As competitors amongst inventory brokers has heated up, on-line gamers have rushed to offer new options to their purchasers, together with with the ability to put money into fractions of a share. This characteristic permits traders to buy a inventory or ETF with nearly any sum of money fairly than needing to have sufficient money to purchase a full share. It’s excellent for high-priced bellwether shares akin to Alphabet and Amazon.
The flexibility to purchase fractional shares is engaging, particularly for traders simply beginning out. You may make investments with a way more modest sum of money, and with some shares promoting for 1000’s of {dollars} per share, you should purchase what you possibly can afford. With this characteristic it’s a lot simpler to make use of dollar-cost averaging, particularly now that main on-line brokers have slashed their transaction charges to zero.
However whereas some brokers have simply begun permitting traders to purchase fractional shares, others have allowed them to take action not directly as a part of dividend reinvestment plans for a few years. That’s the case even when the brokers didn’t supply buying and selling of fractional shares. This divide nonetheless exists right now, with some brokers providing fractional shares through dividend reinvestment however not in any other case.
With dividend reinvestment plans you’re capable of buy solely the inventory that made the payout, and no different. In fact, now with no buying and selling commissions in any respect the foremost on-line brokerages you possibly can reinvest the money your self with no additional price, besides a bit little bit of your time.
Beneath Bankrate highlights on-line inventory brokers that permit fractional shares to be traded and describes key particulars of every dealer’s program and providing.
Greatest on-line brokers for getting fractional shares:
Prime on-line brokers for getting fractional shares in March 2024
Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab has lengthy been an investor-focused outfit, and permits traders to purchase a fractional share of any inventory within the Customary & Poor’s 500 Index. Referred to as Inventory Slices, Schwab’s program means that you can purchase a slice of those shares with as little as $5 and you should purchase as much as 30 slices at a time. And like trades for normal shares, you’ll be capable of place your trades with out a fee. You’ll proceed to have the ability to reinvest any dividends out of your shares into fractional shares of the identical inventory.
- Fractional purchases: Sure
- Fractional dividend reinvestment: Sure
- Securities in this system: ~500, together with all shares within the S&P 500
Constancy Investments
Constancy is routinely a prime contender amongst brokerages, and never surprisingly includes a manner to purchase fractional shares, which it calls Shares by the Slice. You can begin with simply $1 and purchase shares of greater than 7,000 shares and ETFs listed on U.S. exchanges. You’ll nonetheless be capable of buy shares with zero buying and selling commissions, and also you’ll additionally be capable of reinvest your dividends in additional shares, even fractional shares, whether or not they’re shares or ETFs.
- Fractional purchases: Sure
- Fractional dividend reinvestment: Sure
- Securities in this system: Greater than 7,000 shares and ETFs
Interactive Brokers
Lengthy referred to as a high-powered different for skilled and lively merchants, Interactive Brokers additionally affords fractional shares, which is a boon to traders with out these deep pockets. You should purchase fractional shares on the dealer’s Professional platform (price: $1 or on the dealer’s tiered charge) or on its Lite platform, the place buying and selling is free. Nonetheless, solely shares with common every day quantity of $10 million or a market cap better than $400 million are eligible for this system. Additionally eligible: ETFs, overseas shares buying and selling as American depositary receipts (ADRs), Canadian shares and ETFs, and European shares.
- Fractional purchases: Sure
- Fractional dividend reinvestment: No
- Securities in this system: Greater than 11,000 shares, ETFs and ADRs
Robinhood
Robinhood has lengthy been identified for its commission-free buying and selling (which extends to choices, too) nevertheless it additionally means that you can purchase the tiniest fraction of a share. Sure, you should purchase as little as one-millionth of a share of your favourite shares, and you should purchase an enormous number of shares as properly. Shares buying and selling over $1 per share and with a market capitalization better than $25 million are eligible for this system, and ETFs can be found for fractional shares, too. You can even reinvest dividends into fractional shares, however should allow the fractional characteristic first.
- Fractional purchases: Sure
- Fractional dividend reinvestment: Sure
- Securities in this system: 1000’s of ETFs and shares above the quantity and measurement thresholds
E-Commerce
E-Commerce doesn’t supply fractional purchases of inventory, nevertheless it does permit traders to reinvest their dividends into fractional shares. E-Commerce will reinvest dividends solely in a inventory or ETF that’s buying and selling above $5 per share.
- Fractional purchases: No
- Fractional dividend reinvestment: Sure
- Securities in this system: 1000’s of shares and ETFs
Merrill Edge
Merrill Edge is one other dealer that permits dividend reinvestment in fractional shares however doesn’t permit purchasers to buy fractional shares immediately. Merrill lets traders reinvest dividends from shares and ETFs in addition to mutual funds. You may shortly arrange whether or not you need every safety in your portfolio to reinvest with an internet choice, and if you happen to change your thoughts, you possibly can flip your selection afterward simply as simply.
- Fractional purchases: No
- Fractional dividend reinvestment: Sure
- Securities in this system: 1000’s of shares, ETFs and mutual funds
Vanguard
Vanguard is well-known for its mutual funds and ETFs, and whereas you should purchase fractional shares whenever you’re putting an order of a lot of these securities, that’s the one form of fractional buy that you simply’ll be capable of do. Vanguard doesn’t supply fractional-share investing in shares or non-Vanguard ETFs, although the dealer does let you reinvest dividends in shares, ETFs and mutual funds. Nonetheless, the dealer won’t reinvest in sure low-volume shares, some U.S. shares and all overseas shares.
- Fractional purchases: Solely Vanguard in mutual funds and ETFs
- Fractional dividend reinvestment: Sure
- Securities in this system: Shares, ETFs and mutual funds
Tastytrade
Tastytrade is likely one of the finest brokers for short-term merchants, however with the addition of fractional shares for each purchases and dividend reinvestment, it’s now a extra attention-grabbing choice for long-term traders, too. You’ll have to position a minimal order of $5, and also you’re ready to make use of solely market orders, not restrict orders, that means you’ll have to simply accept the prevailing worth on the time you place your order.
- Fractional purchases: Sure
- Fractional dividend reinvestment: Sure
- Securities in this system: 1000’s of shares and ETFs
SoFi Lively Investing
SoFi Lively Investing is likely one of the finest brokers for low prices, and it extends that management to fractional shares, too. At SoFi, you’ll be capable of purchase fractional shares immediately and reinvest your dividends into fractional shares, a combo that’s not at all times obtainable at brokers providing partial shares. To reinvest dividends, the inventory worth should be better than $4 per share, which incorporates most U.S. shares and overseas shares buying and selling on U.S. exchanges.
- Fractional purchases: Sure
- Fractional dividend reinvestment: Sure
- Securities in this system: Greater than 4,000 shares and ETFs
WellsTrade
WellsTrade entered the fractional share sport in late 2023 with the launch of Inventory Fractions, its program permitting the acquisition of partial shares of inventory. You’ll be capable of buy 500 shares by this system, with a minimal of $10 per order. As for dividend reinvestment, whereas WellsTrade permits you to purchase new shares along with your dividend, you received’t be capable of purchase partial shares mechanically with it. That’s a small element within the age of no-commission trades.
- Fractional purchases: Sure
- Fractional dividend reinvestment: No
- Securities in this system: 500 shares
