TD Ameritrade has been providing brokerage service since 1975, they offer access to over 13,000 mutual funds, bonds, CDs, options and of course stocks. They offer a good collection of third-party investment information and a powerful collection of trading tools.

The TD AMERITRADE control panel has all of the tools and information you need to plan investment strategies and buy and sell securities. The only thing that kept this online stock trading service from the top of our list is fees. They charge a whopping $44.99 for broker assisted orders and $34.99 for placing an order over their interactive voice response telephone system.

Fees/Commissions        

TD AMERITRADE charges a flat rate of $9.99 for market, limit and options trades—there is an addition $0.75 fee per options contract.

The service has a good base rate for trades; however, broker–assisted trades are more expensive at $44.99. In addition, the interactive voice response service, this allows you to trade over the phone, is $34.99, which seems like a lot for not being able to place an order with a "real" person.

TD AMERITRADE requires a minimum initial investment of $2,000, which is about standard.

Investments Offered        

This online stock trading service excels in this category. In fact, they offer every trade we looked for. You can trade the basics like stocks, options, mutual funds and exchange traded funds. They also offer many fixed income investments including U.S. Treasury and Agency Issues, various bonds, mortgage–backed securities (GNMAs), certificates of deposit (CDs) and unit investment trusts (UITs). They also support trading of Over the Counter Bulletin Board (OTCBB) or pink sheet securities.

This online brokerage offers different account options including IRAs and Roth IRAs for retirement, and Coverdell ESAs, custodial accounts and 529 plans for higher education.

Ease of Use        

The command center screen brings all of your important information together in one place. Furthermore, you can browse the web and do other tasks while monitoring your stocks. The service is easy to browse with well–labeled tabs across the top of each page and help is always just a click away.

Trading/Investment Tools        

The TD AMERTRADE “control panel” is one of the most extensive and well–organized trading platforms that we’ve seen—and it’s customizable to fit your trading style. It provides the innovative tools and information you need to spot market opportunities and develop and implement your trading strategies.

This service also provides many educational materials including articles, seminars and more. Planning tools and calculators will help you prepare for life’s stages including higher education and retirement.

TD AMERITRADE also offers level II quote and streaming news so you’ll be up to the second on important information; however, they charge extra for these services.

This service also has wireless compatibility; you can access your account with a data service enabled phone, such as a smart phone or PDA like the iPhone and most Blackberry phones.

Support/Customer Service        

TD AMERITRADE has over 200 offices nationwide. They have an easy–to–use search function—simply enter your zip code and it will find a nearby office.

You can also find helpful information on the web through online documentation and FAQs. For further assistance, contact customer support by phone, email or instant chat.

Summary

TD AMERTRADE offers a good collection of domestic stock opportunities and they have an easy to use fully customizable Command Center, as well as access to some easy to use research and charting tools.