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Personal Finance

These are the best IRAs for all types of investors, from beginners to the more experienced

The top IRAs have low fees and a variety of investment options to maximize your retirement savings.

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Many people use individual retirement accounts — more commonly known as IRAs — to save up money for their non-working years.

Investing in an IRA is an effective way to make sure you're setting aside a retirement nest egg, especially if you don't already have a 401(k) plan offered by your employer.

IRAs also offer tax benefits, and they are set up to encourage you to leave your funds untouched by imposing early withdrawal penalty fees should you tap into your earnings before age 59 and a half. However, there's a limit to how much you can contribute to an IRA annually, which resets each year on tax day.

To determine which IRAs are the best overall, CNBC Select reviewed and compared over 20 different accounts offered by national banks, investment firms, online brokers and robo-advisors. While there are several types of IRAs on the market, such as traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs and SIMPLE IRAs, we chose to focus on only traditional IRAs for this ranking.

To identify our top IRAs, we narrowed down the choices by selecting only those that require no minimum deposit, offer commission-free trading of stocks and ETFs, provide a variety of investment options and have educational resources or tools to help all sorts of investors. (See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best traditional IRAs.)

Best individual retirement accounts (IRAs)

Best for low fees

Charles Schwab

  • Minimum deposit and balance

    Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. No account minimum for active investing through Schwab One® Brokerage Account. Automated investing through Schwab Intelligent Portfolios® requires a $5,000 minimum deposit

  • Fees

    Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Schwab One® Brokerage Account has no account fees, $0 commission fees for stock and ETF trades, $0 transaction fees for over 4,000 mutual funds and a $0.65 fee per options contract

  • Bonus

    None

  • Investment vehicles

    Robo-advisor: Schwab Intelligent Portfolios® and Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium™ IRA: Charles Schwab Traditional, Roth, Rollover, Inherited and Custodial IRAs; plus, a Personal Choice Retirement Account® (PCRA) Brokerage and trading: Schwab One® Brokerage Account, Brokerage Account + Specialized Platforms and Support for Trading, Schwab Global Account™ and Schwab Organization Account

  • Investment options

    Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs and ETFs

  • Educational resources

    Extensive retirement planning tools

Terms apply.

Pros

  • $0 minimum deposit for active investing
  • No commission fees for stock and ETF trades and no transaction fees for over 4,000 mutual funds
  • Offers extensive retirement planning tools
  • Users can get on-demand advice from a professional advisor/Schwab expert
  • Robo-advisor Schwab Intelligent Portfolios® available as a no-fee automated service option (with Premium version available for a fee)
  • Trading platform StreetSmart Edge® available for more active investors
  • 24/7 customer support access by phone or chat
  • Charles Schwab offers over 300 brick-and-mortar branches across the U.S. for in-person support

Cons

  • Specific transactions may require commission fee
  • Robo-advisor Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium charges a one-time planning fee of $300, then a $30 per month advisory fee. For that price, you get unlimited 1:1 guidance from a CFP, interactive planning tools, plus a personalized roadmap for reaching your goals

Best for beginner investors

Fidelity Investments

  • Minimum deposit and balance

    Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. No minimum to open a Fidelity Go® account, but minimum $10 balance for robo-advisor to start investing

  • Fees

    Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Zero commission fees for stock, ETF, options trades and some mutual funds; zero transaction fees for over 3,400 mutual funds; $0.65 per options contract. Fidelity Go® has no advisory fees for balances under $25,000 (0.35% per year for balances of $25,000 and over and this includes access to unlimited 1-on-1 coaching calls from a Fidelity advisor)

  • Bonus

    Find special offers here

  • Investment vehicles

    Robo-advisor: Fidelity Go® IRA: Traditional, Roth and Rollover IRAs Brokerage and trading: Fidelity Investments Trading Other: Fidelity Investments 529 College Savings; Fidelity HSA®

  • Investment options

    Stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, CDs, options and fractional shares

  • Educational resources

    Extensive tools and industry-leading, in-depth research from 20-plus independent providers

Terms apply.

