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Best Joint Brokerage Accounts

Review Updated
Matt Frankel, CFP®
Author: Matt Frankel, CFP®
Matt Frankel, CFP®
Matt Frankel, CFP®
Writer, Analyst

Matt is a Certified Financial Planner™ and investment advisor based in Columbia, South Carolina. He writes personal finance and investment advice for Motley Fool Money and its parent company The Motley Fool, with more than 4,500 published articles and a 2017 SABEW Best in Business award. Matt writes a weekly investment column for the Motley Fool ("Ask a Fool") that is syndicated in USA Today, and his work with Motley Fool Money has also been syndicated to MSN and Yahoo! Finance. He has been regularly featured on Fox Business and many other major outlets. He’s a graduate of the University of South Carolina and Nova Southeastern University, and holds a graduate certificate in financial planning from Florida State University.

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Ashley Maready
Fact Checked: Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready
Writer and Editor

Ashley Maready is a former history museum professional who made the leap to digital content writing and editing in 2021. She has a BA in History and Philosophy from Hood College and an MA in Applied History from Shippensburg University. Ashley loves creating content for the public and learning new things so she can teach others, whether it's information about salt mining, canal mules, or personal finance.

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Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

There are several reasons why opening a joint brokerage account could make good financial sense. However, not all brokers offer the ability to open an account with two or more owners.

Fortunately, some of our favorite brokers do allow for joint accounts to be opened. In this article, we'll discuss our top brokers for joint accounts, as well as some important things to keep in mind before you open one.

  • Our team of experts assessed 45+ trading platforms
  • We evaluate all brokerage accounts across the same 4 key criteria: user experience, cost efficiency, product variety, and support and security
  • Our brokerage ratings are never influenced by our advertising partners
  • We strictly feature products that offer federal insurance and high customer satisfaction, keeping our recommendations unbiased

Our 5 Best Joint Brokerage Acccounts

Broker/Advisor Best For Commissions Learn More
Award Icon 2025 Award Winner
E*TRADE Offer Image
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best For:

Low fees

 Commission:

Commission-free; other fees apply
Learn More for E*TRADE

On E*TRADE's Secure Website.

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Offer Image
Rating image, 4.0 out of 5 stars.
4.0/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
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Rating image, 4.0 out of 5 stars.
4.0/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
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Best For:

$0 mutual fund commissions

 Commission:

$0 per trade
Learn More for J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing

On J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing's Secure Website.

Interactive Brokers Offer Image
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
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= Poor
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
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Best For:

Low margin rates

 Commission:

As low as $0 stock trades
Learn More for Interactive Brokers

On Interactive Brokers' Secure Website.

Charles Schwab Offer Image
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Best For:

Full-service brokerage

 Commission:

$0 stock, ETF, and Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource® trades. No fees to buy fractional shares.
Read Review
Fidelity Offer Image
Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
5.0/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
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Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
5.0/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
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Best For:

Research tools

 Commission:

$0 commission for online U.S. stock and ETF trades. No fees to buy fractional shares.
Read Review

Reviews of the best brokers with joint brokerage accounts

For low fees: E*TRADE

E*TRADE
Learn More for E*TRADE

On E*TRADE's Secure Website.

Ratings Methodology
Award Icon 2025 Award Winner
E*TRADE

E*TRADE

Learn More

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Our Rating:

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Bottom Line

Fees:

Commission-free; other fees apply

Account Minimum:

$0

Special Offer Circle with letter I in it. Open a new eligible E*TRADE brokerage account, fund your account within 60 days of opening, and earn a cash bonus of up to $1,000, depending on the size of your deposit. Offer good for one use per customer, on a single account.

Open and fund and get up to $1,000

Learn More for E*TRADE

On E*TRADE's Secure Website.

Why E*TRADE made the list: E*TRADE was one of the first online brokers, and offers a ton of investment products and account types, including joint investment accounts. E*TRADE has one of the most feature-packed investment platforms in the industry, offering third-party stock research and lots of educational resources.

And for people who need a little extra guidance, it is one of the few major brokers to have a network of physical branches.

Read our E*TRADE review

For $0 mutual fund commissions: J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Learn More for J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing

On J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing's Secure Website.

Ratings Methodology
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing

Learn More

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Our Rating:

Rating image, 4.0 out of 5 stars.
4.0/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line

J.P. Morgan Investing is one of those rare brokers that charges zero transaction fees to buy and sell mutual funds. It's easy to use, even though it combines self-directed investing and an optional robo-advisory platform in one app. It's no-frills compared to other brokers, and it's most convenient for Chase customers. Pick this platform for low mutual fund fees and a no-nonsense interface.

Fees:

$0 per trade

Account Minimum:

$0

Special Offer

Earn a bonus up to $700 when you open and fund a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account (retirement or general) with qualifying new money by 01/23/2025.

Learn More for J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing

On J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing's Secure Website.

Why J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing made the list: J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing can be an excellent place to open a joint investment account, especially for existing Chase banking and credit card customers. J.P. Morgan has a user-friendly investment app, and gives clients access to J.P. Morgan's proprietary stock research.

It is one of the few brokers to charge $0 commissions on all mutual funds, and clients can get customer service in several convenient ways -- including in-person help at Chase branches.

Read our J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing review

For low margin rates: Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers
Learn More for Interactive Brokers

On Interactive Brokers' Secure Website.

