Best ETF broker commissions: discount brokerage firms offering lowest ETF investment costs in 2012

Optionshouse ETF Commission

• Lowest commissions
• Free streaming quotes
• Efficient trading tools
• No account minimums. Minimum initial funding size is $1,000 for a cash account and $2,000 for a margin account
• No fee IRA accounts
• No volume requirements, maintenance and inactivity fees
• Free check-writing privileges
• Free DRIPs (complete shares only)
• No surcharges for large orders and extended hours trading
• Very low margin rates
• Free virtual trading

• For stocks priced $2 or less that are not options eligible, add $0.005 per share for the entire order
• Shortened extended hours trading: 8:00 am - 9:30 am and 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm EST
• International investors are not accepted

OptionsHouse

TradeKing ETF Commission

• Great commissions
• No minimums, maintenance or hidden fees
• Free real time quotes
• Award-winning trading tools
• Best rated customer service
• Low margin rates
• Best online investor community
• Fee-free IRAs
• Extensive educational resources

• Additional $0.01 per share on the entire order of stocks priced less than $1
• $50 annual inactivity fee if BOTH apply to an account(s):
  • Combined account value of the household account(s) is less than $2,500
  • No commission-charged trades have been executed in the account(s) during the last 12 months

SogoTrade ETF Commission

• Very low commissions
• Fractional shares available with no monthly subscription fee
• No inactivity, maintenance fees (accounts with over $100)

• For stocks priced under $1, the online commission is $3 plus 0.5% of the principal value
• Terrible trade executions
• Poor trading platform
• Frequent technical problems
• Very slow new account set up process
• Hard to reach, unresponsive customer service
• $30 annual IRA fee
• Can't short stocks under $3
• Cannot invest in CDs and bonds
• No interest on cash