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Best Roth IRA Accounts for October 2024

Fidelity and Wealthfront top our list of Roth IRAs that cater to self-directed and hands-off investors, respectively

A Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA) lets you invest for the future while enjoying tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals from your contributions. Roth IRA is also one of the most effective tools for estate planning. But you shouldn’t blindly entrust your retirement future to just any company. The best Roth IRA accounts offer a wide selection of investment options, high-quality financial planning tools, ease of transferring, and the proper support to help you reach your goals.

To help you find the best Roth IRA account, we conducted hundreds of hours of comprehensive research, data analysis, and live platform demos on 26 online brokers and 21 robo-advisors, covering a total of 73 criteria and 1,611 data points. Investopedia has been researching and reviewing Roth IRA accounts since 2019, and we've been a trusted source of financial information since 1999.

Best Roth IRA Accounts for October 2024

Best for Active Investors Seeking Full-Service Brokerage Features : Fidelity Investments


Fidelity Investments
  • Account Minimum: $0
  • Fees: $0 for stock/ETF trades, $0 plus $0.65/contract for options trades
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Excellent investment selection

  • Zero commissions on stocks, ETFs, and option trades

  • No Roth IRA account fees or minimums

  • High interest rate on uninvested cash

  • Strong customer support

Cons
  • Limited crypto and commodities trading

  • Some planning tools are hard to navigate

  • Virtual assistant needs improvement

Why We Chose It

Fidelity, Investopedia's choice as the best online broker overall, is the largest broker in the country for good reason. It has a massive investment offering, pays a high interest rate on uninvested cash, and offers a huge customer service network, making it the best full-service broker for active investors.

Overview

If you plan on building and actively managing your Roth IRA investment portfolio, a Fidelity Roth IRA delivers the complete package. It offers a massive investment selection, including stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), low-cost mutual funds, and options. Fidelity also provides multiple trading platforms suitable for both beginner and advanced investors. Finally, if you need help, you have many ways to get it. Fidelity provides a robo-advisor, human financial advisors, an extensive educational library, planning tools, and even in-person support at its 200 customer centers.

There are a few drawbacks. Fidelity doesn’t offer futures trading and only provides limited crypto and commodities trading. Its virtual assistant and some of its financial planning tools could be better. Still, most Roth IRA investors will be pleased with Fidelity’s full-service experience.

Fidelity also pays high interest on uninvested cash by automatically putting any unused balances into a money market fund. In periods of high interest rates, as seen currently, earning interest on spare cash can make a big difference.

Fidelity launched in 1946 and today has its headquarters in Boston.

Read the full Fidelity Investments review.

Best for Investor Education : Charles Schwab


Charles Schwab
  • Account Minimum: $0
  • Fees: $0 for stock/ETF trades, $0.65 per contract for options
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Wide variety of educational content

  • Multiple trading platforms

  • Excellent portfolio analysis tools and research screeners

  • No Roth IRA account minimums or fees

  • 24/7 phone support and available in-person support

Cons
  • No fractional-share ETF trades

  • Above-average costs on some mutual funds

  • No direct crypto investments

  • Low interest earned on uninvested cash

Why We Chose It

Charles Schwab appreciates that Roth IRA investors may need help with reaching their retirement goals. It provides an abundant variety of educational content, a user-friendly platform, and in-person support. 

Overview

If you’re still learning how to invest and manage a Roth IRA, consider a Charles Schwab IRA. It provides one of the most extensive libraries of educational content and research. Charles Schwab’s trading platform is also user-friendly while still providing a good range of analysis tools, including first-class ETF screeners. If you need more help, Charles Schwab provides 24/7 phone support and in-person support at its branches, including from financial advisors.

Charles Schwab has a few drawbacks on the investment side. It doesn’t allow fractional trading of ETF shares, meaning you can only buy complete shares for your Roth IRA. Although Charles Schwab offers spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, it doesn’t let you buy directly into cryptocurrencies and doesn’t pay the highest rate on uninvested cash.

Charles Schwab’s headquarters is in Westlake, Texas. The company was founded in 1971.

