This list of stock broker is based on the Best Discount Brokers: Lowest Trading Fee for Stocks and ETFs list sorted by Mutual Fund trading fees. This list should help investors who primarily invest in mutual funds to quickly identify the best brokerage firm for them. The list is sorted from the lowest commission cost to the highest; with additional information about mutual funds where available.
Since brokers can change their offers at any given time, it’s highly recommend that you visit the site and review the most recent information carefully.
List updated May 4, 2013.
| Broker | Notes |
|---|---|
TradeMONSTER |
Open a new tradeMONSTER account to trade commission free for 30 days.
|
Scottrade |
Scottrade has over 500 local branch offices nationwide.
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TradeKing |
TradeKing earned 4-Star Rating in Barron’s 2012 Online Broker Survey for the sixth year in a row.
|
| OptionsHouse |
Open an account today and receive 100 commission-free trades. Multiple promotions available. Barron’s rated best for options traders for 2009 and 2010.
|
| OptionsXpress |
OptionsXpress is a Charles Schwab company. It is rated Barron’s 4+ stars for 2002-2012. Open an account today and receive $100.
|
| Firstrade |
Firstrade is currently offering 100 free trades for new accounts.
|
| ShareBuilder |
Buy stocks for $4 with Automatic Investing. Open an account today and receive $100 new account bonus.
|
| E*Trade |
E-trade is strong in research and trading tools. Get up to $500 plus 60 days of free trades for deposits of $10K or more.
|
| Charles Schwab |
Schwab has a well-rounded services and products portfolio, and offers more advice and research than many competitors.
|
| TD Ameritrade |
Open an account today and trade free for 60 days, and get up to $600 based on your deposit amount.
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| Fidelity |
Fidelity boasts a robust mix of investments, tools and banking services.
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In general, you should find a discount broker that offers mutual funds you’d like to invest in for no-transaction fee. Usually, you can get this by opening an account directly with the mutual fund company itself – e.g., Fidelity and Vanguard are the two best examples. If you do not want to open an account with the fund company, Scottrade, TradeKing, and OptionsHouse offers the right balance between trade commission, research tools, and funds availability.
In addition to the brokers listed above here are additional websites that might be of interest to you.
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Personal Capital is a free online accounts aggregator, net worth and expense tracker, portfolio planner and analyzer all in one. It offers a comprehensive overview of your investment portfolio allowing you to make adjustments to lower your expenses and improve your asset allocation. | |
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Betterment is a simpler way to invest. Instead of doing your own investing, all you have to do is just answer a few questions about who you are and Betterment will automatically invest the money for you. Sign up today and get a $25 new account bonus. | |
