Online Brokerage Comparison
Find the best online broker that fits your investment needs. Whether you’re ready to open your first brokerage account or looking for a new broker, keep a few things in mind. A top online broker not only has competitive trade commissions, but also great trading tools, offers a variety of investment choices, and provides great customer service.
Since brokers can change their commissions and fees at any given time, it’s best to visit the site and review all the information carefully before opening an account.
TradeKing Open Account
| - Named #1 in customer service for 2011 as a discount broker by SmartMoney magazine
- Connect with other investors in the Trader Network
- Over 8,000 mutual funds to invest in
- Mobile App for investors on the go
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| Stock Trade | Mutual Fund Trade | Options Trade | Options Contract | Minimum Deposit | IRA Annual Fees |
| $4.95 | $9.95 | $4.95 | $0.65 | None | None |
Scottrade Open Account
| - Offers a full line of investment products
- Over 500 local branches nationwide for that face-to-face service
- Trade or research anywhere with the mobile app or mobile website
- Offers commission-free ETF trading with Focus Morningstar ETFs
|
| Stock Trade | Mutual Fund Trade | Options Trade | Options Contract | Minimum Deposit | IRA Annual Fees |
| $7.00 | $0 – $17 | $7.00 | $1.25 | $500 | None |
E*Trade 
Open Account | - Industry leader for over 20 years
- Offers free easy-to-use research, education and investing tools
- Trade on the go with the E*Trade Mobile Pro app for all mobile platforms
- Offers discounted commissions for high volume traders
|
| Stock Trade | Mutual Fund Trade | Options Trade | Options Contract | Minimum Deposit | IRA Annual Fees |
| $9.99 | $19.99 | $9.99 | $0.75 | $500 | None |
Betterment Open Account
| - Betterment is a broker alternative offering simple asset allocations to fit your needs
- Straightforward fee of 0.15% to 0.35%, depending on your balance
- No transaction fees
- No minimum balance
- Automatic account rebalancing
- Check out our Betterment review
|
optionshouse Open Account
| - Rated “Best for Options Traders” by Barron’s in ’09, ’10, ’11
- Trade with an award-winning cutting edge trading platform developed by professionals
- Virtual stock and options trading platform to test your strategies first
|
| Stock Trade | Mutual Fund Trade | Options Trade | Options Contract | Minimum Deposit | IRA Annual Fees |
| $3.95 | $9.95 | $5 – $8.50 | $0 – $0.15 | None | None |
optionsXpress Open Account
| - Free trading education with XpressMethod
- Full access trading on the go from any mobile device with OX Mobile
- Rated at least 4 stars out of 5 by Barron’s from 2002 – 2011
|
| Stock Trade | Mutual Fund Trade | Options Trade | Options Contract | Minimum Deposit | IRA Annual Fees |
| $9.95 | $9.95 | $0 | $1.50 | None | None |
tradeMONSTER Open Account
| - Rated “Best for Options Traders” by Barron’s in ’10, ’11
- become a proactive investor with tradeCYCLE
- Offers competitive rates with no hidden fees
|
| Stock Trade | Mutual Fund Trade | Options Trade | Options Contract | Minimum Deposit | IRA Annual Fees |
| $7.50 | $15.00 | $7.50 | $0.50 | None | None |
Zecco Open Account
| - Comprehensive tools allow you to identify, analyze, trade and monitor your investments
- Follow star performers in the ZeccoShare Community
- Forex trading through Zecco Forex
|
| Stock Trade | Mutual Fund Trade | Options Trade | Options Contract | Minimum Deposit | IRA Annual Fees |
| $4.95 | $10.00 | $4.95 | $0.65 | None | $30.00 |
| Firstrade Open Account
| - 250 free trades when you open a new Firstrade account
- Trade 10 popular ETFs commission-free
- Over 11,000 mutual funds to choose from
|
| Stock Trade | Mutual Fund Trade | Options Trade | Options Contract | Minimum Deposit | IRA Annual Fees |
| $6.95 | $9.95 | $6.95 | $0.75 | None | None |