7 best low-fee Roth IRA accounts for 2026
By Nicolas StrautTweed is committed to editorial integritySome links on this page are referral or affiliate links, which means Tweed is paid when you open an account or sign up through them. That payment never changes what we write.
Payment never influences our evaluations: every fee, rate, and rule on this page comes from the provider's own terms, observed on the date shown under the headline, and our verdict would read the same without the link. Providers can change or end their offers without notice, and they do not review our pages before we publish.
Tweed is paid when you open an account through a referral link on this page, including Charles Schwab's, Interactive Brokers', Robinhood's, Public's, SoFi's, and Wealthfront's.
The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. Tweed does not offer advisory or brokerage services, and does not recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.
Key takeaways
- A no-fee Roth IRA is standard in 2026: Fidelity charges $0 to open, $0 for online stock and ETF trades, and $0 to transfer out.1
- When choosing a low-fee Roth IRA, compare three things: the expense ratios of the funds you'll buy, any advisory fee if you want it managed, and the fee to transfer out.
- The best low-fee Roth IRA accounts for 2026 are Fidelity, Charles Schwab, and Interactive Brokers, because each charges $0 to hold the account and adds either 0% index funds, a $0 robo-advisor, or $0 to leave.
In this article
Key takeaways
- A no-fee Roth IRA is standard in 2026: Fidelity charges $0 to open, $0 for online stock and ETF trades, and $0 to transfer out.1
- When choosing a low-fee Roth IRA, compare three things: the expense ratios of the funds you'll buy, any advisory fee if you want it managed, and the fee to transfer out.
- The best low-fee Roth IRA accounts for 2026 are Fidelity, Charles Schwab, and Interactive Brokers, because each charges $0 to hold the account and adds either 0% index funds, a $0 robo-advisor, or $0 to leave.
The cheapest Roth IRA is Fidelity's, with $0 account fees, $0 trades, 0% ZERO index funds, and $0 to leave. The other six also charge nothing to open a Roth IRA, so the differences that matter are fund costs, advisory fees, and exit fees. This guide compares seven low-fee Roth IRA accounts on all five fees.
Low-fee Roth IRA accounts at a glance
Low-fee Roth IRA accounts at a glance, ranked by what each costs to hold for decades and then to leave.
| Broker | Account fee | Cheapest managed option | Transfer out | IRA match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity | $0 | $0 under $25,000, then 0.35% | $0 | None |
| Charles Schwab | $0 | No advisory fee, $5,000 minimum | Not listed | None |
| Interactive Brokers | $0 | Not covered here | $0 | None |
| Robinhood | $0 | Not covered here | $100 | 1%, 3% with Gold |
| Public | None listed | Not covered here | $100 | 1% |
| SoFi | $0 | 0.25%, $50 minimum | $100 | 1% |
| Wealthfront | None beyond the advisory fee | 0.25%, $500 minimum | $0 | None |
Fees from each provider's own pages, read in October 2026.
The best low-fee Roth IRA accounts reviewed
Each low-fee Roth IRA below gets the same five rows, so you can compare the fees side by side.
1. Best overall for low fees: Fidelity
Ideal for
You'll pick your own index funds and want nothing taken out of the account, now or when you leave.
Our take
Fidelity charges no account fee and no minimum on IRAs, $0 for online stock and ETF trades, and $0 to close an IRA or transfer it out. Its ZERO index funds carry no expense ratio. No other pick here removes that cost. Fidelity Go manages the account free under $25,000, then charges 0.35% of the whole balance.
Our Fidelity IRA review covers the funds and Fidelity Go in detail.
| Spec | Fidelity |
|---|---|
| Account fee | $0 |
| Online stock and ETF trades | $0 |
| Lowest-cost managed option | Fidelity Go, $0 under $25,000, then 0.35% |
| Fee to transfer out | $0 |
| IRA match | None |
2. Best free robo-advisor IRA: Charles Schwab
Ideal for
You want the IRA managed for you and have at least $5,000 to start.
Our take
Schwab lists $0 to open or maintain an IRA, a $0 minimum, and $0 online stock and ETF trades.2 Schwab Intelligent Portfolios charges no advisory fee once you have $5,000, the only free robo-advisor here. Watch mutual funds outside Schwab's OneSource list, which cost up to $74.95 per purchase, and OneSource funds and ETFs cost nothing to buy.
Our Schwab IRA review compares Intelligent Portfolios with the other managed IRAs.
| Spec | Charles Schwab |
|---|---|
| Account fee | $0 |
| Online stock and ETF trades | $0 |
| Lowest-cost managed option | Intelligent Portfolios, no advisory fee, $5,000 minimum |
| Fee to transfer out | Not listed on the pricing page |
| IRA match | None |
Tweed earns a commission if you sign up.
