Stock Trading Companies and Brokers

Trading Companies and Brokers List

Stock Trading Companies and Brokers

The Bullish Bears break down a list of the best trading companies and brokers. Our list highlights each company and links to detailed reviews. We also include reviews of 100+ online brokers, tools, scanners, apps, and news sites. Just click any of the links under our menu to the left on a desktop or at the top of the page on mobile to read our reviews.

List of the Best Online Trading Companies

  • Headquarters: 8050 SW 10th St Suite 2000, Plantation, FL 33324
  • Employees: 1153+
  • Revenue: $200-$500 million
  • Founded: 1982
  • Phone Number: (954) 652-7000
  • Website

Not every aspect of their platform is top of the line. However, most areas are sufficient. It’s common for most traders to use one trading company to trade and another for charting because many online brokers have poor charting platforms.

This are great because you don’t need to get another charting service with them. Fees are another important factor to consider. They aren’t the lowest or the highest, which puts them in the middle and on par with other brokers.

Another issue with many brokers is that they typically specialize in certain trading styles, which creates trading limitations. TradeStation is a solid broker for many different trading styles, such as day trading, swing trading, options, and futures trading. So, their platform allows you to stay with one broker for your trading needs.

  • Headquarters: 200 S. 108th Ave, Omaha, NE 68154
  • Employees: 8,939+
  • Revenue: $4-$6 billion
  • Founded: 1971
  • Phone Number: (323) 963-0603
  • Website

Their charting and real-time data are unmatched. They offer custom stock scanners, many indicators, news, text and email alerts, and webinars. On top of all that, their customer service is unmatched. One of our favorite aspects is their simulated trading platform. It is hands down the best one that we’ve come across.

With it, you have access to everything listed above. Also, you can trade just as you would using real money without losing money. As a new trader, that’s incredibly necessary.

To get real-time data, you need to open and fund an account; however, you don’t need to put a lot of money into the account. Real-time data in a simulated account allows you to trade like you’re doing it live.

  • Headquarters: 2 Pickwick Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830
  • Employees: 2900+
  • Revenue: $3-$4 billion
  • Founded: 1978
  • Phone Number: 1 (877) 442-2757
  • Website

This platform is for the more serious traders as they require an account minimum of $2,000 and $10,000. However, their commission fees are inexpensive.

Their charting software isn’t as streamlined at TOS, so it can take some getting used to. However, they also offer a great paper trading feature. We recommend all new traders start in a simulated account before going live.

They allow their hotkeys to be edited, meaning you can set them to your specifications. Hotkeys are great if you’re day trading. You can capitalize on those super quick moves. IB is a super fast platform with very low latency.

They also have a mobile app. It’s clean, easy to use, and has fast trade executions. They don’t have as many indicators on the mobile app, but you don’t want to weigh down your charts.

One of the biggest assets is their shorting ability. Their ability to locate shares to short is unmatched. They have a shorting tool that displays the number of shares available to short on stocks in real time. 

  • Headquarters: 181 West Madison Street, Suite 2950, Chicago, IL 60602
  • Employees: 105+
  • Revenue: $210+ million annually
  • Founded: 2006
  • Phone Number: (1-888-577-3123)
  • Website

Their fully customizable platform is similar to that of Interactive Brokers and Das Trader. However, it looks modernized and is easier to set up. Typically, most day traders use another charting platform when using a day trading broker. However, LightSpeed has pretty good charts, so you don’t need another charting tool.

Their level of customer service is top-tier. One of the drawbacks of this company is their fees. They are among the highest in the industry. However, this is the price traders pay to be with a top-notch day trading company. They mostly target day trading and aren’t great for trading options and futures.

  • Headquarters: 2875 Route 35. Suite 5C-2. Katonah, NY 10536
  • Employees: <25
  • Revenue: $5-$15 million annually
  • Founded: 1999
  • Phone Number: 1 (800) 874-3039
  • Website

Their usual minimum is $30,000, but they have started accepting accounts with only 5k, which is awesome. This platform is recommended only for extremely active traders, and they are one of the best stock trading companies for shorting stocks. 

