trading tools

[steve]

could anyone tell me which online broker service has the best software tools.
and reasonable trade and comision rates.
I am new to trading and still in the research and development stage. relatively
more paper trading heavy, along with minimal investment through my banking
brokerage service.
any help would be greatly appretiated.
thanks
steve

[paperchase]

Check out this thread Steve.. Broker Ratings

[Daniel Webb]

Originally Posted by steve

could anyone tell me which online broker service has the best software tools.
and reasonable trade and comision rates.
I am new to trading and still in the research and development stage. relatively
more paper trading heavy, along with minimal investment through my banking
brokerage service.
any help would be greatly appretiated.
thanks
steve

It is difficult to tell you which is the best because we may have different criteria and needs. Below are the list of features you need to review when looking for a broker

1. Trading commissions
2. Minimum deposits and hidden fees - A lot of online brokers require a minimum deposit to open an account.
3. Online access - Make sure that you can trade via a secure and robust web based trading platform and not have to install software from the broker.
4. Investment products - The investment product line offered varies significantly from broker to broker. Stock, bonds, and options are usually offered by most and some brokers will expand into derivatives.

[Estelle Alivia]

I really like optionsxpress. It's a brokerage, but they don't make you put any money in to get access to all their stuff. The data is really good there.