As is the motivation behind most online brokerage firms, Think Or Swim too was started with the aim of catering to the needs of self directed individuals who wished to be able to trade in stocks and securities without having to become dependant on stockbrokers and traders. Aimed at people from all walks of life who choose to be option traders, the website has been designed using a customer-friendly approach that incorporates all the later technology and knowledge and packages it into a simple and easy to understand format that not only allows customers to invest and trade as they please but also gives them an opportunity to learn and grow in the field as well.

Pricing:

When trading in stocks you will be charged $.015 for every share. A share has to have a minimum value of $5.00. If this price structure is not in accordance with your needs you can choose to opt for the Flat Fee Trading structure which charges a standard amount of $9.95 for every trade executed. This structure moves in accordance with limit orders and market orders and the value for maximum shares is set at 5,000.

When dealing in mutual funds, clients get the privilege of enjoying an absolutely amazing scheme. The first three trades in mutual funds in a calendar month are executed free of charge. So you can literally make a fortune on these three trades without spending a dime. Once you have used up these three free trades in a month the standard cost for every mutual fund trade is listed at $15 per trade.

Ease of Use:

With an easy to maneuver website, Think Or Swim has been built keeping in mind the needs of even the most inexperienced of traders. One of the most common complaints voiced by most people is that trading websites tend to be full of technical jargon and complex concepts. While an industry expert should be able to make his way through such systems, it comes as no surprise that most people like you and me only end up getting very
confused or intimidated- and the end result sees most people becoming discouraged and giving up on the entire idea altogether. With Think Or Swim you are assured of an easy to use interactive system, complete assistance and excellent customer care facilities that all come together to guarantee you an effortless and profitable experience.

Unique Features of Think Or Swim:

All online based brokerage firms assure reliability, effortless trades and safety. While the Think Or Swim promises and delivers up all the same vows, it goes a step further and incorporates some unique features into its system that have been especially designed to make investing and trading an easy and enjoyable experience for customers. With cutting-edge technology to its credit, the Think Or Swim Group has come up with some remarkable software programs that are designed to help customers at every junction.

1. Think Desktop: the Think Desktop software platform comes with an impressive array of features which allow you to read the latest analysis, obtain quotes, retrieve information and much more.

The following video demonstrates the Think or Swim Platform.

2. Web Based Trading: this trading platform allows users to access trading facilities even if the Internet connection is working under a stringent Firewall protection. Without disturbing the settings of the Firewall or compromising system safety, the Web Based Trading software will let you trade with all the fundamental resources of the Think Or Swim portal.

FEATURES OF FIDELITY WEBSITE

Something that sets Fidelity Investments apart from its competition is the fact that its website is extremely user friendly. This makes the setting up and managing of accounts all the more easier and effortless. All the tabs are neatly tagged and labeled, making navigation across the website incredibly easy and simple. The site also has a functional search box, which makes searching by keywords an option.

There are also a lot of customization tools on the Fidelity website which will be extremely useful in setting up necessary charts, quotes and diagrams on your computer’s desktop. This can be of a great assistance in keeping oneself informed or getting educated about the field. The support features include virtual tours and an FAQs page that clears all the common doubts on the investor’s mind. Customer care can be contacted through email or by phone. Now, even texting has been made an option, as you can receive instant feedback or assistance through text messages.

In addition to this, the website is a very efficient provider of all the breaking new stories, articles and additional information on anything that might be useful to their clients.

Fidelity also offers one of the most advanced mobile clients in the industry.  With the app, customers can also access their Fidelity account information and watch lists; stay updated on domestic and world markets via up-to-the-minute news; receive real-time quotes; and compare the performance of multiple stocks all on one screen with interactive charting capabilities.  Users who are not Fidelity customers can access most of the application’s functions, including charting, market research, stock watch lists, and news feeds.

UNIQUE FEATURES

One second executions guaranteed: On certain orders, Fidelity is the only website in the world which guarantees one second trade executions. In the unlikely event of this not happening, Fidelity will make the trade free of commission. This ensures that an investor does not have to wait too long for his/her trade executions. This is a boon in an era when prices are forever changing.

PRICING

The Fidelity commission structure has three levels: For the gold client, where every commission is for 8 US Dollars, for the silver client, where it is $10.95 and for bronze, where it is $19.95.

