Best brokers for buying fractional shares

Core Insights - The rise of fractional shares allows investors to buy portions of stocks and ETFs, making investing more accessible for those with limited capital Group 1: Fractional Share Programs - Fidelity offers fractional shares starting at $1, allowing investment in over 7,000 stocks and ETFs with zero trading commissions [1] - Charles Schwab's Stock Slices enables fractional share purchases of S&P 500 stocks for as little as $5, with the ability to buy up to 30 slices at a time [2] - Interactive Brokers provides fractional shares on its Pro and Lite platforms, with varying commission structures [6] - Robinhood allows purchases of fractional shares down to one-millionth of a share, with eligibility for stocks over $1 and market caps above $25 million [10] - Firstrade offers fractional shares for over 4,000 stocks and ETFs starting at $5, with commission-free trades [11] - SoFi Active Investing allows fractional shares starting at $5, with dividend reinvestment options [14] - WellsTrade launched its fractional share program in late 2023, requiring a minimum investment of $10 [16] Group 2: Benefits of Fractional Shares - Fractional shares facilitate diversification, allowing investors to spread their capital across multiple stocks [4] - Investors can receive dividends proportional to their fractional share ownership, ensuring full investment of available funds [5] - The ability to invest in fractional shares supports dollar-cost averaging, making it easier for new investors to enter the market [3]