Thinkorswim, gives innovative trading platforms to investors and market titans alike and has received recognition by many as one of the industry’s best trading services.  In existence since 1999, ThinkorSwim has  grown and developed substantially, delivering powerful and straightforward technology which supports active traders.

The company has served as an internet-based broker for over a decade, bringing together all necessary parties for prime investment.  But they exceed the call of duty by incorporating a high-class customer service option to their services.

Simply put, Thinkorswim educates consumers.  They educate those looking to invest.  And although they also set up the connection between the investor, trader, and the client, their approach centers around educating the potential investor.

Similarly, ThinkorSwim has it imbedded in their mission statement that they challenge the consumer to educate themselves about the industry and to figure out how to be the best trader and investor they can be.

More so than anything, ThinkorSwim is a vast array of knowledge.  It’s an information source for those trying to get into investing or trading.  It’s like a training program unto itself, getting the investor ready to dive into the market.

Opening an account is simply accessible from their site’s front page and unlike some services you don’t need to put in a large sum of money to get going (though it is required that you put in funds up-front to begin constructing your portfolio).

The website features up-to-the-minute updates regarding the national stock market (as well as stocks on a global scale).  It also offers several programs to download and install on your computer that can run you through the way trading and investing works.  ThinkorSwim is also credited with being the first online company to use Web 2.0 technology in their site, giving consumers much more interaction than other sources typically do.

Their software is state of the art, always updated and refreshed so that you don’t experience bugs or glitches.  It’s all accessible from their website.  Furthermore, they have Flash tutorials to help you use the software that you can download from them.

Because of their education approach, many consumers find ThinkorSwim to be an ideal site.  It’s a little more of an alternative pick—some people don’t like to stray from the path and choose to go with the more mainstream and popular sources.  But for a small, web-based start up, the ThinkorSwim mission resonates with many people and makes the trading process easy.

ThinkorSwim also offers seasonal or semi-regular promotions to draw in customers.  Depending on when you’re trying to open your portfolio, you might get a deal and be able to sign up for extremely free or cheap.  These specials, however, do fluctuate.  However it’s not necessarily something you’re likely to find on another site.

The company has also won several awards, stemming from the Barron’s award sessions, which gives out awards for the best online brokers on an annual basis.  They’ve earned a 4.5 out of a possible 5 stars on multiple occasions, also being named “best for frequent traders” and “best option for traders” in 2009, 2008 and several times prior.

ThinkorSwim also offers a prominent mobile phone application so you can access your account, get tips, and so on from your cell phone.

Reviews of ThinkorSwim are generally positive, usually complimenting its user-friendly approach and excellent training program.  However, some people complain that they’re not great for international traders.  Also, the site requires a $3,500 deposit to open an account.  Although in reality this is a smaller amount than through many sites, it’s still not a pay-as-you-go option.