Mine is only $7 per except on pink sheets which is just a tiny bit more - not bad at all - I always add my commission into the pps anyway - but with all of that said, $20 seems high and would be prohibitive for me when a buy and a sell are only $14 total.
What should he do? Save up for a couple of months until it trades at $10.00 so he can save $9.00 on commissions. The best time to invest is when you can afford it.