Best online stock trading

Best Online Stock Trading Brokers for 2017. I’ve had an online stock trading account since I was 13 years old. I’ve used at least a dozen of the best online stock trading platforms in real practice and in testing over the past 4 years. I’ve gained a few “learning experiences” from managing my own account and working as a day trader for a firm in Chicago for several years.

Using my knowledge of the platforms and experience as a trader, I worked to uncover the top picks and identify who or what each product is best for. Optionshouse – Best Discount Broker (also Best Options Broker) Scottrade – Best Support and Service E*TRADE – Best Trader Resources TD Ameritrade – Best For Developing Traders. Managing your own money can be a stressful endeavor. To minimize this, and to minimize information overload that tends to come from watching the markets 247, there are a few must haves that I look for in an online broker. Clean interface. When I trade, I want to be able to easily find my order entry ticket. I don’t want it buried under a number of drop downs.

This interface should have intuitive access to see your balance, available cash, positions with real time PL and all be easily navigated. Quick access to basic charting. A chart tells me where the stock has been recently.

I don’t trade minute to minute anymore, so I don’t need complex tools like stochastics or retracement lines. All that’s important is that I have a basic chart on a yearly, monthly, weekly, daily and intra day time period. I use a chart to see current price relative to those time periods, mainly to avoid purchasing at a bad price. Low fees.

Self explanatory. There are over 50 online brokerages where you can open an account. Beyond the my three rules above, best online brokerage accounts aren’t just for trading stocks.

Sure, many of them started as online stock trading accounts, but now they’re full-fledged trading, saving, investing, retirement planning, and banking machines. This industry is more complex than the average person thinks. You shouldn’t just pick any online broker and sign up for an account. The best online broker for one person is often completely different for the next person. Use this resource as a guide to your decision process.

Figure out what features are best for you, and make your selection. What Makes a Great Online Broker? I analyzed a number of elements to come to my decision on which brokers are the best. Later in this post, I provide full details on how I selected the best online brokerages.

When you take all the features, resources, trading platforms, and technology into account (while also considering every type of trader), the full-service brokers, like E*TRADE and TD Ameritrade are the best for the largest number of people. For those simply looking to make cheap trades, I would recommend going with Optionshouse. If you’re a very advanced trader, high-volume trader, or a professional who manages money, I recommend going with Interactive Brokers. However, I didn’t include Interactive Brokers on my list because they’re best for a very small group of traders and the platform is very complex.

Top Qualities of Standout Online Trading Platforms. Quality trading tools and technology Multiple trading platforms for all levels of traders Excellent mobile trading features Solid navigation that displays the relevant information where you want it Quality educational resources and research for trader development. There’s more to selecting an online broker than price. You have to consider the resources you’re getting for the cost you pay per trade.

For example, my colleague, who is also an ex-trader, likes to use a combination of stock and options trade in his longer-term trading. He recently switched over to Fidelity because he really liked the cash management features, but was very disappointed by complex order entry, sub-par options execution and frustrating navigation. He’s currently making the switch to one of the brokers I profile here. 5 Top Online Stock Brokers. Posted by Blain Reinkensmeyer | Last modified on Jul 24th, 2017 | Published Apr 28th, 2017. Investors should know the best online brokers to trade with. Some online stock brokers are known for their award-winning customer service while others are known for inexpensive stock trades or powerful trading tools.

This guide will highlight some of the best brokers available today with tips and advice for choosing a broker. Here are the online brokers that offer investors the most value for their portfolios. Stock Trades $6.95 | Option Trades $6.95 + $0.75 per contract | Minimum Deposit $0. Current Offer Trade free for 60 days + Get up to $600. TD Ameritrade was ranked #1 Online Broker 2017 by StockBrokers. com* with its $6.95 stock trades. Its platforms (thinkorswim was #1 desktop platform), tools, mobile apps (#1 for mobile trading), research (top 5 finisher), customer service (#1 for phone support), and education (#1) are all award winning. Full review.

Stock Trades $4.95 | Option Trades $4.95 + $0.65 per contract | Minimum Deposit $2,500. Current Offer Get up to 500 free trades for 2 years. Fidelity is best known for its value driven customer experience. Regular stock trades are just $4.95 each and Fidelity was rated #1 for order execution quality, which drives down trading costs even further. Beyond cost and ease of use, Fidelity also finished #1 for research tools.

It’s Viewpoint articles are top of class and Fidelity is the only broker to offer 12 third-party research reports for individual equities. Full review. Stock Trades $6.95 | Option Trades $6.95 + $0.75 per contract | Minimum Deposit $500. Current Offer Trade Free for 60 Days & Get Up to $600. Stock Trades $6.95 | Option Trades $6.95 + $0.75 per contract | Minimum Deposit $0. Current Offer Invest in a new account and get up to $600.

Merrill Edge is the online broker of Bank of America and is available to all investors, regardless if they are a current BofA customer. Like TD Ameritrade and ETRADE, Merrill Edge is well-rounded however, it has a huge advantage over all other brokers thanks to its Preferred Rewards program where customers can earn free trades, credit cards bonus cash back, priority customer service, and more. I have personally been using the program since it launched. It’s awesome. Full review. 5. Ally Invest (previously TradeKing) Stock Trades $4.95 | Option Trades $4.95 + $0.65 per contract | Minimum Deposit $0. Current Offer No current offers.

Ally Invest offers investors $4.95 stock trades, quality customer service, and full banking services through Ally. TradeKing was acquired by Ally Financial in 2016 and continues to enhance its offering with tools like Ally Invest LIVE, the broker’s mobile friendly trading platform. Full review. Tips for Choosing a Broker. Having the best stock broker to serve individual needs is very important for any investor. For example, cheap trades most often come at the expense of less research tools and a more simplified trade platform. Consider these 12 key factors to help compare all stock brokers and ultimately find the best broker to suite your needs.

What does it cost to buy shares of stock? Does the fee change based on the type of order or size of order? To keep it simple, look for brokers that offer flat-fee trades, ie charging a flat rate regardless of the type, price of the stock, or size of the order. When picking up the phone or emailing a broker, is a well trained customer service representative ready to assist? How any investor is treated as a client is more important to some than others.

But, even for those that don’t rely on customer support that often, to know that they have award winning service there when they need it is comforting. Trading successfully is a lot easier when investors have great tools at their disposal. A top stock broker should offer access to a wide variety of trade tools to help make the most of each and every trade. From real-time streaming quotes to last sale tickers, quality stock scanners, mobile trading apps, and level II quotes to name a few. Strong tools are essential for active investors.

Some brokers allow you to open an account with no minimum deposit while others may require several thousand dollars. Also know that some brokers require higher minimums to gain access to premium platforms, functionality, and personalized support. A good online broker will provide a variety of market research tools. The rule of thumb here is simple the more you pay per trade, the better the market research (both fundamental and technical) that is provided.

