Generally the account minimum will be very much consistent with the trading style. When you want to sell the stock, you want to be sure there are buyers who'll buy from you. You'll need a quality PC and you definitely want good connectivity or Internet access. I recommend a minimum speed of a 56K modem. Finally, good quality firms will pick up all your expenses for the software by making a certain number of trades.
Online systems are nowhere near the quality of an e-dat systems.
When comparing e-dat systems, the quality of the infrastructure is imperative. If you have a 56K modem, you should be able to pull real time, level 2 quotes, as well as send your order with no delay. You can trade on the system with cyberdollars just to practice before you put your capital at risk. An excellent advisory firm is Pristine Daytrader. They offer research tools and advisory services.