The Review
Merrill Edge is Bank of America's brokerage platform, and its killer feature is the Preferred Rewards program. If you have $20K+ combined across your BofA and Merrill accounts, you start earning bonus credit card rewards, fee waivers, and interest rate discounts. At the $100K+ tier, you get free trades on up to 100 stocks/ETFs per month and priority customer service.
The platform offers commission-free stocks, ETFs, and options trading with a clean web-based interface and solid mobile app. Merrill's research is powered by BofA Global Research — one of the top-rated institutional research teams on Wall Street. The Merrill Edge MarketPro platform provides advanced charting for active traders.
For Bank of America customers, the integration is seamless. Money moves instantly between checking and brokerage accounts. The unified view of banking, credit cards, and investments in one app is genuinely convenient. Merrill also offers Merrill Guided Investing (robo-advisor at 0.45%) and full-service advisor relationships.
Why It Ranks #26
The best brokerage for Bank of America customers. Preferred Rewards creates a financial ecosystem where banking and investing amplify each other. BofA Global Research adds institutional-quality analysis at no extra cost.
Key Stats
$380B+
Client Assets
Bank of America
Parent Company
BofA Global Research
Research Provider
3
Preferred Rewards Tiers
Key Features
Fun Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Merrill Edge?
Merrill Edge is Bank of America's brokerage platform, and its killer feature is the Preferred Rewards program. If you have $20K+ combined across your BofA and Merrill accounts, you start earning bonus credit card rewards, fee waivers, and interest rate discounts. At the $100K+ tier, you get free trades on up to 100 stocks/ETFs per month and priority customer service.
How much does Merrill Edge cost?
Merrill Edge pricing: Free | Options: $0.65/contract | Guided Investing: 0.45%. It is best for Bank of America Customers & Rewards Optimizers.
Why is Merrill Edge ranked #26?
The best brokerage for Bank of America customers. Preferred Rewards creates a financial ecosystem where banking and investing amplify each other. BofA Global Research adds institutional-quality analysis at no extra cost.
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