Read the full Charles Schwab review.

Best for a Truly Hands-Off Approach to Investing : Wealthfront


Wealthfront

Wealthfront

  • Account Minimum: $500
  • Fees: 0.25% for most accounts; no trading commission or fees for withdrawals, minimums, or transfers
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Automatically builds and manages portfolios for investors

  • Highly customizable portfolios

  • Free digital financial planning tools

  • First-class cash management account

Cons
  • No human financial advisors

  • 0.25% annual management fee

  • $500 account minimum

  • No brokerage services

Why We Chose It

Wealthfront offers the best robo-advisor to manage a Roth IRA. After investors set up their retirement account, it runs itself.

Overview

As a robo-advisor, Wealthfront builds and manages your Roth IRA investment portfolio automatically. When you first sign up, you use the platform to list your investment risk tolerance, goals, and preferences to set up your portfolio. You can customize the portfolio across hundreds of possible funds, including crypto, clean energy, and cannabis. The platform then runs your portfolio for you, rebalancing as necessary for your goals. In other words, you don’t have to track and update your investments constantly. That’s why Wealthfront has the best Roth IRA accounts for hands-off investing.

Wealthfront is a technology-first company. It doesn’t provide access to human financial advisors or even support from a live chat. While Wealthfront charges much less than a human advisor to run your portfolio, you do need to pay an ongoing 0.25% annual fee. Finally, you can’t trade individual stocks, ETFs, and other assets. You can only use the robo-advisor portfolios.

Wealthfront launched in 2011 and has its headquarters in Palo Alto, California.

Read the full Wealthfront review.  

Best for Automated Investing With Access to Human Advice : Betterment


Betterment

Betterment

  • Account Minimum: $0, $10 minimum to start investing. Crypto minimum $50. $50 minimum for rebalancing. 
  • Fees: 0.25% (annual) for investing plan accounts with at least $20,000 or at least $250 per month in recurring account deposits. Otherwise, the fee is $4/month. 0.65% (annual) fee on accounts with at least $100,000 in assets for Betterment Premium account holders with unlimited access to certified financial planners. Crypto accounts are charged an annual fee of 1% plus trading expenses. There are no management fees for Betterment Checking or Cash Reserve. For accounts with at least $2 million, there is a fee discount of 0.10%.

Paid non-client of Betterment. Views may not be representative; see more reviews at the App Store and Google Play StoreLearn More about this relationship.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Automatically plans and manages portfolios

  • Available access to human financial advisors

  • User-friendly platform

  • Wide range of portfolio options

  • No Roth IRA account minimum

Cons
  • Ongoing 0.25% annual fee; 0.65% for human advisors

  • Requires $100,000 for access to human advisors

  • No trading of individual stocks and other investments

Why We Chose It

Betterment runs a robo-advisor that still keeps the human touch. It combines automated investing for a Roth IRA with access to human financial advisors.

Overview

Betterment is another popular robo-advisor for Roth IRA investors. Like Wealthfront, Betterment also uses technology to design the portfolio for your Roth IRA and automatically make updates so you can set it and forget it. However, Betterment still allows investors to work with a human financial advisor.

While Betterment doesn’t require a minimum Roth IRA balance to use its regular robo-advisor, you need at least $100,000 to work with a human advisor. In addition, the annual fee goes up to 0.65%, versus 0.25% for the robo-advisor. As a robo-advisor, Betterment doesn’t allow you to trade on your own. While you can pick between different portfolio options, you can’t build your own from scratch.

Betterment was founded in 2008 by Jon Stein and has its headquarters in New York City.

Read the full Betterment review.

Best for Active Investors Seeking Automated Tools : M1 Finance


M1 Finance

 M1 Finance

  • Account Minimum: $100 ($500 minimum for retirement accounts) 
  • Fees: 0%; $36 per year for M1 Plus ($3/month, 3 months free for new users)
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Combines automated portfolio management with brokerage trading

  • No account and portfolio management fees

  • Excellent portfolio customization options

  • High-yield cash account

Cons
  • Limited tools for financial planning and goal setting

  • No human advisors

  • $500 minimum requirement for Roth IRAs

Why We Chose It

M1 Finance lets investors build their own portfolios while still accessing automated investment capabilities.

