SEC Investor.gov
investor.gov
The SEC's free investor education site: plain-language guides, fraud and risk alerts, savings calculators and a lookup for checking brokers and advisers.
What it is
Investor.gov is run by the US Securities and Exchange Commission's Office of Investor Education and Advocacy. It explains how investing works in plain language: account types, how brokers and advisers are paid, what stocks, bonds, funds and options are, and how fees add up. Because it comes from the regulator, it has no products to sell, no ads and no affiliate links.
For traders the most useful parts are the Investor Alerts and Bulletins. They cover topics such as margin accounts, the margin rules for day trading in a Regulation T account, what to expect when opening an options account, the risks of short-term trading based on social media, and new fraud schemes. They are written by the SEC and are updated when rules change; recent bulletins cover FINRA's new intraday margin requirements that replace the pattern day trader rules, effective June 4, 2026, with a transition period until October 20, 2027. Alerts can be received by email or RSS.
The site also has a search to check whether an investment professional is licensed and registered and whether they have disciplinary history or customer complaints, plus compound interest, savings goal and required minimum distribution calculators and a link to FINRA's Fund Analyzer for comparing fund fees. It is education and protection, not market data: there are no quotes, charts or trading tools.
Key features
- Investor alerts and bulletins
- SEC-written notices on trading topics such as margin, day trading rules, options accounts and social-media-driven trading, plus warnings about current fraud schemes.
- Check your investment professional
- Search whether a broker or adviser is licensed and registered and whether they have disciplinary history or customer complaints.
- Financial calculators
- Compound interest, savings goal and required minimum distribution calculators.
- Fund Analyzer
- Links to FINRA's Fund Analyzer, which covers more than 18,000 mutual funds, ETFs and ETNs and estimates the effect of fees on returns.
- Introduction to investing
- Plain-language guides to account types, investment products, fees and how markets work.
- Email and RSS updates
- Investor alerts and bulletins can be received by email or RSS feed.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Everything on the site; no account needed |
Investor.gov is a government site and is entirely free.
Free option: Everything: guides, investor alerts and bulletins, calculators and the investment professional search, with no account or ads.
Checked September 25, 2026 on investor.gov. Prices change; confirm on the provider's site before you subscribe.
Strengths
- Written by the regulator, with no products, ads or commissions behind it
- Bulletins explain trading rules such as margin and day trading requirements from the source
- A free check on a broker's or adviser's registration and disciplinary history
- Alerts about current fraud schemes
Limitations
- No market data, charts or trading tools
- Material is aimed at beginners and long-term investors; there is little on trading strategy
- Calculators are basic savings and retirement tools, not trading calculators
Good fit for
- New traders learning how margin, options accounts and trading rules work
- Anyone checking a broker or adviser before opening an account
- Investors who want warnings about current fraud schemes
Look elsewhere if
- Traders looking for strategy education or market analysis
Compare
Alternatives to SEC Investor.gov
SEC Investor.gov questions
Who runs Investor.gov?
The US Securities and Exchange Commission, through its Office of Investor Education and Advocacy.
Is Investor.gov free?
Yes. It is a government website with no fees, no ads and no account needed.
Can I check if a broker is registered on Investor.gov?
Yes. Its search shows whether an investment professional is licensed and registered and whether they have disciplinary history or customer complaints.
Does Investor.gov explain the pattern day trader rule?
Yes. It has a bulletin on margin rules for day trading, and it covers FINRA's new intraday margin requirements that replace the pattern day trader rules from June 4, 2026, with a transition period until October 20, 2027.
Written from SEC Investor.gov's own website and documentation. All Trading Tools lists and compares tools; it does not recommend trades or give financial advice. Sources: investor.gov, investor.gov/use-financial-tools-and-calculators, investor.gov/financial-tools-calculators/financial-tools/mutual-fund-analyzer, investor.gov/introduction-investing/general-resources/news-alerts/alerts-bulletins/investor-bulletins/margin.