WHY FIDELITY

1. Expert Advice: A set of well informed and dedicated professionals who offer one-on-one sessions at no extra cost. They guide you at every stage, from starting an account to managing one’s resources to handling it after retirement.

2. Variety of Investments: There is a plethora of choices when it comes to choosing an investment. Just the choice of investment can make a great difference in your profits, eventually. Funds handed by Fidelity have more brand value and are rated more highly as compared to funds handled by other investment firms.

3. Unmatched Service: Fidelity provides arguably the best service among the leading online investment firms. The account opening is very easy, and if you compare it to other firms, Fidelity makes it look almost effortless. There are state of the art trading facilities for active trading and management of resources. Besides this, Fidelity.com and Fidelity Anywhere gives you on the spot access from anywhere you want and at anytime you desire.

4. Experience: 60 years of experience in the investment business has to account for something. Be it retirement investment plans or investment options for working individuals, Fidelity is ranked number across the globe. Kiplinger’s magazine ranking Fidelity as the best online broker in the world testifies to the claim the firm makes about being the best in the business.

5. Handling Money Matters: Fidelity has over 100 experts worldwide handle investments in as many as 25 different countries. With its fixed income teams among the biggest in the world, Fidelity stands for generating great value at a relatively small price.

SHORTCOMINGS

One minor drawback of Fidelity is that the commission structure can prove to be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on how much you invest and how frequently you do so. As mentioned before the investment charges range from $8 to $20.

Something else going against Fidelity is that one has to make a starting investment of at least $2,500 to open an account. But this is to ensure that those who do open an account are actually serious about investing. So this may not be the first choice of a first time investor. It is also out of the question for someone who does not have the resources to make a big initial investment.

Verdict:

Fidelity stands for visionary thinking and boasts a culture that encourages people working to take decision-making into their own hands. Its healthy pay scheme and the benefits offered are as good as it gets. The people who work in the organization have a wealth of prior experience in the industry. The company is also known for its honesty and its integrity making Fidelity one of the best options as an online broker.

There are special arrangements and considerations for those who are new to the world of investments and stock trading. At every level and at all levels, there is an option for those who are stock market novices. Here, clear instructions are given along with the explanation of various fundamental basics that the user should know about.

There is information on how to choose the best investment firm, how to open a new account and a step by step description of the whole process involved for first time investors. There is, in fact, an online guide created by Schwab just for educating and instructing the new investors in the ways of the stock market world.

There are various modes of investment and trading which are made available to the account holders at Schwab as a part of their online trading initiative. These trading and investment options are Mutual Funds, Stocks and Options, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), margin loans, Annuities, Managed accounts, and Bonds.

The fees and commissions are one of the lowest in the industry, and thus rather attractive. Given below are some details:

For stocks priced at US $ 1 per share or more, you pay a combined transaction fee and commission of US $ 12.95 for the first 1000 shares, plus US $ 0.015 for every additional share. These are the numbers for less than 120 trades and less than US $ 1000 000 in Household Balance. For more than 120 trades or more than US $ 1000,000 in Household Balance, you pay US $ 8.95. The transaction fee and commission combined for all stocks priced at less than US $ 1 per share is US $ 12.95 and US $ 8.95 respectively for the two groups given above (the household balance and the numbers of trades). These are the rates for online transactions. Automated phone transactions require an additional five dollars while traditional broker assisted trade transactions require an addition of twenty five dollars to be added to the online commission. The online commission is therefore the base commission, being the least expensive of all the trading options offered by Schwab.

Schwab believes in full disclosure of all broker fees and commissions. Therefore, there are no hidden costs, no surprise additional expenditure and no additional charges. There is no account service fees though there is a low minimum account opening requirement. This requirement depends upon the type of account that one may wish to open with Schwab.

Active research is a part and parcel of the way Schwab methodology. Market analysts and experts keep an active check and this enables them to pass on valuable tips and information to account holders. With the reliable guidance of the experts at Schwab, you will always have your finger on the pulse of the market, enabling you to keep up with the various changes and ups and downs that continuously take place in the stock market.