A online stock broker should offer access to not only trading stocks, but also a strong selection of no load mutual funds, commission free ETFs, and complex options. Other unique investment offerings to look for could include direct market routing, conditional orders, futures trading, and forex trading. Fees beyond trade commissions include inactivity fees (common with active trading brokers such as Interactive Brokers, Lightspeed, and TradeStation) and IRA fees for having a retirement account. While most brokers do not charge predatory fees, it’s still important to do your due diligence. Just like a bank account, stock brokers also make a portion of their profits off miscellaneous fees. Funding a IRA, Roth IRA, or other retirement account with no annual fees is an extra perk many online brokers offer. There is no reason why you should pay an annual fee to have an retirement account.

If managing your own portfolio is not of interest, all full-service brokers offer optional advisory services as well. Furthermore, robo-advisors such as Betterment are growing in popularity. Once again, the experience at larger established brokers is going to be superior to smaller brokers. Larger online brokers offer banking and other financial services. This goes beyond money market accounts and CDs. Checking accounts, mortgages, debit cards, and credit cards can also be offered.

The leader in this space is, hands down, Bank of America Merrill Edge. Because of the web today, all online brokers invest heavily into account security. SSL websites (look for “s” at the beginning any URL) are used by most brokers and some are now even offering two-factor authentication (using your phone to confirm a code before logging in). Just like shopping online and choosing a trustworthy website to purchase from, the best bet is to choose a well-known, established broker for your portfolio. For the active trader, execution speed and fill price are very important. I won’t get too in depth here but I have tested many of these brokers and there can be noticeable differences in trade execution times and quality.

For the majority of investors, saving a penny per share on a 100 shares order isn’t the end of the world, but for active traders it is something to look into. To understand Order Execution, read this guide. For investors in the United States this is not a problem but for investors living outside the US, when comparing brokers it is important to make sure they offer service in your country. Here’s a good list of international brokers to start with.

Best Online Stock Brokers for Beginners 2017. NerdWallet offers financial tools and advice to help people understand their options and make the best possible decisions. The guidance we offer and info we provide are deeply researched, objective and independent. We spent over 300 hours reviewing the top online brokers before selecting the best for our readers. And to help you find the one that’s best for you, we’ve highlighted their pros, cons and current offers. When you’re a beginner investor, the right brokerage account can be so much more than simply a platform for placing trades. It can help you build a solid investing foundation — functioning as a teacher, advisor and investment analyst — and serve as a lifelong portfolio co-pilot as your skills and strategy mature.

What is a stock broker? A stock broker is a person or an institution licensed to buy and sell stocks and other securities via the market exchanges. Back in the day, the only way for individuals to invest directly in stocks was to hire a stock broker to place trades on their behalf. But what was once a clunky, costly transaction conducted via landline telephones now takes place online, in seconds, for a fraction of what full-service brokers used to charge for the service. (A little lost? Here’s some background on the stock market.) Best Online Stock Brokers for Beginners.

TD Ameritrade Best overall Charles Schwab Best overall Ally Invest Best for no account minimum Merrill Edge Best for no account minimum & for customer support Scottrade Best for customer support Motif Best for low costs Robinhood Best for low costs Vanguard Best for mutual funds & ETFs Fidelity Best for mutual funds & ETFs. Best Online Brokers for Stock Trading 2017. NerdWallet offers financial tools and advice to help people understand their options and make the best possible decisions.

The guidance we offer and info we provide are deeply researched, objective and independent. We spent over 300 hours reviewing the top online brokers before selecting the best for our readers. And to help you find the one that’s best for you, we’ve highlighted their pros, cons and current offers. There is no single best online broker for stock trading. But among the dozens of financial firms vying for your investing dollars will be one that’s best for you.

Are you just starting out and looking for a friendly place to learn the ropes? Really into trading options and futures? Seeking access to sophisticated investing research? A cost-conscious frequent trader? Below are the brokers that earned NerdWallet’s highest marks based on the breadth and quality of their offerings in the areas that matter most to individual investors. To find a suitable online broker, read on for highlights (and links to our in-depth reviews on each). Best Online Brokerages For Stock Trading.

TD Ameritrade Best overall & for beginners Charles Schwab Best overall & for beginners Merrill Edge Best for research Fidelity Best for research OptionsXpress Best for investment selection E-trade Best for investment selection Ally Invest (formerly TradeKing) Best for low cost Interactive Brokers Best for low cost. The best overall NerdWallet’s top online brokers. These brokers have no inactivity fees or account minimum. They offer advanced trading platforms, a breadth of research and access to a wide range of investments. TD Ameritrade and Charles Schwab offer strong customer support, advanced trading platforms with no trade minimums, and an impressive amount of research. Determining which of these two top-tier discount brokers will best meet your needs comes down to a few differences in their offerings.

Commissions is one, and when Schwab slashed prices to $4.95 per trade it became a serious competitor to its deep discount peers. Its extensive library of free data and access to two trade platforms to appeal to new and experienced investors makes it tough to beat. In comparison, TD Ameritrade’s trade commissions are on the higher side, but many traders find their first-class trading platforms, Trade Architect and thinkorswim, worth that cost. Both brokers offer a large selection of no-transaction-fee mutual funds and commission-free ETFs, serving stock and mutual fund investors equally well. The best online brokers for investment selection. Clients of these brokers can trade a number of asset types, including futures.

E-Trade and OptionsXpress are ideal brokerage candidates for investors who aren’t solely into stock trading. These firms offer a broad selection of investing products — stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, futures and options trading — along with power trading platforms that advanced investors will appreciate. To pick the best fit for your style, compare trading costs for the investments you plan to trade most frequently For example, futures trading at E-Trade is cheaper at $1.50 per contract per side compared with $3.50 at OptionsXpress, but high-volume options traders can save money at OptionsXpress. E-Trade and OptionsXpress earn the all-star status in terms of their broad range of offerings, but investors looking for the best service, price, tools and trade execution should check out our coverage of the best brokers for options trading, best brokers for trading futures and commodities and best brokers for forex trading. The best online brokers for research. These brokers offer a depth of high-quality research along with reasonable commissions.

Research is key to stock trading and Merrill Edge and Fidelity both provide investors with ample tools, data and research to dig deep into stock analysis. Fidelity’s lineup of research from more than 20 providers is a standout among online brokers. A quiz helps investors identify which providers match their investment style and there’s a research firm scorecard that rates the accuracy of the provider’s recommendations. (For more on Fidelity’s research and data, see our Fidelity Investments review.

) Merrill Edge is also known for its robust research, which includes offerings from its own BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research as well as third-party providers Morningstar, S&P Capital IQ, Lipper and Recognia. (For more details about Merrill Edge’s research, trading platform and more, see our Merrill Edge review.) The best low-cost online brokers.

