BEST OF

5 Best Online Brokers for Futures Trading and Commodities

We've picked the best futures trading brokers by reviewing platforms, commissions and fees, tools, research and support.

Chris Davis
By Chris Davis 
Edited by Arielle O'Shea

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The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.

Futures trading is a complicated business, even for experienced investors, and so is shopping for a brokerage to use for futures and commodities trading. It’s not just about contract fees and trading platforms (although both are important factors to consider).

Trading in futures requires looking for a broker that offers the highest level of real-time data and quotes, an intuitive trading platform, an abundance of charting and screening tools, technical indicators and a wealth of research — plus the ability to leverage your account with reduced day-trading margin requirements. All of that, and you still want low costs and high-quality customer support.

These are the features and services we focused on in our rankings, concentrating on the world of online discount brokers that serve self-directed traders (not pros) seeking to quickly execute their own futures strategies.

If you’re new to futures trading and want to dabble in this strategy, you should understand how to trade futures, determine the risks involved, and have your financial bases covered. And if you decide you’d rather stick to stock trading, which — while still risky — is vanilla compared with futures? Check out our list of the best brokers for stock trading instead.

Best Online Brokers for Futures Trading and Commodities

NerdWallet rating 

5.0

/5
Interactive Brokers Futures
Learn more

on Interactive Brokers' website

Fees

$0.25 - $0.85

Account minimum

$0

Promotion

None

no promotion available at this time

NerdWallet rating 

4.5

/5
TradeStation Futures
Fees

$1.50

Account minimum

$0

Promotion

50% Off

Futures Brokerage Fees for New Customers with Code FUTRAFZT

Want to compare more options? Here are our other top picks:

Last updated on February 1, 2023

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SoFi Checking and Savings

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
SoFi Checking and Savings

APY

3.75%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Bonus

$250

Earn up to $250 with direct deposit. Terms apply.

Discover Bank Online Savings

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Discover Bank Online Savings

APY

3.50%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Bonus

$200

Requirements to qualify

at Discover Bank, Member FDIC

LendingClub High-Yield Savings

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
LendingClub High-Yield Savings

APY

4.00%

With $0 min. balance for APY

at LendingClub Bank, Member FDIC

Methodology

NerdWallet’s comprehensive review process evaluates and ranks the largest U.S. brokers by assets under management, along with emerging industry players. Our aim is to provide an independent assessment of providers to help arm you with information to make sound, informed judgements on which ones will best meet your needs. We adhere to strict guidelines for editorial integrity.

We collect data directly from providers through detailed questionnaires, and conduct first-hand testing and observation through provider demonstrations. The questionnaire answers, combined with demonstrations, interviews of personnel at the providers and our specialists’ hands-on research, fuel our proprietary assessment process that scores each provider’s performance across more than 20 factors. The final output produces star ratings from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars).

For more details about the categories considered when rating brokers and our process, read our full methodology.

To recap our selections...

NerdWallet's Best Online Brokers for Futures Trading and Commodities

Frequently asked questions