If you are not certain about how to go about interpreting the data and news which is made available to you, worry not, as the market analysts and professional advisors are always ready to offer a detailed interpretation of the data and what it means for your portfolio. Therefore, rest assured that with the quality professional expertise at Schwab, your assets and portfolio are in safe hands.  In fact Charles Schwab was ranked the highest in overall customer satisfaction among self-directed investors in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Self-Directed Investor Satisfaction Study.  Schwab ranks highest in overall investor satisfaction with a score of 796 (on a 1,000-point scale).  Additionally, Schwab receives the highest scores in the Information Resources, Account Information, and Interaction factors, which drive overall satisfaction. 

Financial planning and guidance coupled with tax advice is also made available as part of the Retirement account at Schwab. Advice on investing, managing of portfolios and planning for retirement are all available at Schwab. Other areas where planning and guidance are provided are in College and educational planning, life insurance and estate planning. All of this expert guidance, planning and advice is available to account users at no extra cost. If knowledge is power, Schwab account holders rule the roost.

Schwab makes available its brokerage services to all users throughout the day, on all seven days of the week. For international clients, multilingual investing specialists are also available in
All these advantages truly make Schwab a leader among brokerage firms, whether online or otherwise.

There are many different kinds of accounts available from which one can choose according to one’s own personal specifications and priorities. These accounts include the Trading and Investing account (for general investing and Employee stock plans), the Banking account (for complete savings, Max rate checking and CDs), an active trading account (for Power E trade and Futures trading), a retirement account (Rollover, Traditional, Roth and business types) and an all new Global Stock Trading account (to enable the customer to seize international growth opportunities).

Everything you need to make the most of your investments and assets is offered by the trading and investing account. For those looking for maximum speed, performance and value, the Active Trading account seems tailor made. The Retirement Account offers tax friendly ways to invest for life after retirement. The E-Trade Banking account rates consistently among the highest in the United States of America.

According to the type of account you opt for, and also as a part of a general package for all its account holders, E trade offers a lot of different investment options and services. The various investment offers available on E trade are Stocks, Bonds, Initial Public Offers or IPO’s, Futures trading, Options and Mutual Funds. The Trading and Investing Account holders can avail of many services like the ability to move money swiftly with Quick Transfer, the option of transferring an account, a rock solid protection guarantee and the all new investment tool, the E Trade Mobile Pro, which enables the account holder to make changes in his or her account, trade and avail of the various features of his or her account at E trade, and all this right on his or her mobile, wherever they are, whenever they want, this enables the account holder to operate his or her account with greater flexibility, speed and efficiency.

The holders of accounts like the Retirement Account and the Planning account can also look forward to a number of services and features, like E-trade’s upgraded retirement Quick plan and the complete protection guarantee offered by E-Trade. These account holders can also expect many useful tax tools and tips, tax saving tips, IRA strategies and a look at the rollover IRA checklist. Their assets are also automatically invested in a select few mutual funds so as to enable the account holders to reap rich dividends and to make their money work and grow by the time the account holder retires. These investments are made using intelligent planning and careful selection of the most reliable funds.

Those who hold a Banking and Credit cards Account can avail of services and features like the facility of online payment of bills, wireless account access, Quick transfer of funds and a complete internet banking demonstration. Of course, like all account holders at E-Trade, these users also get the E-Trade complete protection guarantee.

E-Trade offers unique learning opportunities to educate the users more about the finer aspects of stock trading. These educational initiatives form a part of the larger efforts that E-Trade makes to fulfill its aim of empowering and enabling the common man to invest with confidence and all the while providing him or her opportunities to learn how to make informed decisions that will help him or her reap the best benefits from his or her investments. Regular free online seminars are conducted on Stocks, Trades and Options and instructional sessions by various experts and analysts form a part of this initiative.

E-Trade takes care of its account holders via an online service centre which is available to account holders only. Users can alternatively submit questions and queries on their website at all times of the day. The response to these queries is quick, clear and given out in simple language to allow the user to understand the different aspects of the solution easily. To make the whole online trading experience more satisfactory and stress free, all relevant forms and documents are available on the official E trade website and can be accessed by the potential as well as full time users as and when they wish. The excellent frequently asked Question section contains a selection of the most frequent quires answered in an informative and useful manner. For in person assistance, users can also visit one of the many E trade branches located throughout the United States. One can also call on the given numbers or use other routes of communication like fax, e mail and traditional mail.

