J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing has no commissions and is a fully integrated app. This makes it a solid option for those who wish to trade their investments, especially existing Chase customers.
Broker J.P. Morgan Investing provides a simple platform for investors who want to learn how to invest in stocks and bonds. However, advanced investors may not find the platform as well as its available assets and tools.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Easy-to-use platform.
- $0 commissions.
- App connects all Chase Accounts
- There is no minimum account.
Cons
- Research and tools are limited.
- Portfolio Builder tool requires $2,500 balance.
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Full Review
J.P. Morgan Self Direction shines
J.P. Morgan Self Directed is where J.P. Morgan falls short
J.P. Morgan Self Directed is the best
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed at A Glance
Details about J.P. Morgan Self Directed
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Our review process
J.P. Morgan Self Direction shines
Simple platform: This platform is easy to use and allows you to start investing in stocks or managing your portfolio.
App connects all Chase Accounts: If you are a Chase customer, you may find it very attractive to be able to see all your Chase accounts in one place, from checking to investments.
There is no minimum account: You can save and invest with any amount that suits you.
J.P. Morgan Self Directed is where J.P. Morgan falls short
Limited tools and research: Although the data and research comes from top-quality sources such as Morningstar, J.P. Morgan, and global investment research firm CFRA (Morningstar, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing), it doesn’t offer as many third-party providers as other brokers.
Portfolio Builder tool requires $2,500 balance
J.P. Morgan Self Directed is the best:
- Mobile users.
- Investors looking for new opportunities.
- Trading is free.
- Customers who are Chase customers already.
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed at A Glance
Account minimum
$0.
Costs of stock trading
$0.
Options trades
Trades: $0.65 per contract fee.
Account fees (annual, transfer, closing, inactivity)
There are no annual or inactivity fees. $75 account transfer fee (partial, full).
Tradable securities
- Stocks.
- ETFs.
- Options.
- Bonds.
- Mutual funds
Crypto availability
Provides access to crypto-related products but not the actual cryptocurrency.
No-transaction-fee mutual fund numbers
More than 3,000.
Trading platform
A web trading platform is available to meet basic investor requirements.
Mobile app
Mobile app seamlessly integrates with all Chase products, including credit cards and bank accounts.
Data and research
Clients have access to exclusive J.P.Morgan research and Morningstar analyst ratings.
Support options for customers (includes how easy it can be to find key information on the website).
Phone, email, in person, and social media M-F 8am-9pm EST, Sat. 9am-5pm Est. Meetings in person at branches
Additional information about J.P. Morgan Self-Directed ratings
Minimum 5 stars
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing requires a minimum $0 account. This allows you to invest any amount that you have saved. J.P. Morgan says you can invest as low as $1 in mutual funds that have no load and no transaction fees.
The Portfolio Builder tool is a major selling point of Self-Directed Investing. To use it, you must have at least $2,500 in your bank account. You can read more about this tool here.
Stock trading costs: 5 stars out of 5.
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing does not charge a commission to buy or sell stocks, as do most online brokers. This is now a standard practice, but it used to be a way of life a few years back when buying stocks meant that you would have to pay a commission for every trade. The major rise in retail trading activity, which began in 2020 and continues today, was likely due to the decline in stock commissions.
Option trades: 4 stars out of 5.
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing’s options pricing structure is fairly standard. Just like stock trading, there won’t be a per-trade commission. You will however pay $0.65 for each contract. (Options are usually grouped into 100-share contracts of the underlying stock.
Account fees: 3 stars out of 5
No matter if you are closing your entire account or just moving a small amount of securities out, you will be charged a $75 account fee. Fidelity and Vanguard are two examples of brokers that don’t charge this fee. However, the $50-75 range is quite standard among those who do.
Out of 5 stars, 4 mutual funds have no transaction fees
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing has more than 3,000 mutual funds that are free of transaction fees. This means you should have no trouble finding a mutual fund that suits your investment goals and doesn’t cost you any transaction fees.
3 out 5 stars for Tradable Securities
Self-Directed Investing is a great option for beginners, but it may not be suitable for more experienced investors. Self-Directed Investing does not support futures and forex investing. It also doesn’t offer fractional shares. This option is becoming more popular among brokers, which allows investors to buy a portion of a stock instead of a whole share.
Crypto availability: 2 stars out of 5
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing doesn’t offer direct access to cryptocurrencies. However, investors can purchase products that track the price for some of the most important cryptocurrencies such as the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust.
4 stars out of 5 for trading platform
Existing Chase customers will be pleased to learn that Self-Directed Investing accounts can be accessed from any app they already have. The Chase mobile app allows users to research, trade, and manage all of Self-Directed Investing’s offerings. They can also access any other Chase accounts such as bank accounts or credit cards.
You can open a Self Directed Investing account even if you are not a Chase customer.
Some investors may find the idea of creating a portfolio from scratch daunting. The Self-Directed Investment Portfolio Builder makes it easier and less daunting.
The Portfolio Builder tool requires you to take a quiz. This will determine how your assets should be distributed based on your risk tolerance, goals, and other factors. This asset allocation can be used as a guideline when you compare, choose and invest. The Portfolio Builder tool lets you trade ETFs or stocks, while Self-Directed Investment accounts allow investors to access other investment types such as bonds and mutual funds.
Mobile app 5 out of 5 stars
The mobile app allows Chase customers to seamlessly integrate multiple Chase financial products such as checking and savings accounts and credit cards. The app allows users to trade stocks, bonds and mutual funds, and also access charting tools and screeners.
Research and data: 3 of 5 stars
While the Portfolio Builder tool is ideal for beginners, more experienced investors may not have access to as many tools that can help with research, strategy, and analysis. Although investors have access to J.P. Morgan equity research and Morningstar analysis, as well as CFRA reports (which is likely enough for most Self-Directed Investing users), the number of third-party researchers isn’t nearly as large as other brokers.
Support options for customers: 4 stars out of 5.
J.P. Morgan customer service is available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Eastern and 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturdays. You can also contact J.P. Morgan customer support via Facebook and Twitter, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. – 11 p.m. Eastern and Saturday – Sunday from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Eastern. J.P. Morgan offers in-office visits during regular branch hours if you prefer to speak with someone in person.
Are you a J.P. Morgan self-directed?
J.P. Morgan Self Directed Investing offers a simple brokerage account that will help you build a portfolio and start trading. It also protects you from high-risk or speculative investments. There will be no distractions to your learning experience and all the support and assistance you need.
You can explore similar options by reading our review of the Questrade.