BMO Investor Online offers premier stock trading for the country of Canada, focusing on the American market.  However, they have their work cut out for them, giving other stronger figures in the industry.

Their depth into the markets isn’t quite up to par with other similar services offer.  Their website is designed with customer service in mind, and its use of new technology gives an interactive stock trading experience that’s easy on the consumer.

With their use of Flash and other Web 2.0 technologies, their site guides the investor through the process while giving them up-to-the-minute updates regarding the markets, insights into successful investments, and so on.

The entire organization focuses heavily on individual retirement accounts and the wide variety thereof.  They include both Locked-In retirement plans and self-directed PSPs.  They also offer tax-free savings accounts, which aren’t quite as popular as the individual retirement accounts but are still prominent.

Unlike other similar services, BMO Investor Online doesn’t necessarily aim to educate the consumer, although there’s still a variety of helpful information accessible from their site.  They’re also not striving to help develop the customer’s portfolio like some other services are.

When it comes to first-time investors, BMO might not be the best option for you.  They do offer an extensive array of personal accounts but they don’t place much focus on stocks and bonds (with some personal bonds being an exception).  They give updates on markets, but they don’t guide you through the process.  They don’t tailor their site to your personal growth as an investor.

They do, however, feature products that are beneficial to an individual in the long run.  When it comes to Canadian savings and retirement accounts, BMO Investor is a front-runner.

Several perks do come with the site, however.  They have a foreign currency calculator to help you figure out the conversation between Canadian and American currency (or for those in other countries as well).  They also provide easy electronic access to funds, where you can transfer from other accounts into your BMO Investor Online account, making it easy and quick to get a portfolio or savings account up and running.

The site does offer some self-educational opportunities, however, but their resources don’t go in depth.  They’re limited to some basic advice, a glossary of terms, and similar low-brow approaches.

Whereas it’s easy to set up an account and get going, their customer service isn’t anything to write home about.  It doesn’t lack but it’s also not super prominent (it’s not even available from their website) and it doesn’t have the availability that some sources do—there’s no internet chat or 24-hour hotline to call.

BMO doesn’t get a spotless review from all investors, either.  First of all, their near $30 fee for the first 1,000 interactions runs a bit high, with several cheaper options available.  They have a high flat-trading fee of $10 and you don’t get a break until after many trades.

Furthermore, people complain that their savings account division isn’t easily accessible.  They say they’re misled and that it’s technically two separate sources, which the main page on BMO Investor Online doesn’t clear up.  Some reviews even go so far as to claim their customer service is lacking, with specific regard to their savings accounts and trying to connect one to their investment portfolio.

Finally, a frequent complaint is centered around BMO Investor Online’s lack of available stock options.  As mentioned, they don’t have quite the depth in the market that other sources do, meaning you’re left in the dark about certain prominent stocks or don’t even have the option to purchase them in the first place.

Overall, there’s not a lot that BMO Investor Online has to offer over similar services, even in the Canadian market.