Pre-market and after-market hours trading broker platforms, time, and fees. The longest and earliest extended-hours stock market trading.
Brokers Offering Pre-Market and After-Hours Trading
Brokers that offer pre-market and after-hours trading provide investors with many unique opportunities. When traders want to take advantage of those opportunities, there are many brokerage options to choose from. Which is the best one? Let’s find out.
Best Broker for Pre-Market Trading
When you are looking for the best pre-market and after-hours broker, there are several important details to consider.
The best brokers for extended hours trading have the longest trading hours, the best rates, and tools designed to give investors an edge in the marketplace.
Webull is our favorite broker for pre-market and after-hours trading. It has all the features we look for. At Webull, you can take advantage of 16 hours of trading (4:00 am to 8:00 pm), low margin rates, $0 commissions, and professional-level trading software.
Webull also provides excellent watchlist support, a stock screener, market news and insights, short selling, and much more.
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Up to 75 FREE fractional shares when you make a deposit at Webull.
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Brokers Pre-Market and After Trading Hours
| Brokerage | Rating | Pre-Market Start | Pre-Market End | After-Hours Start | After-Hours End | Details | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WeBull |  | 4:00 am | 9:30 am | 4:00 pm | 8:00 pm | Details | Review |
| ZacksTrade |  | 4:00 am | 9:30 am | 4:00 pm | 8:00 pm | Details | Review |
| Robinhood | | 7:00 am | 9:30 am | 4:00 pm | 8:00 pm | Details | Review |
| IB |  | 7:00 am | 9:30 am | 4:00 pm | 8:00 pm | Details | Review |
| Etrade | | 7:00 am | 9:30 am | 4:00 pm | 8:00 pm | Details | Review |
| Merrill Edge |  | 7:00 am | 9:30 am | 4:01 pm | 8:00 pm | Details | Review |
| Fidelity | | 7:00 am | 9:28 am | 4:00 pm | 8:00 pm | Details | Review |
| Tradier | | 7:00 am | 9:28 am | 4:00 pm | 7:55 pm | Details | Review |
| Charles Schwab | | 7:00 am | 9:25 am | 4:05 pm | 8:00 pm | Details | Review |
| Tastytrade | | 8:00 am | 9:30 am | 4:00 pm | 8:00 pm | Details | Review |
| Tradestation | | 8:00 am | 9:30 am | 4:00 pm | 8:00 pm | Details | Review |
| Speedtrader |  | 8:00 am | 9:30 am | 4:00 pm | 8:00 pm | Details | Review |
| Public |  | 8:00 am | 9:30 am | 4:00 pm | 8:00 pm | Details | Review |
| Firstrade | | 8:00 am | 9:25 am | 4:05 pm | 8:00 pm | Details | Review |
| Sogotrade | | 8:00 am | 9:30 am | 4:00 pm | 6:00 pm | Details | Review |
| Ally Invest | | 8:00 am | 9:30 am | 4:00 pm | 5:00 pm | Details | Review |
| Sofi | | 9:00 am | 9:30 am | 4:00 pm | 8:00 pm | Details | Review |
| WellsTrade | | na | na | 4:01 pm | 6:30 pm | Details | Review |
| Vanguard | | na | na | 4:00 pm | 5:30 pm | Details | Review |
| Acorns | | na | na | na | na | na | Review |
| Citi Self Invest | | na | na | na | na | na | Review |
| JP Morgan | | na | na | na | na | na | Review |
| M1 Finance | | na | na | na | na | na | Review |
| Stash Invest | | na | na | na | na | na | Review |
| TIAA | | na | na | na | na | na | Review |
After-Hours and Pre-Market Trading Details
The U.S. stock market is open for trading during the weekday (minus federal and other market holidays) from 9:30 am until 4:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time. Occasionally, a market day will close early at 1:00 pm. Usually, this happens the day before a major holiday.
But of course, some traders will want to trade outside of these hours. And the stock exchanges oblige them. Known as extended-hours trading, these sessions are perfectly legal and possible.
Extended-hours trading takes place on ECNs (Electronic Communications Networks) and can be divided into pre-market and after-hours sessions. Some brokers offer both periods, while others offer just one. Still other firms offer neither.
Unlike the regular day session, the hours of pre-market and after-hours trading can vary from broker to broker. Take a look at the table above to see the variation.
Not surprisingly, extended-hours trading is not for the faint of heart and should be attempted only by experienced traders.
Risks of Extended-Hours Trading
For the best extended-hours trading experience, it is imperative that you know the hazards involved.
One risk is the lower volume of trading during pre-market and after-hours trading. Because there’s lower volume, bid and ask prices tend to be farther from each other. This means securities are more expensive to buy, and selling prices are lower. This can result in fill prices that are as much as 3% from comparable prices during the day session.
Another risk is that limit orders may not get filled during extended hours because there aren’t as many traders participating during these times. Or a limit order may get partially filled.
Volatility tends to be higher during the late night and early morning sessions as well. Prices can move more quickly, so you need to be prepared for instability.
Orders that are tagged for extended hours only may not be eligible for execution during the day session. Check with your investment firm and verify its exact policy before submitting an order.
Advantages of Extended-Hours Trading
With all the pitfalls associated with extended-hours trading, why would anyone want to try it? Well, there are some notable benefits.
For instance, U.S. companies report earnings before the opening bell or after the closing bell. These earnings reports often cause stock prices to move—significantly sometimes. If you want to get in on these price movements, you have to be in extended hours. The same situation is true with the government’s release of economic data.
Events around the world can impact the stock market, too. These of course can happen outside the regular New York session.
Fees of Extended-Hours Trading
Although most brokerage firms have switched to zero-commission trading, extended-hours trades may in some cases incur additional fees. Be sure to look over your firm’s pricing schedule and ask any questions if the plan is not clear.
Updated on 1/8/2024.
About the Author
Ben Wright is an investor, a trader, an educator, and something of an explorer. He spends his days in the markets when he is not teaching or spending time with his family. Ben writes about stockbrokers, markets, investment vehicles, promotional offers, and tools that help investors make the most of their time in the markets.