These other brokers are formidable choices for fee-conscious investors. Both offer rock-bottom commissions, but investors won’t sacrifice much in tools and investment selection. Commission costs at Ally Invest (formerly TradeKing) and Interactive Brokers are very low. But cheaper investing can be made via stripped-down apps such as Robinhood, which offer commission-free trading. That said, price is what you pay, value is what you get. On that point, neither of our top picks for cost-conscious investors skimp on the quality of trading platforms nor on the selection of investments offered. Lots of brokers require no minimum investment to open an IRA, but the price to open a regular brokerage account is often higher.

Ally Invest wins this cost-comparison point with its $0 account minimum vs. the $10,000 required by Interactive Brokers to open a regular brokerage account and $5,000 required to set up IRAs. As far as commissions go, frequent traders will benefit from Interactive Brokers’ volume discount as long as they qualify by meeting monthly trading activity minimums and maintaining that $10,000 account balance. Ally Invest slashes trading costs to $3.95 for investors who place 30 or more trades per quarter or carry a balance of $100,000.

On the fund side, Interactive Brokers has 50 commission-free ETFs and 1,700 no-transaction-fee mutual funds in its lineup, while Ally Invest offers none. If that’s your sole focus, check out our roundup of best brokers for ETF trading and best brokers for mutual funds. (For a more detailed description of each broker, see our in-depth reviews of Ally Invest and Interactive Brokers. The best online brokers for beginners. These brokers offer tons of educational offerings for beginners, affordable commissions, round-the-clock customer service (as well as physical branches to get in-person guidance) and a large number of commission-free ETFs.

If you’re just learning how to buy stocks, the most important features in a discount brokerage account may be education, easy account setup and customer service to guide your investing journey. TD Ameritrade and Charles Schwab are our top picks for such investors. A main draw is that both brokers offer full-service treatment for investors who live near one of their physical branches. Schwab has more than 300 across the country and TD Ameritrade has more than 100 (which will grow when its merger with Scottrade is completed). Online service is also robust.

Both brokers offer a ton of educational resources, beginner-friendly web-based and mobile trading platforms and tools to help new investors build a diversified portfolio. Although customers pay a little more in stock trading commissions at TD Ameritrade and Charles Schwab than at other deep-discount firms, neither firm charges account maintenance or inactivity fees. If your plan to build a portfolio with exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and mutual funds, you’ll be happy with the selection of commission-free ETFs and no-transaction-fee mutual funds at both TD Ameritrade and Schwab. For our complete roundup of the best brokers for those just starting out, see the best online stock brokers for beginners. First-timers may also wish to review our guide on how to buy stocks.

More guidance to help you pick the right broker. Here are more NerdWallet resources to answer other common questions about online brokerage accounts. Do I have enough money to get started investing?

You don’t need much to get started. Note that many of the brokers above have no account minimums. One easy way build a diversified portfolio for little money is to invest in exchange-traded funds.

ETFs are essentially bite-sized mutual funds that trade like stocks Like a mutual fund, ETFs contain a basket of similar assets (e. g., stocks in the S&P 500 index or shares of companies that operate in the technology sector). But instead of having to qualify for a mutual fund investment minimum, investors can buy and sell individual shares of ETFs just like individual stocks. Is the money in brokerage accounts insured? Are there different kinds of accounts? What paperwork do I need to open a stock trading account? For answers to all these questions and more, read the what is a brokerage account and how do I open one guide. How do I determine if a broker is right for me before I open an account?

Some key criteria to consider are how much money you have, what type of assets you intend to buy, how frequently you plan to transact and how much service you need. Our post about how to choose the best broker for you can help to arrange and rank your priorities. The Best Online Stock Trading Sites. Latest Update March 15, 2017. Best for Cheap Trading Flat $4.95 Trade Commission $0 Account Minimum Low Barrier for Discounts and Incentives. We tapped into the expertise of two investors — one’s a former day trader, the other a financial commentator with 20 years of trading experience — to analyze the pricing structures of 13 of the best online stock trading sites.

To find our top picks, we dug into each broker's research and tools, and took their platforms for a spin to find which one is best for different types of investors and strategies. The 5 Best Online Stock Trading Sites. Best for Cheap Trading Ally Invest. Ally Invest leads the industry in low-cost commissions structure for all kinds of investors, from high-net-worth individuals to beginning buy-and-hold traders. Even though a rash of brokers dropped their commissions in 2017 to be competitive with Ally Invest’s $4.95 flat rate, it keeps its edge with a zero account minimum and enticing discount for active investors –– equity trades drop to $3.95 for users with 30+ trades each quarter or a balance of $100,00. While cheaper trades can still be found (Robinhood’s mobile platform boasts totally commission-free stocks and ETFs, for example), Ally Invest’s platform and resources stand out with quality research and tools, including access to its online trader network. Best for Beginners E*Trade. If you’re looking for something with an easy learning curve, but endless of room to grow, we recommend E*Trade.

Its learning center is filled with educational videos, articles, and webinars to guide your through the basics. From there, you can stay up to date on investing news, reports, and commentary from their team of market analysts. Branch appointments are free to book, and online chat tools and 24-hour hotline are there to guide you from anywhere in the world. If you’re looking to expand your investing over time, E*Trade is equipped to handle everything from entry-level IRAs to aggressive trading of stocks and options. Best Platform TD Ameritrade. TD Ameritrade offers two best-in-class platforms, designed for two types of investors. Trade Architect is good for beginners, or anyone who prefers a simplified, educational interface that can walk them through the ordering process and explain potential strategies.

Thinkorswim, on the other hand, is a powerhouse designed for advanced investors. This platform regularly racks up praise and awards and offers superior tools and features — including research reports, real-time data, charts, and technical studies. Both platforms are free to use for any investor with a TD Ameritrade account, which for many investors makes the $6.95 commission worth it. Best for Active Traders OptionsHouse.

OptionsHouse is a top platform for investors with an options focus — but it’s the hands-down winner for active traders. Like Ally Invest, it’s been a longtime leader in rock-bottom pricing, with a flat $4.95 trade commission ($4.95 plus $0.50 per options contract) and, unlike many brokerages catering to active investors, no account minimums or inactivity fees. It’s also a standout with a streamlined interface and smart tools. It doesn’t offer currency trading, and has limited commission-free and transaction-free offerings, but its 2016 acquisition by E*Trade should help fill in those gaps as the two brokers continue merge. Best Research & Tools Fidelity.