Overview

M1 Finance strikes a balance between robo-advisors that manage the Roth IRA portfolio for you and brokers, where you must build and manage the portfolio yourself. With M1 Finance, you automate part of the process by investing your Roth IRA into pre-built portfolios called Pies. There is a massive selection of Pies for different strategies and goals. M1 Finance then runs these investments for you automatically. You can also use the M1 Finance tools to rebalance your portfolio back to your targets with just one click. 

You can further customize the portfolio by buying into individual stocks, ETFs, and other investments. M1 Finance does not charge an annual fee for this service but makes money by earning interest on cash, subscription fees, and payment for order flow. A $3 monthly platform fee is charged for clients without an M1 Personal Loan or clients with minimum balances of less than $10,000 in their total aggregated M1 accounts.

M1 Finance is not for beginners. Even though the platform automates running the investments, you still need to plan and set up the portfolio yourself. M1 Finance doesn’t provide many planning tools to help you do so and does not have human advisors.

M1 Finance launched in 2015 and has its headquarters in Chicago.

Read the full M1 Finance review.

M1 Finance combines self-directed brokerage features with pre-built portfolios and automated portfolio management capabilities. M1 Finance does not provide advisory services and therefore is not considered a traditional robo-advisor.

Best for Access to Low-Cost Mutual Funds : Vanguard


Vanguard Logo
  • Account Minimum: $0
  • Fees: $0/stock and ETF trade, $0 plus $1 per contract for options
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Low-fee mutual funds and ETFs

  • Good customer service with human financial advisors

  • Automated portfolio management through its robo-advisor

  • Decent educational materials and planning tools

Cons
  • Dated Investment platform

  • Limited sophisticated trading capabilities

  • Up to $3,000 minimums for some mutual funds

Why We Chose It

Vanguard offers hundreds of mutual funds all charging rock-bottom annual management fees. It’s ideal for long-term buy-and-hold investors. 

Overview

Vanguard is famous for its low-cost mutual funds. It’s an ideal choice for long-term Roth IRA investors because the less you pay in mutual fund fees, the more you keep for your future retirement. On top of low costs, Vanguard also offers an excellent library of educational materials, access to human advisors, and a robo-advisor.

If you want to actively trade in your Roth IRA, Vanguard might not be a fit. Its platform doesn’t have the same capabilities and trading tools as other major competitors. It also looks out-of-date and needs an upgrade. Vanguard encourages a passive, buy-and-hold strategy for investing. That philosophy comes through with its simpler website and trading platform.

John Bogle founded Vanguard in 1975. Today, its headquarters is in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

Read the full Vanguard review.

Best Mobile App : E*TRADE


ETrade logo

 ETrade logo

  • Account Minimum: $0
  • Fees: No commission for stock, ETF, and mutual fund trades. Options are $0.50-$0.65 per contract, depending on trading volume.
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Industry-best mobile apps

  • No commissions on trades

  • No IRA account minimums or fees

  • Convenient IRA retirement withdrawal options

Cons
  • High $2,500 investment minimum on some ETFs

  • Limited crypto investing

  • Pays minimal interest on uninvested cash

Why We Chose It

E*TRADE, Investopedia’s choice as the best online broker for mobile investing and trading, solidifies itself as a pioneer in both mobile and online trading by offering two well-designed mobile apps with the right mix of what matters most in an intuitive mobile experience.

Overview

E*TRADE is an excellent all-around broker for Roth IRAs, but it stands out for its two mobile apps. The E*TRADE Mobile app is user-friendly and convenient for managing investments on the go. Power E*TRADE provides many advanced tools, including more robust charting, portfolio analysis, and screening capabilities. Once you retire, E*TRADE offers convenient IRA withdrawal options and lets you draw down your account using checks, a debit card, and direct bill pay.

