Compare Different Brokerages

Online brokers are all over so it’s hard to figure out which one is really the best. I’ve compiled a list of the different ones out there and give a brief description of my thoughts on each.

Etrade used to be my brokerage of choice but the mortgage mess really spooked me. Add to the fact that there are cheaper alternatives out there and I’m in the process of switching to different broker accounts.

TD Waterhouse acquired Ameritrade to make TD Ameritrade. They also changed it to green but that’s about all the changes they made. The online user interface still looks like it’s from the 1990s when everything was based on command lines. I would recommend other options over this one any day.

Charles Schwab have been cleaning up in the last year or so, especially with the troubles of Etrade. Honestly, I’ve been thinking about moving my money to Charles Schwab as well since they offer everything you’d want.

TradeKing is a smaller player in the space but it’s solid. In fact, it’s won many awards from the likes of Barons and Smart Money for its interface, customer support and fast execution.

Zecco used to offer free trades (actually it still does with restrictions) and their marketing just sucks. They actually changed the commission structure like 3-4 times in the past few years and many people are just pissed at how everything is handled.

SogoTrade is a nice option because it’s $3 per trade. However, it nickel and dimes you on other things like a SEC fee (what is a SEC fee you ask? Exactly!). You may just need to run the numbers to see whether it’s going to be cheaper. SogoTrade does seem to do many trades though but it doesn’t seem to offer options trading.

Wells Fargo offers free trades for those that have at least $25k with them. This is the good news. The interface isn’t so great but it works. Can’t complain when it’s free right?

Bank of America also offers free trades and the details are almost exactly the same as WellsTrade. To me, it’s essentially the same but since BofA acquired Merrill Lynch, there may be a better future path when your net worth increases.

OptionsXpress is less known in the retail investor realm but it’s very popular for frequent traders who love options. They have the best tools for options trading and they also charge three different prices for options commissions (as opposed to pricing based on the exact number of contracts).

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