Extended Brokerage Comparison

Top Brokerage Firm in Trader Satisfaction Charles Schwab TD Ameritrade E*Trade Fidelity
Branch Offices Nationwide 382 303 103 28 118
NYSE, NYSE Alternext (formerly AMEX), NASDAQ & OTC
Market & Limit Orders
$7*
unlimited shares
$12.95
+ $0.015/share over 1,000 shares**
$9.99
unlimited shares
$12.99 † $19.95 + $0.015/share over 1,000 shares ‡
Options
(Equity/Index)
Market Orders
$7 + $1.25
per contract
$8.95 + $0.75
per contract
$9.99 + $0.75
per contract
$12.99 + $0.75
per contract
$19.95 + $0.75
per contract
Broker-Assisted Orders $27
unlimited shares
$25.00
+ online commission
$44.99 $45.00
+ online commission
$55.00
+ $0.14 per share
over 100 shares
Real-Time Dow Jones
News for Investors
Complimentary Complimentary
for active traders
$29.99/Month $29.95/Month Not Available
Quarterly/Annual Account Maintenance Fee $0/$0 $0/$0 $0/$0 $40/$160 ¶ $0/$0
Minimum to Open Account $500 $1,000 ♦ $2,000 ($1,000 for IRA) $1,000 $2,500****
Margin Interest Rate On $7,500 Debit Balance 7.75% 8.50% 9.25% 6.99% 8.825%
Buy 10,000 Shares at $20 Limit $7 $147.95** $9.99 $9.99 $145.95
Broker-Assisted Order for 5,000 Shares at $60 Limit $27 $97.95** $44.99 $54.99 $247.50
No-Transaction Fee Mutual Funds 1,150+*** 2,000+ 1,300+ 1,000+ 1,400+
Buy 5,000 of Vanguard Fund $17 $49.95 $49.99 $19.99 $75.00
Account Closing & Transfer Out Fee $0 $50 $75 $60 $0
($50 for IRA)
  More Broker for Your Money

Prices for competitors were obtained on November 11th, 2008 and are believed to be accurate, but not guaranteed. Some of the firms listed above may reduce or waive commissions or fees, depending on account activity or total account value.

* For stocks priced under $1, add 1/2% of the principal value to the commissions shown. Most foreign and pink sheet stocks must be traded with broker assistance for a $27 commission. Commissions are charged on a per order basis. Limit orders executed over multiple days and orders modified after a partial execution on the same day will be treated as separate orders for commission calculation purposes. The quarterly account maintenance fees imposed by other brokers may be waived if your account meets minimum balance and/or trading requirements.

** $8.95 flat pricing may apply depending on household balances or trade volume.

*** No transaction fee (NTF) funds are subject to the terms and conditions of the NTF funds program. Scottrade is compensated by the funds participating in the NTF program through recordkeeping, shareholder, or SEC 12b-1 fees.

**** The Fidelity Account ®

♦ $1000 minimum can be waived when customers agree to transfer $100 monthly to their Charles Schwab brokerage account using Schwab MoneyLink

† For orders involving securities listed on a national securities exchange (listed securities) a fee of $0.015 per share will apply to that portion of the order exceeding 2,000 shares.

‡ $8.00 flat pricing may apply depending on household balances or trade volume.

¶ Exceptions may be made based on balances, account type or trade volume.

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Brokerage Products and Services offered by Scottrade, Inc. – Member FINRA and SIPC.

Any specific securities, or types of securities, used as examples are for demonstration purposes only. No information on this web site should be considered a recommendation or solicitation to invest in, or liquidate, a particular security or type of security.

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of a mutual fund carefully before investing. A mutual fund's prospectus contains this and other information about the mutual fund. Prospectuses are available through our trading site or through a Scottrade branch office. The prospectus should be read carefully before investing. No transaction fee (NTF) funds are subject to the terms and conditions of the NTF funds program. Scottrade is compensated by the funds participating in the NTF program through recordkeeping, shareholder, or SEC 12b-1 fees.

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of an Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) carefully before investing. A prospectus contains this and other information about the ETF can be obtained from the issuer. The prospectus should be read carefully before investing.

Margin trading involves interest charges and risks, including the potential to lose more than deposited or the need to deposit additional collateral in a falling market. The Margin Disclosure Statement and Agreement (PDF) is available for download, or it is available at one of our branch offices. It contains information on our lending policies, interest charges, and the risks associated with margin accounts.

Options are not appropriate for all investors. Detailed information on our policies and the risks associated with options can be found in Scottrade's Options Application and Agreement, Brokerage Account Agreement, and Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options (also available at one of our branch offices). All option accounts require prior approval by Scottrade.

Online market and limit equity orders are just $7 for stocks over $1.

Market volatility, volume, and system availability may impact account access and trade execution.

Testimonials may not be representative of the experience of other clients and are no guarantee of future performance or success.