TD Ameritrade Review
TD Ameritrade is one of the most popular broker companies which was the first in phone trading. The broker has the following types of accounts: Standard, Retirement, Education, Specialty Accounts as well as managed portfolios and margin trading.
No minimum deposit is required for opening a regular account. However, margin trading and options require a minimum deposit of 2000 USD. The broker has a complicated system of commissions: 6.95 USD per transaction (shares), 6.95+0.75 USD per contract (options), 2.25 USD per contract (futures).
One of the special features is numerous research tools. For example, Investor Movement Index is a corporate indicator of investor behavior developed by Ameritrade. Ameritrade extracts data from its 6 million accounts to find trends in investments, trading activity and other data. Market Edge provides a range of indicators and research. Second Opinion allows customers to enter a ticker and get a lot of technical information.
Trading Platforms
TD Ameritrade offers the following trading platforms: web platform TD Ameritrade, Trade Architect, thinkorswim. Mobile versions are available, too. TD Ameritrade’s web platform is versatile and offers a great variety of features. At one glance, traders can see all their positions, analyze market trends, view the economic calendar and news.
Trade Architect is a more advanced web platform. It works on the basis of Adobe Flash and has a number of robust features. The ticker analysis window includes a graphic package that allows customers to trade directly from the chart. It also has optimized consensus analytics, headlines, option chains and sales data. In addition to researching individual securities, the program offers live CNBC broadcasts, shares and options screeners, watch lists and a summary of accounts.
thinkorswin is the most innovative platform for experienced users. It includes Stock Hacker, one of the most advanced screeners on the market, Fundamentals Profile to view the fundamental parameters of shares, Active Trader tool which allows users to quickly send and edit orders, control the depth of the market and quickly manage transactions.
The intuitive mobile apps available for iOS and Android devices can boast the same functions, from detailed charts with several hundred indicators to advanced orders like Blast.
Characteristics
- User-friendly trading platforms
- Variety of services offered
- Powerful research tools, including Stock Hacker, real-time CNBC news and other trustful sources such as Dow Jones or Thomson Reuters