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Written by Sam Levine, CFA, CMT
Fact-checked by Steven Hatzakis
Edited by Carolyn Kimball
Reviewed by Blain Reinkensmeyer
March 21, 2024
I opened a Citi Self Invest account and found it easy to use, easy on the eyes, and very convenient for Citi customers. For now, the investment options and tools are sparse. Clients can trade listed stocks, ETFs, and approximately 820 no-load, no-transaction-fee mutual funds. There are no account fees or investment minimums (hooray).
Citi’s do-it-yourself brokerage is best for clients with limited needs. I like its simplicity, but it could be much stronger with only a few more goodies. If Citi adds more investment data, stock and fund research, a richer library of educational content, and market commentary, this would be a fine broker for beginning investors.
Pros & Cons
thumb_up_off_alt Pros
- It’s effortless to open an account, even if you’re not a Citi customer.
- Investing is well integrated with banking.
- The mobile app and the website are appealing and easy to navigate.
thumb_down_off_alt Cons
- There’s no stock and exchange-traded fund research, no streaming quotes, and the stock charts are as basic as they get.
- The investor education is excellent, but there’s not enough of it.
- Human customer support is there somewhere, but it may take two or three transfers or new calls until someone finally understands that you aren’t asking about a bank account.
Overall summary
| Feature |  |
|---|---|
| Overall |  |
| Investment Options |  |
| Commissions & Fees |  |
| Mobile Trading Apps |  |
| Platforms & Tools | |
| Research | |
| Customer Service | N/A |
| Education |  |
| Ease Of Use | |
Citi Self Invest Trading Platform Screenshots
Website:
Mobile app:
What is a Citi Self Invest brokerage account?
A Citi Self Invest account lets Citi customers buy, sell, and hold stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds. Logging on to the Citi website or mobile app allows you to access your Citi Self Invest account next to your banking.
Is Citi Self Invest good?
Citi Self Invest ranked low in our scoring because it’s missing many features and investment choices that are common at other online brokers. If you’re just looking for $0 commission stock and fund trades, Citi’s mobile app and website are attractively designed and very easy to use.
What is self-directed investing?
Self-directed investing is when you buy and sell investments without the help of a pro. Many people prefer self-directed investing for its convenience, the freedom to make their own investing decisions, and to save money on advice fees and commissions.
What is Citi Private Client?
Citigold Private Client is Citi’s service for high net worth investors. Citigroup customers with an average monthly balance of $1,000,000 get enhanced services such as a dedicated service team, more investing options, and premier banking services.
Can I buy bonds through Citibank?
Citi Self Invest does not have bond trading, but clients of Citi’s advisor-assisted wealth management services are able to buy bonds.
Does Citi Self Invest have a trading platform?
Citi Self Invest doesn’t have a platform designed for active traders. Customers can access their investment accounts via the Citi mobile app and the citi.com website.
Is Citi Self Invest good for beginners?
Citi Self Invest is very easy to use, but is not one of our picks for best trading platforms for beginners. It lacks beginner-friendly features such as paper trading and fractional shares. There’s also little guidance and research. The investor education articles are excellent, but other brokers offer a wider selection.
How much do you need to invest in Citi Self Invest?
Citi Self Invest has no minimum investment, but your account will close if you don’t deposit funds within six months. New accounts may be eligible for a Citi Self Invest bonus of up to $500.
Is Citi a safe company to invest with?
I view Citi as safe. Like all U.S. brokerage firms, Citi Self Invest is regulated by FINRA, and customer accounts are protected against insolvency by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, or SIPC. These protections do not cover market losses.
Does Citi Self Invest charge account fees?
Citi Self Invest does not charge monthly or annual fees, but there are incidental charges, such as transfers out and closing a retirement account. You can find a list of those charges here.
About Citi Self Invest
Citi Self Invest is an online brokerage established in July 2021. Self-directed clients can use it to buy mutual funds, stocks, and exchange-traded funds. The service falls under the umbrella of Citigroup’s Citi Personal Wealth Management division.
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Citi Self Invest fees and features data
The data collection efforts at StockBrokers.com are unmatched in the industry. The following tables show a deeper dive into the offerings available at this broker. You can also compare its offerings side-by-side with those of other brokers using our Comparison Tool.
In addition to meticulous annual data collection by our in-house analyst, every broker that participates in our review is afforded the opportunity to complete an in-depth data profile. We then audit each data point to ensure its accuracy.