Fidelity wins for its quantity and quality of trading and investing research — ideal for the DIY investor looking to unleash their potential. Featuring research from more than 20 providers, plus stellar execution, it’s no surprise Fidelity was awarded best overall online stock broker in 2016 by both Barron’s and Kiplinger . And Fidelity shows no signs of slowing down. In early 2017, Fidelity lowered its commissions from $7.95 to $4.95, a sign that it’s looking to become a bigger player in the discount scene, as opposed to the high net-worth individuals it historically has catered to. It still reserves some of its tools and features for high-volume, active traders, but looking forward, Fidelity is going to get harder and harder to beat. How We Found the Best Online Stock Trading Sites.

It’s a tumultuous time for online stock brokers. The players have largely remained the same, but between significant cuts in commissions and a few major acquisitions (E*Trade acquired OptionsHouse TD Ameritrade and Scottrade merged Ally Invest now lives under Ally Bank), the competition is fierce. This is all to say there is no one best online stock broker, but each one has different strengths and weaknesses. Our mission is to spotlight those, and help you find the best one for your investing style. We leveraged the expertise of two stock traders — a former day trader and a financial commentator who has been trading for over 20 years — to dig into 13 of the most popular online stock trading sites. Different investors are going to prioritize different things — a day trader, for example, requires speed and flexibility whereas a beginning trader may value educational resources and customer support. But one thing every trader should care about is cost, so we spent a lot of time balancing price with what each site offered.

A few of the fees we analyzed include Cost per transaction Commissions are typically an investor’s biggest cost base. In 2016, a typical unassisted transaction fee averaged about $8, but early 2017 saw a slew of brokers decrease their commission, including Fidelity, E*Trade, and TD Ameritrade. Now, many trade for as low as $4.95, which is where, historically, only a few brokers, like Ally Invest and OptionsHouse, operated. No matter what the price, though, transparency is key.

We wanted to see affordable pricing structures that were locked in for the long haul. We also took note of new customer promotions, where brokers give you a chunk of free trades, usually based on how much you deposit. Promotions change regularly, but they can be a good indicator of the type of investor a broker is a good fit for. (Ally Invest, for example, offers incentives for deposits as low as $500, whereas Fidelity Investments has a higher barrier for entry — a $50,000 deposit to get 300 free trades.) Another thing we compared how many commission-free ETFs a broker offered. Account minimums Seeing your nest egg shrink due to a tough market or bad strategy isn’t fun.

It’s worse if you’re also getting dinged by your broker’s minimum account balance requirement. Charges for data, research, and tools All the best online stock trading sites have quality market data like real-time quotes, educational resources, and stock-screening tools built right into their platforms. But some, like Fidelity and TD Ameritrade, stand out for also providing top-shelf resources, totally free of charge. Extra costs There are lots of brokers that boast having financial experts on-call 24 hours a day to help you make a trade, but don’t tell you those services come with additional fees.

(Executing a trade over the phone, for example, can increase an $8 commission fee to $25 or more.) Some platforms do offer free education on sophisticated strategies like options and futures, but require an upgraded platform with an annual fee. There are plenty of additional fees that may crop up along the way (we discuss some of the more common ones here), but for pretty much every investor, cheaper will always be better. Depending on your strategy — trading on margin, for example — increased fees might just be the cost of doing business, but we looked to mitigate these costs in our top picks. Alongside cost, we also valued educational resources, reports and tools, and the usability of the platform itself. Our expert users took each broker for a test-drive and weighed in on standout features. We also took ratings from investment publications like Barron’s and Kiplinger into account.

Online Broker Partners. $4.95 online equity trades plus. $0.65 options per contract. See site. Stocks & ETFs - $0.0005 - $0.0035 per share. See site. Stock & ETFs $3 flat to 300.

shares or $0.01share. Options $3 1st Contract $0.75 per additional. $4.95 per stock trade - other. $4.95 trades for Active Traders. $5Trade + $0.50 Per Contract.

$.01 per share - $1 per trade. Cash Account $1,000. Margin Account $2,000. Retirement Account $1,000. Equity deposit in cash or. stock of $10,000 (or USD.

equivalent) or $5,000 for IRA. Account (or USD equivalent). $2,500 cash account. No Account Opening Minimum. $500 Cash account. $5,000 Minimum for.

online equity trades good. See site for details. Get up to $600 at E*TRADE. through December 2016. Deciding to take the plunge and start investing is a pretty big choice in itself, but picking a broker is just as important. The potential for fraud or poor service exists, so be careful when picking a broker.

Keep track of your wins and losses to help you detect patterns over time. There are many tools available to help investors make informed decisions. Make sure you understand what you'll be paying.

If you're a millennial and want to start investing, read on for more. Note The information in the above chart is current as of August 1, 2016. To reach someone about having it updated, please contact Speke Wilson at speke. wilson [at] nasdaq.

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Give us a call 1-800-387-2331. Get up to $600 plus 60 days of commission-free stocks and options trades when you deposit $10k or more. 1 How it works. Check the background of E*TRADE Securities LLC on FINRA's BrokerCheck. PLEASE READ THE IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES BELOW.

Commissions for equity and options trades are $6.95 with a $0.75 fee per options contract. To qualify for $4.95 commissions for equity and options trades and a $0.50 fee per options contract, you must execute at least 30 equity or options trades per quarter. To continue receiving $4.95 equity and options trades and a $0.50 fee per options contract, you must execute at least 30 equity or options trades by the end of the following quarter. Stock plan account transactions are subject to a separate commission schedule. Securities products and services offered by E*TRADE Securities LLC, Member FINRA SIPC .

Investment advisory services are offered through E*TRADE Capital Management, LLC, a registered investment advisor. Commodity futures products and services offered by E*TRADE Futures LLC, Member NFA . Banking products and services are offered by E*TRADE Bank, a federal savings bank, member FDIC , or its subsidiaries. E*TRADE Securities LLC, E*TRADE Capital Management LLC, E*TRADE Futures LLC, and E*TRADE Bank are separate but affiliated companies. System response and account access times may vary due to a variety of factors, including trading volumes, market conditions, system performance, and other factors. ©2017 E*TRADE Financial Corporation.

All rights reserved. E*TRADE Copyright Policy. 7 Best Stock Brokers for Online Trading. By Ashley Redmond, Contributor. Technological advances in financial and investment tools give investors a myriad of options, including online trading.

Online trading accounts can benefit many types of investors, from the beginner who needs assistance getting an investment plan started to the knowledgeable investor who can use the online trading tools to pursue an investment strategy. GOBankingRates surveyed the best stock brokers for online trading based on an assessment of service features, fees, current offers and other criteria that are pertinent to potential investors of various experience levels. Website intuitiveness is also important. An investor needs to feel comfortable on the trading platform, so being able to switch easily between browsers and find information easily is integral. "Good reporting features are essential, displaying account information in a way that the investor understands," said Ryder Taff, portfolio manager, New Perspectives, Inc. Commission Flat-fee trading and more than 100 commission-free exchange-traded funds (ETFs) Account minimum No minimum to open an account.

