Online Stock Trading Sites

I started with Scottrade. Its offers $7 trades, probably the cheapest for small investors. There are other brokers like e*trade, TD Ameritrade, Charles Schwabb who may charge less than Scottrade but needs you to maintain certain minimum portfolio. Another website that you might be interested is Zecco.com, they used to offer free 40 trades per month, but now around $4 per trade and I think around 10 free trades per month. Hope it helps !

Here's
SmartMoney's 2008 Broker Survey
http://www.smartmoney.com/brokers/index.cfm?story=june2008-broker-survey&split=0

COMMISSIONS & FEES
Best: Interactive Brokers
Worst: WellsTrade
RESEARCH
Best: TD Ameritrade
Worst: Zecco and SoGoTrade
TRADING TOOLS
Best: E*Trade and TD Ameritrade
Worst: ShareBuilder

Believe it helps!

use zecco, you get 10 free trades a month and you can find the same "research" that other discount brokers provide a million other places on the web

I have a number of accounts: Zecco, E*Trade, and Sharebuilder. You can't beat free trades, which Zecco offers, but E*Trade has much better research and tools, especially if you're a trader. E*Trade also offers options, futures, and the ability to buy shares on 6 foreign markets. Sharebuilder is great if you want to invest small amounts on a recurring basis in the same stocks. A

use www.buyandhold.com easy to use and cheap!!!

If you are interested in being a trader there is no substitute for real time platforms like tradestation. In trading you are already competing against guys with instantaneous news, a history of success, and insider info if you think you can beat that with a retail platform then you are delusional.

TD Ameritrade all the way, every tool/feature you can think of and more always on the way... Great for beginners and pro's. APEX members get by far the best value.

I have accounts at Fidelity, ING and Bank of America. By far I like Bank of America best. Their customer service is great! And not much in the way of fees. I get treated like royalty by them, LOL!

B of A has free trades if your account is over 25k fyi

etrade zecco scottrade are tops