Trading fees
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 |
| Mutual Fund Trade Fee | 0 |
| Options (Base Fee) | N/A |
| Options (Per Contract) | N/A |
| Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | n/a |
Account fees
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 |
| IRA Closure Fee | $95.00 |
| Account Transfer Out (Partial)info | $95.00 |
| Account Transfer Out (Full)info | $95.00 |
| Options Exercise Fee | N/A |
| Options Assignment Fee | N/A |
Margin rates
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Margin Rate Under $25,000 | Not offered |
| Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | Not offered |
| Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | Not offered |
| Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | Not offered |
| Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | Not offered |
| Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | Not offered |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | Not offered |
Investment options
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Stock Tradinginfo | Yes |
| Margin Trading | No |
| Fractional Sharesinfo | No |
| OTC Stocksinfo | No |
| Options Tradinginfo | No |
| Complex Options Max Legsinfo | |
| Futures Tradinginfo | No |
| Forex Tradinginfo | No |
| Crypto Tradinginfo | No |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coinsinfo | 0 |
| Mutual Funds (No Load)info | 820 |
| Mutual Funds (Total)info | 820 |
| Bonds (US Treasury)info | No |
| Bonds (Corporate)info | No |
| Bonds (Municipal)info | No |
| Advisor Servicesinfo | No |
| International Countries (Stocks)info | 0 |
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Order types
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Order Type - Marketinfo | Yes |
| Order Type - Limitinfo | Yes |
| Order Type - After Hoursinfo | No |
| Order Type - Stopinfo | Yes |
| Order Type - Trailing Stopinfo | No |
| Order Type - OCOinfo | No |
| Order Type - OTOinfo | No |
| Order Type - Broker Assistedinfo | No |
Beginners
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Education (Stocks)info | No |
| Education (ETFs)info | No |
| Education (Options)info | No |
| Education (Mutual Funds)info | No |
| Education (Bonds)info | No |
| Education (Retirement)info | No |
| Retirement Calculatorinfo | No |
| Investor Dictionaryinfo | No |
| Paper Tradinginfo | No |
| Videosinfo | No |
| Webinarsinfo | No |
| Webinars (Archived)info | No |
| Progress Trackinginfo | Yes |
| Interactive Learning - Quizzesinfo | Yes |
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Stock trading apps
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| iPhone Appinfo | Yes |
| Android Appinfo | Yes |
| Apple Watch Appinfo | No |
| Trading - Stocksinfo | Yes |
| Trading - After-Hoursinfo | No |
| Trading - Simple Optionsinfo | No |
| Trading - Complex Optionsinfo | No |
| Order Ticket RT Quotesinfo | Yes |
| Order Ticket SRT Quotesinfo | No |
Stock app features
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Market Movers (Top Gainers)info | Yes |
| Stream Live TVinfo | No |
| Videos on Demandinfo | No |
| Stock Alertsinfo | No |
| Option Chains Viewableinfo | No |
| Watch List (Real-time)info | Yes |
| Watch List (Streaming)info | No |
| Watch Lists - Create & Manageinfo | Yes |
| Watch Lists - Column Customizationinfo | No |
| Watch Lists - Total Fieldsinfo | 0 |
Stock app charting
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Charting - After-Hoursinfo | No |
| Charting - Can Turn Horizontallyinfo | No |
| Charting - Multiple Time Framesinfo | Yes |
| Charting - Technical Studiesinfo | 0 |
| Charting - Study Customizationsinfo | No |
| Charting - Stock Comparisonsinfo | No |
Trading platforms overview
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Active Trading Platforminfo | n/a |
| Desktop Trading Platforminfo | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac)info | No |
| Web Trading Platforminfo | Yes |
| Paper Tradinginfo | No |
| Trade Journalinfo | No |
| Watch Lists - Total Fieldsinfo | 0 |
Trading platform stock chart features
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Charting - Adjust Trades on Chartinfo | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studiesinfo | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Toolsinfo | 0 |
| Charting - Notesinfo | No |
| Charting - Index Overlaysinfo | No |
| Charting - Historical Tradesinfo | No |
| Charting - Corporate Eventsinfo | No |
| Charting - Custom Date Rangeinfo | No |
| Charting - Custom Time Barsinfo | No |
| Charting - Automated Analysisinfo | No |
| Charting - Save Profilesinfo | No |
| Trade Ideas - Technical Analysisinfo | No |
| Charting - Study Customizationsinfo | 0 |
| Charting - Custom Studiesinfo | No |
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Day trading features
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Salesinfo | No |
| Streaming TVinfo | No |
| Direct Market Routing - Stocksinfo | No |
| Ladder Tradinginfo | No |
| Trade Hot Keysinfo | No |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocksinfo | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtestinginfo | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Advinfo | No |
| Short Locatorinfo | No |
| Order Liquidity Rebatesinfo | No |
Investment research overview
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Research - Stocksinfo | Yes |
