How to Buy Stocks After the Market Closes
You can place orders after hours, but they may not fill at the price you see
Yes, you can buy stocks after the regular market closes at 4 p.m. Eastern time. Most brokers let you place orders during after-hours trading, which runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. However, after-hours trading works differently from regular trading: fewer buyers and sellers are active, prices can swing wider, and your order might not fill at all, or might fill at a price much different from what you expected when you placed it.
If you want to buy a stock after 4 p.m., you need to use your broker's after-hours trading feature. Most major brokers — Fidelity, Charles Schwab, E*TRADE, TD Ameritrade, and others — offer it, but you may need to turn it on in your account settings or meet a minimum account balance. Some brokers charge a small fee per after-hours trade; others do not.
Key Takeaways
- After-hours trading runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern on weekdays when the regular market is closed, and your broker must support it for you to place orders.
- After-hours prices can be much higher or lower than the closing price because fewer traders are active, and your order may not fill at the price you see on your screen.
- A limit order — which sets the maximum price you will pay — protects you from buying at an unexpectedly high price during after-hours trading.
- Pre-market trading also exists from 4 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Eastern, and carries the same risks as after-hours trading.
Why prices move differently after hours
During regular market hours, millions of shares trade every second across thousands of traders. After hours, the volume drops sharply — maybe 2 to 3 percent of the regular-hours volume for a typical stock. That thin trading means a single large order can move the price significantly, and bid-ask spreads (the gap between what buyers will pay and what sellers want) widen.
News released after 4 p.m. — earnings reports, regulatory announcements, or major company events — often triggers after-hours price swings. A stock might close at $50 at 4 p.m., then jump to $55 by 5 p.m. if the company reports strong earnings. If you place a market order to buy at $50, you might end up paying $55 or higher because the price has moved by the time your order reaches the market.
Market orders versus limit orders after hours
A market order tells your broker to buy at whatever price the stock is trading at when the order reaches the market. After hours, this is risky because the price can move between the moment you place the order and the moment it fills — sometimes by several dollars on a volatile stock.
A limit order sets a maximum price you will pay. If you want to buy a stock trading at $50 after hours, you can place a limit order to buy at $50. If the price stays above $50, your order will not fill. If it drops to $50 or below, your order will fill at $50 or less. Limit orders protect you from surprises, but they also mean your order might not fill at all if the price never reaches your limit.
Most experienced after-hours traders use limit orders for this reason. You give up the certainty of a fill, but you keep control of the price.
Which brokers offer after-hours trading and what it costs
Nearly all major brokers support after-hours trading, but the details vary. Fidelity, Charles Schwab, E*TRADE, TD Ameritrade, and Interactive Brokers all allow it. Some brokers require a minimum account balance — often $2,000 to $25,000 — or require you to request access. A few charge a small per-trade fee, though most do not.
Check your broker's website or call their support line to confirm whether after-hours trading is available on your account and whether you need to enable it. The feature is usually in your account settings under "trading hours" or "extended hours".
Pre-market trading: the other extended-hours window
Pre-market trading runs from 4 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Eastern, before the regular market opens. It carries the same risks as after-hours trading: thin volume, wide spreads, and prices that can move sharply on news or large orders. Many brokers offer pre-market trading to the same accounts that can trade after hours.
Pre-market trading is often more active than after-hours trading because it captures overnight news and positions traders for the regular market open. However, the same rule applies: use a limit order to control your price, and expect that your order might not fill.
What happens if your after-hours order does not fill
If you place an after-hours order and it does not fill by 8 p.m., the order expires at the end of the after-hours session. It does not automatically roll over to the next trading day. You will need to place a new order during regular hours or during the next after-hours session if you still want to buy.
Some brokers let you set an order to "good-til-canceled" (GTC), which means it stays active across multiple days until it fills or you cancel it. Check your broker's order types to see if GTC is available. Even with GTC, the order only executes during times when the market is open — regular hours, pre-market, or after-hours, depending on what you selected.
Risks specific to after-hours trading
Beyond price swings, after-hours trading carries other risks. Liquidity is lower, so a large order might move the price significantly or only partially fill. News can break after hours and cause sharp moves before you have a chance to react. Some stocks are thinly traded even during regular hours and become nearly impossible to trade after hours.
If you are new to investing, after-hours trading is usually not necessary. Most stocks you want to buy will still be available during regular market hours, when volume is higher and prices are more stable. After-hours trading is most useful for traders who want to react immediately to after-hours news or who are actively managing positions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy any stock after hours?
Most stocks can be bought after hours if your broker supports it, but some thinly traded stocks may have no buyers or sellers available. Larger, more liquid stocks like Apple or Microsoft are easier to trade after hours. Check your broker's platform to see if a specific stock has after-hours volume before placing an order.
What if I place an after-hours order and the price gaps overnight?
If you place a limit order after hours and the stock gaps past your limit price overnight, your order will not fill. If you place a market order, it will fill at whatever price the stock opens at the next morning, which could be much higher or lower than the after-hours price. This is why limit orders are safer for after-hours trading.
Do I pay the same commission for after-hours trades?
Most brokers charge no commission for stock trades, whether during regular hours or after hours. Some brokers charge a small per-trade fee for after-hours orders. Check your broker's fee schedule or account settings to confirm what you will pay.
Can I sell stocks after hours?
Yes, you can sell stocks after hours using the same process as buying. The same risks apply: lower volume, wider spreads, and prices that may move sharply. A limit order protects you by setting a minimum price you will accept for the sale.