What a broker does If you want to get started in investing, you're going to need a broker. With all the choices that are available, it can be confusing to find the broker that's right for you. You won't find a single broker that provides every service to everyone.
Different brokers have features that are appealing to different types of investors.
Full service brokers are the oldest and most popular type of brokers. A broker is not an advisor in the same way that a financial advisor is. In addition to a personal representative, clients of a full service brokerage generally have access to the firm's proprietary research. Clients also have the advantage of having their orders executed through the firm's own traders. Having this type of service can be highly useful to investors who are concerned about getting the best execution price on large trades.