3. Best for $0 to leave and interest on cash: Interactive Brokers
Ideal for
You'll trade more than index funds and want a broker that charges nothing when you move the account.
Our take
IBKR Lite charges $0 commissions on US stocks and ETFs and sets no account minimum. Its fee page says it "does not charge for incoming or outgoing ACATS transfers."3 Cash above $10,000 earns interest, though the first $10,000 earns nothing.
Our Interactive Brokers IRA review covers IBKR Pro vs Lite inside an IRA.
| Spec | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|
| Account fee | $0 |
| Online stock and ETF trades | $0 on IBKR Lite |
| Lowest-cost managed option | Not covered here |
| Fee to transfer out | $0 |
| IRA match | None |
Tweed earns a commission if you sign up.
4. Best for a match in an app: Robinhood
Ideal for
You'll max out a self-directed IRA every year and want a match that pays you back more than any fee costs.
Our take
Robinhood charges no account fee and $0 commissions, and it matches 1% of contributions, or 3% with Gold at $50 a year. The catch is the exit. Robinhood charges $100 for an outgoing transfer, plus the match on anything you remove within 5 years.
Our Robinhood IRA review works out whether Gold is worth keeping.
| Spec | Robinhood |
|---|---|
| Account fee | $0 |
| Online stock and ETF trades | $0 |
| Lowest-cost managed option | Not covered here |
| Fee to transfer out | $100 |
| IRA match | 1%, or 3% with Gold at $50 a year |
Tweed earns a commission if you sign up.
5. Best for a match with no subscription: Public
Ideal for
You want a free 1% match on both new contributions and money you move in.
Our take
Public's fee schedule, updated October 13, 2026, lists $0 stock and ETF trades, $0 stock and ETF options, and no IRA maintenance fee.4 Leaving costs $100, and index options cost $0.35 a contract, which matters only if you trade them.
Our Public review covers the rest of the app.
| Spec | Public |
|---|---|
| Account fee | None listed on the fee schedule |
| Online stock and ETF trades | $0 |
| Lowest-cost managed option | Not covered here |
| Fee to transfer out | $100 |
| IRA match | 1% on contributions and transfers |
Tweed earns a commission if you sign up.
6. Best low-fee managed IRA with a match: SoFi
Ideal for
You want a robo-advisor to invest the IRA and a 1% match on what you put in.
Our take
SoFi opens an IRA with no cost or minimum, and its Automated Investing charges 0.25% a year from $50. It's the only managed IRA here that also pays a match. A full $7,500 contribution earns $75, which covers the advisory fee on a balance up to $30,000.
Our SoFi IRA review covers its $100 exit fee and match terms.
| Spec | SoFi |
|---|---|
| Account fee | $0 to open, no minimum |
| Online stock and ETF trades | See SoFi Invest fee schedule |
| Lowest-cost managed option | Automated Investing, 0.25%, $50 minimum |
| Fee to transfer out | $100 |
| IRA match | 1% on contributions, robo IRAs included |
Tweed earns a commission if you sign up.
7. Best for automated investing: Wealthfront
Ideal for
You want a fully automated IRA from $500, and 0.25% a year is a price you'll accept.
Our take
Wealthfront charges 0.25% a year with a $500 minimum and lists $0 to transfer the account. That's $25 a year on a $10,000 balance. Schwab's robo costs nothing, but it needs $5,000 to start.
Our Wealthfront review covers the portfolios and the cash account.
| Spec | Wealthfront |
|---|---|
| Account fee | None beyond the advisory fee |
| Online stock and ETF trades | Not applicable, the robo trades for you |
| Lowest-cost managed option | Automated Investing, 0.25%, $500 minimum |
| Fee to transfer out | $0 |
| IRA match | None |
Tweed earns a commission if you sign up.
5 fees a Roth IRA can charge
Five fees a Roth IRA can charge decide what it costs you, and most low-fee brokers have already dropped the first two.
Account fees
An account fee is a yearly charge for holding the IRA. Every pick here charges $0, while Vanguard can charge $25 a year unless you sign up for e-delivery.
Trading commissions
Online stock and ETF trades cost $0 at every broker on this list. Options don't. They still cost $0.65 a contract at Fidelity and Schwab.
Fund expense ratios
An expense ratio is the yearly fee a fund takes from its own assets, so you never see a bill. It's the fee that lasts longest in a Roth IRA, because it applies every year to the whole balance, and Fidelity's ZERO funds set it at 0%.
