Schwab

Charles Schwab has lowered its stock and ETF commission from $8.95 to $0, making the broker less expensive than its rivals Merrill Edge and Etrade. Despite the new pricing, Schwab provides all ETF's commission-free. The company also has over 300 brick-and-mortar locations plus 24/7 service over the phone or via on-line chat. Its very good desktop platform StreetSmart Edge only requires a $1,000 account balance, and its mobile app streams CNBC news free of charge.

Promotion: $0 commissions + satisfaction guarantee at Charles Schwab.

Fidelity

Very high in the list of financial firms is Fidelity, where customers pay $0 for stock and ETF trades, but still receive excellent customer service in return. A representative is available over the phone or through on-line chat around the clock. The company also has several local offices. ETF traders have access to 84 securities that cost nothing to trade, while mutual fund investors can buy and sell more than 11,000 products. The Fidelity mobile app streams Bloomberg business news in HD, the only low-cost firm to do so. Fidelity also provides a platform for Apple Watch free of charge.

Merrill Edge

Traders at Merrill Edge pay $0 for stock and ETF trades. The broker's website has excellent educational and research tools, while its trading ticket is very useful. There is also a Merrill Edge mobile app and Apple Watch platform. Frequent traders can use the company's advanced desktop platform. While the firm doesn't offer any commission-free ETF's, it does give out checks and a Visa debit card free of charge. Financial advice is available at an additional cost at many Bank of America locations.

Webull

WeBull traders pay just $0 for stock and ETF transactions. This the lowest commission in the brokerage world. Option contracts are also $0, also very low by industry standards. The firm's website is easy to use and the broker provides a desktop platform free of charge. A mobile app is also available. Both tools offer paper trading, a rare feature. Forex can also be traded at Webull, one of the few securities brokers in list above to offer the service.

Promotion: 12 FREE stocks valued $36-$36,000 when you deposit ANY AMOUNT at Webull.

WellsTrade

Stock and ETF trades cost $0 at WellsTrade. The financial company requires no minimum deposit to open an account, although it does have a $20 annual fee. It can be avoided by maintaining a $5,000 account balance. Although WellsTrade doesn't offer any commission-free ETF's, it does provide a large mutual fund selection. WellsTrade does not have a desktop trading system, although the broker's website does have good charting tools with several technical indicators. The firm's mobile app is one of the few in the industry that can be used on Windows 10 mobile.