E*Trade

Bottom line

E*Trade doesn't have the cheapest commission fees (Est. $10 for most investors), but experts praise its outstanding customer service, easy-to-use interface and impressive research and tools.

Ease of use

Impressive customizable interface. Signing up with E*Trade, one of the most established online brokers, is fairly straightforward and there are often incentives for new account holders. E*Trade's banking services are a big plus, experts say. Also winning applause is E*Trade's improved interface that offers customizable data, news and charts by using a simple drop-and-click method "that adds up to a great user experience," according to Kiplinger.com, which ranked the company first among online brokers in 2012. You'll need at least a $500 deposit to open an account, and E*Trade also consistently runs promotions like offering 60 days of free trades and even cash if you open an account valued at $10,000 or more.

Pricing and services

Many trading options; fairly high trading costs. E*Trade doesn't claim to be a discount broker -- and it isn't. Costs are on the high side; unless you make 150 or more trades per quarter you'll pay a fairly high commission (Est. $10) per trade. E*Trade 360 offers account information, watch lists, trades and streaming data along with plenty of other customizable tools that even frequent traders will find useful. The company offers more than 50,000 bonds, trading in 35 countries in U.S. dollars and access to nearly 80 international markets.

Options, Forex (foreign-currency trading) and other goodies like 1,300 no-load, no-transaction-fee mutual funds are available. (Transaction-fee funds will run you about $20.) E*Trade is also a leader in mobile tools, with cloud-based technology, according to StockBrokers.com. If you want a lower-cost traditional broker, reviewers recommend Scottrade (Est. $7 per trade).

Customer service

24/7 assistance and dozens of U.S. branches. E*Trade has boosted its customer service in recent years, and it's one of the reasons the company was ranked first in Kiplinger.com's survey. E*Trade beat out the competition in Kiplinger.com's tests by responding quickly to emails and offering accurate information. Some reviewers give the firm high marks for customer service, and the 2012 SmartMoney survey calls its 24/7 chat feature "a nice touch." Educational resources -- especially for retirement -- are robust and top-notch. In addition to chat, 24/7 phone service and email, the company has 30 branches in the U.S. for personal portfolio reviews and assistance.