All of these facilities are available at attractive and competitive rates and nominal fees.

Ease of Use:

Opening an account in OptionsXpress is easy enough. Once you visit their website, a large green button will invite you to join. All you have to do is follow five simple steps, fill in some vital information and provide the basic funding, and you are in! A free account is available.

Pricing:

The pricing is very reasonable and given very clearly. It also compares favorably with the other players in the world of online trading. There are certain order limit brackets according to which a basic commission is charged. These are
10 contracts charging US $15

20 contracts charging US $30

Exercise and assignment charging US $14.95

For up to thirty four trades per financial quarter, you pay US $14.95 while for more than thirty five trades per quarter you pay US $12.95 for both futures and stocks. They also offer reasonable brokerage on Options on Future and there are other trades available too and of course competitive margin rates.

Custommer Support:

OptionsXpress has one of the most user friendly interfaces available. The website itself is easy to navigate, and the policies, pricing and account features are spelled out clearly without the use of complicated jargon to enable even the lay person to understand what is being said. The main purpose of the efforts of the creators of OptionsXpress is to empower their account holders without making them feel intimidated by all the confusing trade talk. Therefore, the account holders are offered many educational tools and advice to enable them to make the correct choice when it comes to trading for profit.

Customer Service at OptionsXpress is something they are proud of. With all the help, advice and guidance available, one never feels alone. They have a live online help centre on the website where account holders can access the trade experts as well as other professionals via live chats that are arranged regularly. The timings for these live chats are also displayed on the website. Then there is support via e mail, a number of telephonic contacts and also many fax numbers that are given on the web site. The customer service at OptionsXpress is fast and dependable.

Reliability and Security:

OptionsXpress is a well known online trading company and very reliable, as is obvious from their huge customer base and customer satisfaction. They have a security center and there are also adequate measures to ensure that any information given out by the account holder is kept private and confidential. Their Security Center is specifically developed for this purpose. OptionsXpress has secured extended SIPC insurance of up to US $500,000 for each and every account holder, and this insurance coverage comes absolutely free of cost! One does not have to pay any extra cash to avail of this insurance. Now that is what reliability is all about.

Services Offered:

There are a number of attractive and useful services offered to all account members at OptionsXpress. Some of these are:

Powerful Technology: OptionsXpress mobile, also known as OX mobile, is your own mobile personal stock broker, letting you trade, access your account, view the latest trade news, and much more wherever and whenever you want to, all through your mobile! Advanced traders can avail of the new Xtend2 tool for trading. Xtend2 is an innovative new website, an offshoot of OptionsXpress created exclusively for those who are more seriously into trading and the stock market.

Excellent Service: This includes the experts and professional market analyzers who offer free, useful and up to date information as well as priceless advice within seconds of a question being directed at them. There are also many licensed options and futures specialists on board to offer you any advice you may need. And not to forget the ‘No Fee Broker Assisted Trading’ feature offered by OptionsXpress?

All in One Account: An account opened with OptionsXpress lets you trade in various Stocks, futures, bonds and options as a part of their all in one account feature. No more confusion, everything compiled neatly into one solid account. The list also includes Mutual Funds, ETFs and more. Even though it is all in one, the account is easy enough to operate, as tested and approved by Barron’s Blue Chips rating of online trading firms.

Educational Tools and Constant Updates: This is perhaps the best feature offered by OX. There are various tools to keep users up to date about the various market changes and news. Everyone from the beginner to the advance trader will find something or the other to learn and grow in the trade. There are tools that teach you how to trade better and there are even free online classes led by instructors.

Here is a quick video demonstrating what you can expect from OptionsXpress’ trading platform.

All this combined with OX’s rock solid reputation and zero debt should certainly want anyone to become a part of their 30,000 strong account holders.

Just2trade is a reliable, speedy and informative online brokerage firm that promises you a trading experience so efficient and quick that you will get addicted to your online broker and will wonder why you did not shift over to online stock trading sooner.  This is a statement based on hard facts and backed by the healthy reputation that Just2trade has built over its whole period of existence.

