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Here's a brief listing of some of the services and the commission costs of the 19 online brokers Barron's tested. For the full details, check their respective Web sites.
| Broker | Internet Access/ Phone | Research | Links | Commission (market orders) |
| Accutrade | www.accutrade.com (800) 494-8939 | None | Thomson Market Edge | $28 + 2 cents/share |
| American Express | www.americanexpress.com/direct (800) 658-4677 | Customizable news monitor | None | $24.95 up to 4,000 shares |
| Ameritrade | www.ameritrade.com (800) 454-9272 | None | Market Guide | $8 |
| Datek Online | www.datek.com (888) 463-2835 | None | Thomson, BigCharts, NewsAlert | $9.99 |
| Discover Brokerage | www.discoverbrokerage.com (800) 688-3462 | Fundamental information | Thomson, Zacks, MSNBC | $14.95 |
| DLJ Direct | www.dljdirect.com (800) 825-5723 | DLJ Direct reports | Zacks, Lipper, Market Edge | $20 up to 1,000 shares, 2 cents/share over |
| E*Trade | www.etrade.com (800) 786-2575 | Retirement planning calculator | Baseline, Briefing.com, FirstCall, Quote.com, Morningstar | $14.95 listed; $19.95 Nasdaq |
| Fidelity | personal.fidelity.com (800) 544-8666 | Extensive mutual fund and stock screening | S&P, Salomon Smith Barney | $19.95 up to 1,000 shares, + 3 cents/share over |
| National Discount Brokers | www.ndb.com (800) 888-3999 | Technical Analysis Window (charting) | Zacks, Daily Monitor, Baseline,DBC Market Watch, First Call | $14.75 up to 5,000 shares, +1 cent/share over |
| Net Investor | www.netinvestor.com (800) 638-4250 | Market Snapshot (customizable charts, news) | S&P, First Call, Lipper, Inc. Link, PAWWS financial network | $19.95 + 1 cent/share |
| Quick & Reilly (Quickway) | www.quickwaynet.com (800) 672-7220 | Portfolio tracker with E-mail alerts | MarketEdge, AudioNet | $14.95 up to 1,000 shares, + 2 cents/share over |
| Charles Schwab | www.schwab.com (800) 435-4000 | Mutual Fund Report Card | Quote.com, S&P, First Call | $29.95 up to 1,000 shares, + 3 cents/share over |
| Suretrade | www.suretrade.com (212) 566-2031 | None | Reusters, Zacks, Baseline, Briefing.com, Second Opinion, InvestTools | $7.95 up to 5,000 shares |
| Wall Street Access | www.wsaccess.com (888) 925-5782 | StockTracker | CBS Market Watch, Zack's | $25 up to 5,000 shares, 2 cents/share over |
| Wall Street Electronica | www.wallstreete.com (888) 925-5783 | Available to Valet Service and Full Brokerage customers | Zack's, PCQuote, Thomson, Baseline, WallStreetCity, InvestTools, Edgar, DBC RT quote ticker | $19.95 up to 1,000 shares, 2 cents/share over |
| Waterhouse Securities | www.waterhouse.com (800) 934-4134 | No | S&P, Zacks, quotes and charts, Morningstar mutual fund screen | $12 up to 5,000 shares, 1 cent/share over |
| A.B. Watley | www.abwatley.com (888) 229-2853 | Ultimate Trader | Briefing.com, Zacks, Edgar Online | $14.95 listed; $19.95 OTC up to 5,000 shares |
| Web Street Securities | www.webstreetsecurities.com (800) 932-0438 | No | Exchanges, Baseline reports; S&P, First Call, Argus, Ford Renaissance IPO add'l chg | $14.95; Nasdaq over 1,000 shares free |
| Wit Capital | www.witcapital.com (888) 494-8227 | Access to IPOs and public venture capital offerings | CBS Market Watch | $14.95 up to 1,000 listed shares, unlimited Nasdaq shares |