Interactive Brokers vs E*TRADE 2025
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs E*TRADE, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs E*TRADE, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Interactive Brokers and E*TRADE both offer comprehensive investment options, but Interactive Brokers takes the lead, especially in terms of variety. Ranked first for range of investments by StockBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers allows users to trade a wider array of asset classes, including fractional shares, forex, and a selection of 11 cryptocurrencies. E*TRADE, ranked fourth in the same category, excels with its advisor services but lacks offerings such as fractional shares, forex, and cryptocurrency trading.
Both Interactive Brokers and E*TRADE provide users with access to core investment services like stock trading, margin trading, mutual funds, options, futures, and OTC stocks, making them strong contenders for individuals seeking diverse trading opportunities. Recognized for their comprehensive investment portfolios, both platforms also offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts, catering to long-term investors looking to grow retirement savings.
However, when it comes to specialized investments, Interactive Brokers offers a broader spectrum of choices. The ability to trade in fractional shares allows investors greater flexibility and access to expensive stocks with smaller investments. While E*TRADE offers beneficial advisor services for personalized investment guidance, it doesn't include some of the more modern investment offerings available through Interactive Brokers, potentially limiting options for investors interested in cryptocurrencies and forex.
Feature |
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | No |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | Yes | Yes |
Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 11 | 0 |
Range of Investments |
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Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to an Advanced Market
When it comes to comparing trading platforms and tools, Interactive Brokers has a slight edge over E*TRADE. Ranked #2 out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com and boasting a five-star rating, Interactive Brokers excels in offering advanced and comprehensive tools for active traders. In contrast, E*TRADE holds its own with a solid four-star rating and a #5 rank, providing a robust feature set for investors who want quality tools at their disposal.
Both Interactive Brokers and E*TRADE offer downloadable trading platforms for Windows and Mac, as well as efficient browser-based platforms. Each provides essential features such as paper trading and a range of charting capabilities, including the ability to adjust open orders directly on charts and display historical trades, corporate events, and automated technical analysis. While both support adding notes and saving multiple chart profiles, Interactive Brokers offers 155 technical indicators and 85 drawing tools compared to E*TRADE's 121 and 37 respectively.
One of the most notable differences is Interactive Brokers' feature of a comprehensive trading journal, something that E*TRADE does not offer. Additionally, Interactive Brokers provides 659 columns for watch lists, far exceeding E*TRADE's 43. Although E*TRADE allows a slightly higher level of customization for SMA studies, overall, the extensive suite of features and higher ranking make Interactive Brokers a more attractive option for those seeking a powerful trading platform. Both brokers, however, do not offer custom study creation, aligning in this limitation.
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Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | Yes |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 659 | 43 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 121 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 37 |
Platforms & Tools |
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Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025
Interactive Brokers and E*TRADE both provide comprehensive educational offerings for beginners and seasoned investors alike, catering to a variety of financial instruments such as stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds. Both platforms support learning through educational videos and webinars, with Interactive Brokers offering additional resources like quizzes and progress tracking to enhance the learning experience. While both brokers provide educational tools like paper trading to practice strategies, only Interactive Brokers allows users to track their learning progress, giving it a slight edge for those keen on structured learning.
Rated five stars for education by StockBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers and E*TRADE demonstrate strong commitments to investor education. Despite their equal ratings, Interactive Brokers takes the third spot in broker rankings, just ahead of E*TRADE, which holds the fourth position. This positioning highlights Interactive Brokers' slightly broader educational capabilities. Both platforms, however, stand out as valuable resources for anyone looking to bolster their market knowledge and investing confidence.
Feature |
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Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes |
Videos | Yes | Yes |
Webinars | Yes | Yes |
Education |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
Bottom line: Both Interactive Brokers and E*TRADE deliver top-tier stock trading apps, each earning 5 stars. StockBrokers.com ranks Interactive Brokers #2 of 14 and E*TRADE #4. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want verified mobile after-hours trading and built-in videos on demand; choose E*TRADE if you value a slightly larger library of technical studies. Either way, you’re getting a high-rated mobile trading experience.
App coverage is broad on both sides: iPhone, Android, and Apple Watch apps are available from each broker. Both support streaming quotes, live TV, mobile options trading, stock alerts, and custom watchlists with adjustable columns. Interactive Brokers supports mobile after-hours stock trading; E*TRADE’s mobile after-hours availability was not specified in the information provided. Both offer after-hours charting, landscape charts, multiple time frames, and the ability to compare stocks on the same chart.