E*TRADE doesn’t have many downsides. It doesn’t pay the best interest rate on uninvested cash. It doesn’t have direct crypto investing, but it does offer spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs. However, some of its ETFs require a high $2,500 minimum contribution. Besides that, there isn’t much to complain about for Roth IRA investors.

E*TRADE was founded in 1982 and has its headquarters in Arlington, VA.

Read the full E*TRADE review.

Best for a Wide Range of Global Assets : Interactive Brokers


Interactive Brokers

 Interactive Brokers

  • Account Minimum: $0.00
  • Fees: $0 commissions for equities/ETFs available on IBKR’s TWS Lite, or low costs scaled by volume for active traders that want access to advanced functionality such as order routing. $0.65 per contract for options on TWS Lite; that is also the base rate for TWS Pro users, with scaled rates based on volume. $0.85 per contract for futures.
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Trading available across over 150 markets in 34 countries

  • Excellent investment selection

  • Advanced platform trading capabilities

  • Fast trade execution 

Cons
  • Platform can be too complicated for beginners

  • Charges trading commissions

  • Slower trade execution zero-commission option

Why We Chose It

Interactive Brokers opens the entire world up to Roth IRA investors. Not only does it provide a wide range of investment options, but it also allows trading across 150 markets in 34 countries and 27 currencies.

Overview

Interactive Brokers is one of the best platforms for serious Roth IRA investors. You can access investments that are not widely available through its platform, including options, forex, futures, and American depositary receipts (ADRs). Interactive Brokers also has a global focus, letting investors access 150 markets across 34 countries. Finally, the Interactive Brokers platform offers advanced trading capabilities, ongoing research, and faster trade execution than the typical broker.

All these features can be overwhelming for beginner investors. In addition, if you want to access faster trade execution through Interactive Brokers Pro, you owe commissions on every trade. If you don’t plan on actively day trading in your Roth IRA, all this power might be overkill.

Interactive Brokers launched in 1977 and has its headquarters in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Read the full Interactive Brokers review.

The Bottom Line

The best Roth IRA account for you depends on your preferences and investment goals. If you’d like to invest on your own in a Roth IRA, Fidelity offers the best all-around broker experience. Vanguard is best for low-cost mutual funds, Interactive Brokers is best for advanced capabilities and access to global markets, and E*TRADE has the best mobile apps for investors.

For those wanting more help in managing their Roth IRA, Charles Schwab provides the best educational support. You could also use a robo-advisor to handle the work for you. Wealthfront provides the best hands-off experience through full automation, while Betterment combines automatic management with access to human advisors. To save money, you could build the Roth IRA portfolio yourself through M1 Finance while still gaining access to some automated portfolio management.

Roth IRA Vs. Traditional IRA

Why You Should Trust Us

Investopedia collected and analyzed 73 criteria that are the most important to readers choosing the right Roth IRA to fit their needs. We used this data to evaluate a total of 47 online brokerage and digital wealth management platforms based on their financial services, calculators and tools, and other features to provide unbiased, comprehensive reviews to ensure our readers make the right decision for their needs. Investopedia launched in 1999, and has been helping readers find the best Roth IRA accounts since 2019.

529 Plan Vs. Roth IRA: Which is Better to Pay for College?

You can make a case for either type of tax-deferred plan. Remember, you can take earnings–not just contributions–out of a Roth IRA free of penalty (but not free of tax) even before age 59 ½ and before the account is five years old if the money is used for eligible education expenses for your child, grandchild or spouse, not just for yourself. In fact, if you’re under 59 ½ but your account is five years or more in age, you can pull out earnings tax-free.

Still, many shrewd parents and grandparents use both types of plans to save for loved ones’ education. Here’s why. With a 529 plan, you are limited to a narrow menu of investments. With a Roth IRA, you have an almost unlimited choice of investments. Similarly, money from 529 plans can only be used mainly for education and related expenses and must not exceed certain formulas, whereas Roth IRA withdrawals can be spent on anything and you can withdraw as much as you have.