Advisory fees
An advisory fee is what a robo-advisor or planner charges to manage the account, usually a percentage of the balance. It runs from $0 at Schwab Intelligent Portfolios to 0.35% at Fidelity Go from $25,000.
Transfer-out fees
A transfer-out fee is what the broker charges to move your whole IRA elsewhere. It's $0 at Fidelity, Interactive Brokers, and Wealthfront, and $100 at Robinhood, Public, SoFi, and Vanguard.
How much Roth IRA fees cost over 30 years
Roth IRA fees cost more than they look, because a percentage fee comes out of every dollar of growth too. The table assumes $7,500 contributed at the start of each year for 30 years at a 7% illustrative return, with the fee taken from the balance each year.
| Advisory fee | Yearly fee | Balance after 30 years | Cost vs no fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| No advisory fee (Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, or self-directed index funds) | 0% | $758,048 | $0 |
| Wealthfront or SoFi Automated Investing | 0.25% | $720,719 | $37,329 |
| Fidelity Go at $25,000 and up | 0.35% | $706,359 | $51,689 |
A 0.25% fee costs about $37,329 over 30 years in this example. That's the price of having the account managed, so weigh it against whether you'd rebalance on your own, pick the funds yourself, and leave them alone when markets fall. The best robo-advisors roundup compares what each service does for its fee.
What Vanguard charges for a Roth IRA
Vanguard charges a $25 annual account service fee on a Roth IRA, which it waives if you choose e-delivery or meet other conditions such as $1,000,000 in qualifying assets.5 Online stock and ETF trades cost $0. Closing the account or moving it all to another firm costs $100.
That $100 exit fee is why Vanguard isn't on the list above, even though its index funds are cheap. Our Vanguard review covers the funds and the rest of the account.
Methodology for ranking low-fee Roth IRA accounts
We ranked each Roth IRA by what it costs to hold a self-directed index portfolio for decades, then by the cost of its cheapest managed option, then by the fee to leave. Every fee was read on the provider's own page in October 2026. Tweed is paid when you open some of these accounts through its links, and that doesn't change the order: Fidelity, which pays Tweed nothing, ranks first.
For a wider comparison that weighs funds and tools as well as fees, see the best Roth IRA accounts. The best IRA match roundup ranks every match after its subscription cost.
If you're moving traditional IRA money into a Roth, run the Tweed Roth conversion calculator to see the tax before you pick where it lands.
Free calculator
See what a Roth conversion would cost you in tax
Frequently asked questions about low-fee Roth IRAs
Can you avoid the transfer fee when you move a Roth IRA?
Yes, you can sometimes avoid the transfer fee when you move a Roth IRA, because some brokers pay it for you. Public says it'll cover up to $100 of what your old broker charges, though its IRA page names a $5,000 account value in one place and $1,000 transfers in another. Ask before you start.
Is a 1% IRA match worth a $100 transfer-out fee?
A 1% IRA match is worth a $100 transfer-out fee if you'll stay a while. One full $7,500 contribution earns $75, so 2 years of maxing out covers the fee. Robinhood Gold's 3% match pays $225 on the same contribution, enough to cover it in one year, before the $50 subscription.
Do Roth IRA fees reduce your contribution limit?
No, Roth IRA fees don't reduce your $7,500 contribution limit for 2026. A fee taken from the account lowers your balance, and the limit counts only the money you put in during the year. Any money you add to replace a fee counts as a new contribution, so it uses up part of that limit.
Sources
- https://www.fidelity.com/why-fidelity/pricing-fees
- https://www.schwab.com/pricing
- https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/pricing/other-fees.php
- https://public.com/disclosures/fee-schedule
- https://investor.vanguard.com/client-benefits/account-fees
Fees are as each provider published them on October 27, 2026 and can change without notice. Tweed describes these accounts and doesn't recommend one for your situation.
Personal finance writer, former Forbes contributor and This Week in Fintech writer. He isn't a financial advisor or a CPA.
Related posts
IRAs
8 best Roth IRA accounts for 2026
Fidelity, Charles Schwab, Robinhood, and five more Roth IRA providers compared on fees, matches, and the cost to transfer out.
Nicolas Straut · Updated Nov 3, 2026
IRAs
What is a Roth IRA?
The 2026 contribution and income limits, exactly when your five-year clock starts, and the order withdrawals come out in.
Nicolas Straut · Updated Oct 25, 2026
Brokerage comparisons
Schwab vs Fidelity for investing and your IRA in 2026
Schwab and Fidelity both charge $0 on stock trades and $0.65 per options contract. Compare fund fees, robo costs, Roth IRAs, and exit fees for three investors.
Nicolas Straut · Updated Oct 7, 2026