Costs and fees Stock trades -- $9.99 Mutual funds -- no commission on no-transaction fee (NTF) option for NTF funds held longer than 180 days no-load option for $49.99 Options -- $9.99 plus $0.75 per contract Current offers 60 days of commission-free trading with a deposit of $3,000 or more and opportunities to earn up to $600 in bonuses based on deposit amount Features 247 customer service via email or phone one-on-one, in-person assistance also available at local branches Thinkorswim, a platform offering user-friendly, sophisticated tools such as profit-and-loss charts, real-time market scans synced between desktop and tablet devices, beta weighting, Strategy Roller and more as well as third-party research from sources such as Morningstar and Thomson Reuters Free access to all trading platforms and real-time streaming quotes on all platforms plus live audio from the futures pit Ideal investor Beginner and skilled investors with a wide range of budgets. Premium service Investors that maintain a total account value of $100,000 and average at least five trades per month qualify for Apex, a program that has no service fees, gives client calls and emails top priority 247, and includes free access to in-depth, third-party research and reports. 2. Interactive Brokers. Commission Fixed and tiered options. Account minimum $10,000. Costs and fees $10 minimum monthly activity fee for accounts with balances between $2000 and $100,000 $20 fee for accounts with balances below $2,000 no fee for accounts above $100,000.

Current offers na. Features Intuitive smartphone and tablet app for mobile trading using IB's SmartRouting Technology, which finds the best price and routes and re-routes your order to achieve the best execution possible Investors' Marketplace connects clients with the broader investment community, enabling individuals and financial professionals to form connections with each other and third-party service providers IB Online Knowledge Base, a resource of how-to articles, troubleshooting tips and a glossary designed to help customers manage their accounts Ideal investor Advanced or high net worth investors. Premium service The service as a whole is designed to be a premium option for investors. Commission Flat-fee trading. Account minimum Free to open an account minimum deposit of $2,500 to trade mutual funds. Costs and fees Stock trades -- $7.95 Mutual funds -- Fidelity funds are free NTF non-Fidelity funds are free on purchase or $49.95 on redemption if held less than 60 days Options -- $7.95 plus $0.75 per contract Current offers Earn up to 200 commission-free trades for 90 days when you open and fund a Fidelity individual retirement account or brokerage account or add to an existing one Features Fast customer service 247 via phone, live chat or email Learning Center, which contains an abundance of material to teach beginner investors the basics and equip experienced investors with the courses and tools they need to implement their strategies Active Trader Pro platform enables investors to access market-tracking tools, charts and more detailed ETF and exchange-traded product screener that allows you to research options by various criteria Ideal investor Beginner investors who need guidance and experienced investors who want user-friendly tools.

Premium service Investors with eligible retail household relationship assets totaling at least $250,000 qualify for Fidelity Premium Services, which include guidance regarding an overall portfolio, waivers of certain fees, free investor seminars and more. Commission Flat-fee trading. Account minimum na. Costs and fees Stock trades -- $6.95 Mutual funds -- fee-free NTF fund or $39.95 short-term redemption fee if held less than 90 days Options -- $6.95 plus $0.75 per contract Current offers Earn up to $600 based on deposit amount when you open and fund a new Merrill Edge self-directed IRA or cash management account between first five and 90 days of account opening, get up to 300 $0 online equity and ETF trades in the new account Features Integration of Merrill Edge investment account with Bank of America bank account accessible with one login and real-time transfers between accounts Access to thousands of brick-and-mortar Bank of America branches nationwide for clients who want in-person assistance Some of the lowest fees among big discount brokers Ideal investor Beginner and intermediate investors (some advanced investor services also are offered) and Bank of America customers. Premium service The Preferred Rewards Program is a three-tier program based on the investor's Bank of America account and Merrill Edge account.

It views assets in both accounts and offers up to 100 free trades per month depending on combined account balances. Commission Flat-fee trading. Account minimum na. Costs and fees Stock trades -- $4.95 Mutual funds -- $20 Options -- $4.95 plus $0.75 per contract Current offers New customers who open and fund an account with a minimum of $5,000 within 30 days of account opening can trade commission-free for 60 days Features tradeCYCLE tool set and platform, which includes tools for research, strategy creation and strategy testing, trading, analysis and trading plan adjustment Some of the lowest fees among the large discount brokers Intuitive New Customers section that provides easy, step-by-step instructions for how to use the OptionsHouse Platform, from placing an order and accessing mobile tools to how to create a spread Ideal investor Beginner investors and active traders who want both low fees and user-friendly tools. Premium service No. Commission Flat-fee trading and commission options.

Account minimum $5,000 for a stock trading account other accounts vary depending on what assets are being traded, intended usage and assets held in the account. Costs and fees Minimum monthly activity fee of $99.95 if account doesn't meet the minimum activity or other criteria options Three pricing plans are offered, so costs of trading will vary The per-share plan is $0.01share with a commission rate of $0.006 after the first 500 shares per trade. The per-trade plan (flat-fee trading) can cost between $4.99 and $9.99 depending on how many trades are executed. The unbundled plan offers trades as low as $0.002 per share -- trading minimum applies -- and passes liquidity rebates from exchanges onto clients.

Current offers Open and fund a new brokerage account by June 30, 2015, and get commission-free trades for 90 days Features 247 customer support, and the investor gets a dedicated contact person Platform and mobile app offer trading and marketing analysis tools, real-time streaming quotes and more Unique pricing structures designed to help active, experienced traders save money Ideal investor Intermediate and experienced active traders. Premium service The service as a whole is designed to be a premium option for investors. Commission Flat-fee trading.

Account minimum na. Costs and fees Stock trades -- $4.95 Mutual funds -- $0 load mutual fund (subject to change from the mutual fund) $9.95 no-load mutual fund Options -- $4.95 plus $0.65 per contract Current offers Transfer fees charged by current broker refunded up to $150 on all accounts when you switch to TradeKing $50 when you refer a friend who opens an account meeting certain criteria $1000 in free trade commissions if you are a new client who opens an account with $5,000 by June 30, 2015 Features Trader Network, an online trading network established in 2005 that connects investors with each other to share experiences and strategies Customizable dashboard settings, including background color, that are saved to be consistent across your devices Free technical analysis tools and education center broken down by experience level (rookie, veteran, all-star), market outlook (bullish, bearish, neutral, volatile) and investment product type Ideal investor Active traders of various experience levels. Top 6 Best Online Trading Platforms | 2017 Ranking | Best Online Trading Sites & Top Trading Platforms. 2017 RANKING & REVIEWS. TOP RANKING BEST ONLINE TRADING PLATFORMS.

