Do I have to pay a commission every time I buy or sell a stock in 2026?

For online trades of U.S. stocks and ETFs at major brokers, commissions are generally $0 today, a huge change from a decade ago when each trade cost several dollars or more. This is why small, frequent contributions are now practical. However, 'commission-free' doesn't mean 'cost-free': you still pay the bid-ask spread, some mutual funds carry sales loads or transaction fees, options and broker-assisted trades often carry charges, and margin borrowing costs interest. Brokers also earn money behind the scenes, such as through payment for order flow and interest on your idle cash. Read the fee schedule so you know what's actually free. For a buy-and-hold index investor, the practical cost of trading is now minimal, which removes a big old barrier to getting started.