Picking the Best Online Broker For Cost and Quality

Whether you are just beginning online trading, or youE*Trade - Rated the #1 Online Broker by
are a more experienced investor, picking the rightSmartMoney - The Wall Street Journal Magazine and
online broker is a very important part of yourreceived 4 out of 5 stars by Barron's annual ranking
success as a trader. When you are just startingof the best online brokers.
stock investing, you should weigh the cost factorsTradeKing - Rated #3 among all online brokers in
more heavily. As you gain more experience, you will2008 and "Best" in Customer Service by SmartMoney
learn what features are important to you, like trading- The Wall Street Journal Magazine as well as their #1
tools, customer support, live broker assistance or theDiscount Broker in 2006 and 2007. Also top-rated
availability of branch offices that you can visit.among web-based brokers by Barron's.
As a new trader, look at the category of discountTD Ameritrade - Rated #4 overall in 2008 by
brokers. Don't let the term "discount" scare you.SmartMoney magazine and ranked "Best" in quality of
There are some very big names in this category thattrading tools.
have built a solid reputation for serving the needs ofScottrade - In the current survey (October, 2007),
individual traders. Names like E*Trade, TD Ameritrade,Scottrade was ranked Highest in Investor
TradeKing and Scottrade.Satisfaction with Online Investing Services by J.D.
But can you get quality along with your choice for aPower and Associates for the seventh time.
cheap broker? The answer is a resounding YES! HereSo there it is, you have several good choices for a
are some of the quality awards and recognitions forlow-cost and high-quality online trading broker as
these brokers:measured by independent industry experts.