Are you reading the Firstrade review because you’ve heard that this broker now matches Robinhood’s commissions? Wait! What? Oh! Haven’t you heard?
Firstrade is a good zero commissions broker. Commissions on all trades involving stocks, ETFs, options, and mutual funds are now equal to the modest sum of 0. And that is not the letter O or a typo. It’s zero, as in commission-free trading. Brokers are an important part of trading. Hence, this Firstrade review. When we think of stock trading, we often think of patterns and candlesticks.
And yes, those are all essential. However, trading companies are a large part of trading. The reason for this is it’s where the business happens. It’s here: orders are placed, charts are found, and profits are made and lost. Therefore, it’s essential to find a broker you’re comfortable with.
Table of Contents
Firstrade Review Introduction
It is evident that with zero Commission on trades of stocks, options, and ETFs, Firstrade is well-suited for active traders if they don’t mind having to trade with an online interface only.
Small investors and beginning traders will also appreciate 0 minimum deposit requirements to open an account.
Although the Firstrade website does include educational material mostly geared toward investors wanting to grow their money passively, if your goal is to be a day trader, you may be best served by learning charting/candlestick and technical analysis.
Firstrade is not your ideal broker if you need professional investment advice and management of a portfolio. If you’re that kind of investor and have limited funds, you may prefer those Robo advisor services with little to no fees, such as Betterment and Wealthfront.
Pros
Firstrade Securities, Inc. (formerly First Flushing Securities, from Flushing, New York, hence explaining the name) is the brainchild of John Liu, who started the company in 1987.
So Firstrade is not your new kid on the block. It’s an established company offering a large selection of investment products. After all, they were one of the first online trading platforms.
And if zero commissions on stocks, options, exchange-traded funds, and mutual funds (11,000 of them at last count) isn’t a plus enough for you. They also provide free access to Benzinga, Briefing, Morningstar, and Zacks reports and research.
On top of that, Chinese-speaking traders will enjoy services in Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), including online trading sites and toll-free phone help in Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese).
Additionally, Firstrade does something that most American brokerage firms rarely do. It allows opening an account from multiple international countries from Asia and a few more countries for those wanting to invest in the US markets.
COURSE |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| DESCRIPTION | Learn how to read penny stock charts, premarket preparation, target buy and sell zones, scan for stocks to trade, and get ready for live day trading action | Learn how to buy and sell options, assignment options, implement vertical spreads, and the most popular strategies, and prepare for live options trading | How to read futures charts, margin requirements, learn the COT report, indicators, and the most popular trading strategies, and prepare for live futures trading |
| INCLUDED | Daily watch lists • Trade rooms • Trading scanners • Discord • Live streaming Day Trading > | Daily watch lists • Trade rooms • Options scanners • Discord • Live streaming Options > | Futures target levels • Trade rooms • Real time teaching • Discord • Live streaming Futures > |
Cons
Will you have built-in access to the same trading resources and research offered by TD’s ThinkOrSwim (TOS) or the Trader Workstation (TWS) of InteractiveBrokers?
Maybe not. But you can always use TOS to plan your trades and execute your plan with Firstrade. The downside of Firstrade may be that it is a web-only access platform.
But for most beginning self-directed traders, Firstrade provides sufficient research tools. It has a clean and easy-to-use online interface that will satisfy newbies’ requirements.
And if you’re a trader on the go, the iPhone/Android app gives you the necessary tools to keep up with the markets and your portfolio.
The bottom line is that all trading is done via a browser or the “Trade on the Go” app.
Firstrade Highlights
- Extended hours trading for available stocks from 8:00 am until 8:00 pm Eastern time.
- Support is available via live chat, phone, email, Facebook, and Twitter.
- Protection of up to $150 million on accounts.
- Free research & tools, including the Morningstar Stock Reports
- Streaming watchlist with real-time streaming quotes.
- Screeners based on your filtering criteria.
Remember that Firstrade also offers other products/services that incur fees—items like Bonds/CDs/Fixed Income products, margin investing, and IRA retirement.
Firstrade Fees and Pricing Review
- Zero commissions:
- Stocks – $0
- ETF‘s – $0
- Options – $0
When you research reviews of brokers, you likely try to find features that distinguish one from the others. Frankly, the more brokers you consider, the more they resemble each other.
Take these four popular brokers: TD Ameritrade, Fidelity, E*Trade, and Charles Schwab. At this time, their advertised commissions for online stock orders ranged from $4.95 to $6.95. So, if fees are your primary concern, neither will impress you.
Firstrade, on the other hand, reduced its standard online equity and ETF trade commissions from $4.95 to $2.95 in 2017. And in 2018, well, down to nil.
Free trading brokers are extremely popular. However, you want to find a good one.
Final Thoughts: Firstrade Review
Other brokers offer commission-free trading, such as Tradezero, based offshore, and Robinhood.
I think that no-commission trading is a trend that will spread in the future. Firstrade makes money from the interest on its credit and margin balances, just like banks make interest on deposits and mortgage income. Firstrade also benefits from routing venues and shares execution income.
Are you a small investor aiming to become self-directed or, better yet, committed to learning stock trading and becoming an active trader? Maybe even a day-trading superstar?
Firstrade is an excellent broker to begin on the path of taking control of your financial future. Even experienced investors without guidance will appreciate the zero-commission offer of a well-rooted, stable broker like Firstrade.
Firstrade has little education on their website, and what’s there is very basic. In other words, you’ll need to acquire your training somewhere else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Investors cannot purchase shares of Firstrade because the company is privately held.
