Want to get involved in the stock market? Or at least give trading a try? Regardless of your experience level, you will need a broker account. The good news is that you can use the internet to check out discount stock brokerage firms. These days, people are making trades over their phones or PCs without going through an actual professional broker. All you need is an account with an online platform.
Which one should you pick? Well, there are several of these platforms, and each has its benefits. Some are more beginner-friendly, whereas others aim towards experienced traders or day traders.
Here are a few to look into:
Merrill Edge
With its integration with Bank of America, $0 account minimum, and its robust research offerings (including the third party), Merrill Edge is an online broker that deserves to be on this list. There are also zero fees. There are unlimited free trades on ETFs and stocks. Get quality phone / live chat support whenever you need it.
Firstrade
One of the reasons this trading platform sticks out is its commission-free stock, options, and ETF trades. It also has good mutual funds offerings (also commission-free). Contract fees for Options are standard with many platforms, but not with Firstrade – it offers contract-fees, making it ideal for options traders. It’s also a good choice for beginners.
TD Ameritrade
This company is another of the discount stock brokerage firms with a $0 contract fee for Options. It’s an excellent platform for beginners since it offers plenty of useful educational tools organized together. There is no account minimum. The investment selection is large, with a broad amount of trading choices.
Robinhood
When new members sign up and link their bank accounts, a “surprise” pops up in the account. Robinhood is a top-rated trading platform right now, and that is one of the many reasons why. There are free stock, ETF, crypto-currency trades, and more. However, Robinhood is mostly ideal just for taxable investment accounts.
Zacks Trade
This company deserves to be on the list of discount stock brokerage firms because it does not have an extra charge on its broker-assisted trades. Many other online broker platforms do. Get all of the assistance you need without having to pay for it. Also, there are plenty of helpful tools to help you learn about trading and make the right ones. Zacks Trade offers the flexibility of trading stocks internationally with foreign stock commissions from just one account.