For charting depth, Interactive Brokers includes 97 technical studies and videos on demand, while E*TRADE offers 107 technical studies but no on-demand videos. Traders who want the most indicators may lean toward E*TRADE, while those who want learning content inside the app may prefer Interactive Brokers.
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iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | Yes | Yes |
Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | Yes |
Charting - Technical Studies | 97 | 107 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
Interactive Brokers vs E*TRADE: both deliver $0 minimum deposits, $0 stock commissions, and a $0.65 per-options-contract fee, plus no IRA annual or closure fees. The key differences show up with margin and transfers. Interactive Brokers’ margin rates are far lower across common balance tiers, and it charges $0 for a full ACAT transfer, while E*TRADE’s margin rates are notably higher and it assesses a $75 fee for a full ACAT. If you plan to use margin or think you might move your account later, Interactive Brokers is likely the cheaper pick; for basic stock or options trading, either platform keeps core trading costs low.
Trading costs are straightforward on both platforms: $0 commissions for regular stock trades and $0.65 per options contract at both Interactive Brokers and E*TRADE. Options exercise and assignment fees are $0 at both brokers. Account setup is easy with a $0 minimum deposit either way, and retirement savers will appreciate that both brokers charge $0 for IRA annual fees and $0 for IRA closures.
The biggest cost gap is margin pricing and transfers. Interactive Brokers lists a 6.83% margin rate for balances under $25,000, $25,000–$49,999, and $50,000–$99,999. E*TRADE’s corresponding rates are 12.95%, 12.7%, and 12.2%. For account transfers, both charge $0 for partial ACATs; however, Interactive Brokers charges $0 for a full ACAT, while E*TRADE charges $75. These differences can add up if you borrow on margin or later decide to move your account.
Feature |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.65 |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
When considering online brokers for day trading, Interactive Brokers and E*TRADE both stand out for providing essential services like streaming time and sales data and level 2 quotes. Both platforms offer streaming live TV, direct market routing for stocks, and trading hotkeys, which are crucial for timely decision-making and quick execution. However, Interactive Brokers takes a significant lead with additional features that enhance the trading experience. It offers ladder trading, basic and advanced strategy backtesting, and a short locator tool for real-time short-selling opportunities. These features can greatly benefit traders looking to employ more advanced trading strategies.
In stark contrast, E*TRADE lacks some of these advanced tools, notably ladder trading and both types of strategy backtesting. It also does not provide a short locator tool or order liquidity rebates, which Interactive Brokers offers to its users. These differences could be pivotal for traders who are keen on maximizing their day trading efficiency and strategy integration. While both platforms are reliable for fundamental day trading needs, Interactive Brokers provides a more comprehensive suite of tools and features that could cater to more complex trading strategies, making it a potentially more attractive option for active day traders seeking to take advantage of advanced functionalities.
Feature |
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Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | Yes |
Streaming TV | Yes | Yes |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | Yes |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No |
Short Locator | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2025 for Beginners and Active Traders
In the Interactive Brokers vs E*TRADE market research comparison, both are excellent, but your choice depends on what you value most. Interactive Brokers includes ESG research and offers more downloadable stock reports, while E*TRADE sits higher in an independent ranking. Either way, both earn 5-star marks for research, making them strong picks for everyday investors.
Coverage is very similar: both brokers provide research for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, pink sheets/OTCBB, and bonds. Each lets you see your portfolio allocation by asset class and includes social media sentiment in stock research. Only Interactive Brokers adds ESG (environmental, social, and governance) research. For written reports, Interactive Brokers offers 17 downloadable PDF stock reports versus 8 at E*TRADE, and both provide PDF research for ETFs and mutual funds. Each platform also includes screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds to help surface trade ideas.
On quality, the scores are tied at 5 out of 5 stars for market research. In StockBrokers.com’s review of 14 brokers, E*TRADE ranks #2 and Interactive Brokers ranks #4. If you want ESG data and a larger library of stock PDFs, Interactive Brokers may fit better; if a higher third-party ranking matters more, E*TRADE has the edge.
Feature |
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Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
Research - Fixed Income | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | Yes |
Research |
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When it comes to banking services, E*TRADE stands out compared to Interactive Brokers. E*TRADE provides a comprehensive range of banking options including checking and savings accounts, debit and credit cards, and mortgage loans, making it a versatile choice for those seeking integrated financial services. On the other hand, Interactive Brokers focuses solely on investment products and does not offer these banking facilities. However, both Interactive Brokers and E*TRADE offer certificates of deposit (CDs), giving investors an option for secure, interest-earning deposits. For customers prioritizing banking options alongside their trading activities, E*TRADE clearly holds the advantage.
