What is the best online stock broker for a small time investor looking to invest $3,000 or less?

Brand new investor just trying to find out which online broker is best for a small time investor like me? I don't have much to start out with and I'm looking for a broker with small fees and no minimum balance.

As general rule the very low priced brokers are not "user friendly" to newbies.

For the newbie I suggest;
Charles Schwab
Fidelity Brokerage

If you have no investments now..... I'd suggest only investing in a well diversified mutual fund or ETF.

Don't try to invest in penny stocks or small cap stocks looking for a quick hit/winner.

Read as much as you can. There is a direct relationship between knowledge of investing and success.

Investing is not gambling. Investing is not playing a hunch. Investing is not putting all your money in one stock because you heard it was going up.

There are several. I like Scottrade, just $7 per trade but limited advice. Still they are cheap.

my advice go for mutual funds

i dont think as a broker theres is a minimum limit to invest one is always welcome to open up an account to trade but
3000 is too little to play with the market cause there will be too many stocks too choose and u'll tend to be greedy and start to punt on the stocks and this is where people alwiz make the mistakes

anyways good luck

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RULE OF 72
5000 @ 12% a month = 1.6 million in 4 years. 19 million in 6 years.