020 by Charles R. Schwab
Insights from the discount broker pioneer about what he invests in and where he sees his industry going.
March 2020 by Charles R. Schwab
Insights from the discount broker pioneer about what he invests in and where he sees his industry going.
Comparing the Discount Brokers and Investment Apps
January 2020 by AAII Staff
This year’s broker guide includes the mobile services brokers offer and compares app-based capabilities against their web-based counterparts.
January 2020 by AAII Staff
This year’s broker guide includes the mobile services brokers offer and compares app-based capabilities against their web-based counterparts.
Comparing the Most Popular Online Brokers
January 2019 by Charles Rotblut, Jaclyn N. McClellan
The seven discount brokers most used by AAII members offer a comparable suite of tools and services, but vary in subtle ways that can help you choose between them.
January 2019 by Charles Rotblut, Jaclyn N. McClellan
The seven discount brokers most used by AAII members offer a comparable suite of tools and services, but vary in subtle ways that can help you choose between them.
2009 Discount Broker Guide
February 2009 by Jean Henrich
AAII's annual survey can help you find the right broker. This year's survey covers 51 firms that refer to themselves as discount.
February 2009 by Jean Henrich
AAII's annual survey can help you find the right broker. This year's survey covers 51 firms that refer to themselves as discount.
Your Brokerage Account: Protection Beyond SIPC
April 2006 by John Deysher
If a brokerage firm goes belly-up, how protected are customer accounts from creditors and other parties? While brokerage busts have been rare in recent years, it's a question worth pondering. A look at where you stand in the event of a problem.
April 2006 by John Deysher
If a brokerage firm goes belly-up, how protected are customer accounts from creditors and other parties? While brokerage busts have been rare in recent years, it's a question worth pondering. A look at where you stand in the event of a problem.