E*TRADE vs TradeStation 2025
In this head to head comparison of E*TRADE vs TradeStation, 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 E*TRADE vs TradeStation, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
E*TRADE and TradeStation both offer a wide range of investment options, making them strong contenders for investors exploring online brokerage services. Each platform provides comprehensive access to stock, margin, and options trading, along with mutual funds, OTC stocks, and futures trading. Although neither broker supports fractional shares or forex and crypto trading, E*TRADE stands out with its advisor services, which TradeStation does not provide. Ranked highly by StockBrokers.com for their range of investments, both E*TRADE and TradeStation receive a commendable 4.5-star rating, securing their places among top investment platforms.
For investors considering stock trading, both E*TRADE and TradeStation deliver robust offerings, including the ability to trade on margin, explore options, and delve into OTC stocks. They cater to a broad audience with access to traditional and Roth IRA accounts, making them suitable for building a diversified investment portfolio. While they don't currently enable trading in fractional shares, forex, or cryptocurrency, their strength lies in their established markets, such as futures trading and mutual funds.
E*TRADE offers added value with advisor services, which may appeal to those seeking professional guidance. On the other hand, TradeStation's focus is on providing essential tools and resources for self-directed traders. Both platforms remain close competitors, with their investment ranges equally lauded by investor reviews and rankings. Therefore, your choice may hinge on specific needs, such as advisor support or a preference for independently managing your trading activities.
Feature |
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | No | No |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | Yes | Yes |
Crypto Trading | No | No |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 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 comparing the trading platforms and tools of E*TRADE and TradeStation, TradeStation slightly edges out E*TRADE due to its advanced features and flexibility, earning it a higher rating. While E*TRADE provides a user-friendly experience with its online platform and a solid array of charting tools and indicators, TradeStation shines with customizable features and an extensive range of technical indicators. Overall, TradeStation is better suited for those who require a more flexible and feature-rich environment, reflected in its higher ranking by StockBrokers.com.
E*TRADE offers accessibility through its browser-based trading platform compatible with both PC and Mac users, and it supports paper trading, making it ideal for beginners. E*TRADE's charting capabilities are strong, featuring 121 technical indicators and 37 drawing tools, along with the ability to display corporate events, historical trades, and include automated technical analysis on charts. However, without a Windows or Mac downloadable platform and the inability to create custom studies, E*TRADE falls short of TradeStation's flexibility for advanced users.
TradeStation stands out with its downloadable Windows desktop platform, accommodating serious traders who seek a customizable and detailed trading experience. It boasts an impressive 294 technical indicators and 341 fields for watch lists, offering greater depth in market analysis. Users can adjust open orders on stock charts and integrate automated technical analysis, making it a powerful tool for technical traders. Although it lacks a Mac downloadable platform and does not offer a trading journal like E*TRADE, TradeStation's array of customizable features ensures it caters effectively to proficient traders seeking comprehensive tools.
Feature |
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Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 43 | 341 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 121 | 294 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 37 | 23 |
Platforms & Tools |
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Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025
When it comes to comprehensive educational resources, E*TRADE provides a more extensive offering for beginners and investors compared to TradeStation. E*TRADE excels with a wide range of education on investments like stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds. It also provides users with paper trading options, educational videos, and webinars. Although it lacks educational quizzes and progress tracking features, E*TRADE has earned a stellar reputation, reflected in a 5-star rating for education and its #4 ranking out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com.
In contrast, TradeStation offers education on stocks and options, along with paper trading, educational videos, and webinars. However, it falls short in providing knowledge about ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. With a lack of educational quizzes and progress tracking, TradeStation offers fewer resources to guide beginners through the learning process. This difference in offerings is mirrored in TradeStation's educational rating, where it earned 3 stars and ranked #13 out of 14 brokers according to StockBrokers.com. Whether you're new to investing or looking to broaden your investment acumen, E*TRADE offers a more comprehensive educational environment compared to TradeStation.
Feature |
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Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | No |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No |
Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | No |
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
When comparing E*TRADE and TradeStation for stock trading app capabilities, E*TRADE stands out with several unique features that might cater to more diverse trading needs. E*TRADE edges ahead with a 5-star rating and a #4 ranking out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com, showcasing its strong market presence and user satisfaction. On the other hand, TradeStation has a solid 4.5-star rating but ranks #8, indicating a reliable but slightly less favored option among users. Both platforms support trading on iPhone and Android apps, but E*TRADE also offers an Apple Watch app, unlike TradeStation.