Pros

  • No commission fees for stock, ETF, options trades
  • No transaction fees for over 3,400 mutual funds
  • Limited-time special offers
  • Abundant educational tools and resources
  • 24/7 customer service
  • Over 100 brick-and-mortar branches across the U.S. for face-to-face support

Cons

  • Fidelity Go® has a 0.35% advisory fee per year for balances of $25,000 and over
  • Some of Fidelity's mutual funds require reaching specific thresholds
  • Reports of platform outages during heavy trading days

Best for experienced investors

Vanguard

  • Minimum deposit and balance

    Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. No minimum to open a Vanguard account, but minimum $1,000 deposit to invest in many retirement funds; robo-advisor Vanguard Digital Advisor® requires minimum $3,000 to enroll

  • Fees

    Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Zero commission fees for stock and ETF trades; zero transaction fees for over 3,000 mutual funds; $20 annual service fee for IRAs and brokerage accounts unless you opt into paperless statements; robo-advisor Vanguard Digital Advisor® charges up to 0.20% in advisory fees (after 90 days)

  • Bonus

    None

  • Investment vehicles

    Robo-advisor: Vanguard Digital Advisor® IRA: Vanguard Traditional, Roth, Rollover, Spousal and SEP IRAs Brokerage and trading: Vanguard Trading Other: Vanguard 529 Plan

  • Investment options

    Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs, ETFs and options

  • Educational resources

    Retirement planning tools

Terms apply.

Pros

  • No commission fees for stock and ETF trades
  • No transaction fees for over 3,000 mutual funds
  • One of the largest ETF and mutual fund offerings around
  • Robo-advisor Vanguard Digital Advisor® available for 90-day free trial with no advisory fees
  • Vanguard 529 Plan helps you save for college early on
  • Excellent customer service
  • Offers retirement planning tools
  • Customers get access to GetHuman, a website dedicated to human-to-human customer service, with features that include talking to a Vanguard rep, notice of the current hold time, reminders to call when call center opens, as well as pro tips and talking points for customers
  • Vanguard Personal Advisor Services® available for personalized support

Cons

  • Many retirement funds require $1,000 to invest
  • $20 annual service fee for IRAs and brokerage accounts (investors can waive this fee by opting into paperless statements)
  • Robo-advisor Vanguard Digital Advisor® requires minimum $3,000 to enroll and charges up to 0.20% in advisory fees (after 90 days)
  • Basic trading platform only
  • No robust research and data tools

Best for hands-off investors

Betterment

  • Minimum deposit and balance

    Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. For example, Betterment doesn't require clients to maintain a minimum investment account balance, but there is a ACH deposit minimum of $10. Premium Investing requires a $100,000 minimum balance.

  • Fees

    Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected, account balances, etc. Click here for details.

  • Investment vehicles

  • Investment options

    Stocks, bonds, ETFs and cash

  • Educational resources

    Betterment offers retirement and other education materials

Terms apply. Does not apply to crypto asset portfolios.

Pros

  • No trade or transfer fees
  • Good for automated investing
  • Customizes users' portfolios around their financial goals, timeline and risk tolerance
  • Users can assign specific investing goals (short- and long-term) to each portfolio and invest using different strategies (less and more risk)
  • Quick and easy to set up account
  • Able to sync external retirement accounts to your Betterment retirement goal so all your accounts are in one place. Premium plan users get unlimited access to a financial advisor (otherwise, one-time advisor consultations cost a fee ranging from $299 to $399)
  • Advanced features include automatic rebalancing, tax-saving strategies and socially responsible investing

Cons

  • Base price for investing accounts is $4/month - recurring monthly deposits totaling $250, or total Betterment account balances reaching $20,000, automatically switch you to an annual price of .25% of your investing account balances
  • Premium plan requires $100,000 minimum balance

Best for hands-on investors

E*TRADE

  • Minimum deposit and balance

    Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. No minimum to open an E*TRADE brokerage account; minimum $500 deposit to invest in robo-advisor platform Core Portfolios

  • Fees

    Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Zero commission fees for stock, ETF and options trades; zero transaction fees for over 4,400 mutual funds; robo-advisor Core Portfolios charges 0.30% annual advisory fee

  • Investment vehicles

    Robo-advisor: E*TRADE Core Portfolios IRA: E*TRADE Traditional, Roth, Rollover, Beneficiary, SEP and SIMPLE IRAs, IRA for Minors and E*TRADE Complete™ IRA Brokerage and trading: E*TRADE Trading Other: E*TRADE Coverdell ESA (Education Savings Account), Custodial Account for minors and small business retirement plans

  • Investment options

    Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs, ETFs, options and futures

  • Educational resources

    Educational library includes in-depth articles and videos for any type of investor

Terms apply.

