Direct Access Brokerages VS Online Retail Brokerages

Direct access is typically excludes inactive and longhigher chances of better prices. Slippage in this model
day traders. Investors prefer this method forof trading is controlled at a minimal price as well.
reasons such as low involvement of transaction and4. Control over order routing: There is higher control
low exchange fees and also because there are noover the ordering routine. This is because most direct
brokers involved.access firms choose to send their orders through a
Direct access trading is primarily for self-helped activespecialist, a market trader or Electronic
traders. Traders value the speed of execution that iscommunication network to any exchange.
available in this model. They try hard to minimize5. Liquidity rebates: Direct access brokerage does not
slippage and costs of execution. Direct traders areget rebates. They also do not sell order flows.
dependent on their own decision. They have little orTraditional online brokerages on the other hand
no chances of being involved in any trading advicesusually have very simple and also very flat
from a third party. Direct access brokerage has thecommission fee per trade. Any active trader would
following advantages:gain what an online brokerage would gain. They
Advantagesusually earn money from serving the customers.
1. Speedy execution: Direct access trading involvesDisadvantages
technique and instrument that allows very speedy1. Volume Requirement: Some brokerage firms charge
and authentic execution of every transaction. Itinactivity fees. This inactivity fees are charged when,
happens in less than a minute, in a few milliseconds.the trader has not invested or made any transaction
2. Cost reduction: Transaction costs per share offor about a month. This is also when the trading
trading are less than even a dollar. In retail brokeragevolume has not been met. As inactivity fees many
on the other hand it is over and above five dollar. Itfirms deduct a certain amount of money as well.
is one of the main advantages of direct accessHowever not all direct access brokerages have
trading. The low cost of trading making this a perfectminimum monthly trading volume requirements.
choice when trading.2. Knowledge: Knowledge is of foremost importance.
3. Slippage: In direct access trading there is a higherAdvices are very hard to come by. New and
chance that the investor might fetch profit. This isinexperienced traders are difficult bargainer will find it
because if the market suddenly shoots up it hasvery to get information needed to trade.