Warren Buffett once said: “hang out with people better than you.” I.e. learn from the best. Great advice for investors but sound advice for the platforms that serve them too. 

To help investment platforms do just that, our Modern Investor Pulse survey asked over 3,000 highly engaged modern retail investors which platforms they favor and what matters to them when choosing which one to use. 

The US’s top three are here (in no particular order) along with a look at why modern retail investors are such big fans.

Get in touch to see the full list and find out where your platform ranks.

Fidelity

Many Fidelity users cited trust and credibility as important factors when choosing a platform, with the weight of the Fidelity brand (and its $4.9 trillion AUM) understandably inspiring confidence among its customers. In a trend visible across all of the top US platforms, low fees are also a priority for Fidelity customers. The platform offers tons of investments across fixed income products and stocks, including low-cost and fee-free mutual funds and ETFs. Users also get access to free research reports, returned checks, and account management.

Charles Schwab

Like Fidelity, investors who ranked it top valued its low fees, broad product selection, customer service, and credibility. Investors can get started with a $0 minimum balance amount, making investment accessible for all budgets. Schwab also excels with its curation of accessible analysis that includes Schwab’s own equity ratings and commentary from the industry’s top research firms. 

Robinhood

As with fans of Fidelity and Charles Schwab, low fees are a big priority for Robinhood’s merry men, along with user experience, and being a mobile-first platform. The tech-first broker burst onto the scene in 2013 with a beautifully designed app that gamified the investment experience. First-time users are given clear explanations for each step: these are all well signposted but can be easily bypassed by experienced investors looking to get onto the platform quickly. The app also provides recommendations on investments, alongside an explanation of what the investment involves. 

Want to know more? Find out How Investing Content Helped Robinhood Build Best In Class Customer Engagement here. 

Get the full list