Interactive Brokers (IB) highlights - IB has advantages and disadvantages as do all brokers - Commissions are per share, so can be expensive on large blocks of low priced shares. http://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/p.php?f=commission Excellent availability of shares for shorting for a fee. Allows shorting of OTCBBs and Pinks. Very low margin rates .... lowest anywhere. Good trading platform. Order routing sometimes limiting .... they don't deal with all market makers. In rare cases I've had buy orders sit when elsewhere they would fill. Great for futures trading. I use them for crude oil, nat gas, copper, etc. Great for trading directly on the Canadian and other foreign exchanges in local currency.