What are my favorite discount online brokers and brokerage firms for trading stocks and ETFs in 2010? There are a lot of great options and services to choose from, but here's a rundown of the most popular:
Scottrade - Online trades from $7 each. You can read our full Scottrade review if this one interests you.
ING ShareBuilder - Great integration with existing ING Direct savings and checking accounts, this online brokerage allows you to buy stocks and ETFs from $4 when you enroll in their weekly automatic investment program -- which places your requested trades every Tuesday. Otherwise, normal real-time trades from $9.95. I don't know if this is the best online broker in 2010, but it is certainly one of my favorites... and the one I use most often nowadays, since I have some money socked away at ING Direct and I want it to earn more than an anemic 1.10% APY.
E*Trade Financial - Probably the most famous of the online brokerage firms. Standard pricing for stocks and options trades start at $9.99. Broker-assisted trades via telephone cost $45 additional. I don't use E*Trade anymore, but I like their research tools a lot, and the interface in general is pretty great.
TD Ameritrade - You've seen the commercials, but are they good? New account holders may be eligible for an awesome promotion where you trade commission-free for the first 30 days. Otherwise, take advantage of "straightforward pricing" where every online stock trade is $9.99. Not bad, and as with E*Trade, I really like the research tools and interface at TD Ameritrade.
Rates and terms subject to change. View broker's web site for most recent promotions and pricing information. This post provided for entertainment purposes only, with no guarantees or warranties whatsoever. You can lose money when investing in the stock market, so don't be dumb. Invest wisely and diversify. Consult the experts before you place a single trade.
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