A broker is engaged in the business of effecting transactions for the account of others. A dealer is engaged in buying and selling securities for their own account. A Broker Dealer is a registered entity that is required to comply with securities rules and regulations. A broker dealer therefore offers more protection for their investors.They are required to do due diligence on all deals to determine the merits of a deal and the financial standing of the company and if it is a viable investment. (Of course this does not mean that there is any guarantee that any deal will be profitable. Just that the company was reviewed.) Broker dealers are held to a higher standard than crowdfunding platforms. They are required to disclose the risks as well as the benefits and can not provide misleading information or information that they know maybe false.