Here are a few interesting and important things you need to know about Just2trade before picking it as your stock broker.

Features:

There are different accounts for people with different needs available, and all you have to do is log on to their website Just2trade.com and evaluate for yourself which account would best suit your needs and priorities. There is the standard account, which is useful for people who like to function alone. Upon the death of the owner of such an account, all the property of the owner is passed on to her or his estate.

There are Joint Accounts, which can be availed with Rights of Survivorship or with Tenants in Common. The former is held singly till the death of the owner after which the account and all its assets are passed on to the second member of the ownership of the joint account. The latter account is held jointly and upon the death of the owners all the property is passed on to their estate.

There are some other innovative and need – specific accounts, like the Retirement Accounts which include the Traditional or Contributory IRA, the Roth IRA, the Rollover IRA and the Simplified Employee Pension IRA, also called (SEP) IRA.  A custodial account can be handed over to a minor once he or she comes of legal age and becomes a major.

There is also an Educational Savings Account. It is a Coverdell plan which covers the qualified educational expenses of student.

Incorporated business can open a Corporation account which can be managed by its officers or authorized traders. There are also other accounts like the Limited Liability Company accounts opened in the name of a Limited Liability Company, Partnership Account to be opened in the name of a partnership, Sole Proprietorship Account to be registered in the name of an unincorporated, single owner business in which both the owner as well as his or her company is considered as a single entity for tax and liability purposes. Finally, there is a Trust Account which can be registered in the name of a Trust.

Pricing and Fees:

The fees are uniform and very reasonable. There is an offer of unlimited trades for a paltry sum of US $2.50. You pay fifty cents per contract. That’s it. Just2trade promises no gimmicks, no surprises and no other fees.  Other professional fees are only required when there are Advanced Order Types. There is no share limit, no minimum number of trades required, no price minimum and no limit on maximum trades whatsoever. There are Margin Rates involved, which are some of the lowest in the industry. Another feature of this online discount broker is the tax benefits on offer. The Maxit tax software is available for free, and is a real help around Tax time.

Tools and Customer services:

Various trading tools are made available to the account holders to enable and empower them to make better and more informed choices when trading. These include:

The J2 Trader: An all in one tool that lets the user create up to five watch lists with 15 symbols in each list. One can create and load a watch list, delete a watch list, view positions and activity and also place a trade on one’s J2 trader, or manage watch list symbols.

Various Types of Orders: Market Order, Stop Order, Limit Order, Stop Limit Order, Market – On – Close Order, Market On Open Order, Trailing Stop, Logical Order and Extended Hours Limit Order. All these options on trading allow the users complete control over their portfolio dynamics even when the users themselves are offline.

J2J Trading API: It is a full programming interface which ensures fast order entry and execution.
Technical Analysis: Various Tools with self explanatory names, like Stock Screeners, Daily Technical Events, Stock Alerts, and Technical Insight etc help the user stay in touch with the important market dynamics and current trading trends and events which can make a lot of difference in the values of stocks. The implications of these events are well known to all who actively deal in the market. When knowledge is power, Just2trade empowers you like nothing else can.

Security:

With Just2trade, you can be sure of one thing: all your account and personal information is safe and secure. All information provided to Just2trade is encrypted by their superb software and saved in coded form to disable unscrupulous elements from getting to these.

Another great testimony to the fact that Just2trade takes your security seriously is the fact that every account and user asset is covered by SITC and Lloyd’s of London, with an insurance coverage of US $ 500,000 by SITC and a further coverage of $100 million by the Lloyd’s of London. This amounts to a maximum of $ 24.5 million per client and up to US $900 000 in cash.

Reliability:

Just2trade has won awards like Kipling’s (August 2009) and Smart Money (Special Report, June 2009) for being best for Traders and Commissions & Fees respectively.

Pricing:

The income fees and rate for minimum investment amounts are fixed. A visit to the firm’s website will inform you about the details of different fees structures for different services. With no charges for account inactivity and account maintenance along with a host of other free services, Scottrade offers exceptional services at reasonable pricing.

