Understanding the fees and commissions associated with trades and account maintenance is crucial for evaluating the overall cost of using a brokerage platform. Look for transparency in fee structures and consider the impact of fees on your trading strategy and investment returns. Consider factors such as trade commissions, account maintenance fees, inactivity fees and fees for additional services or features. Some platforms may offer commission-free trading for certain securities or account types, which can benefit frequent traders. Consider your trading frequency and investment objectives when assessing the fee structure of a brokerage account. For instance, if you are attempting to capture dividends as your investment strategy, you would benefit from a brokerage with very low fees and fast order execution.