They offer three platform types: Pro, ActiveWeb, and their mobile app. They also run on the Das Trader platform. Each platform offers its unique tools available.

Their platform caters to hedge funds and other large stock trading companies. So you can decide how your trade is routed. They are close to LightSpeed overall as a platform, but we aren’t huge fans of Das Trader, one of their platform integrations. Their in-house platforms are solid. However, they look a bit old-fashioned and not as up-to-date as LightSpeed. Also, they charge a software fee, and you can’t trade Forex or Futures. 

  • Headquarters: 2010 Jimmy Durante Blvd #270, Del Mar, CA 92014
  • Employees: 250+
  • Revenue: $1 million-$5 million annually
  • Founded: 2012
  • Phone Number: 1-844-811-0118
  • Website

They also allow you to customize the way your orders are routed. This is a great feature if you place high-volume orders. You’re in control of how quickly your trades fill. CenterPoint prefers large-volume orders. Their prices and commissions reflect that.

They have many trading platforms from which to choose. They aren’t free, however. You will be paying monthly to use their software. However, with their platforms, you can access many tools and their fantastic shorting library. They are one of the top trading platforms for shorting. One of the drawbacks is their fees. They are some of the highest in the industry.

  • Headquarters: 222 North LaSalle Street Suite 1450 Chicago, IL 60601 USA
  • Employees: 172+
  • Revenue: $15-$55 million annually
  • Founded: 2003 
  • Phone Number: 1 (800) 496-1683
  • Website

They are considered a smaller futures broker than TD Ameritrade. However, they are a solid company. Their low fees and margin requirements are some of the best in the industry. 

One of the major drawbacks is the high cost of their platform. It’s $99 monthly or $1499 for a one-time payment. Customers have had some issues since they purchased Tradovate. They have said their customer service and platform have had some concerns. Despite the minor hiccups, they are one of the best futures trading companies in the industry.

  • Headquarters: 22-24 Victoria Avenue Queens Park, Savannah Port of Spain, TT
  • Employees: 51-200
  • Revenue: $19 million annually
  • Founded: 2013 
  • Phone Number: 1 (826) 956-5161
  • Website

They’ve been around since 2013 and shouldn’t be confused with CME Group. One is a trading company (CMEG) and a trading exchange (CME Group). Their commission fees are slightly higher than other online trading companies, but they are reasonable. 

They offer editable hot keys and fast order execution. As a day trader, these are necessary tools, especially for traders who trade volatile low-float stocks. Since this is an overseas broker, it’s important to have a bank supporting overseas wire transfers. 

  • Headquarters: 245 Summer St, Boston, MA 02210
  • Employees: 74,000
  • Revenue: $11-$28 billion
  • Founded: 1946
  • Phone Number: 1 (800) 343-3548
  • Website

They have many commission-free ETFs that can be quite attractive to traders and investors alike. The online platform is set up like a website. You can’t customize the platform like other online trading companies, but you can access many tools. For example, quotes, charts, news, and analysis are readily available.

Their Active Trader Pro is the platform that shines. It has good charting and a multi-ticket order to house up to 50 potential trades. They have many tools and studies available for you to take advantage of. However, they don’t make this platform accessible to all traders.

Instead, you must make 36 or more trades a year. If you’re an active trader, that’s nothing and probably won’t be a drawback. They also have a mobile platform. However, it’s more basic than any of their other platforms. It gets the job done, though.

  • Headquarters: 671 N Glebe Rd FL 15 Arlington, VA, 22203
  • Employees: 6600+
  • Revenue: $2-$3 billion
  • Founded: 1982
  • Phone Number: 1 (800) 387-2331
  • Website

E-Trade Web is a browser-based platform geared for the less active trader. You can track your accounts, make watch lists, stream market data and analysis, and execute trades on this browser-based platform. However, if you’re into active trading, they acquired OptionsHouse a few years ago.

Don’t let the name throw you off, though. This platform has more than just options trading on it. However, that’s what it’s best known for. Although they also offer stocks, futures, indexes, and bitcoin. It is a well-rounded platform despite its name.