Services Offered:

Scottrade offers a plethora of world class services and products to its clients. With the best tools and expertise in the market available at your disposable, you will, without a doubt, benefit from opening an account with Scottrade. Here is a listing of some of the services that customers of Scottrade can make the most of:

Services for Trading Purposes:

1. Trading tools of all kinds
2. An online community aimed at interaction and free flow of exchange of information and expertise
3. Local support branches
4. A National Service Center
5. Scottrade Mobile
6. Market News and Research facilities

Products Offered by Scottrade:

1. Stocks
2. Coverdell ESA
3. ETFs- Exchange Traded Funds
4. Mutual Funds
5. Bonds
6. IRAs- Individual Retirement Funds
7. CDs- Certificates of Deposit

Scottrade also offers a wide variety of accounts and associated services as a part of its customer accounts.

Accounts Offered:

In order to be able to cater to the particular needs of different kinds of clients, Scottrade offers an extensive variety of accounts. By choosing a type of account that meets your specific needs, you can have the comfort of knowing that you will be attended to as an individual as per your precise needs and your investments will be treated in accordance with the same. The different kinds of accounts offered by the firm are-

1. Standard Accounts: this variety includes the four basic kinds of accounts. These are the Guardianship account, the Conservatorship account, the Individual account and the Joint account.

2. Individual Retirement Accounts: Commonly known as IRAs, there are two sub categories within this group. The firm offers both Roth IRA and Traditional Individual Retirement Account types.

3. Specialty Accounts: As the name suggests, these types of accounts are usually geared towards a specific kind of customer who has a particular need that cannot be attended to in a general account. Specialty accounts include Investment Club accounts, corporate accounts, Sole Proprietorship accounts, Partnership accounts, Broker Assisted accounts and Trust accounts.

Reliability:

Dependability is one of the strongest point of the firm. With over 25 years of experience in the field, Scottrade is a symbol for excellence, determination, drive and international standards of quality. Whether it is a small transaction or a fortune-worthy stock exchange, every trade is handled with the utmost care and importance. You will have the assurance of knowing that no matter how big or small a sum you are investing or how much profit you expect from a particular trade, your needs will be attended to with your best interests at heart. Once you have posted a call for some stocks, the firm will do all it can in bringing the best possible price to you. Since the firm is made up of trained professionals and industry experts, you will have access to an invaluable storehouse of knowledge and expertise. The latest technologies and advance tools ensure that you receive all the latest information and are correctly informed about all the market trends and changes taking place. Accuracy and correctness are the hallmarks of any good trading firm and it goes without saying that Scottrade excels on both counts.

Unlike most firms that have an ambiguous “pricing structure” which allows the brokers to manipulate prices and costs from trade to trade, and thus exploiting clients often, the brokers at Trade King abide by a strict, decided price. A fixed price provides a solid ground base and removes all ambiguity from the dealings. For ETF Trades as well as for stock trades, the price is fixed at $4.95 for every individual exchange and trade. When it comes to option trades the price is fixed at $4.95 with an over charge of merely 65 cents for every contract. Market trades, broker assisted trades and limit trades too are priced at the same rate, all with the assurance of no hidden fees or base charge. With no inactivity fee being charged, you are at the liberty of using your account every day of the year or once in a blue moon, without fear of piling up any expense. These minimal rates are possibly the cheapest in the market and quality is assured along with the astounding affordability of the services.

Services Offered:

With the cheapest rates in the market combined with an extensive range of services and tools on the offer, Trade King indeed has one of the finest portfolios available. Some of the services that the firm provides are-

1. Free Access to Tools Cache:

The website boasts of an impressive list of trading tools that are at par with the most advanced standards in the trading business. Once you become a member of the trading website and open up your very own TradeKing account you will be able to use the multitude of trading tools for research and trade for free. Some of the tools included are Profit and Loss Calculator, MarketGrader Research Reports and Maxit Tax Manager.

2. Extensive Trader Network:

The forum provides an opportunity for all traders to interact freely. By sharing your knowledge and experiences with others, and hearing theirs, you will be able to learn a wealth of tips and techniques that will help you in further building up your portfolio.

3. Instantaneous Bidding:

Once a client places an offer for a trade the stock traders begin searching the markets scouting for the most optimal opportunity available. With its Smart Routing technique, TradeKing promises to deliver a higher result than even the National Best Bid or Offer scheme.

