March 12, 2001
While there are no Five-Star brokers, four received Four Stars and a record of 10 were accorded a creditable 3 1/2 stars. Even the lowest get a respectable 2 1/2 stars.
| Broker | Trade Execution | Ease of Use | Range of Offerings | Research Amenities | Reports & Customer Access | Costs | Weighted Total | Rating |
| CSFBdirect | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 25.2 | **** |
| Charles Schwab | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 24.6 | **** |
| National Discount Brokers | 4.7 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 24.4 | **** |
| JP Morgan Online | 3.3 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 23.7 | **** |
| Wall Street Electronica | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 22.5 | ***1/2 |
| Scottrade | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 4.5 | 22.2 | ***1/2 |
| Morgan Stanley Dean Witter | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 22.1 | ***1/2 |
| TD Waterhouse | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 22.0 | ***1/2 |
| Merrill Lynch Direct | 2.8 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 21.9 | ***1/2 |
| E*Trade | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 21.3 | ***1/2 |
| Fidelity Investments | 2.3 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 20.9 | ***1/2 |
| Quick & Reilly | 3.7 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 20.5 | ***1/2 |
| AB Watley "WatleyTrader" | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 20.1 | ***1/2 |
| Mr. Stock | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 20.1 | ***1/2 |
| Ameritrade | 3.5 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 19.6 | *** |
| Web Street Securities | 3.5 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 19.6 | *** |
| Mydiscountbroker.com | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 3.5 | 19.3 | *** |
| RJT.com | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 4.5 | 19.3 | *** |
| Wall Street Access | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 19.0 | *** |
| Datek Online | 4.5 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 18.7 | *** |
| Dreyfus Brokerage | 2.8 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 18.4 | **1/2 |
| SiebertNet | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 18.4 | **1/2 |
| American Express | 1.5 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 16.7 | **1/2 |
In our rating system, a score of 30-28.50 points gets *****;
28.49-26 ****
1/2;
25.99-23, ****;
22.99-20.50, *** 1/2;
20.49-18.50, ***;
18.49-16, ** 1/2.
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