Best Day Trading Platforms and Brokers in 2024

Written By

James Barra

Edited By

William Berg

Fact Checked By

Jemma Grist

Looking to trade or invest in stocks? We’ve carefully evaluated and ranked the top stock brokers and trading platforms to help you find the most suitable option for your active trading needs.

Top 10 Stock Brokers for Day Trading

Our comprehensive analysis of 267 brokers, conducted as of October 2024, reveals the following day trading platforms as the top choices for stock traders. Every stock broker listed we evaluated using a real money or test account.
Click a broker for details

HEADWAY

FOREXWORDFX

FOREXMART

This is why we think these brokers are the best in this category:

Best Stock Brokers For Day Trading Comparison

How Did forextradingadvices.com Choose The Best Brokers For Day Trading Stocks?

Our comprehensive broker ratings and rankings are based on thorough analysis across multiple critical factors, reflecting each platform’s overall trading capability and service quality.

  • Quantitative metrics: We scrutinized over 200 data points across 8 core categories, carefully documented by our experts.
  • Qualitative insights: Our extensive testing process yielded valuable observations that further informed our evaluation.

Importantly, we also weigh costs with the quality of the services provided – if you simply pick the broker with the lowest fees, you might compromise on platform features or face hidden costs later.

You can compare the typical fees you will incur at our best brokers below.
Top Platforms For Day Trading – Regulator Data

Platforms

Choosing a broker with a high-quality charting platform is essential for day trading because most intraday traders use technical analysis to identify trading opportunities.
Most brokers offer several platforms to choose from; some will tick the boxes for the average day trader with an intuitive design and user-friendly interface, while others offer more advanced charting packages and analysis tools for the veteran trader.
I recommend using a demo account to make sure the platform works for you.
A demo account will allow you to explore the platform risk-free and assess the broker’s reliability before trading with real money.

admin

MetaTrader 4 Platform
Our recommended brokers offer top-rate platforms, an assessment we routinely make by testing the software available and evaluating their usability, charting packages and trading tools.
You can compare the platforms and apps available at our best brokers below.
Top Platforms For Day Trading – Fee Data

Markets

Choosing a broker that provides trading opportunities on the markets you are interested in is critical, as not every firm offers every asset type.
Our recommended brokers provide access to popular global markets, such as stocks, forex and commodities, something we confirm by signing in to brokers’ platforms to record the assets available.
We also consider the availability of trading vehicles that cater specifically to day traders, such as contracts for difference (CFDs). This derivative allows you to speculate on rising and falling prices without owning the underlying asset.
You can compare the financial markets available at our best brokers below.
Top Platforms For Day Trading – Fee Data
Note market access may vary depending on jurisdictional rules.
Below are the key considerations that shaped our stock broker ratings. We recommend you take these factors into account when choosing an online stock broker.

Comparing Forex Brokers

To find the best brokers for day trading forex we identified those that deliver in critical areas:

Currency Pairs

We chose forex platforms with a wide range of currency pairs, providing diverse trading opportunities while enabling investors to spread risk and use various short-term strategies.

Advanced traders often seek platforms offering extensive forex pair selections, including exotic pairs like EUR/MXN and GBP/ZAR, as these markets' increased volatility presents more profit opportunities for skilled day trading strategies.

All our top-rated forex brokers provide 50+ currency pairs, with CMC Markets standing out by offering over 330 pairs, including an extensive selection of exotic currencies and forex indices, leading the industry in trading pair variety.

Comparison of Currency Pairs

Regulation and Trust

We chose low-cost forex trading platforms that will help maximize returns, as even small differences in fees can add up over many day trades.
We evaluated both the minimum spreads on key currency pairs, notably the EUR/USD, GBP/USD and EUR/GBP, but also average spreads. We did this by recording spreads during the most actively traded sessions – the US/London overlap and the Sydney/Tokyo overlap. We then compared these with industry averages.

Tip: Advanced traders should consider a firm like Interactive Brokers. Their IBKRO Pro plan provides access to the IB SmartRoutingSM system which offers excellent execution by looking for the best available prices on stocks.

How Do I Start Trading Stocks?

The first step is to open an account with a stock brokerage.

While numerous online stock brokers and trading platforms are available today, selecting the ideal one requires careful consideration of your specific trading goals, preferred stock markets, and individual trading style. The right choice will depend on whether you’re focusing on day trading, long-term investing, or specific market sectors, along with factors like your preferred trading tools, research needs, and commission structure preferences.

Initial deposit requirements vary from zero to $500 depending on the broker. Higher deposits often unlock premium features like advanced trading tools, comprehensive market research, and enhanced platform capabilities that can significantly improve your trading experience.

After that, you can log into the stock trading platform or app to find opportunities and place trades.
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