Feature |
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Checking Accounts | No | Yes |
Savings Accounts | No | Yes |
Debit Cards | No | Yes |
Credit Cards | No | Yes |
Mortgage Loans | No | Yes |
Brokerage CDs | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2025
After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Interactive Brokers is better than E*TRADE. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall score of 96.9%, while E*TRADE finished with a score of 95.4%.
Interactive Brokers is a go-to choice for professionals because of its institutional-grade desktop trading platform, high-quality trade executions and rock-bottom margin rates.
Interactive Brokers offers crypto trading with access to 11 different coins, while E*TRADE does not provide any crypto trading options.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Both Interactive Brokers and E*TRADE offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts without any annual or closure fees, providing cost-effective retirement saving solutions.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
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0 of 5Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Customer Service |
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Education |
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Ease of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Interactive Brokers Review | E*TRADE Review |
Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $0.01 | $6.95 | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $14.95 | $0.00 | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.65 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | $0.85 | $1.50 | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | Varies | $25 |
Margin Rates | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 6.83% | 12.95% | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 6.83% | 12.7% | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 6.83% | 12.2% | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 6.83% | 11.7% | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 6.83% | 11.2% | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 6.83% | Varies | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 6.83% | Varies |
Account Fees | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $0.00 | $75.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Investment Options | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | No | |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 6 | 4 | |
Futures Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Forex Trading | Yes | No | |
Crypto Trading | Yes | No | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 11 | 0 | |
Fixed Income (Treasurys) | Yes | Yes | |
Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) | Yes | Yes | |
Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) | Yes | Yes | |
Traditional IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Roth IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Advisor Services | No | Yes | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 36 | 0 |
Order Types | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Limit | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - After Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Stop | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Trailing Stop | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - OCO | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - OTO | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | Yes |
Beginners | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
Retirement Calculator | Yes | Yes | |
Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
Progress Tracking | Yes | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | Yes | No |
Stock Trading Apps | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple Watch App | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - Simple Options | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - Complex Options | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket SRT Quotes | Yes | Yes |
Stock App Features | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | Yes | Yes | |
Videos on Demand | Yes | No | |
Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Streaming) | Yes | Yes | |
Watch Lists - Create & Manage | Yes | Yes | |
Watch Lists - Column Customization | Yes | Yes |
Stock App Charting | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Charting - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 97 | 107 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | Yes |
Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Active Trading Platform | Trader Workstation (TWS) | Power E*TRADE | |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | Yes | |
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Journal | Yes | No | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 659 | 43 |
Stock Chart Features | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 121 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 37 | |
Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Historical Trades | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Custom Date Range | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Custom Time Bars | Yes | No | |
Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 6 | 8 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
Day Trading | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | Yes | |
Streaming TV | Yes | Yes | |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | Yes | |
Ladder Trading | Yes | No | |
Trade Hot Keys | Yes | Yes | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No | |
Short Locator | Yes | No | |
Order Liquidity Rebates | Yes | No |
Research Overview | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Fixed Income | Yes | Yes | |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | Yes | |
Portfolio Asset Allocation | Yes | Yes |
Stock Research | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Stock Research - PDF Reports | 17 | 8 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - Social | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - ESG | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - SEC Filings | Yes | Yes |
ETF Research | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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ETFs - Investment Objective | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | Yes | Yes | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | Yes | |
ETFs - Sector Exposure | Yes | Yes | |
ETFs - Risk Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
ETFs - Ratings | Yes | Yes | |
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | Yes | Yes | |
ETFs - PDF Reports | Yes | Yes |
Mutual Fund Research | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Mutual Funds - Investment Objective | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Prospectus | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - StyleMap | Yes | Yes |
Options Trading | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes |
Banking | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Bank (Member FDIC) | No | Yes | |
Checking Accounts | No | Yes | |
Savings Accounts | No | Yes | |
Credit Cards | No | Yes | |
Debit Cards | No | Yes | |
Mortgage Loans | No | Yes |
Customer Service | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Phone Support (Prospective Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | No | No | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
24/7 Support | Yes | Yes |
Overall | Interactive Brokers | E*TRADE | |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Education |
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Ease of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Interactive Brokers Review | E*TRADE Review |