Here's how to find the ones who deserve it. You've got a target on your forehead if you invest in individual stocks. They're desperate for your business. But some brokerages charge far less than that, and prices overall are steadily falling. Mutual fund investors get an additional perk.
Many online brokers offer an assortment of no-load funds with no transaction fees.
You've got to size up yourself to answer that question. A downside, of course, is that online networks do crash occasionally or slow to a crawl from maintenance or heavy use. A little perspective is in order here, though. The odds of getting through to your online broker during a market crash are pretty good compared with the odds of reaching your friendly, full-service broker by phone under the same conditions. The Web provides some good resources to help you choose an online broker.