Intro Finding The Best Online Trading Site and Top Online Stock Trading Platform for Your Investments. Finding an online trading platform that works for you can make your investments more lucrative and less time-consuming than ever before. But how do you know which of the myriad of stock trading websites is the best stock trading platform? Some trading platforms are more heavily advertised than others (think of the E*Trade baby commercials), and if you&rsquove spent any time searching for the best online trading platforms, you&rsquove surely bumped into a few of the top trading platforms already.

Award Emblem Top 6 Best Online Stock Trading Platforms. Review of the Best Online Stock Trading Sites in 2017. Different stock trading websites will have various features that may appeal to you, depending on your investment style and preferences.

The best online trading platforms are easy to use, offer low fees, and specialize in the type of securities you&rsquore most interested in buying and selling. In our review of the best stock trading platform options, we&rsquore going to take a closer look and rank 2017&rsquos best online trading platforms to make your research a little bit easier. The below online trading platform review presents a list of this year&rsquos top online stock trading brokers, along with a detailed review of each of these highly rated online trading platforms.

We&rsquove also included an overview of the approach, research, and selection methodology used by AdvisoryHQ when conducting these online stock trading reviews. AdvisoryHQ's List of the Top 6 Best Stock Trading Sites & Platforms. List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the names below to go directly to the detailed review section for that online trading platform) Top 6 Best Online Trading Platforms | Brief Comparison & Ranking. Table Top 6 Best Online Trading Platforms | Above list is sorted alphabetically. What Do Active Traders & Experienced Investors Look for in an Online Stock Trading Platform?

Price per trade is the first and also the biggest factor for individual investors and professional traders who seek the best online trading platform. As you are most likely aware, price per trade is how much you&rsquoll pay each time you trade (buysell) stocks, options, futures, bonds, or other financial products. If you trade or invest often, you&rsquoll find out very quickly how beneficial it is to go with a a top online trading platform that offers a low price per trade. Paying &ldquolittle to no&rdquo service fees (i. e., $0 inactivity fees and no maintenance fees) is another key factor for investors and traders when they are conducting online stock trading reviews to find the top online stock broker and the best trading platform that fits their needs. Going with an online stock trading website that offers little to zero account maintenance fees increases your overall trading and investing returns.

Opening a trading account with the best stock trading site that provides the fastest trade execution is another top priority for online traders and investors, and is a factor that you should definitely consider before making your selection. When trading or investing in fast-moving markets, sometimes the difference between gaining and losing thousands of dollars comes down to a few milliseconds (0.001 vs. 0.01 seconds can make or lose you a ton of money). Hence, extremely fast trade execution should be a top priority when looking for the best trading platform for your needs. In addition to the factors outlined in the section above, you&rsquoll also want to consider &ldquoadded value&rdquo or &ldquoperks&rdquo as important factors when searching for and selecting the best online stock trading platform. For example, some investors consider value promotions (e. g., receiving up to $1,000 when you open an account), 247 customer service, free research tools, and highly advanced stock trading platforms as key criteria when finding the best stock trading site that meets their needs. Why Use an Online Stock Trading Platform vs. a Full-Service Brokerage?

The best online trading platforms will make investing your money in various types of securities simpler than ever before. While stock trading websites are nearly everywhere, you can also purchase bonds, options, futures, and currencies through many of the best online trading platforms. What is the primary draw to these types of trading websites, even for the very best trading platforms? First and foremost, investors tend to love using an online trading platform because it can be a heavily discounted form of brokerage investing and trading.

Because the cost to run these online trading platforms is decreased, those savings can be passed on to users via lower commissions. Many users also prefer to use a top best trading platform because it allows them to make trades faster than a traditional brokerage is capable of making them. Reducing the amount of paperwork necessary to make a trade and then reducing the redundancy of entering that information electronically makes your trades happen faster. For some investors, time may not be of the essence. However, if you were looking for the best stock trading site for day trading, a few minutes saved on a trade might make all the difference. As we mentioned earlier, the best stock trading platform will depend mostly on how you intend to trade.

One site may be geared more towards day trading, while another offers more innovative technology to help you measure risks. The best online trading platforms have some combination of all of the features discussed in this section, but they will likely specialize in becoming the best trading platform for just one specific type of trader. AdvisoryHQ&rsquos Selection Methodology. What methodology does AdvisoryHQ use in selecting and finalizing the credit cards, financial products, firms, services, and products that are ranked on its various top-rated lists? Please click here &ldquoAdvisoryHQ&rsquos Ranking Methodologies&rdquo for a detailed review of AdvisoryHQ&rsquos selection methodologies for ranking top-rated credit cards, financial accounts, firms, products, and services. Detailed Review&mdashTop Ranking Best Online Trading Platforms.

Below, please find a detailed review of each online trading platform on our list of top trading platforms. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these online trading platforms to score so high in our selection ranking. Founded in 2010, creators Jon and Eli wanted to design an online trading platform that would be easy to use and ideal for their customers to make easy and smart investment choices. If you&rsquore searching for the best online trading platform, you might want to consider Betterment for its easy-to-use interface and investment strategies. Some sites may be considered the best stock trading site based on the low commissions, but Betterment has come to be a leader in the field based on its investment technology. Key Factors That Enabled This Online Trading Platform to Rank as One of the Best Online Trading Platforms.

Below are some of the essential reasons we chose Betterment to be included on our list of the best online trading platforms. When you begin investing through the Betterment site, your portfolio is automatically groomed to yield higher returns than you might be able to do otherwise as a do-it-yourself investor. Here are a few of the automated features that make this one of the best online stock trade websites When you set up your account, you should sync all your outside investment accounts into Betterment as well.

With all your net worth included in the overview of your financial status, Betterment may be able to suggest better or different ways to invest. Goal-Based Investing Framework. Do you need to find the best stock trading sites so you can reach a particular goal, like saving for retirement or beefing up a rainy day fund? The algorithms Betterment employs helps to manage the risk associated with your portfolio based on the timeline in which your account needs to be fully funded.

When you receive dividends or make a deposit, Betterment will automatically rebalance your portfolio. This top online trading platform rebalance your investments based on algorithms that are designed to keep your taxes from skyrocketing. This is evaluated on a daily basis and all of the cash you have set aside is invested, even if it means purchasing a fractional share. Betterment has recently restructured their pricing system, making this online trading platform much more accessible for new and experienced traders alike. This new system is broken down into three separate pricing categories With no minimum balance requirement, this pricing category offers cost-effective investing for any investor. An annual fee of 0.25% includes the following Automated portfolio management Tax-efficient investing features Advice across your investments Award-winning customer support. To qualify for a 0.40% annual fee, users need to have a minimum account balance of $100,000.