Pros

  • No commission fees for stock, ETF and options trades
  • No transaction fees for over 4,400 mutual funds
  • Automated investing through Core Portfolios platform (minimum required)
  • E*TRADE Coverdell ESA helps you save for college early on
  • Active traders receive volume discounts on options
  • Free analyst research and investing tools
  • Strong mobile platform

Cons

  • Robo-advisor Core Portfolios requires minimum $500 to enroll and charges 0.30% annual advisory fee
  • Website may be cumbersome to wade through
  • No forex trading

IRA FAQs

What is an IRA?

IRAs are tax-advantaged investment accounts. They offer a range of investments for your money, such as individual stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs and cash.

You can open an IRA at most banks and credit unions, as well as through online brokers and investment companies.

If you already make automatic contributions into a 401(k) account through your employer, you may wonder if you also need an IRA. IRAs supplement these other retirement accounts and come with their own advantages. They are accessible and easy to set up, plus individuals can shop around for the right investments for their finances versus being limited to their employer's 401(k) plan. This gives you the flexibility to make your own investment selections, with the guidance of the brokerage firm or bank that manages your account.

You can also set up automatic contributions into your IRA from your checking or savings account. IRAs typically don't come with account setup fees, but you'll likely have to pay transaction and advisory fees when applicable, as well as fund expense ratio fees which cover operational costs.

Before funding an IRA, you need to understand the contribution limits and tax implications. How much you can contribute and deduct from your taxes depends on your age, income, tax filing status and whether or not you have a retirement plan through your employer.

Below are two handy resources from the IRS website that help guide you through how much you can contribute to an IRA and how much of it can be tax-deductible:

  1. IRA Contribution Limits: There is a maximum dollar amount you can contribute to your IRA each year, and it's determined by the federal government. In 2022, the limit is $6,000 if you're younger than 50 and $7,000 for those 50 and older. For the 2023 tax year, the limit will be $6,500 if you're younger than 50 and $7,500 for those 50 and older
  2. IRA Deduction Limits: There are also limits on how much of your IRA contribution you can deduct from your individual federal income tax return. This only applies to traditional IRAs as Roth IRA contributions are not tax-deductible. You cannot make a deduction if you (or your spouse, if married) have a retirement plan at work and your income is $78,000 or more as a single filer/head of household in 2022 or $83,000 in 2023, $129,000 or more as married filing jointly/qualifying widow(er) in 2022 or $136,000 in 2023 or $10,000 or more as married filing separately. If you (and your spouse, if married) do not have a retirement plan at work, you can make a full deduction up to the amount of your contribution limit.

How do I choose an IRA?

Though there are several different types of IRAs, you may not be eligible for all of them. Individual taxpayers can choose from traditional and Roth IRAs, while anyone self-employed (think freelancers) or a small business owner can choose from SEP (Simplified Employee Pension) and SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) IRAs.

When choosing an IRA to start saving for retirement, you'll most likely be deciding between a traditional or Roth IRA. Key factors to think about are your financial goals, timeline to retirement and risk tolerance. If you're closer to retirement, you'll probably want to go with investments that are lower risk and have less potential to lose money as you near your nonworking years. The advantage of choosing an IRA from a well-known brokerage firm or bank is that they help you assess what would be the best investments depending on your other goals, how soon you want to retire and how conservative you want to be.

For the more active investors, look at IRAs offered by online brokers like E*TRADE. For the more passive investors, consider an IRA from a robo-advisor, such as those from Betterment. Robo-advisors rely on algorithms to manage your portfolio for you, taking into consideration your risk tolerance and goals.

For a more personal experience, consider IRAs offered by big brokerage firms like Charles Schwab, Fidelity Investments and Vanguard that provide access to human advisors.

Traditional vs Roth IRA?

The big difference between traditional and Roth IRAs is when you pay taxes.

With a traditional IRA, you contribute pre-tax dollars. While this is better for your immediate cash flow as you're taking out less from your disposable income now, your money grows tax-deferred and later in retirement you will have to pay income tax on any funds you choose to withdraw. This is a good option if you think you will be in the same or a lower tax bracket (have the same or less income) when you retire. If you withdraw either your pre-tax contributions or earnings from your traditional IRA before age 59 and a half, you'll be taxed in addition to incurring a 10% early withdrawal penalty fee.

