Barron's tested 27 brokers through their Websites and ranked them in the categories listed below, giving extra weight to trade execution and range/reliability of services, less to commissions.
Broker | Trade Execution | Ease of Use | Reliability/Range | Amenities | Commissions | Weighted Total | Rating |
National Discount Brokers | 5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 2 | 21.250 | **** |
DLJ Direct | 4 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 2 | 20.125 | **** |
Merrill Lynch | 4 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 1 | 20.125 | **** |
American Express | 4 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 5 | 19.875 | *** 1/2 |
Morgan Stanley | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 1 | 19.750 | *** 1/2 |
AB Watley Watley Trader | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4 | 19.500 | *** 1/2 |
E*Trade | 4 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 2 | 19.000 | *** 1/2 |
Schwab | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 1 | 18.625 | *** 1/2 |
Muriel Siebert | 4 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3 | 18.500 | *** 1/2 |
Wall Street Electronica | 4 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 2 | 18.500 | *** 1/2 |
Datek | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4 | 18.375 | *** |
SureTrade | 4 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4 | 18.375 | *** |
mydiscountbroker.com | 4.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4 | 17.875 | *** |
Scottrade | 4 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 4 | 17.875 | *** |
TD Waterhouse | 4 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 4 | 17.875 | *** |
Web Street Securities | 4 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3 | 17.875 | *** |
Fidelity | 3 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3 | 17.750 | *** |
Wall Street Access | 4 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 2 | 17.500 | *** |
Ameritrade | 4 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4 | 17.250 | ** 1/2 |
Wingspan | 4 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2 | 16.750 | ** 1/2 |
WR Hambrecht | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 2 | 16.625 | ** 1/2 |
Accutrade | 4 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 1 | 16.375 | ** 1/2 |
Brown & Company | 4 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 5 | 16.250 | ** 1/2 |
Wit Capital | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 2 | 15.625 | ** |
Firstrade | 3.5 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 4 | 15.500 | ** |
BUYandHOLD.com | 2 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 5 | 15.000 | ** |
NetStock - Sharebuilder | 1.5 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2 | 11.875 | * |
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