Barron's Online
March 13, 2000

Barron's Table

Ranking the Online Brokers

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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