With a Roth IRA, you pay taxes upfront by contributing after-tax dollars. While this is a bigger hit to your immediate cash flow since you are taking out more from your disposable income now, your money grows tax-free and so in retirement, withdrawals are generally not taxed as long as your account has been open for at least five years. This is a good option if you think you will be in a higher tax bracket (have more income) when you retire.

You can withdraw your after-tax contributions from your Roth IRA at any age tax- and penalty-free. If you withdraw any earnings you've made on your investments before age 59 and a half, you will incur a 10% early withdrawal penalty (though it won't be taxed like a traditional IRA). Some exceptions to this early withdrawal penalty on Roth IRAs include first-time home purchases, college expenses and birth or adoption expenses.

You can use calculators like this one from Charles Schwab to help you decide between choosing a traditional or Roth IRA.

How much should I contribute to my IRA?

There are strict contribution limits, so you can only deposit a certain amount of money into your IRA each year.

Both traditional and Roth IRAs have the same contribution limits: For 2022, those under age 50 can make a total contribution into their traditional and Roth IRAs of up to $6,000. Those 50 or older have a limit of $7,000. For the 2023 tax year, the limit will be increased to $6,500 if you're younger than 50 and $7,500 for those 50 and older

With traditional IRAs, you can contribute regardless of how much money you earn, but with Roth IRAs there are income limits. High-earners may not be eligible to open or contribute to a Roth IRA. Here are the 2022 income thresholds for contributing to a Roth IRA:

  • Married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er): Not eligible if your modified adjusted gross income is $214,000 or more
  • Single, head of household or married filing separately (and you didn't live with your spouse at any time during the year): Not eligible if your modified adjusted gross income is $144,000 or more
  • Married filing separately (if you lived with your spouse at any time during the year): Not eligible if your modified adjusted gross income is $10,000 or more

Here are the 2023 income thresholds for contributing to a Roth IRA:

  • Married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er): Not eligible if your modified adjusted gross income is $228,000 or more
  • Single, head of household or married filing separately (and you didn't live with your spouse at any time during the year): Not eligible if your modified adjusted gross income is $153,000 or more
  • Married filing separately (if you lived with your spouse at any time during the year): Not eligible if your modified adjusted gross income is $10,000 or more

Can I lose money in an IRA?

In short, yes. Retirement accounts like IRAs invest your money in stocks and bonds, so your money fluctuates with the highs and lows of the market. You can also lose money if you take out cash before retirement and pay early-withdrawal penalties.

The good news is that retirement funds are long-term investments so market dips in the short term shouldn't affect you too much in the long haul. And while early-withdrawal penalties seem like punishment, they are there to encourage you not to withdraw from these accounts.

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Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every IRA review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of retirement accounts. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best IRAs.

Our methodology

To determine which individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are the best for investors, CNBC Select analyzed and compared traditional IRAs offered by national banks, investment firms, online brokers and robo-advisors. We narrowed down our ranking by only considering those that offer commission-free trading of stocks and ETFs, as well as a variety of investment options so you can best maximize your retirement savings.

We also compared each IRA on the following features:

  • $0 minimum deposit: All of the IRA on our ranking don't have minimum deposit requirements.
  • Low fees: We considered each IRA's fees, commission trading fees and transaction fees.
  • Bonus offered: Some IRA offer promotions for new account users.
  • Variety of investment options: The more diversified your portfolio, the better. We made sure our top picks offer investments in stocks, bonds, mutual finds, CDs and ETFs. Most also offer options trading.
  • A hub of educational resources: We opted for IRA with an online resource hub or advice center to help you educate yourself about retirement accounts and investing.
  • Ease-of-use: Whether accessing your IRA via your laptop at home or on your smartphone while on the go, it's important to have an easy user experience. We noted when investment platform excelled in usability.
  • Customer support: Every IRA on our list provides customer service available via telephone, email or secure online messaging.

After reviewing the above features, we sorted our recommendations by what type of investor is a best fit, from beginners and hands-off investors, to the more experienced and hands-on investors.

Your earnings in an IRA depend on any associated fees, the contributions you make to your account and the fluctuations of the market.

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Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
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