Five Factors to Consider When Choosing an Equity Broker

If you are looking to start your stock market investment journey, one of the first factors to consider is choosing an equity broker. An equity broker is an intermediary who operates between an exchange and an investor. An equity broker may be an individual agent or a firm/platform that charges fees or commission to execute buy/sell orders. While some equity brokers only offer equity or stock broking, others offer more investment options as well. Brokers are registered under share depositories National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL) or Central Depository Services India Ltd (CDSL).

When you choose equity broker to begin your journey into stock market investing, you should keep in mind some factors.

Here are some aspects that help you decide on how to select equity broker:

1. Assess your needs

Before you choose equity broker, the first step is to be clear on your own investment goals. The amount of risk you are willing to take, your strategy and your capacity to invest. The first thing to check when you are looking at how to choose equity broker is whether your needs will be met by the equity broker. For instance, you may wish to take up long-term investments. In that case, you may opt for a brokerage offering lower account maintenance charges or AMC. You may be a passive investor who doesn’t need too much everyday interaction or you may be an active investor who may wish to execute day trades. For the latter, you may need a broker that is equally well-equipped and staffed.

2. Consider brokerage charges

The lower the fees charged by your brokerage, the greater the advantage for a trader who wishes to invest frequently. Also, lower charges may be indicative of a brokerage/agent’s size of business. However, when you decide on how to select equity broker, don’t rely only on low charges but look at the other aspects such as the brokerage’s track record and credentials.

3. Check the credentials

The track record of the brokerage plays an important role when you choose an equity broker. Make sure that the broker has a good reputation and has maintained a fair amount of transparency in pricing and has adequate disclosures in place. Also, check their general track record by doing your research and checking with other investors. You may also check a list of brokers and their market share to assess their popularity.

4. Explore what else is on offer

When you look at how to select equity broker, make sure you check the services they offer – any value-additions such as tutorials or information related to new rules/regulations delivered to clients on a timely basis would be of great help. This is particularly useful if you are someone who has just started investing and wishes to keep track of happenings in the world of equity trading.

5. Track the tech

It is useful to have an equity broker/brokerage firm that is also empowered by technology. This means the platform on offer is seamless, ensures superior customer experience and helps you navigate trading in an easy manner.

It is very important to check the credentials of the equity broker before you choose one. Also, keep in mind that your needs and the services offered by the broker would need to be aligned. A well-designed platform powered by the latest technology and timely information on new rules or regulations would make for a seamless customer experience.