If you are looking for a new brokerage account, then take a look at optionsXpress by Charles Schwaab. They are often rated among the best online discount brokers and have won numerous awards, including the Best Brokerage for Costs by Kiplingers in 2011, and Best for Options Trading in 2012 by Barrons. Barrons has awarded optionsXpress 4-stars from 2002-2012, and impressive 11 year run!

Tools, Features, and Pricing

optionsXpress is rated among the best discount brokerages for options trading due to their pricing structure and tools . For example, they offer stock trades at a flat rate of $8.95 per trade. They also offer the following rates on their options trades:

• Active Trader Rate: 1-10 Contracts is $12.95 Flat. 10+ Contracts is $1.25 per contract.
• Standard options Rate: 1-10 Contracts is $14.95 Flat. 10+ Contracts is $1.50 per contract.

There is currently a 50 free trade offer for new customers when you open an optionsXpress account.

optionsXpress features a wide range of tools and additional benefits. For example, you can open a free virtual options trading account with $25,000. You can use this to learn how to trade stocks, try new strategies, etc.

Here are more features and benefits for using optionsXpress:

• Free streaming quotes.
• Free investing education. webinars, trading tools, and advanced research.
• Free Account Transfers.
• Free Virtual Trading.
• Powerful Online Tools.
• No inactivity or maintenance fees.
• No account minimums
• No Broker assistance fees

optionsXpress $100 sign up bonus

optionsXpress is currently offering new customers a $100 sign up bonus when they open a new account with a minimum of $500 and make a minimum of 3 trades over the course of the following 12 months of opening a new account.

How to get the $100 new account bonus:

1. Open a new optionsXpress account .
2. Deposit or transfer a minimum of $500 when you open your account.
3. Make at least 3 trades within 12 months from account opening.
4. Receive the $100 deposited into your account within one month of meeting requirements.

OptionsXpress $100 Bonus Details:

*Offer is valid for one new Individual or Joint optionsXpress account opened and funded with at least $500 by US residents on or before December 31, 2013 at 11:59 CST, and having executed 3 trades within twelve months of account opening. To receive $100 bonus, account must be funded with at least $500 cash or securities transferred from a brokerage firm other than optionsXpress. The $100 bonus will be deposited into the new optionsXpress account within one month after meeting the terms and conditions of this offer. optionsXpress may charge the account for the cost of the $100 bonus should account fail to remain open with minimum funding (excluding trading losses) 6 months from the account open date. IRAs, other tax-exempt, linked, or shared accounts are not eligible to receive the $100 bonus offer. Offer is not transferable, is not valid for internal transfers, current optionsXpress accounts or with any other optionsXpress offers. All taxes related to this $100 bonus offer are the responsibility of the account owner. Limit one offer per person meeting the terms of this offer and opening a new optionsXpress account online at https://www.optionsxpress.com/new_account.asp?intcmp=lp100offer111209&promo=207. We reserve the right at our sole discretion to terminate, modify or suspend this offer at any time without notice. This is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction where we are not authorized to do business..

These terms dont state whether or not the 50 free trades for new customers can be used in conjunction with this offer. You may wish to contact optionsXpress for more information before opening a new account.