Lisa Gerstner
About the Kiplinger Readers’ Choice Awards 2025
The Kiplinger Readers’ Choice Awards aim to recognize and celebrate the best products and services in the personal finance arena. We asked you, our Kiplinger community, to help us name the products and services you think have delivered excellent value in the past year.
The survey results, which we’re sharing here in our second annual Readers’ Choice Awards, offer valuable insight into which providers shine when it comes to your everyday interactions and experiences with them. Our Awards recognize excellence in everything from credit cards, banks and brokers to insurers, tax software and financial apps. For each category, we’ve listed an overall winner that earned the highest score. We’ve also highlighted other products and services that earned above-average scores for various criteria we asked readers to assess.
By voting, our community has helped us form our guide to the very best financial products. These are the products and companies that you think stand out from the crowd.
Kiplinger Readers' Choice Awards: Full-Service Brokers
We asked readers to assess brokerage firms that offer a breadth of services, whether online, by phone, through in-person assistance at branches, or some combination.
Readers rated the strength of their broker’s customer service, how likely they would be to recommend the firm to others and their overall satisfaction with the broker.
OVERALL WINNER: Fidelity Investments
Outstanding for:
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
- Customer service
- Most recommended
- Overall satisfaction
Readers favor Fidelity Investments above other brokers and had plenty of positive words about the firm. Many consider Fidelity a great broker for beginners and do-it-yourself investors and appreciate how easily accessible its 24/7 customer service is. “They continually have sharp people who actually answer the phone and help you whenever you need it,” says one reader.
Readers also praised Fidelity for having low fees and a breadth of services available in one place. A mainstream broker, Fidelity’s offerings range from self-directed brokerage accounts to full-fledged investment and wealth management services.
Fidelity also provides educational seminars throughout the year, a weekly newsletter and research tools, for which many readers expressed appreciation. One reader called the newsletter “always relevant, easy to read and very informative.”
Edward Jones
Outstanding for:
- Customer service
- Most recommended
With a client base of more than eight million, a network of more than 19,000 financial advisers and 16,000 branch locations throughout North America, Edward Jones is known for fostering long-term relationships with its clientele.
Readers like that they can meet in person with advisers locally, and find the advisers easy to work with. One reader, for example, says that their broker holds regular chats over coffee to discuss important updates. Says another, “The adviser I deal with doesn’t push products but seeks to provide what would be best for the customer.”
Raymond James
Outstanding for:
- Customer service
- Most recommended
With more than 8,700 financial advisers, Raymond James’s businesses include brokerage services, professional asset management, insurance solutions, trust services and investment banking, as well as private and commercial banking.
Readers commented on great personal service from Ramond James professionals, who they found to be knowledgeable and thorough.
E*Trade
Outstanding for:
- Overall satisfaction
Acquired by Morgan Stanley in 2020, E*Trade was one of the first online brokerages, and it offers a wide range of financial products, including brokerage accounts, IRAs, custodial accounts and managed portfolios.
Readers find E*Trade’s research tools especially useful. “For solo investors who seek research information, the website is tops,” says one survey respondent.
Kiplinger Readers' Choice Awards: Other Categories
- Readers' Choice Wealth Management
- Readers' Choice Cash-Back Credit Cards
- Readers' Choice Travel Rewards Credit Cards
- Readers' Choice Airline Credit Card Rewards Programs
- Readers' Choice Hotel Credit Card Rewards Programs
- Readers' Choice National Banks
- Readers' Choice Internet Banks
- Readers' Choice Auto Insurance Companies
- Readers' Choice Homeowners Insurance Companies
- Readers' Choice Annuity Providers
- Readers' Choice Tax Software
- Readers' Choice Peer-to-Peer Payment Services
-
Foldable Phones: Are They the Future or Just a Passing Trend?Foldable phones offer eye-catching design and extra screen space, but not without compromises in cost, durability, and convenience. We weigh the pros and cons.
-
Three Striking Ways the 'Big Beautiful Bill' Affects Nursing HomesLittle-noticed provisions in the tax bill will ease requirements on nursing homes and make it harder for some patients to pay.
-
Foldable Phones: Are They the Future or Just a Passing Trend?
Foldable phones offer eye-catching design and extra screen space, but not without compromises in cost, durability, and convenience. We weigh the pros and cons.
-
A Financial Adviser's Guide to Divorce Negotiations: Civil — or NotWhether you go through a friendly mediation or a contentious court battle, all divorce agreements need to address the same key issues.
-
One Family's 529 Journey: A Guide to Smart College Savings, From a Parent Who's Also a Financial Professional529 savings plans have been key to funding my three children's college journeys. Here are some tips for saving for a loved one's education, based on my experience as a parent.
-
Ford Recalls 115,500 Vehicles for Steering Defect: What Owners Should KnowFord is recalling more than 115,500 U.S. vehicles over a steering column issue that can lead to loss of control. Learn which models are affected and what to do next.
-
Buying Gold as an Investment: What to Watch ForGold is seen as a safe haven, but every investment method carries trade-offs. Here’s how to decide which is right for you.
-
How to Cancel Amazon Prime (Even If It Looks Like You Can't)Tired of Amazon Prime? Canceling it might not be as straightforward as you think. Here's what you need to know.
-
Is Lifestyle Creep Hurting Your Retirement?Are you spending a lot on non-essentials that once felt like luxuries but now seem normal? You might be experiencing lifestyle creep. Here's how to stop it in its tracks.
-
I Have $150,000 That I Don’t Need Anytime Soon, but I Don’t Want To Put It in the Market. What Should I Do?My strategy offers a guaranteed return that can earn you thousands effortlessly.