| Research - ETFsinfo | Yes |
| Research - Mutual Fundsinfo | No |
| Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBBinfo | Yes |
| Research - Bondsinfo | No |
| Screener - Stocksinfo | No |
| Screener - ETFsinfo | No |
| Screener - Mutual Fundsinfo | No |
| Screener - Bondsinfo | No |
| Misc - Portfolio Allocationinfo | Yes |
Stock research features
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Stock Research - PDF Reportsinfo | 0 |
| Stock Research - Earningsinfo | No |
| Stock Research - Insidersinfo | No |
| Stock Research - Socialinfo | No |
| Stock Research - Newsinfo | Yes |
| Stock Research - ESGinfo | No |
| Stock Research - SEC Filingsinfo | No |
ETF research features
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| ETFs - Strategy Overviewinfo | Yes |
| ETF Fund Facts - Inception Dateinfo | No |
| ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratioinfo | Yes |
| ETF Fund Facts - Net Assetsinfo | No |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdingsinfo | No |
| ETFs - Top 10 Holdingsinfo | Yes |
| ETFs - Sector Exposureinfo | No |
| ETFs - Risk Analysisinfo | Yes |
| ETFs - Ratingsinfo | Yes |
| ETFs - Morningstar StyleMapinfo | No |
| ETFs - PDF Reportsinfo | No |
View More
Mutual fund research features
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Mutual Funds - Strategy Overviewinfo | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Chartinfo | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Analysisinfo | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - Prospectusinfo | No |
| Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratingsinfo | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdowninfo | No |
| Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdingsinfo | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - Asset Allocationinfo | Yes |
| Mutual Funds - Sector Allocationinfo | No |
| Mutual Funds - Country Allocationinfo | No |
| Mutual Funds - StyleMapinfo | No |
View More
Options trading overview
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Option Chains - Basic Viewinfo | No |
| Option Chains - Strategy Viewinfo | No |
| Option Chains - Streaminginfo | No |
| Option Chains - Total Columnsinfo | 0 |
| Option Chains - Greeksinfo | 0 |
| Option Chains - Quick Analysisinfo | No |
| Option Analysis - P&L Chartsinfo | No |
| Option Probability Analysisinfo | No |
| Option Probability Analysis Advinfo | No |
| Option Positions - Greeksinfo | No |
| Option Positions - Greeks Streaminginfo | No |
| Option Positions - Adv Analysisinfo | No |
| Option Positions - Rollinginfo | No |
| Option Positions - Groupinginfo | No |
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Banking features
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Bank (Member FDIC)info | Yes |
| Checking Accountsinfo | Yes |
| Savings Accountsinfo | Yes |
| Credit Cardsinfo | Yes |
| Debit Cardsinfo | Yes |
| Mortgage Loansinfo | Yes |
Customer service options
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Phone Support (Prospect Customers)info | No |
| Phone Support (Current Customers)info | Yes |
| Email Supportinfo | No |
| Live Chat (Prospect Customers)info | No |
| Live Chat (Current Customers)info | No |
| 24/7 Supportinfo | Yes |
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About the Editorial Team
Sam Levine, CFA, CMT
Sam Levine has over 30 years of experience in the investing field as a portfolio manager, financial consultant, investment strategist and writer. He also taught investing as an adjunct professor of finance at Wayne State University. Sam holds the Chartered Financial Analyst and the Chartered Market Technician designations and is pursuing a master's in personal financial planning at the College for Financial Planning. Previously, he was a contributing editor at BetterInvesting Magazine and a contributor to The Penny Hoarder and other media outlets.
Steven Hatzakis
Steven Hatzakis is the Global Director of Research for ForexBrokers.com. Steven previously served as an Editor for Finance Magnates, where he authored over 1,000 published articles about the online finance industry. Steven is an active fintech and crypto industry researcher and advises blockchain companies at the board level. Over the past 20 years, Steven has held numerous positions within the international forex markets, from writing to consulting to serving as a registered commodity futures representative.
Carolyn Kimball
Carolyn Kimball is managing editor for Reink Media and the lead editor for the StockBrokers.com Annual Review. Carolyn has more than 20 years of writing and editing experience at major media outlets including NerdWallet, the Los Angeles Times and the San Jose Mercury News. She specializes in coverage of personal financial products and services, wielding her editing skills to clarify complex (some might say befuddling) topics to help consumers make informed decisions about their money.
Blain Reinkensmeyer
Blain Reinkensmeyer has 20 years of trading experience with over 2,500 trades placed during that time. He heads research for all U.S.-based brokerages on StockBrokers.com and is respected by executives as the leading expert covering the online broker industry. Blain’s insights have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and the Chicago Tribune, among other media outlets.
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