There are a few enhanced perks that come along with this type of fee structure, including Annual call with a team of CFP professionals and licensed financial experts Additional account monitoring by licensed experts. 0.50% Annual Fee (Premium) Accounts must have a minimum balance of $250,000 to qualify for a 0.50% annual fee. While the fee might be substantially higher, the fees may be worth it for investors who want to have access to expert financial advice. This fee adds the following benefits Unlimited calls with CFP professionals and licensed financial experts Additional account monitoring by licensed experts.

These fees cover all of your transactions, trades, transfers, rebalancing, advice, and account administration. Even some of the best online trading sites charge additional fees when you buy and sell, but Betterment does not. E*Trade leads the way in terms of stock trading websites, being the very first site to make an electronic trade more than three decades ago. Making online trades since 1983, this digital brokerage also boasts something that many of the best online stock trading sites do not physical branches. With 30 locations across the United States, E*Trade can offer in-person financial and investment advice instead of strictly via live chats, phone conversations, or automatic algorithms. Key Factors That Enabled This Online Trading Platform to Rank as One of the Best Online Trading Platforms.

The unique aspect of live customer service from brick and mortar locations aside, here are some of the exceptional reasons that E*Trade qualified as one of our best online trading platforms. Having been one of the first online stock trading platforms available to the public, E*Trade currently offers a wide variety of educational resources to assist do-it-yourself investors in making wise choices. Of note, they can offer users the following Educational resources (a compilation of articles on popular strategies and investment-specific goals) Commentary & insights Live events Free courses. E*Trade recognizes that not everyone is a seasoned investment professional and tailors the information they provide accordingly, making it one of the best online stock trading platforms for beginners. Even if you decide not to use E*Trade for investments (though they have a great selection of commission-free ETFs you might want to take a look at), it is still a wonderful resource to educate yourself.

Pricing Policies & Updates. While there are options for commission-free ETFs aplenty on E*Trade, the site really shines for those individuals who are looking to make frequent trades. Some individual investors prefer to make initial investments and hold them for years to come, while others are constantly rebalancing and tweaking their portfolios. You have the option to do both through E*Trade, but the pricing structure is set up to favor more frequent traders. As a general rule, the more trades you make each quarter, the lower your commission fees will be. ​In an exciting shift, E*Trade will be changing their pricing policies.

Effective March 13, 2017, online equity and options trades will be reduced to a base rate of $6.95, plus 75 cents per options contract. E*Trade is also introducing a new program for active traders, defined as those who make 30+ trades each quarter. This enhanced program will feature $4.95 online equity and options trades, with an additional 50 cents per options contract. Investors looking for the best trading platform for a specific type of account need look no further than E*Trade. This best online trading platform offers a wide array of account options throughout a core offering of four categories. Brokerage Retirement Managed Solutions Small Business Solutions.

For those who are interested in seeing a quick overview, E*Trade does provide a list of their most popular account types. Over the course of the last six years, Motif Investing has created a one-of-a-kind investment platform that has many naming it the best online stock trading platform. The trades it makes are centered on ideas or &ldquomotifs&rdquo of what interests individual investors. Each concept turns into a motif, &ldquointelligently weighted baskets of up to 30 stocks or exchange-traded funds.&rdquo This best trading platform offers over 150 professionally built motifs, and users have created more than 180,000 customized motifs on their own.

Motif Investing is ideal for users who want to invest around a specific concept. Key Factors That Enabled This Online Trading Platform to Rank as One of the Best Online Trading Platforms. Want to know how Motif Investing ended up on our list of the best online trading sites?

Take a look below at the various features that determined its ranking. While the site is centered around providing you with what is essentially a custom-made ETF, investors have the opportunity to control just how much they want to alter. The original creation of the motif includes up to thirty stocks and ETFs into a &ldquobasket,&rdquo but the user has the option to add or delete stocks and change the weights on each individual investment item. For this reason, it is one of the best online trading sites for creative portfolio building. If you have been investing for a while, you can also browse through their catalog to create your own motif. These small portfolios are organized by current themes, trends, and strategies, making searching for a motif into an organized and pleasant experience. A few examples of the categories available through Motif Investing include Green Investing Social Causes Political Themes Current Events Energy & Natural Resources Healthcare Financial Services Real Estate.

You&rsquoll pay just $9.95 total commission for thirty stocks, or as they call it, a motif. Within this bundle of stocks, you can still weight them exactly as you desire. For individual trades, investors can expect to pay $4.95 per trade, though it certainly seems as though motifs are more popular, as Motif Investing excels at providing dynamic, productive portfolios. While trading accounts have no account minimum, investing in a motif requires a minimum of $300. Motif Impact accounts have a minimum requirement of $1,000, and to trade on margin, investors will need a minimum of $2,000.

OptionsHouse is one of the best online trading sites for low commission fees and advanced trading technology. Around since 2005, this best stock trading site boasts high rankings from Barron&rsquos, another leading industry reviewer. They have been named the 2016 top broker and have also received the Best for Options Traders award six years running in the annual review. Their slightly longer time in business has resulted in a plethora of awards calling this choice one of the best online trading platforms.

Key Factors That Enabled This Online Trading Platform to Rank as One of the Best Online Trading Platforms. For more information on the features and pricing that makes OptionsHouse rank as one of the best online trading site options, see the following section. The technology offered by OptionsHouse is comparable to what professional brokerages might have in their offices.

They tout their tradeCYCLE process as a way to help you make better trades and increase your profits. Their interfaces are 100% customizable, allowing you to take closer looks at your profitable trades for better research and analysis. Their other platform, tradeLAB, also allows you to take a look at different strategies with customized metrics. You can see a quick profitlossbreak even picture for different stocks and options, helping you to better balance risk versus reward.

Adjust the volatility to take a more in-depth look at the possible scenarios you may face from trading your stocks and options. From these same screens, you can even place your trades right on the spot. With pre-populated orders, you can set your platform to notify you with alerts. These trigger alerts will even help you to see great opportunities to maximize your potential profits quickly.

For more advanced investors, you can dive deeper into their other programs such as strategySEEK to help you develop and fine-tune different trading strategies and gain insight with custom charts and graphs regarding the profits you&rsquove made from previous trades. You have the opportunity to analyze, learn, and grow a new trading strategy with potential situations that can test whether it will work best for your portfolio. OptionsHouse Trading Fees & Pricing. First and foremost, there is no account minimum in order to open an account through OptionsHouse. Unlike other stock trading websites, they also don&rsquot require maintenance fees for relatively inactive accounts.