But 529 plans have the edge when it comes to contribution flexibility. There is no annual contribution cap on 529 contributions. In contrast, Roth IRAs impose a yearly contribution ceiling. When it comes to eligibility for using a plan, you can own and contribute to a 529 plan no matter how high your income is. With a Roth IRA, restrictions on your eligibility to contribute occur once your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) hits certain levels.

That mix of pros and cons is why many savvy adults combine the two plans’ strengths to pay for schooling.

“I have some clients who have both 529 and Roth IRAs and use both of them,” said Bob Chitrathorn, vice president of Wealth Planning at Simplified Wealth Management, in Corona, Calif.

Can You Bequeath a Roth IRA to Your Beneficiaries?

Yes, you can bequeath a Roth IRA to your beneficiaries. When the owner of a Roth IRA passes away, the assets in the account can be inherited by designated beneficiaries. However, there are different rules depending on the beneficiary's relationship to the original owner. These rules include:

Spouse Beneficiary: A spouse who inherits a Roth IRA has the option to treat the inherited Roth IRA as their own. This means they can either continue contributing to it, roll it into their own Roth IRA, or take withdrawals based on their own timeline.

Non-Spouse Beneficiary: For non-spouse beneficiaries, such as children, other relatives, or friends, the Roth IRA cannot be treated as their own. These beneficiaries, however, do still have the option to withdraw funds in accordance with the 10-Year Rule. In addition, some beneficiaries, such as minors, disabled individuals, or those within 10 years of age of the original owner, may qualify for exceptions to the 10-year rule.

On a final note, withdrawals from an inherited Roth IRA are generally tax-free as long as the account was open for at least five years before the original owner’s death.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What Is a Roth IRA Account?

    A Roth IRA is a retirement account. You add money each year and then invest it to grow for the future. A Roth IRA account offers tax-deferred growth during your career and tax-free retirement withdrawals after you turn 59½. These Roth IRA benefits can help you reach your long-term financial goals more effectively. 

  • How to Open a Roth IRA Account

    You can open a Roth IRA account with an investment broker or a robo-advisor. Once you've identified the best place to open a Roth IRA to meet your financial goals, you’ll need to create an account with the company first by providing your personal contact information, Social Security number, and a form of ID. You can transfer money into your Roth IRA using your bank. Then, you can invest in a Roth IRA. The specific process for how to start a Roth IRA will depend on the company you use.

  • How Many Roth IRA Accounts Can I Have?

    There is no limit on the number of Roth IRA accounts you can have. You can open multiple Roth IRA accounts with different companies to access different benefits. For example, you open one with a robo-advisor and another with a regular broker to invest on your own. You must still follow the same annual IRA contribution limits: $7,000 if you are younger than 50 and $8,000 if you are 50 or older in 2024. The Roth IRA limits are the same whether you have one account or many.

  • Do You Pay Taxes on a Roth IRA?

    You don’t pay taxes on your investment earnings in a Roth IRA while the money stays in your account. If you wait until you turn 59½ and have owned a Roth IRA for at least five years, your withdrawals are also tax-free. In other words, you avoid paying taxes on your investment earnings. If you take out your gains before reaching these milestones, you owe income tax on the gains and a possible 10% early withdrawal penalty. To learn more about the tax benefits, check out how a Roth vs. traditional IRA compares.

  • What Is the Income Limit for a Roth IRA?

    In 2024, the income limit for a Roth IRA is $161,000 for single filers and $240,000 for married couples filing jointly. If your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is above these limits for the year, you cannot directly contribute to a Roth IRA. However, you could continue investing money already in a Roth IRA or transfer funds from another retirement account using a Roth conversion. Every year, the IRS increases the income limits for inflation.

  • What Is the Five-Year Rule for Roth IRA?

    Before individuals can take tax-free withdrawals from a Roth IRA, they must know and understand the five-year rule, even if they are 59 1/2 and older. The rule mandates that the account holder's first contribution must have occurred at least five years after the Roth IRA has been opened.

    However, aside from withdrawals, there are two other scenarios in which the five-year rule could apply. For instance, receiving ownership of an IRA via inheritance and transferring a Traditional IRA into a Roth IRA will generally require account holders to wait five years before accessing the funds tax-free. It's important to note accessing the funds before the five-year rule is met may entail taxes and penalties.

