The Best Online Brokerage: Key Takeaways
- Forget the fallacy of finding the ‘best online broker’ — find out what’s more important instead…
- What to consider before you sign up with a broker and what you should always remember…
- Why does the right broker matter? If you can’t answer that question — you must read this now!
Check out what I’m doing with a broker for the first time in 20+ years of trading!
New to trading? Finding the best online brokerage should be your number-one concern.
Here comes the tricky part. There’s no one best broker out there. You need to find the best broker for your trading style and goals.
If you trade penny stocks like I do, finding the right broker is even more important. Why is that and how do you do that? Let’s start with the big picture.
What Is a Penny Stock Online Broker?
A penny stock online brokerage is a broker that you can access online and that allows you to buy and sell penny stocks.
Penny stocks trade at $5 or less per share. These aren’t the blue-chip stocks that your grandparents tell you to invest in…
These are the stocks of sketchy companies that often fail. But you can make money trading them. I’m living proof. I turned $12,000 into $7.3 million mostly through penny stock trading.
Some of these stocks are listed on major exchanges like NYSE and Nasdaq. Any broker will give you access to these…
But many of the penny stocks I trade are OTC stocks. Robinhood doesn’t even let you trade them!
If you want to access the WHOLE market, you have to find the broker that will give you access to the stocks you want to trade.
Investment and Trading Companies
The markets are BIG. Everyone has different strategies, goals, and areas of expertise.
An online broker can have specialties, too. Some focus primarily on long-term investment strategies…
That’s not my bag. Instead, I day trade penny stocks. My trades usually last only minutes.
The top brokers have their own trading platforms. The quality of these varies widely.
Let’s take a brief look at your options.
Top Online Stock Brokers for Beginners
I never recommend brokers. I often say to find the one that sucks the least for you. That said, here are five I get a lot of questions about…
Do your own research to find your best fit.
StocksToTrade
Before we get to the traditional online brokers, let’s talk about how you can find which stocks to trade…
For me, there’s only one answer: StocksToTrade.
It’s a low-stress, high-data platform. It gives you everything you need to succeed in trading.
It’s not an online broker. This is a stock screener, news scanner, and charting that can rival any brokerage platform out there!
Many new stock traders get overwhelmed with all the information that’s out there. It’s confusing and frustrating … and it eats up a ton of time.
Designed by traders like myself, StocksToTrade helps simplify the process. It puts all of the most important tools in one place.
Take StocksToTrade for a two-week test drive here.
Now, let’s move on to online brokers…
Robinhood
Robinhood has built up a massive userbase in the last few years…
I don’t personally think that’s because it’s the best broker.
If you compare their platform with others on this list, you’ll find it’s fairly limited. A lot of new traders like this simpler approach…
I don’t.
Trading is a battlefield. If the other side has better weapons than you, you’re not preparing yourself to win.
TD Ameritrade
I’ve used TD Ameritrade and know lots of people who use it consistently. It’s one of the most well-known online brokers in the world, which gives it some immediate credibility.
Its main trading platform is called thinkorswim, and it’s one of the most highly-rated out there.
In 2020, fellow mega-broker Charles Schwab acquired TD Ameritrade. According to Schwab’s website, that means that Schwab users will soon be able to use thinkorswim too.
E-Trade
E-Trade is the broker I tend to use most when going long. It’s not the only broker I use…
It’s just given me the least problems in recent memory.
Remember that your broker is a tool. So I use them in the way that works for me. And I’m always open to moving on to the next best tool for my trading.
Everyone trying to trade despite brokers galore having issues, I don’t need to force anything I times like these, happy with my $2kish profit so far on $BLSP & pumped $CYDY is squeezing, but when there’s brokers issues sometimes the best trade is no trade at all! #etrade $IBKR
— Timothy Sykes (@timothysykes) February 1, 2021
Interactive Brokers
I don’t short sell much these days … But if we get a market crash in 2022, that could change. (See the #1 broker I’m working with this year that’s great for shorts.)
I’ve used Interactive Brokers for shorting before. This broker has a ton of assets, which is good if you’re looking for shares to short.
They’re also good for international traders. They allow traders in over 200 countries to trade U.S. stocks.
How to Select a Penny Stock Broker
When you’re making this choice, here’s the most important thing to remember…
The online brokerage you choose doesn’t have to be your final answer.
Some traders switch brokers.
Others use multiple brokers. Besides letting you compare brokers, this will give you three more day trades to make if you’re under the PDT.
The best way to figure out which broker works for you is to research and experiment. Let’s get started.
What Do You Need to Consider When Choosing an Online Brokerage?
There are several things to look at. Let’s start with the thing that most beginning traders look at first.
Trading Costs
Most brokers have adopted a ‘commission-free’ model. But with OTCs, you can still pay commission. I don’t think commissions are a bad thing.
