Best Solo 401k Providers
You went independent for a reason—more control over your work, your schedule, your life. Why hand that control back to Wall Street for your retirement? Here's how to pick a Solo 401k provider that lets you decide where your hard-earned money goes.
Choose Fidelity or Schwab for zero setup and annual fees with commission-free trading.
Choose Rocket Dollar or MySolo401k for crypto, real estate, and checkbook control.
Traditional Brokerage Providers
Best for most self-employed investors. Zero fees, easy setup, traditional stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.
Fidelity
Best for: Most self-employed investors
- Zero account fees
- Commission-free trading
- Excellent research tools
- Strong mobile app
- •No loan provision
- •Limited to Fidelity investments
- •No alternative investments
Charles Schwab
Best for: Hands-on investors wanting research
- No account minimums
- 24/7 customer support
- Wide investment selection
- Integrated banking services
- •No loan provision
- •No checkbook control
- •Limited to traditional assets
Vanguard
Best for: Index fund investors
- Industry-low expense ratios
- Excellent index funds
- Fee waived with $50K+ or e-statements
- Strong long-term track record
- •Higher fees for non-Vanguard funds
- •Less intuitive platform
- •No loan provision
E*TRADE
Best for: Active traders
- Advanced trading platform
- No commissions on stocks/ETFs
- Good options trading tools
- Now part of Morgan Stanley
- •No loan provision
- •Options fees can add up
- •No alternative investments
Self-Directed Solo 401k Providers
For investors wanting checkbook control and alternative investments like real estate, crypto, private equity, and more.
Rocket Dollar
Best for: Alternative investments (crypto, real estate)
- Checkbook control
- Invest in crypto, real estate, startups
- Loan provision available
- Modern, easy platform
- •Higher annual fees
- •Setup fee required
- •You manage investments directly
MySolo401k
Best for: Maximum flexibility and control
- Full checkbook control
- All alternative investments allowed
- Loan provision included
- Experienced SDIRA specialist
- •Higher setup cost
- •More administrative responsibility
- •Less hand-holding
Nabers Group
Best for: One-time fee structure
- No annual fees after setup
- Full checkbook control
- All investment types allowed
- Good for long-term holders
- •Higher upfront cost
- •Limited ongoing support
- •DIY maintenance required
Quick Feature Comparison
Compare key features across all Solo 401k providers at a glance.
| Provider | Setup Fee | Annual Fee | Roth | Loans | Checkbook | Alt Invest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity | $0 | $0 | — | — | — | |
| Charles Schwab | $0 | $0 | — | — | — | |
| Vanguard | $0 | $20/fund (waivable) | — | — | — | |
| E*TRADE | $0 | $0 | — | — | — | |
| Rocket Dollar | $360 | $180/yr (Silver) or $360/yr (Gold) | ||||
| MySolo401k | $550 | $125/yr | ||||
| Nabers Group | $999 | $0 (one-time fee) |
How to Choose the Right Provider
Choose Free Brokerage If...
- You want to invest in stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds
- You prefer zero fees and simple setup
- You don't need to borrow from your account
- You want a well-known, established provider
Choose Self-Directed If...
- You want to invest in crypto, real estate, or startups
- You want checkbook control over investments
- You may need to take a loan from your 401k
- You're comfortable managing investments yourself
Our Top Recommendations
Zero fees, great research tools, and commission-free trading for most investors.
Modern platform, checkbook control, and great for crypto and real estate.
Industry-low expense ratios for long-term passive investors.