  • Companies We Reviewed

    We researched and reviewed a total of 45 online brokerage and robo-advisor platforms to find the eight companies you see included on the list above. Below is the full list of companies we researched, along with links to individual company reviews to help you learn more before making a decision:

    Ally Invest, Charles Schwab, ChoiceTrade, E*TRADE, eOption, eToro, Fidelity, Interactive Brokers, J.P. Morgan Self Directed Investing, Lightspeed, Lime Financial, Merrill Edge, Public, Robinhood, SoFi Active Investing, SogoTrade, T. Rowe Price, tastytrade, TradeStation, TradeZero, Vanguard, Wealthsimple, Webull , WellsTrade, TC2000, moomoo

    TitanInteractive AdvisorsSofi Automated InvestingAlly Invest Robo PortfoliosSchwab Intelligent PortfoliosFidelity GoWells Fargo Intuitive InvestorJ.P. Morgan Automated InvestingEllevestVanguard Digital AdvisorWealthfrontBettermentM1 FinanceMerrill Guided InvestingSigfigStashE*TRADE Core PortfoliosAxos Managed PortfoliosAcorns

How We Picked the Best Roth IRA Accounts

Investopedia is dedicated to providing investors with unbiased, comprehensive reviews and ratings of online brokers and robo-advisors. Our review of the best Roth IRA accounts is the result of a thorough evaluation of 73 criteria that are critical to readers choosing the right Roth IRA. We used this data to develop comprehensive online broker and robo-advisor ranking methodologies for evaluating a total of 47 online brokerage and digital wealth management platforms based on their financial services, calculators and tools, and other features to provide unbiased, comprehensive reviews to ensure our readers make the right decision for their needs. Our last assessment for inclusion in this Best Roth IRA Accounts article was performed in April 2024.

Dotdash Meredith receives cash compensation from Wealthfront Advisers LLC (“Wealthfront Advisers”) for each new client that applies for a Wealthfront Automated Investing Account through our links. This creates an incentive that results in a material conflict of interest. Dotdash Meredith is not a Wealthfront Advisers client, and this is a paid endorsement. More information is available via our links to Wealthfront Advisers.

Guide to Roth IRA Accounts

Learn more about Roth IRA accounts:

Roth IRA: What It Is and How to Open One

How Can I Fund a Roth IRA If My Income Is Too High?

How to Use Your Roth IRA as an Emergency Fund

How a Roth IRA Works After Retirement

How to Convert to a Roth IRA

How Roth IRA Taxes Work

How to Open a Roth IRA in 5 Steps

How Converting to a Roth IRA Can Affect Taxes

What Fees Do You Pay in a Roth IRA?

How Do I Roll Over a SIMPLE IRA to a Roth IRA?

Roth IRA Fund Options From SoFi

Roth IRA Fund Options From E*TRADE

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Investopedia / Alice Morgan

Article Sources
Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy.
  1. Fidelity. "Roth IRA."

  2. Fidelity. "We Are Fidelity."

  3. Fidelity. "Help you cash work harder."

  4. Fidelity. "We Are Fidelity."

  5. Charles Schwab. "Insights & Education."

  6. Charles Schwab. "Exchange-Traded Funds Quotes & Research Tools."

  7. Charles Schwab. "Accessibility Help Center at Charles Schwab."

  8. Charles Schwab. "Company History."

  9. Wealthfront. "The Retirement of Your Dreams."

  10. Wealthfront. "Passing the Baton, Again."

  11. Betterment. "Jon Stein."

  12. M1 Finance. "Put Your Investing Strategy on Cruise Control."

  13. M1 Finance. "Sophisticated Wealth Building, Simplified."

  14. Vanguard. "Investment Products."

  15. Vanguard. "Our History."

  16. Crunchbase. "E*TRADE."

  17. Interactive Brokers. "Disclaimers."

  18. Interactive Brokers. "Supported ADRs."

  19. Crunchbase. "Interactive Brokers Group."