| Group |
Criteria |
Description |
| Product lines |
Forex |
Does the broker offer Forex to trade? |
| Product lines |
Stock |
Does the broker offer Stock to trade? |
| Product lines |
Accept Internatinal Clients? |
Does the broker accept international clients? Please be noted that clients from different countries may not be able to trade full product line of a broker due to financial regulations. |
| Product lines |
Options |
Does the broker offer Options to trade? |
| Product lines |
Mutual Fund |
Does the broker offer Mutual Fund to clients? A few brokers have excellent mutual fund section because they are able to offer more fund products for its clients. We add more score to them. |
| Product lines |
CFD |
Does the broker offer CFD to trade? CFD is called "Contract for Difference". It is an trading instrument just like trading stock with margin. |
| Product lines |
Fixed Income |
Does the broker offer Fixed Income products to trade? |
| Product lines |
IRA |
Does the broker offer IRA account? IRA account is "Individual Retirement Account". Please refer to our tradepedia for details and explanations. |
| Product lines |
ETF |
Does the broker offer ETF to trade? |
| Product lines |
Special Accounts |
Does the broker offer special accounts like trust&estate account, investment club account, etc.? Please refer to our tradepedia for details and explanations. |
| Product lines |
Managed Fund Services |
Does the broker offer Managed Fund services to clients? Managed fund is a fund that clients authorize the power-of attorney to the traders from broker. Traders act as money manager for clients. Please refer to our tradepedia for details and explanations. |
| Product lines |
Margin Trading |
Does the broker offer Margin Account to clients? |
| Trading Platform |
Types of Platforms |
Does the broker provide desktop, java or online version of trading platform? Obviosuly, more platforms make clients trade easily. |
| Trading Platform |
Easy Useness |
The easy useness of trading platform. We rate some as excellent because their platforms offer some useful tool to support trading. |
| Trading Platform |
Execution Quality |
Based on the feeling of order execution speed and market order/stop order slipperage. It is hard to differentiate between brokers because execution feeling from clients is very subjective. |
| Trading Platform |
Customization |
Does the trading platform allow clients to customize the workspace? This factor is considered an important supporting features for trading platform because it allows clients to monitor market more efficiently and trade faster. |
| Trading Platform |
Leverage Control |
Does the broker allow clients to change margin rate easily? This criteria is important for CFD and forex trading. |
| Trading Platform |
Demo Pltform/Tutorial |
Does the broker give demo trading for clients to get familiar the platform? We give more credit to brokers offering real demo platform. |
| Trading Platform |
Charting |
Whether the trading platform has advanced charting features? We don’t think charting features are among the most important features comparing to other creteria, like execution feel. You are welcome to customize the weight. |
| Trading Platform |
AutoTrading |
Whether the trading platform combine Autotrading features? It is not an easy question, because real autotrading should also consider execution speed, tradable size, etc. However, some trading platform does give clients an additioanal options. |
| Trading Platform |
API Trading |
Whether the trading platform support API trading? API trading give clients flexibility to program own auto trade system. We add more score to platforms with good API features. Please note that brokers may charge for API library. |
| Trading Platform |
Telephone Trading |
Does the broker have telephone trading line for clients? It is a very important features particularly in case your computer is not able to connect to the internet. |
| Trading Platform |
Wireless Trading |
Does the broker have a wireless trading platform? It is more important today since PDA/iPhone have strong features supporting internet surfing. |
| Customer Service |
Websites Design |
The good website design could help clients find out information more efficiently. We divide all brokers into three types: normal, great, excellent. |
| Customer Service |
Online Chat Support |
Does the broker offer the online chat support? We consider it one important features in customer services. |
| Customer Service |
Online Account Administrtion |
Does the broker make an easy online account administration system, such as update account information, online statement, transfer between accounts. |
| Customer Service |
Free-phone Lines |
Does the broker offer toll-free telephone number for clients? |
| Customer Service |
Websites Languages |
