LOS ANGELES, Jan. 30, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Investor’s Business Daily (IBD), a leading financial news and research organization, today announced the results of its fifth annual investor survey of the Best Online Brokers. Conducted in conjunction with polling partner TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence, the study analyzed over 4,700 responses from investors to find out how well their primary brokerage firms stacked up. Fidelity, Charles Schwab, and TD Ameritrade again ranked as the top three online stock brokerages for Overall Customer Experience, as they have for three of the past four years.
“We are pleased to release 2017’s Best Online Brokers report as a valuable resource for investors seeking the best online broker for their needs. The rankings are unique because they’re based solely on objective data drawn from honest feedback from the brokers’ own customers, unlike some lists based on subjective judgments by a group of editors,” said Chris Gessel, Chief Content Officer of IBD. “Fidelity, Charles Schwab, and TD Ameritrade continue to demonstrate a strong record of meeting or exceeding their clients’ expectations across nearly every category.”
The rankings were determined through a two-phase survey process that assessed both investor priorities and the brokerages’ ability to satisfy them. During Phase I of the survey, respondents were queried regarding which attributes of an online broker were most and least important to them. In comparison to the 2016 findings, six attributes gained importance -- Low Commissions & Fees, Educational Resources, ETF Choices, Investment Research, Research Tools, and Portfolio Analysis & Reports. A new attribute included in the survey -- Investment & Retirement Planning Tools -- also ranked as a top attribute. By contrast, Mobile Platforms & Mobile Trading Opportunities, Options Trading Platform, Site Performance, Trade Reliability, Customer Service, and Equity Trading Tools decreased in importance.
In Phase II, survey respondents rated their primary broker across 13 categories, with weights assigned to each attribute to compute an Overall Customer Experience Index for each broker. As in prior years, survey analysis focused on firms with at least 125 clients who responded. There were six qualifying firms in 2017.
Complete Survey Results
2017 Top Overall Customer Experience:
- Fidelity
- Charles Schwab
- TD Ameritrade
Low Commission & Fees:
- Interactive Brokers
- Fidelity
- Scottrade
Trade Reliability:
- Charles Schwab
- Fidelity
- TD Ameritrade
Site Performance:
- Charles Schwab
- Fidelity
- TD Ameritrade
Equity Trading Tools:
- TD Ameritrade
- Fidelity
- Charles Schwab
Customer Service:
- Charles Schwab
- Fidelity
- Scottrade
Research Tools:
- Fidelity
- Charles Schwab
- TD Ameritrade
Investment Research:
- Fidelity
- Charles Schwab
- TD Ameritrade
Portfolio Analysis & Reports:
- Fidelity
- Charles Schwab
- TD Ameritrade
Educational Resources:
- Fidelity
- Charles Schwab
- TD Ameritrade
ETF Choices:
- Charles Schwab
- Fidelity
- TD Ameritrade
Online Trading Platform:
- TD Ameritrade
- Fidelity
- Interactive Brokers
Investment & Retirement Planning Tools
- Fidelity
- Charles Schwab
- TD Ameritrade
Mobile Platform/ Mobile Trading Opportunities
- TD Ameritrade
- Fidelity
- Charles Schwab
In addition to the qualifying brokerages evaluated in the categories above, IBD looked at smaller brokers (those with at least 85 clients responding) for the first time this year. Six brokerages qualified for this analysis. Of these, TradeStation, Bank of America’s Merrill Edge and Vanguard earned Honorable Mention.
To find out more about this year’s winners, including brokerage profiles, please visit www.investors.com/best-online-brokers. For complete details on survey methodology, visit http://www.investors.com/news/best-online-brokers/the-method-used-to-find-customers-ratings-of-online-brokers.
About IBD
Investor's Business Daily is a leading financial news and research organization recognized for proprietary stock screens, comparative performance ratings and a record of identifying stock leaders as they emerge. The company takes a data-first approach to investing, educating investors about how to invest successfully using tested methods and sound research. IBD has honed its approach over the last 50 years to help investors make smarter decisions. Its stock lists have outperformed the S&P, and its recent presidential poll, the most accurate over the past four election cycles, was one of only two national polls to accurately predict the outcome of the 2016 Presidential Election. IBD offers a number of interactive stock research tools and information for investors of every level. To learn more about all that IBD has available, please visit www.investors.com.