http://online.barrons.com/article/barrons_cover.html#articleTabs_article=1 In the 2012 annual survey TDA/TOS is now downgraded to 3rd place for option trading. while the whole option world is in a consensus that TOS is second to no one in options, the guys at Barron's have named Trade Monster as best broker for options; how can their web based trading platform compare with TOS? I wonder if they even bothered to take a look at smartphone/iPad apps. TOS edges those as well. That's not all. In the overall ranking, former frequent winners, TOS, have now gone from 4th to 6th. MB Trading with it's out dated style software and odd parthership with LightWave is 2nd(!) are you kidding me!? There is a catagory of brokers recommended for novice traders. Guess what? TOS, with it's relatively complex desktop platform and all, gets no less then number 1. Yes, they are the best, but for novice traders? Why would anyone think that? Trade King, who usually win this catagory are not listed at all in the top 5 brokers for novice traders. Strange stuff. But far more important then all of this, have a great weekend everyone. No need to send me PM with recommendations to join another firm. Not interested, Thank you.
Correct link to survey: http://online.barrons.com/article/S...538.html?mod=BOL_twm_ls#articleTabs_article=1
+1 to everything eldorado said. i've noticed the rankings doing down in usefulness the past two years. i remember one year ib wasn't rated near the top for costs (meaning having low costs) and i immediately knew the entire survey is useless (and no they weren't just looking at futs commissions which i will agree they aren't the lowest).
yes, i think random people reviewed each broker and then someone else compiled it, so there's no calibration in the way each broker was judged. if this is not the case, those firms probably paid the author of the surey.