When compared to the commission fees on other top trading platforms, this best trading platform carries rates are significantly lower than their competitors. Stock and exchange-traded funds cost a $4.95 commission fee, with only $0.50 per contract for options traders, less expensive than both E*Trade and TradeKing. Who benefits the most from the pricing that OptionsHouse offers? Active traders tend to fare better from the fee schedule, with decreased rates as a reward for the more trades you perform. Another long-running best online trading site, TD Ameritrade has been around for forty years and counting. It became one of the first &ldquodiscount brokerages&rdquo in the early 1980s and continues to offer the same low trade commission today. TD Ameritrade is a top pick for those investors who want access to similar analytical tools used by Wall Street, hedge funds, and institutional investors.

These tools include a customizable workspace, screeners, streaming market commentarycharts, back testing, strategy rollers, etc. With 247 customer service, great research tools, numerous other investment options, and plenty of physical branches throughout the U. S., TD Ameritrade is a great choice and is a great pick for a best stock trading platform. Key Factors That Enabled This Online Trading Platform to Rank as One of the Best Online Trading Platforms. Below, we have listed key factors that enabled TD Ameritrade to be listed as one of our options for the best online trading platform. TD Ameritrade provides a wide range of research and trading tools which investors &ndash from new to those more experienced &ndash have found to be very useful when conducting stock, ETF or options research. This is a great online trading site to use if you only want to invest in American markets, and the fees are competitive and attractive to beginners. In addition to providing powerful trading tools to experienced traders, it is clear that TD Ameritrade has positioned itself to be the broker for new and beginning investors, and it is prone to spending large amounts of money on advertising at large sporting events.

Barron's ranked them as first in their class for usability, and this best stock trading platform has made it into several rankings as one of the best stock trading platforms. TD Ameritrade offers a lot of education and research on potential investments, perfect for beginner do-it-yourself investors or more seasoned traders. Beginners can get a quick crash course in trading with seminars and webcasts. Learn the different account types and investment products, about taxes, and planning for specific life goals like college or retirement. Once you&rsquove mastered the basics, you can take advantage of their third-party research to help evaluate your investment strategy. When it comes to research, TD Ameritrade is a leading online trading platform.

Users have access to an entire suite of investment research tools to analyze investment performance and market data, making it one of the best stock trading platforms for those who want quick access to important market data. TD Ameritrade provides detailed research findings for the following categories One of the greatest features that marked TD Ameritrade as one of the best online trading platforms is the option to choose which of their platforms works best for you. You can choose between four options Web Platform&mdashfor serious fundamental investors Trade Architect&mdashfor active investors and traders Think or Swim&mdashfor serious traders Mobile&mdashfor on-the-go investors and traders.

Each one of their platforms features different tools and choices, customizable based on your preferences. Stream news, analyze resources to come up with ideas for your next investment, and make trades quickly and easily. You can also set up alerts from many of these best online trading platforms to keep you in the loop. There is no account minimum required to get started on this online trading platform.

However, they do require a $2,000 deposit to be considered for margin and options privileges. With recently updated pricing, TD Ameritrade has become a more affordable option. This best trading platform offers flat-rate commissions on all trades, no share limits, and no trade requirements–all for $6.95 per online equity trade. Looking to avoid paying commission?

TD Ameritrade also features more than 100 commission-free ETFs for the same trade price. Founded in 2005, TradeKing seems to value two things above others low commissions and customer service. While they also have technology and investment research similar to that from E*Trade, OptionsHouse, and TD Ameritrade, commissions and customer service are where they really shine. TradeKing is one of the year&rsquos best and most highly rated online trading sites. With TradeKing, you pay $4.95 for stock and ETF trades and $4.95 plus 65 cents per contract when trading options.

Ultimately, TradeKing is built for serious traders who trade actively and in large volumes. Still, new and intermediate investors and traders can also benefit from the advanced trading capabilities provided by TradeKing, including its low price per trade cost. Key Factors That Enabled This Online Trading Platform to Rank as One of the Best Online Trading Platforms. If you&rsquore interested to see how TradeKing measures up, take a look below to see how we rated them for our own review of stock trading websites. Over the past few years, TradeKing has been acknowledged as a best trading platform for customer service. SmartMoney gave TradeKing the highest ranking for customer service in 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2012.

The various forms of customer service available through TradeKing include Phone TradeKing promises to try to answer all calls within seconds without complicated menus or long hold times. Online chat Reach a specialized broker instantly on the live chat feature. Email TradeKing tries to respond within 2 hours to every email inquiry but gives themselves up to 24 hours during the weekends. One of the best features of the TradeKing trading platform is the use of their TradeKing LIVE software.

Instead of dealing with large downloads limiting your ability to access your investments from every computer, their software is browser-based. Your information and quotes are streamed directly through this software. The best part is that because it does not involve downloads, you can access it from anywhere and any device. In addition to this software, you can also use their other tools No matter what sort of information you need to assemble, TradeKing probably has a technological tool to help you find the answers.

However, there are a few drawbacks to maintaining a low balance or an inactive trading account inactive clients who have not traded for a full 12 months and have a combined household account value of less than $2,500 will incur an annual inactivity charge. Still, TradeKing does offer some of the lowest commission rates among the best stock trading platforms. Their stock and ETF trade commission rate falls at $4.95 with an additional $0.65 per contract for options.

The only other option that fell under our ranking of the best online trading sites with a lower commission fee was OptionsHouse. Most of the savings you get from TradeKing comes from the fact that it devotes fewer dollars to its advertising budget than other firms. However, note that you will pay an additional 1 cent per each stock under $2, and if your account is under $2500 and you don&rsquot make a trade for 12 months, you will be slammed with a $50 inactivity fee. For the price, this is a top online stock broker to consider &ndash even if it, perhaps, lacks some of the bells and whistles of other brokers.

There is an active user forum, and interaction with other traders is strongly encouraged. This allows users of this best stock trading site to share experiences, ideas, and strategies for online stock trading. The general consensus across online stock trading reviews is that you can&rsquot go wrong with TradeKing. Conclusion &mdash Top 6 Best Online Trading Platforms. Utilizing an online trading platform can save you both money and time when it comes to making self-directed investments.

Pricing from the best online trading sites can be fairly low, making it even more beneficial for you to use one of these stock trading websites instead of a traditional brokerage. When considering the best stock trading platform or the best online trading platform, you want to keep in mind more than just the price. The technological advancements they can offer may help to uncover a new strategy that aligns with your investment style. Balance the technology, educational resources, pricing, and customer service to determine the best stock trading platform for your needs. Keep in mind that many of these brokerages will offer specials and discounted rates during a trial period. These promotional offers change on a regular basis, so be sure to investigate all of the best online trading platforms you&rsquore interested in to see what they may be offering before making an account. Reasonable efforts have been made to present accurate information, however all info is presented without warranty.

Review AdvisoryHQ&rsquos Terms for details. Also review each firm&rsquos site for the most updated data, rates and info. Note Firms and products, including the one(s) reviewed above, may be our affiliates. Click to view our advertiser disclosures.