Trading stocks online. Which stockbrokers are best?

Question

I want to start buying stocks online. Which stock brokers are the best online, what should I look in those companies? I would probably start off with a $1000 investment.

Answer 1

the one with the lowest fees is sharebuilder at $4 trades or $12 a month unlimited. I use TDAmeritrade at $10 a trade because of the research offered.  Sharebuilder is good if you are taking a LONG term approach where you want to buy and hold because it offers DRIP dividend reinvestment plan.  If you do some research you will find sites that will list all available features and you can pick the one that works best for you.

Answer 2

Been with sharebuilders for about 8 years. 0 dollars to start and you can dollar cost average on anything you buy. Your dividends are also reinvested for you in  full or partial shares.

I never had this with my previous broker, that's why I dumped them.

Answer 3

The best stockbroker is one that you trust and adds value to your account by giving you ideas that make you money.

The vast majority of traders lose money.

I think you are asking which discount online brokerage firm is best, not which stockbroker is best. That depends on your criteria for best, best or lowest commissions? Quickest fills on orders? Best research to help you pick stocks? Best tools to help you with learning, charting, quantatative anaylasis?

What are you looking for?

My advice, talk to your friends and relatives about a financal advisor they use and trust, then talk to that person.

If  they don't know anyone, email me and I will recommend someone, you need to talk to an expert first before you lose your one thousand bucks.

Good Luck

Answer 4

When you look into brokerage firms, you should take into account of minimum investment, inactivity fees, maintenance fees, commission rates, and other additional features.  I personally use Firstrade.  They require no minimum investment, have no inactivity or maintenance fees, and are $6.95 per trade.  They also offer free dividend reinvestment (DRIPs).  You should definitely check them out.  On the other hand, I would not recommend Sharebuilder.  They are NOT $4 per trade.  That's the rate for automatic investments, which are scheduled trades.  The rate of real-time trades is actually $9.95.  My problem with Scottrade is that they don't offer DRIPs and I don't like Schwab either because they are quite expensive.  The broker with, by far, the cheapest rates is Zecco.  They are 10 free trades per month, but they require an initial investment of $2,500.  I would also not recommend them for beginners.  Therefore, for me, I would go with Firstrade.

Answer 5

I've been happy with Charles Schwab for the past decade.  Good website, $12 a trade and offices around the country if you need one.

Answer 6

For online trading I use Scottrade.  I have not had any complaints so far.  

Use their online Education Center to learn about trading (so many terms to learn !) , and how to use all of the tools they provide.  Good luck.