What do you look for in an online broker? Are the cheapest fees the most important consideration? What criteria are you looking for in your online broker? Do they provide you with special offerings, are you enticed by extra services behind the broker transactions?

What made you choose your current online broker?

If I plan to have an online broker? I would check their achievements. Word of mouth , recommendations from friends is still best for me. As part of their marketing, they would naturally entice you with special services but don't be deceived by it because it is a part of the price, nothing is free in business.

I'm looking out for hidden fees and exclusions. I also look for financial products not on the basis of price, but trust.

Take two finance products, essentially the same and same price - one by an independent, the other by a big name. Big name wins every time for me, and I'd rather pay a little more for the trust factor, certainly when it comes to trusting in financial products!

That's right, Admin, when it comes to financial matters, TRUST is very important...

It's hard to build trust with someone you don't know and will probably never met. No matter what anyone says, picking a broker will be a crap shoot. Just do your research. Sometimes a smaller firm will be more hungry for your business. Sometimes a big firm could care less about your few little dollars.

I think the best advice would be to remember that you are in charge and if it doesn't feel right, then move on.