NOBODY ever got rich saving $ on commissions & what you don’t realize is that your broker isn’t even saving you $, they’re farming out your orders to big hedge funds who are laughing at the poorest/dumbest people for being so unprepared, taking from the poor & giving to the rich!
— Timothy Sykes (@timothysykes) January 8, 2021
In fact, they can be good…
If there isn’t a trade you can make 20%, 30%, or 50% on, don’t trade.
Still, you don’t want to use an online brokerage that charges more than the competition. This is especially true when it comes to hidden fees.
Again, do your research. Read the fine print. Find out exactly how much an online broker charges and for what.
Trading Tools
The top online brokerage platforms all provide trading tools and resources. They have tutorials, newsletters, and trading platforms.
Some are geared more to investors — not the kind of day trading I teach here.
Some won’t even let you trade the sketchy penny stocks that I focus on in the Trading Challenge. So know what you’ll trade first, then find the best tools for YOU.
Mobile Trading
A desktop trading platform will almost always be better…
But like I said in the previous section, it’s all about what fits your life.
If you need to go somewhere while you’re in a day trade, your broker better allow you access. That means a capable mobile app.
Unfortunately, to me, a lot of the apps out there fall short. That’s why I love the StocksToTrade mobile app…
Its charts are just as accurate as the desktop version. Its top-shelf stock screener lets me track other trades that are forming as well.
Mobile trading offers other benefits, such as alerts while you’re on the go.
Customer Service
Discount brokers will discount anything they can. Nowhere is this more glaring than in the customer service department.
This is one of those things you won’t care about until the moment you really need it. But if you have a problem, you need to be able to contact a living, breathing person. That’s not an option with every online brokerage.
Don’t learn this the hard way. Pick up the phone or live chat, and see who’s at the other end.
Stock Analysis
The big brokers like TD Ameritrade excel at this. They’ll often have analysts rating stocks, as well as broader analysis of market trends…
That doesn’t always help for the stocks I like to trade.
I try to keep things simple.
A tool like StocksToTrade is perfect for me. I get access to clean charts where I can watch price action in real time. And the Breaking News Chat feature alerts traders like me to the hottest stock news. I owe so many great trades to this service.
No matter which platform you use, make sure you have the best tools to make the most of your time and effort.
Regulations
There are two types of regulations.
First, there are rules from governing bodies like the SEC and FINRA. Then there are the rules your online brokerage creates.
You need to be aware of both.
Unlike some traders, I don’t hate the PDT. It’s just one of the major rules of the first category. There are also other regulations for U.S.-based brokers, like minimum margin requirements.
Your broker may enforce further requirements. These are rules to keep you safe…
But if you don’t pay attention, they can get you into trouble.
You could have your account limited, canceled, or restricted. Make sure you’re aware of the rules and regulations before you begin to trade.
Account Security
You want your broker to take your money as seriously as you do.
This should involve two-step authentication, data encryption, fraud protection, and firewalls. Every reputable online brokerage will have all of these safeguards in place.
Most brokers guarantee your money if it’s lost due to “unauthorized activity.” Just be careful — trades made by people with whom you share your password aren’t covered.
Order Execution
Execution speed matters — especially with penny stocks. They move fast. You need to be able to act immediately if you decide to trade.
Your online brokerage should be transparent about its execution speeds. Every U.S.-based broker is bound by the FINRA rule on best executions. According to this rule, brokers must try to get the best price for your order possible.
But brokers don’t always do this. Robinhood has famously had problems with this … but that’s not the only one.
It wasn’t that long ago that E-Trade incurred a near-million-dollar fine.
So how do you find a broker who won’t screw you? For me, it comes down to experience.
If it feels like a trade is taking too long to execute, it probably is.
International Trading
Some online brokers permit international trading, others don’t.
Interactive Brokers has a great reputation for international access. Other brokers might work too. Do your research to see if they work for you.
Key Tips for Choosing an Online Brokerage
When you’re choosing an online broker, I have two key tips for you to keep in mind. They could be total deal-breakers, in my opinion — so take them seriously.
Know the Broker and the Terms and Conditions
Online brokerages change their terms and conditions all the time. Again, do your research.
Never Let Anyone Trade for You
You’ll never learn how to trade penny stocks if you let someone else make your decisions or execute your trades. Practice makes almost perfect.
Focus on expanding your education on the stock market and making your own decisions.
This, not your broker, will be the big difference in your trading.
The Bottom Line
Choosing an online brokerage is a personal process.
I’ve tried many different trading software programs and online brokerage tools over the years…
It all comes down to preference. You won’t know that until you start researching or even try a few.
Ready for next steps in your trading journey? Apply for my Trading Challenge. I’ve helped educate 20+ millionaire traders now — and I’m always looking for more dedicated students. Will you be my next success story?
What do you look for in an online brokerage? Let me know in the comments!
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