E*TRADE and TradeStation both support mobile options trading, streaming quotes, and offer the ability to create and customize watch lists. However, E*TRADE provides additional features like streaming live TV, mobile after-hours stock trading, and the ability to view charts in landscape mode. With 107 technical studies for charting capabilities compared to TradeStation's 45, E*TRADE offers more comprehensive analytical tools, enhancing users' ability to make informed decisions.
While both platforms enable after-hours charting and support multiple time frames for mobile app charting, E*TRADE’s expanded chart features, including the ability to display stock comparisons, may appeal to those seeking a more dynamic investment platform. Although TradeStation doesn’t offer video on demand or support for stock comparison on charts, it remains a competitive choice with essential features that might suit traders looking for straightforward stock alerts and basic customizations.
Feature |
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iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | Yes | No |
Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | Yes |
Charting - Technical Studies | 107 | 45 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
When deciding between E*TRADE and TradeStation, it's important to weigh their account fees and other charges to determine which platform best fits your trading needs. Both E*TRADE and TradeStation offer $0 minimum deposits and commission-free stock trading, making them accessible to a variety of investors. However, the differentiation comes in various other charges such as options contract fees, where TradeStation’s rate is slightly lower at $0.60 compared to E*TRADE’s $0.65. When it comes to margin interest rates, TradeStation generally provides a lower rate across different balance tiers, giving it a competitive edge for margin traders.
Exploring the realm of retirement accounts, E*TRADE shines by offering no fees for IRA annual maintenance or closure, whereas TradeStation imposes a $35 annual fee and a $50 closure fee. This could be a significant factor for those prioritizing long-term investment strategies. Account transfer fees also highlight differences between these platforms. E*TRADE charges $75 for a full ACAT transfer, whereas TradeStation charges a steep $125, making E*TRADE a potentially more cost-effective option for account portability.
Additionally, for options trading aficionados, TradeStation incurs lower costs with a $5.95 fee for options assignments, while E*TRADE charges nothing for both options exercise and assignment fees. These various fee structures underscore the importance of aligning trading habits with the respective fee policies of E*TRADE and TradeStation to ensure you are selecting the broker that meets your financial goals without unnecessary expenditures.
Feature |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.60 |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $14.95 |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $5.95 |
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $35.00 |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $50.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
When comparing E*TRADE and TradeStation for day trading, both platforms offer essential features like streaming time and sales for stocks, direct market routing, and level 2 quotes. They also both support trading hotkeys for swift keyboard trade entries. However, E*TRADE has the advantage of streaming live TV, which TradeStation lacks, providing traders with real-time news and updates. On the other hand, TradeStation excels in strategy backtesting—offering both basic and advanced options—which E*TRADE does not. Additionally, TradeStation provides ladder trading functionality, enhancing its appeal to active traders seeking detailed market insights.
Another notable difference lies in the availability of a short locator tool, which TradeStation offers to help traders assess the real-time availability of shares to short—an option not available with E*TRADE. Moreover, TradeStation introduces order liquidity rebates, allowing traders to benefit from specific trading strategies focused on adding or removing liquidity in the market. This distinct set of features makes TradeStation a compelling choice for sophisticated day traders, while E*TRADE might appeal to those who value streamlined news integration and a simpler interface.
Feature |
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Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | Yes |
Streaming TV | Yes | No |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | Yes |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | Yes |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | Yes |
Short Locator | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025
When it comes to market research capabilities, E*TRADE stands out as a top choice among online brokers. With comprehensive research offerings spanning stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, Pink Sheets/OTCBB, and bonds, E*TRADE provides a wealth of information for investors. Ranked #2 out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com, E*TRADE is highly rated with five stars, reflecting its stellar market research features. In contrast, TradeStation offers more limited research options, focusing on stocks and ETFs, resulting in a lower two-star rating and a #11 ranking.
E*TRADE excels in providing extensive downloadable PDF research reports, offering eight for stocks and additional reports for ETFs and mutual funds, ensuring investors have access to in-depth analysis. The broker also boasts advanced tools like portfolio allocation views by asset class and insightful stock research using social media sentiment data. On the other hand, TradeStation lacks downloadable research reports entirely and does not utilize social media sentiment for stock analysis, which limits its appeal to research-focused investors.
Both E*TRADE and TradeStation offer stock screeners for generating trade ideas, but E*TRADE goes further by providing screeners for ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds, catering to a broader spectrum of investment opportunities. While TradeStation supports stock research and offers Pink Sheets/OTCBB insights, its limited scope in other areas, like the absence of mutual funds and bond research, underlines the gaps in its market research capabilities compared to those offered by E*TRADE.
