2025 US Stock Trading Platform Ultimate Guide | Broker Comparison for Beginners to Get Started Quickly

Want to invest in US stocks but overwhelmed by all kinds of trading platforms? Don’t worry, this article will tell you directly: The most important thing is to first ask yourself three questions—are you a large-capital investor with sufficient funds or a small-scale tester? Do you require Chinese language support? Do you value fees more or features? Different answers mean completely different broker choices.

Starting from Zero: How Low Is the Barrier to Entry for US Stock Investment?

Many people have a misconception about US stock investing, thinking that opening an account requires a large fee. Actually, opening a US stock account at a regulated financial institution is basically free, with real costs coming from three sources:

1. The cost of purchasing stocks itself
US stocks are traded in units of 1 share (unlike Taiwan stocks which require buying in lots of 1000 shares), so theoretically, you can buy a stock for just a few hundred dollars. For example, Facebook’s current stock price is about $631, so buying one share costs $631.

2. Trading commissions from different brokers
Some charge per trade, some charge per share, and some are completely commission-free. This is the key factor in choosing a broker.

3. If trading via Contracts for Difference (CFD), additional costs like spreads, overnight fees, etc.
CFD allows you to control more assets with less capital (up to 200x leverage), but costs also increase accordingly.

The 5 Major US Stock Trading Platforms Cost Battle｜Real Benchmark Data

First, look at this table to intuitively understand the differences:

*Mitrade policy: For total deposits under $10,000, the first withdrawal in a month is free; subsequent withdrawals are $5 each. For deposits ≥$10,000, the first 2 withdrawals per month are free; afterward, $5 per withdrawal.

In-Depth Broker Comparison: What Are Their Unique Tricks?

InteractiveBrokers｜Old-timer with the most comprehensive features

Core Advantages

• Extremely wide range of trading products: stocks, ETFs, funds, bonds, options, futures, forex, CFDs, all available
• Supports multiple global markets (US, UK, Germany, Japan, Korea, etc.), truly an international investment platform
• Especially cost-effective for large-volume trading, the more you trade, the lower the per-share fee (as low as $0.0005)
• Founded in 1977, well-capitalized, top safety

Disadvantages and Barriers

• Complex platform interface, not friendly to beginners
• Higher costs for small trades ($0.005/share fixed fee)
• To use margin accounts, minimum $2,000 account balance required
• Although deposit is zero barrier, the experience may require a learning curve

Suitable for: Investors with some trading experience, funds over 500,000 RMB, seeking diversified asset allocation

Mitrade｜Beginner-friendly, small funds also workable

Core Advantages

• Simple, intuitive interface, learn in 3 minutes
• Zero commissions, no hidden fees
• Very low minimum deposit: only $50 to start trading
• Offers demo account with $50,000 virtual funds for risk-free practice
• 24/5 full Chinese customer support, with local Taiwan team
• CFD leverage up to 200x adjustable, amplifying small investments
• Trade stocks, indices, forex, gold, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, over 400 products

Points to Note

• Demo account validity is only 3 months
• CFD trading carries higher risk than traditional stocks, need risk awareness
• Overnight fees are charged (but usually very small, e.g., gold buy-in -0.0168%)

Practical Cost Example
If you buy Facebook (META) stock via Mitrade:

• Stock price: $631
• trading with CFD, only $31.55 (5x leverage)
• Trading fee: $0
• Spread: usually just $0.5-1
• Overnight fee: very small (daily based on a fraction of trading amount)

Compared to IB’s $3.155 (0.005×631), Mitrade is much cheaper.

Suitable for: Funds between 50,000-500,000 RMB, quick onboarding, Chinese support preferred

SogoTrade｜Friendly for big traders, small investors beware

Fee Structure

• Under 100 shares: fixed $2.88 per trade
• Orders over $2,000 principal: $0 commission

Evaluation
If you plan to invest over $2,000 each time, this is a good choice. But for small tests, paying $2.88 per trade isn’t cost-effective. Also, beware of recent phishing sites—make sure to confirm the official website before opening an account.

Firstrade｜Commission-free but watch hidden costs

Features

• Zero commissions, no minimum deposit, no minimum balance
• Established in 1985, reputable
• Supports Chinese app
• Offers stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds

Drawbacks

• Chinese customer service sometimes has time zone delays (Eastern US time)
• Quotes may have delays
• Be aware of PFOF (payment for order flow) possibly leading to hidden costs
• User feedback indicates customer service response can be slow

Fidelity｜Suitable for those with existing overseas accounts

Current Status

• Founded in 1946, global wealth management giant
• Personal investors pay no commissions
• No routine fees (phone and brokerage services are free)

Limitations

• Taiwan residents cannot open direct accounts, only use existing accounts
• Taiwanese users can only buy funds, not trade US stocks directly
• Margin interest rates are high (5.5%-9.825%)

What About Using Local Taiwanese Brokers’ Repatriation Accounts?

“Repatriation account” means using a Taiwanese broker to place orders through an overseas broker. Local options include these 5:

Repatriation vs Direct Forex Account

• Advantages: Local support, direct currency conversion, no need to fill overseas tax forms
• Disadvantages: Usually higher fees (around 1% vs 0-0.005% for forex accounts), limited trading products, slower settlement

Generally, if your investment is under NT$5 million and only in US stocks, repatriation accounts are acceptable; for diversified assets or frequent trading, opening a forex account directly is more cost-effective.

3 Quick Steps to Open an Account (Using Mitrade as Example)

Step 1: Register an account
Visit the official website, click “Create Account,” fill in email, set password, choose base currency (USD/AUD/CNY, etc.), or connect via Facebook/Google.

After registration, you get a demo account with $50,000 virtual funds for risk-free experience.

Step 2: Complete KYC verification
Switch to real account and provide:

• Residence country and address
• ID number and type
• Date of birth, phone number, etc.

Mitrade offers full Chinese support, usually completes review within 24 hours.

Step 3: Deposit and place orders
Supports multiple deposit methods: Skrill, Poli, Visa/MasterCard, bank transfer, etc. After deposit, you can trade nearly 400 products (including US stocks, indices, forex, gold, crypto, ETFs).

After choosing the right platform, these tools can greatly improve your trading quality

Modern US stock trading platforms like Mitrade offer free:

Real-time quotes and charts

• No delay quotes, various chart tools
• Technical analysis indicators integrated
• One-click tracking of multiple assets

Trading calendar and news

• Economic calendar with key data releases and market holidays
• Real-time news covering forex, commodities, cryptocurrencies, indices, etc.
• Helps you avoid risks in advance

Market sentiment indicators

• Real-time long/short positions ratio
• Reflects market attitude towards assets

Risk management tools

• Automatic take profit/stop loss
• Trailing stop-loss that follows profit changes
• Protects your gains without constant monitoring

Final Tips to Avoid Pitfalls

If you are…

Beginner investor (funds 50,000-300,000 RMB)
→ Choose Mitrade: lowest fees, best Chinese support, user-friendly interface

Experienced big investor (funds over 500,000 RMB)
→ Choose InteractiveBrokers: most comprehensive, international, best for large trades

Want speed and simplicity
→ Choose Firstrade: free commissions, quick account opening, clean interface

Must use local Taiwanese channels
→ Choose KGI or Fubon: reasonable fees, localized service

Core advice: First try a demo account (many platforms offer this), find the one that suits your trading style, then invest real money. There is no absolutely “best” platform for US stocks, only the one that fits you best.