Merrill Edge review
Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Merrill Edge suits people who want to trade US stocks and ETFs with no commission and no monthly charge. It suits beginners and experienced investors who want a retirement, joint or corporate account, and the minimum deposit is $0 with a stock trade fee of $0.
Key facts
- Best for
- Commission-free US stock and ETF trading with no account or inactivity charge.
- Minimum deposit
- $0↗
- Stock trade fee
- $0↗
- Account fee
- $0↗
- Inactivity fee
- $0↗
- Markets
- Stocks, ETFs, Options, Bonds, Funds↗
- Regulators
- FINRA, SEC↗
- Investor protection
- SIPC up to USD 500,000↗
- Options contract fee
- $0.65↗
- Platforms
- Merrill Edge website, Merrill Edge MarketPro, Merrill mobile app↗
- Account types
- IRA, Roth-IRA, Joint, Corporate↗
- Legal entity
- Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith Incorporated↗
- Headquarters
- United States↗
- Founded
- 1914↗
- Support channels
- Phone, Chat, Help-centre, Email↗
- Features
- Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile app, Options
- Pricing model
- Commission-free
- Audience
- Beginners, Experienced traders
- Official website
- merrilledge.com
Robo-advisors
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 5 sources
Pros and cons
Pros
- Stock trades cost $0 and the account fee is $0.
- Nothing is charged for inactivity, at $0, and the minimum deposit is $0.
- Fractional shares, a demo account, a mobile app and options are all available.
- Investor protection is SIPC up to USD 500,000, under FINRA and SEC oversight in the US.
Cons
- Options carry a fee of $0.65, so the commission-free deal stops at derivatives.
- The advisory side adds a management fee of 0.45% to 0.85% and a minimum investment of $0 to $1,000.
- Most retail accounts lose money, 72.05% on this ranking, so low charges say nothing about how the portfolio performs.
Who it suits
- First-time US share buyers using fractional shares and a demo account.
- Experienced investors who want options and a mobile app in one place.
- Anyone saving into an IRA, Roth IRA, joint or corporate account.
Who should look elsewhere
- Traders after forex, CFDs or crypto: CFI covers stocks, etfs and forex.
- Savers wanting a bank balance, since bunq personal plans start from a minimum deposit of €10.
- Borrowing rather than investing, as Fiesta Credito MX answers to CONDUSEF.
Deposit protection
Merrill Edge is regulated by FINRA and the SEC, and investor protection comes through SIPC, the US scheme for cash and securities held with a broker. SIPC pays out a stated limit if the broker fails, so the cover applies per account rather than to the total of everything you hold. Protection of this kind handles a broker failure, not a fall in the price of your shares.
How it compares on our data
On our data, Merrill Edge ranks 1 of 142 brands on account fee, and 1 of 56 on inactivity fee. It also sits at 1 of 218 on minimum deposit and 1 of 166 on stock trade fee, so it ranks ahead of the rest on every cost we track.
How Merrill Edge compares
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9.5 vs 8.7
Merrill Edge vs eToro9.5 vs 9.2
9.5 vs 8.7
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9.5 vs 9.2
9.5 vs 9.2
9.5 vs 9.0
9.5 vs 9.2
9.5 vs 9.2
9.5 vs 9.2
9.5 vs 9.1
9.5 vs 9.0
9.5 vs 9.0
9.5 vs 9.0
9.5 vs 9.0
9.5 vs 8.8
Where Merrill Edge is available
- Available
- United States
- Licence in United States
- FINRA, checked September 26, 2026
- Licence in United States
- SEC, checked September 26, 2026
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to hold a Merrill Edge account?+
The account fee is $0 and the inactivity fee is $0, so there is no monthly charge for keeping the account open. Costs appear in the products you pick, such as the options fee of $0.65, rather than in the account itself.
Is stock trading really commission free?+
Stock trades carry a fee of $0 and the pricing model is commission-free, so buying shares and ETFs in the usual way adds nothing per trade. Options are charged at $0.65, and the spread you receive can still widen as prices move.
How much do I need to put in to start?+
The minimum deposit is $0, so an account can be opened and funded without a floor. Fractional shares let you build a holding in parts of a share, while advisory portfolios ask for a minimum investment of $0 to $1,000.
Who regulates Merrill Edge and what protects my money?+
Merrill Edge is regulated by FINRA and SEC, and investor protection is SIPC up to USD 500,000. That cover responds to a broker failure rather than a market fall, so it works alongside the investment risk you carry, not instead of it.
Which platforms can I use?+
You can work on the Merrill Edge website, Merrill Edge MarketPro and Merrill mobile app, and the features include a demo account, fractional shares, a mobile app and options. The audience covers beginners and experienced investors, so one account can hold a first purchase and a larger portfolio.
What account types are on offer?+
The list covers an IRA, a Roth IRA, a joint account and a corporate account, so retirement saving, shared investing and company money each have a home. Portfolio options sit around ETF style products, which suits money you plan to hold.
What can I trade, and who is it for?+
Markets cover stocks, etfs and options. That is a US facing list, so anyone wanting forex, CFDs or crypto needs a wider broker, such as CFI. For share buyers it is an easy start, though 72.05% of retail accounts on this ranking lose money.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrill_(company) checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“Merrill founded 1914 - Merrill company history”
- merrilledge.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience, Features, Headquarters, Minimum deposit, Pricing model, Stock trade fee
“I want to build and manage my own portfolio online - Merrill Edge Self-Directed”
- merrilledge.com/help-support checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“We have online chat agents who can answer questions about opening an account with Merrill ... Call us 888.637.3343 ... Find answers to common questions at Merrill”
- merrilledge.com/investing/margin-trading checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Account types, Markets, Platforms
“Rollover, Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, Small Business 401(k)”
- merrilledge.com/pricing checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Account fee, Inactivity fee, Investor protection, Legal entity, Management fee, Minimum investment, Options contract fee, Portfolio types, Regulators, Licences
“There isn't a minimum account balance requirement and Merrill Edge doesn't charge any annual account fees - Merrill Edge Self-Directed”
Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Retail accounts that lose money.
Merrill Edge
Commission-free US stock and ETF trading with no account or inactivity charge.