The pro platform is available to the most advanced traders. This platform does require you to maintain an account of $250,000—active traders who place high-volume trades like this platform.

E-Trade is one of those stock trading companies that is easy to use and has a lot of financial tools at your disposal.

Additional Trading Companies and Brokers

1. Free Trading Brokers

Remember when TradeZero was the hot ticket online trading company that offered zero commissions? They used to be one of the top trading platforms. They are going by the wayside because of the dominance of free stock trading companies like Robinhood and Webull

Big online brokers like TD Ameritrade, E-Trade, and Fidelity are giving Robinhood and Webull a huge run for their money with zero commissions. It’s quite the thing to witness, and it has created quite the opportunity for YOU, the trader. The great news is that you don’t have to worry about paying high commission fees when trading.

4. Investing Brokers

What Does a Stock Trading Company Do?

Stock trading companies include online brokers, trading services, trading apps, trading tools, and stock scanners. Trading involves the buying and selling of securities via major stock exchanges. These companies provide traders with the services and tools necessary to facilitate trading activities. Online brokers are the platforms that you use to place your trades. Trading services teach you how to trade or offer tools to assist trading.

Trading in the stock market wouldn’t be possible without these companies. They are something we take for granted because they are readily available. However, that wasn’t always the case.

Computers and the internet have revolutionized the way we trade. We can learn stock trading and trade independently without calling a broker to do it for us. It’s all right at our fingertips. It used to be that you’d have to look at the newspaper for tickers. However, you couldn’t map out support and resistance or look at candlesticks and patterns. 

Fundamental research is still very important, but online trading companies have now put stock trading into the consumer’s hands at an unheard-of pace, along with incredible pricing. There are several brokers with zero commission fees. Yes, you’ve read that correctly. The revolution of the number of online brokers in the industry has hit peak craziness. 

Trading Style

There are many different trading styles, and each broker has a special niche. There’s a lot of competition among stock broker companies nowadays. We think of it as the broker wars. Brokers are fighting for your business. They are going all out for your affection between marketing and pricing. Only the strong will survive, which makes it great for the consumer, which is you and us.

Just think about it…the more the competition, the better the commission fees. The lower the fees, the more money you can keep in your brokerage account. Whoever has the best fills, and technology also plays a major role. Winning!

The name of the game with trading is to grow your brokerage account. Buy low and sell high, and keep your profits. The less you pay in commission fees, the more money you have. That simple!

A long list of brokerages is available to US traders, but which one is right for you?

Specifically, we can assume that most new traders will be opening relatively small accounts.

There’s no shame in it; everyone has to start somewhere!

No matter what your style of trading or investing is, the ultimate goal for everyone is to grow their wealth. That said, some brokerages are better for new traders than others.

Trading Companies

Trading Company, Service, or Community

Stock trading services fall under the overall umbrella of trading companies. Several services fall under this umbrella, ones that brokerage firms or financial institutions don’t run. These services are more dedicated to helping the trader on a more personal level with their trading skills.

Since major brokerage firms need more time or staff to help individual traders on a dedicated level, these types of services can be helpful to traders. These companies could be run by individuals or a team of people and can be service-based, education-focused, or a combination of both.

They offer services such as courses, trade rooms, live streaming, watch lists, and stock signals. These services can help guide and teach people how to apply their trading style in the real world. These companies are usually membership fee-based. Companies that offer these types of services are not created equal.

Sadly, many do not have their member’s best interests at heart and can be scams. If you want to join a company offering these types of services, do a Google search and read their reviews. 

The Bullish Bears are an educational trading community and service that offers members trading courses, trade rooms, custom-built Discord, and alert signals via Discord tools and scanners. The main focus in our community is on education. Our company focuses on teaching you the skills to become an independent trader. 

Discord Trading Community

A trading discord is an online community of traders. They can be an invaluable resource for traders who want to collaborate and socialize with other like-minded people. These communities offer live streaming, chat rooms, and voice channels where members can share trade ideas, ask questions, and discuss the markets. Some discords offer services such as courses, alert signals, and scanners.

