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Top 5 brokerage firms in 2010. Best and highest rated online stock broker companies for individual investors.
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- Stocks and ETFs: $7
- Options: $7 plus $1.25 per contract
- Mutual Funds: 2,800+ for free, $17 for all others
- Investment products: stocks, options, mutual funds, CDs, munis, Canadian stocks, ETFs
- Minimum to open account: $500
- All Scottrade fees
- No inactivity, account maintenance or hidden fees
- No-fee IRAs
- Highest customer satisfaction according to JD Power and Associates
- 450+ local branches
- Great support for beginner investors with massive amount of educational resources
- Margin rates are among lowest of national online brokers
- Online community
- No ACAT fee
- Only $500 minimum to open account
- Additional 0.5% of the principal value commission for stocks under $1
Scottrade Review
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- Stocks and ETFs: $4.95 (for stocks over $1)
- Options: $4.95 plus $0.65 per contract
- Mutual Funds: $14.95
- Bonds: $4.95/bond ($14.95 minimum)
- Treasuries: $24.95 per transaction
- Certificates of Deposit (CDs): $24.95 per transaction
- Investments: stocks, options, mutual funds, bonds, ETFs
- Minimum to open account: $0
- All TradeKing fees
- One of the best in trading commissions
- No minimums or hidden fees
- Award-winning trading tools
- Best rated customer service
- Low margin rates
- Best online investor community
- Fee-free IRAs
- Extensive educational resources
- Extra $0.01 per share on the entire order of stocks priced less than $1
TradeKing Review
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- Lowest stock commissions in the industry
- 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 and inactivity fees
- Free check-writing privileges
- No surcharges for large orders, penny stocks and extended hours trading
- Very low margin rates
- Might not be the best for beginner investors
Optionshouse Review
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- Stocks and ETFs: $5
- Options: $5 plus $0.55 per contract
- Direct Access trading: $0.005 per share, $1 minimum per trade
- Mutual funds: $25 per trade
- Investment products: stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs
- Minimum to open account: $0 for cash account, 2,000 for margin account
- All Choicetrade fees
- Very low commissions and fees
- No account minimum or inactivity fees
- No extra charges for large-sized orders or stocks below $1
- Direct access trading with lowest commissions
- Free paper/virtual trading
- Investor community
- Very good customer service
- Powerful trading tools
- High mutual fund commissions
- Extended hours stock trades $0.005 per share surcharge
ChoiceTrade Review
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- Stocks and ETFs: $9.95 if under 1001 shares; $0.01 per share if over 1000 shares
- Options (0-34 trades/quarter): $14.95 (for one contract), $14.95 (for five contracts), $15 (for 10 contracts), $30 (for 20 contracts)
- Options (35+ trades/quarter): $12.95 (for one contract), $12.95 (for five contracts), $12.95 (for 10 contracts), $20 (for 20 contracts)
- Mutual Funds: $14.95
- Investments: stocks, options, mutual funds, bonds, futures, ETFs
- Minimum to open account: $0 for cash account, $2000 for margin account
- All OptionXpress fees
- Best customer service
- Many well-designed trading tools
- No hidden fees
- No fee IRA accounts
- Great research
- Free real-time and streaming quotes
- Free virtual trading
- $0 to open cash account
- Free account transfers
- Free instructor lead online classes
- Free broker-assisted trading
- High trading costs for stocks and options
OptionsXpress Review
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