Feature |
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Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | No |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Research - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
Research |
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When it comes to banking services, E*TRADE and TradeStation offer different experiences for users. E*TRADE provides a comprehensive suite of banking options, allowing customers to open checking and savings accounts, access debit and credit cards, and even apply for mortgage loans. Additionally, E*TRADE offers Certificates of Deposit (CDs) for those interested in fixed-term savings. On the other hand, TradeStation focuses primarily on trading platforms and does not provide traditional banking services like checking or savings accounts, debit or credit cards, mortgage loans, or CDs. For individuals seeking an online brokerage with integrated banking capabilities, E*TRADE offers a broader array of services compared to TradeStation.
Feature |
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Checking Accounts | Yes | No |
Savings Accounts | Yes | No |
Debit Cards | Yes | No |
Credit Cards | Yes | No |
Mortgage Loans | Yes | No |
Brokerage CDs | Yes | No |
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 E*TRADE is better than TradeStation. E*TRADE finished with an overall score of 95.4%, while TradeStation finished with a score of 80.2%.
E*TRADE is a top-performing broker whose highlights include $0 trades, two excellent mobile apps and the Power E*TRADE platform. Crypto, however, is not available.
Both E*TRADE and TradeStation do not offer crypto trading, with each platform providing access to zero coins for cryptocurrency trading.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Both E*TRADE and TradeStation provide traditional and Roth IRA accounts, but E*TRADE stands out with no annual or closure fees, while TradeStation charges a $35 annual fee and a $50 closure fee for their IRA accounts.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
Select Brokers
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0 of 5Overall Rating | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
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Range of Investments |
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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 | E*TRADE Review | TradeStation Review |
Broker Screenshots | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
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Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
Trading Fees | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $6.95 | $0.01 | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $0.00 | $14.95 | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.60 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | $1.50 | $1.50 | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $25 | $25 |
Margin Rates | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
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Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 14.2% | 13.0% | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 13.7% | 13.0% | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 13.2% | 12.5% | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 12.7% | 12.0% | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 12.2% | 12.0% | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | Varies | 7.5% | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | Varies | 7.5% |
Account Fees | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
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IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $35.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $50.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $0.00 | $125.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $75.00 | $125.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $14.95 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $5.95 |
Investment Options | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | No | No | |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 4 | |
Futures Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Forex Trading | No | No | |
Crypto Trading | No | No | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 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 | Yes | No | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
Order Types | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
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Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | No | |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No | |
Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | No | |
Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
Retirement Calculator | Yes | No | |
Investor Dictionary | Yes | No | |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
Progress Tracking | No | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
Stock Trading Apps | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple Watch App | Yes | No | |
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 | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | Yes | No | |
Videos on Demand | No | 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 | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | No | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 107 | 45 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | No |
Trading Platforms | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
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Active Trading Platform | Power E*TRADE | TradeStation 10 | |
Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes | |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No | |
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Journal | No | No | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 43 | 341 |
Stock Chart Features | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 121 | 294 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 37 | 23 | |
Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Historical Trades | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Custom Date Range | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Custom Time Bars | No | Yes | |
Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 8 | 12 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | No | Yes |
Day Trading | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | Yes | |
Streaming TV | Yes | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | Yes | |
Ladder Trading | No | Yes | |
Trade Hot Keys | Yes | Yes | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | Yes | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | Yes | |
Short Locator | No | Yes | |
Order Liquidity Rebates | No | Yes |
Research Overview | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
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Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | No | |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
Portfolio Asset Allocation | Yes | Yes |
Stock Research | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 8 | 0 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - Social | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - ESG | No | No | |
Stock Research - SEC Filings | Yes | No |
ETF Research | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
ETFs - Investment Objective | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Sector Exposure | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Risk Analysis | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Ratings | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | Yes | No | |
ETFs - PDF Reports | Yes | No |
Mutual Fund Research | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
Mutual Funds - Investment Objective | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Prospectus | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - StyleMap | Yes | No |
Options Trading | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
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Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes |
Banking | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
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Bank (Member FDIC) | Yes | No | |
Checking Accounts | Yes | No | |
Savings Accounts | Yes | No | |
Credit Cards | Yes | No | |
Debit Cards | Yes | No | |
Mortgage Loans | Yes | No |
Customer Service | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) | No | Yes | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
24/7 Support | Yes | No |
Overall | E*TRADE | TradeStation | |
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Overall |
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Range of Investments |
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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 | E*TRADE Review | TradeStation Review |