An Online Broker Comparison - Where To Start 

Per Trade Cost:

Most new investors want to know how much it will cost to trade shares, so that must be included in an online broker comparison. You will find some that are around $10 and some might be around $20, per trade, but you need to remember you will pay a fee when purchasing shares and then again, when selling your shares. This can cost you twice as much, even though it might not seem like much money, on the surface. It's possible it can be the difference between making a profit or not, so you need to be aware of any fees associated with maintaining your account or making trades.

Minimum Balance Requirements:

You might find some discount broker accounts that only cost $50 or $100 to open, but there are others that require $2000 to open and they may charge you "low balance" fees, when you fall below the minimum requirements. Be sure to read the fine print and don't fall for promotional gimmicks, because all of the discount brokerage websites are likely to offer some kind of bonus for opening your trading account. You may want to make a spreadsheet to calculate theoretical trading situations, when doing your online broker comparison.

Customer Service, When You Need It:

Is there an 800 number to call or on-line chatting options available, should you have questions regarding your account? What about questions for making certain share purchases or putting your shares back up for sale? If the process is too complicated for you, do you have a real person you can talk to? It's possible that a full-service broker account might be necessary, but through an online broker comparison, it's easier to make a knowledgeable decision.

Are There Educational Tools?

Some new investors value the educational tools and it's possible to find a discount brokerage account that features helpful tools on their website. One thing you want to be sure of is that you have some knowledge on investing, before you spend very much money purchasing shares. You may need a wide choice of articles on technical analysis or you might want to learn about trading options. Investing in "penny stocks" can help you double your money quickly, but do you know which of these speculative shares to consider? Helpful charting or technical analysis tools and investment advice or tips should be considered in your online broker comparison.

When you are comparing online brokers, it's important to consider all of the aspects, besides only cost or minimum balance. Finding an established company you can trust is important, but if you do an online broker comparison, you will find the discount brokerage account that is best suited to your investment goals and your knowledge of trading shares.