Ratings Methodology
Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers

Learn More

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Our Rating:

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Bottom Line

A great low-cost option for small trade volume. While the interface isn't as clean or modern as that of other brokers, it gets the job done. Interactive Brokers is also a great choice for options investors, traders, and those trading on margin.

Fees:

As low as $0 stock trades

Account Minimum:

$0

Learn More for Interactive Brokers

On Interactive Brokers' Secure Website.

Why Interactive Brokers made the list: Interactive Brokers could be the best place to open a joint account if at least one of the account owners is an experienced investor. It offers one of the highest-rated trading platforms, has some of the lowest margin interest rates in the industry, and has some unique features, such as the ability to buy and sell stocks directly on dozens of international exchanges.

Read our Interactive Brokers review

For a full-service brokerage: Charles Schwab

Ratings Methodology
Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab

Our Rating:

Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Bottom Line

Charles Schwab pioneered the low-cost brokerage model decades ago, and that legacy continues with its lineup of no-commission-fee offerings. The robust lineup of account types, investment vehicles, and high quality app round out the stacked feature set.

Fees:

$0 stock, ETF, and Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource® trades. No fees to buy fractional shares.

Account Minimum:

$0

Read Review

Why Charles Schwab made the list: Charles Schwab is one of the largest brokers in the world, and was the pioneer of the "discount brokerage" model several decades ago. It offers a full range of investment products and account types, and has one of the top trading software platforms (thinkorswim). It has an unmatched library of educational resources, research, and investing tools.

While its app and web-based platforms aren't quite as easy to navigate as some of the others mentioned here, Schwab makes up for it with all of its valuable features.

Read our Charles Schwab review

For research tools: Fidelity

Ratings Methodology
Fidelity

Fidelity

Our Rating:

Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
5.0/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
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Bottom Line

Fidelity is massively popular because it works for beginners and advanced investors. You get $0 commission trades, tons of investment types, and good customer services you can meet in-person. Fidelity's research is top-notch without being overwhelming. Open an account with Fidelity to invest on an affordable platform that grows with you.

Fees:

$0 commission for online U.S. stock and ETF trades. No fees to buy fractional shares.

Account Minimum:

$0, ($1 minimum per fractional share transaction)

Read Review

Why Fidelity made the list: Fidelity is one of the largest and longest-established financial services firms in the U.S. Fidelity offers joint investment accounts, as well as pretty much any other type of brokerage account you can think of.

It offers independent research reports from over 20 different firms, has a library of educational resources, and allows for fractional share trading, which can make it easier for beginners to get started.

Read our Fidelity review

Pros and cons of joint brokerage accounts

There are some good reasons why you might want to open a joint brokerage account, but there are also some key drawbacks to consider.

Pros

  • Joint accounts can make estate planning much simpler.
  • Families can have fewer investment accounts to worry about.
  • Two or more people can contribute money, do research, and otherwise manage the account.

Cons

  • Any account holder can sell investments and withdraw money.
  • For unmarried joint account holders, it can complicate taxes.
  • Joint accounts can be subject to claims from both owners' creditors.

How to get started with a joint brokerage account

The process for opening a joint brokerage account is the same as for an individual brokerage account, with a few exceptions. Make sure that the broker you want to use allows the opening of joint accounts and gather the personal information of both people opening the account. Then follow these steps:

  • Make a short list of brokers that offer joint accounts, and compare the features, benefits, and drawbacks of each one.
  • Decide which is the best for you. You might not find a perfect fit, but choose the one that checks the most of your boxes.
  • Fill out the broker's new account application, which will include identifying information such as both account holders' Social Security numbers.
  • Add funds to the account. The easiest way is to link a bank account and transfer funds electronically, but most brokers will also allow you to mail a check or wire money. If the broker has physical branches, you might be able to make your initial deposit in person.
  • That's it -- you're ready to start investing together!

What is a joint brokerage account?

A joint brokerage account is an investment account that is owned by two or more account holders. The most common use of a joint account is to open one with a spouse or partner, but this doesn't have to be the case.

In any event, a joint brokerage account allows multiple people to have control over investment decisions, deposits, withdrawals, and more.

It's important to note that there are some types of brokerage accounts that can never be joint accounts, regardless of the broker's policy -- specifically IRAs. After all, IRA stands for individual retirement account.

Opening a joint brokerage account requires a bit more research to make sure a particular broker supports joint accounts, but there can be some good reasons why you might want to open one. And finding the broker that is the best fit for you can make a world of difference.

Brokerages we evaluated for consideration on this page: Acorns, Ally Invest, Axos Self-Directed Trading, Betterment, Cash App Investing, Charles Schwab, Delphia, Domain Money, Ellevest, Empower, eToro Brokerage, E*TRADE Core Portfolios, E*TRADE, Fidelity, Fidelity Cash Management, Fidelity Go®, Firstrade, FOREX.com, Interactive Brokers, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing, M1 Finance, Magnifi, Marcus Invest, Merrill Edge® Self-Directed, Moomoo, NinjaTrader, Personal Capital, Plynk, Prosperi Academy, Public, Robinhood, Rocket Dollar, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, SoFi Active Investing, SoFi Robo Investing, Stash, Stockpile, tastytrade, Titan, Tornado App, TradeStation, Tradier, Vanguard, Vanguard Digital Advisor®, Wealthfront, Webull, Zacks Trade.