The languages of the broker's website. More languages earn more credit. |
| Customer Service |
Service Languages |
The languages that broker's representatives are able to use. |
| Customer Service |
Q&A Section |
Whether the broker has a separate Q&A section on its website? It could make easier for clients to find out the answers of most asked questions. |
| Customer Service |
24/7 |
Is the customer services 24/7 duing the weekdays? |
| Research/News |
In-house Research |
Does the broker's in hourse research team provide clients with research notes/reports? |
| Research/News |
Third-party Research |
Does the broker offer third-party research reports to clients? Please note that the quality of third-party research are took into our consideration. If you have good suggestions regarding the broker you are familiar with, please feel free to let us know. |
| Education |
Seminar |
If the broker has on site Seminar for live or demo clients? |
| Education |
Webinar |
If the broker has webinar for live or demo clients? |
| Education |
Online Edu Resources |
If the broker maintain a good online educational resources for clients. We differentiate into three groups: no, basic and excellent. Only excellent ones are credited in the current ranking version |
| Regulation |
Headquarter/Offices |
Shows the location of this broker. The brokers we listed here are all regulated. Please note that the regulation may vary in different regions/countries. |
| Regulation |
Alexa Ranking |
The traffic on broker's website. It is one factor that we think could reflect the popularity of the broker. Of course, if you have better indicator regarding to calculating reputation, feel free to let us know. We update this version on the last February. |
| Commission |
Online Trades - Market Order |
The cost for clients to place such type of orders. Lower rates are better. Please note that the difference for brokers offering order cost under 10 bucks are really small. |
| Commission |
Online trades - Limit Order |
The cost for clients to place such type of orders. Lower rates are better. Please note that the difference for brokers offering order cost under 10 bucks are really small. |
| Commission |
Phone - Market Order |
The cost for clients to place such type of orders. Lower rates are better. Please note that the difference for brokers offering order cost under 10 bucks are really small. |
| Commission |
Phone - Limit Order |
The cost for clients to place such type of orders. Lower rates are better. Please note that the difference for brokers offering order cost under 10 bucks are really small. |
| Commission |
Broker Assisted - Market Order |
The cost for clients to place such type of orders. Lower rates are better. Please note that the difference for brokers offering order cost under 10 bucks are really small. |
| Commission |
Broker Assisted - Limit Order |
The cost for clients to place such type of orders. Lower rates are better. Please note that the difference for brokers offering order cost under 10 bucks are really small. |
| Commission |
Spread |
Lower spread is always better. The difference from stock brokers on spread should not be very significant. |
| Fees/charges |
Inactivity/Maintenance Fees |
There seems like an industry standard that brokers charge several fees relating to their services. Always, we give those brokers that don't charge miscellaneous fees with more credits. |
| Fees/charges |
Closing/Transfer Fees |
There seems like an industry standard that brokers charge several fees relating to their services. Always, we give those brokers that don't charge miscellaneous fees with more credits. |
| Fees/charges |
IRA Custodian Fees |
There seems like an industry standard that brokers charge several fees relating to their services. Always, we give those brokers that don't charge miscellaneous fees with more credits. |
| Account Minimum |
Cash account |
The minimum amount required to open such an account. It is hard to say the lower amount the better. Different brokers have different marketing strategy. For our ranking purpose, we do add more score to brokers with lower amount. You could customize the weight in the advanced section. |
| Account Minimum |
Margin account |
The minimum amount required to open such an account. It is hard to say the lower amount the better. Different brokers have different marketing strategy. For our ranking purpose, we do add more score to brokers with lower amount. You could customize the weight in the advanced section. |
| Account Minimum |
Retirement account |
The minimum amount required to open such an account. It is hard to say the lower amount the better. Different brokers have different marketing strategy. For our ranking purpose, we do add more score to brokers with lower amount. You could customize the weight in the advanced section. |