We can’t stress enough how awesome Discord is. Our team has spent much time and resources using other live-streaming services and researching how to create our app, but we couldn’t beat what Discord offered. Their app gives our members a user-friendly and intuitive experience in our trade rooms.

With just a click of an app icon, you can instantly chat with other traders worldwide. It takes a bit of a learning curve to get used to Discord if you are new, but once you get familiar with it, you won’t want to return to a traditional chat room’s antiquated technology.

The Bullish Bears offers alert signals to our members via Discord tools and bots. They are advanced tools that should only be used once you know how to trade. We can’t stress enough how dangerous following alerts can be if you don’t know how to trade. Alert services should be used as a guide to practice trading or getting trade ideas, not for you to rely on as a trader.

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Final Thoughts: Trading Companies

You’ll want to ensure the trading process is smooth and intuitive with any brokerage. The last thing you want is to be confused or worse, make a mistake, and miss out on a good trade. The best brokers for small accounts have the simplest layouts: buy or sell, number of shares, market, or limit price. That’s all you need when you’re first starting as a trader. 

How can you ensure that a brokerage is easy to use? Do some research. There are usually YouTube videos on how to use a specific broker. Most brokerages also offer a tutorial or demonstration of how to use the platform.

We highly recommend educating yourself before jumping into trading with your real money. Furthermore, if you are new to trading, start with a paper account. 

The Bullish Bear’s main focus is on education in our trading community. We have courses and a lot of resources to help guide you as a trader, but it’s up to you to put in the work and invest in yourself. Trading is risky and hard, so the more time you invest into learning, the better your chance of succeeding. It’s solely up to you when making trading decisions.

*The reviews on the Bullish Bears website are our opinions, and we may be compensated through affiliate programs. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • LightSpeed
  • SpeedTrader
  • TradeStation
  • Centerpoint Securities
  • CMEG Group
  • Interactive Brokers
  • CMEG
  • TD Ameritrade
  • Robinhood
  • Webull
  • TradeStation
  • Robinhood - trade stocks for free - $0 US stock, ETF, options, and cryptocurrency trades
  • Webull - $0 US stock, ETF, options,
  • E-Trade - $0 for stocks, options, and etf's
  • Ally Invest - $0 for stocks ($3.95 at discounted select pricing rate) $0.00 Commission-free ETFs
  • Robinhood
  • Webull
  • E*Trade
  • MooMoo
  • Ally Invest

FREE ONLINE TRADING COURSES

If you’ve looked for trading education elsewhere then you’ll notice that it can be very costly.

We are opposed to charging ridiculous amounts to access experience and quality information. 

That being said, our website is a great resource for traders or investors of all levels to learn about day trading stocks, futures, and options. Swing trading too! 

On our site, you will find thousands of dollars worth of free online trading courses, tutorials, and reviews.

We put all of the tools available to traders to the test and give you first-hand experience in stock trading you won’t find elsewhere.

Our content is packed with the essential knowledge that’s needed to help you to become a successful trader.

It’s important to treat day trading stocks, options, futures, and swing trading like you would with getting a professional degree, a new trade, or starting any new career.

Invest the proper time into your Trading Education and don’t try to run before you learn to crawl. Trading stocks is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It’s not gambling either, though there are people who treat it this way. Don’t be that person! 

STOCK TRADING COURSES FOR BEGINNERS

The Bullish Bears team focuses on keeping things as simple as possible in our online trading courses and chat rooms. We provide our members with courses of all different trading levels and topics.

If you’re a beginner, intermediate level, or looking for expert trading knowledge…we’ve got you covered. 

We have a basic stock trading course, swing trading course, 2 day trading courses, 2 options courses, 2 candlesticks courses, and broker courses to help you get started. Free.

Just choose the course level that you’re most interested in and get started on the right path now. Become a leader, not a follower. When you’re ready you can join our chat rooms and access our Next Level training library. No rush. We’re here to help.

Click Here to take our free courses.