Ease of Use:

In terms of easy usability, TradeKing is unmatched. A majority of trade and stocks websites make the entire practice of stock exchange seem like a scientific skill that is best left to experts and industry insiders. This misleading impression often scares newcomers away or rushes them into placing their trust with the nearest offline stock trader they know. When you log onto the TradeKing website you will be greeted with an interactive setting and a user friendly interface. The toughest of trade practices are explained in simple terms and with clear instructions on how to place trades.

Customer Service:

In 2008 SmartMoney voted TradeKing as the online stocks firm with the best customer service. Phone calls to the customer care centers are attended to within seconds- free of hold lines and mechanical menu systems. In case you write to the firm, you are assured your email will be responded to. The normal time period is 2 hours on regular working days and 24 hours on the weekend.

With a team of highly trained professionals waiting to answer your every doubt, you can be assured that even the most complex of your questions will be answered in no time at all. Online chat rooms with ongoing live chats with experienced brokers will help you get your answers in no time at all. If you’re in a hurry or don’t wish to call customer care, simply log on and connect with an online broker who will talk you through all your stock exchange dilemmas.

Why Ameritrade: Some Reasons for Choosing Ameritrade:

Apart from the simple fact that it is one of the oldest and most well respected firms in the business, Ameritrade also has some unique strengths that make it an excellent choice for all levels of investors and stock market traders. If an unbelievably vast network of clients and their praiseworthy testimonials, along with countless favorable reviews are not enough to convince you, a few of the company’s features might do the trick.

• Cutting edge technology at your disposal
• The latest trading tools in the market
• Easy to use applications
• Reliable service
• Stable systems
• Affordable rates
• Facilities for personalized research
• Options for long term portfolio building
• Personalized attention for individual customers
• Outstanding customer care and service
• Trained personnel and industry experts

Pricing:

One of the main reasons people choose to invest and trade online is because the charges of the same are much lesser than the rates charged by stock market traders and brokers offline. However, many trading portals online too take their customers for a ride by quoting exorbitant rates and charging in excess. When you use the TD Ameritrade website’s services you can be assured of some of the best rates in the market.

One of the most common ways individuals are charged extra is that most online brokerage portals charge commission depending upon the size of the account you maintain with their website. When you deal with TD Ameritrade there is no such condition and you will be charged fairly according to the standard rates for the trades you make. The firm charges a flat rate of $9.99 as commission for every equity trade that is made on the Internet. This rate is a standard amount and is not governed by factors such as the amount of money you maintain in your account or the number of shares and securities that you sell or purchase. The firm doesn’t charge an account inactivity fee or a maintenance fee and the simple price structure allows clients at all levels to keep track of their finances without unnecessary hurdles. Whether you’re making your trades from your account online or you are dealing via the phone lines with a professional broker from the firm you will be guaranteed a reasonable price.

Customer Service:

One of the disadvantages posed with dealing in shares online is that many times you might come across some dilemma and be at a loss for expert guidance. However, with TD Ameritrade, busy phone lines, faulty chat servers and unavailable online brokers are all spook stories that don’t exist! TD Ameritrade is known for one of the best customer care departments that can be reached at any given time in the day, at any given day of the year through numerous means of communication. And once you connect with the customer care officials you will find the solution to all your quandaries as highly trained professionals and industry experts will answer your every question.
Since every individual investor and trader has different needs, the problems they might face while trading will invariably be unique and one of a kind as well. While there are some standard dilemmas that every client faces, when it comes to personalized problem, it is no surprise that you will need personalized attention as well. And it is in this sphere that TD Ameritrade is especially proficient. TD Ameritrade offers a wide level of support services with different professionals trained to address different categories of problems. Whether you find your solution in an online chat conversation with a stock broker, or on the phone with one of the customer care centers or as a result of a face to face conversation at one of the many nationwide branches, one thing is certain- you will find your solution for sure.

