Best Online Brokers for Futures Trading and Commodities
We've picked the best futures trading and commodities brokers by reviewing platforms, commissions and fees, tools, research and support.The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.
Our deep, independent analysis of online brokers sorts through key account details to find and evaluate the information investors want when choosing a futures trading platform.
Over 60 investment account providers reviewed and rated by our expert Nerds.
More than 50 years of combined experience writing about finance and investing.
Hands-on testing of the account funding process, broker websites and trading platforms.
Dozens of objective ratings rubrics, and strict guidelines to maintain editorial integrity.
To see our full methodology and learn more about our process, read our criteria for evaluating brokers.
Futures trading is a complicated business, even for experienced investors, and so is shopping for a futures and commodities broker. 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, excellent charting and screening tools 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.
Company | NerdWallet rating | Fees | Promotion | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 NinjaTrader4.7 NerdWallet rating | 4.7/5 | $0.35 - $1.29 Lower price plans available | None no promotion available at this time | Learn moreon NinjaTrader's website |
Learn moreon NinjaTrader's website | ||||
Learn moreon NinjaTrader's website | ||||
4.7/5 | $1.50 | Get $150 when you open and fund a new TradeStation account. Offer Code: NERDAGMV | Learn moreon TradeStation's website | |
Learn moreon TradeStation's website | ||||
Learn moreon TradeStation's website | ||||
4.5/5 | $1.50 | None no promotion available at this time | Read reviewon NerdWallet | |
Read reviewon NerdWallet | ||||
Read reviewon NerdWallet | ||||
4.0/5 | $0.25 - $1.50 | None no promotion available at this time. | Read reviewon NerdWallet | |
Read reviewon NerdWallet | ||||
Read reviewon NerdWallet | ||||
4.4/5 | $0.25 - $0.85 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn moreon Interactive Brokers' website | |
Learn moreon Interactive Brokers' website | ||||
Learn moreon Interactive Brokers' website | ||||
How do I get started trading futures?
To trade futures, open an account with a broker that supports futures markets. The broker will probably ask about your net worth, your investing experience, and how much money you make.
Can futures trading be profitable?
Yes, but investing in futures is a strategy that has a few caveats. It comes with risk, as do all investing strategies. But futures trading is even riskier: You’re making a bet on the direction a market is going to go, an outcome that is difficult for even professional analysts to predict correctly. In other words: You can do a lot of research, feel confident in your prediction and still lose a lot of money very quickly.
How much money do you need to start trading futures?
It depends on the broker. You'll need to cover the broker's fees, plus regulatory and exchange fees. In addition to that, your broker may have other requirements, such as a certain amount in your margin account.
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.