Reliability:

TD Ameritrade is an established and well respected name in the industry, and with this recognition comes a mark of authority and hence reliability. With more than 30 years of stellar performance in the field of stock brokerage and trading, TD Ameritrade is without a doubt a name to reckon with. Years and years of satisfying customers and building up customer trust has rewarded TD Ameritrade with a passionately loyal client base and glowing testimonials and recommendations. Both online and offline publications and other institutions related to stock trading have awarded the firm numerous accolades and awards for being a true pioneer in the field. Reliability and 100% security are assured when you work with TD Ameritrade. Tools such as the Asset Protection Guarantee and the Security Center have been especially designed to keep customers’ accounts and finances safe from any fraud.

Market Tools Used at Ameritrade:

Some of the cutting edge technology and trading tools that are used by the TD Ameritrade firm in trading stocks online are:

• Portfolio Planner
• Balance and Positions tools which allow you to keep a track of your account and the inflow and outflow of finances
• Profile making tools which allow you to customize your public profile according to your tastes
• Watch Lists which allow you to follow investments you are interested in and to keep a track of stocks and securities available

The USP of the Sogo Trade website lies in its simplicity and ease of use, allowing even beginners to quickly grasp the intricacies of the trade without needing expert guidance. The administration at the Sogo Trade website, in fact, is all the expert guidance that you will need as you make your way through an interactive, user friendly websites that makes use of regular language and laymen’s terms along with extensive tools and services to help you make the most of the stock market. Sogo Trade has been built as an empowering tool for every level of investor- from those who are at the beginning of the game to those who have reached great heights and are interested in mastering greater levels of the trade. Using a wide variety of trading tools and techniques which include averaging dollar cost, diversifying trades and compound return techniques, Sogo Trade offers its clients a chance to invest and make profits at every step of the way. International recognition and affiliations with industry giants such as Genesis Securities, LLC have lent credibility and integrity to the firm.

Clients looking to open accounts with Sogo Trade can conduct their sale and purchase in two manners primarily- the first way includes signing up for an automated account scheme in accordance with your needs which conducts all trade proceedings automatically. The other method involves purchasing securities and stocks in actual time. The commissions charged on the latter are significantly lower.

Rise of Sogo Trade:

The firm has seen incredible successes since the time of its inception and has made its mark in the industry as a name to trust and reckon with. Sogo Trade can be best understood to be an online branch of Genesis Securities LLC which has been designed for investment and stock brokerage purposes. Established in the year 2006, Sogo Trade was created with the mission of being able to build a large client base of satisfied customers who would become empowered to make undeniable profits using the unique strengths of the Sogo Trade firm. With reasonably prices services, ease of use and helpful and attentive personnel, this online agency covers all aspects of the business with great élan. Just two years after it was established, in January of the year 2008, Sogo Trade and Genesis established an international record by implementing more than 130 million share trades in a single working day.

Advantages/ Strengths of Sogo Trade:

• Unparalleled commitment to clients
• Value for money
• Client-friendly rates and charges
• Ineffable customer service
• Avant-garde technology
• Trained personnel
• Industry experts
• Excellent customer care support systems
• Competitive commission pricing
• Easy to use interface

Pricing:

Sogo Trade offers its customers some of the most competitive prices in the industry. With affordable rates, the fees structure has been engineered keeping in mind the needs and purchasing power of the clients.

For stocks that cost under $1.00 the commission charged for online executions is $3 as well a 50% surcharge of the principal amount. The amount for minimum account is set at $500. Sogo Trade does not charge any fees for account inactivity and offers its clients the service of transferring funds electronically free of any cost.

Features of Sogo Trade:

1. Multiple Account Types: the firm offers a variety of accounts so that customers can choose a type that best fulfills their investment needs. For example Joint accounts, individual accounts, Individual Retirement Accounts and Educational Savings accounts.

2. Fraud Prevention and Protection: the firm understands that the risk of online frauds is one of the greatest concerns on every customer’s mind. In order to assure their customers of their safety, the administration at Sogo Trade offers a unique fraud protection system which insures the client by the SIPC for $500,000. From this amount $400,000 is meant to protect securities while $100,000 is aimed at covering cash.

Ease of Use:

The website features a friendly and interactive interface that allows novices and experts alike to work their way around the website and make decisions that will greatly benefit their stock portfolios. Registering for an account and starting it up takes a mere 5 minutes after which you are good to go. With all kinds of services and tools within the reach of some simple mouse clicks, you can sit at your screen and watch your fortune grow without toiling away long hours.