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E*TRADE vs TradeUP 2026

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

November 13, 2026
  Fact Checked

In this head to head comparison of E*TRADE vs TradeUP, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

E*TRADE
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4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.65
TradeUP
3/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00 info

Range of investments

E*TRADE is the better choice for investors who want a wider mix of account and trading options. Both E*TRADE and TradeUP support stock trading, margin trading, fractional shares, OTC stocks, options, traditional IRA accounts, and Roth IRA accounts. The main differences come down to product breadth: E*TRADE also offers mutual funds, futures, crypto trading with 3 coins available, and advisor services, while TradeUP does not offer those features. For most investors comparing account options and overall market access, E*TRADE stands out as the more complete platform.

Looking more closely at what each broker offers, E*TRADE provides access to stocks, options, mutual funds, futures, and crypto, while TradeUP covers the core basics like stocks, margin, fractional shares, OTC stocks, and options. Neither broker offers forex trading. If you want a platform that can support a broader investing strategy as your needs grow, E*TRADE gives you more ways to build and manage a portfolio.

This difference is reflected in outside ratings as well. E*TRADE earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #4 out of 16 brokers by StockBrokers.com, while TradeUP scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #15 out of 16. If your priority is having more investment choices inside one account, E*TRADE is the stronger option overall.

Feature E*TRADE logoE*TRADE
TradeUP logoTradeUP
Stock Trading Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) Yes Yes
OTC Stocks Yes Yes
Mutual Funds Yes No
Options Trading Yes Yes
Futures Trading Yes No
Crypto Trading Yes No
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 3 0
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms & Brokers for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026

Trading platforms and tools

E*TRADE and TradeUP both give active traders the main platform choices they expect, including downloadable desktop software for Windows and Mac, a browser-based platform, and paper trading for practice. Both also let users adjust open orders right from a stock chart, add notes, view historical trades, show corporate events, save multiple chart layouts, and use automated chart pattern analysis. Based on overall testing, E*TRADE earns a slightly higher mark for trading platforms and tools at 4 stars and ranks #6 out of 16 brokers, while TradeUP comes in at 3.5 stars and #9 out of 16.

Where E*TRADE pulls ahead is in charting depth. It offers 121 technical indicators and 37 drawing tools, compared with TradeUP’s 44 indicators and 8 drawing tools. E*TRADE also supports custom chart date ranges, which TradeUP does not. For traders who like to study price action in more detail or build more flexible charts, E*TRADE has the stronger toolset overall.

TradeUP does have one clear edge in watch lists, with 60 available columns versus E*TRADE’s 43, which can help users track more data at a glance. Still, neither broker offers a trading journal or custom studies, and both provide the same 8 customization fields when editing an SMA study. For most traders comparing E*TRADE vs. TradeUP on trading platforms and tools, E*TRADE is the better all-around choice, while TradeUP may appeal to those who value more watch list fields.

Feature E*TRADE logoE*TRADE
TradeUP logoTradeUP
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Mac) Yes Yes
Paper Trading Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields 43 60
Charting - Indicators / Studies 121 44
Charting - Drawing Tools 37 8
Advanced Trading 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Accounts and Online Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps and Simulators for 2026

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Beginners and education

E*TRADE is the stronger choice for beginner and investor education compared with TradeUP. It offers learning materials for stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds, plus educational videos and webinars to help new investors build knowledge at their own pace. E*TRADE also includes paper trading, which lets users practice before risking real money. TradeUP, by comparison, does not offer stock, ETF, options, mutual funds, or bonds education, and it does not provide educational videos or webinars.

When it comes to education ratings, E*TRADE stands out with 4 out of 5 stars and a #5 ranking out of 16 brokers from StockBrokers.com. TradeUP trails behind with a 1.5-star education rating and a #16 ranking out of 16. Both brokers lack educational quizzes and learning progress tracking, but E*TRADE still offers a much better overall learning experience for investors who want clear guidance and more ways to learn.

Feature E*TRADE logoE*TRADE
TradeUP logoTradeUP
Education (Stocks) Yes No
Education (ETFs) Yes No
Education (Options) Yes No
Education (Mutual Funds) Yes No
Education (Fixed Income) Yes No
Videos Yes No
Webinars Yes No
Education 4/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Trading Platforms for Beginners in 2026

Stock trading apps

For mobile stock trading apps, E*TRADE has the edge over TradeUP overall, thanks to a stronger app rating, a higher ranking from StockBrokers.com, and a few extra features that can matter to active traders. Both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps, mobile options trading, streaming quotes, stock alerts, custom watch lists, customizable watch list columns, after-hours charting, multiple chart time frames, and stock comparison tools. If you want a trading app with more built-in depth and a better all-around mobile experience, E*TRADE is the stronger choice.

Both E*TRADE and TradeUP support iPhone and Android trading, so either one gives you access on the two most common mobile platforms. Each also includes useful tools like streaming quotes, mobile options trading, alerts, watch lists, customizable watch list columns, after-hours charting, and the ability to compare stocks on charts. For everyday investing and basic trading needs, TradeUP covers many of the same core features as E*TRADE.

E*TRADE stands out in a few key areas that may matter more to active traders. It offers an Apple Watch app, mobile after-hours stock trading, streaming live TV, landscape chart viewing, and 107 technical studies in its mobile charting tool, compared with TradeUP’s 27 studies. TradeUP does not offer an Apple Watch app or streaming live TV, and it does not support landscape charts. On app quality, E*TRADE is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 16 brokers for stock trading apps, while TradeUP is rated 3.0 stars and ranks #16.

Feature E*TRADE logoE*TRADE
TradeUP logoTradeUP
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 27
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 3.0/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps of 2026

Fees

E*TRADE and TradeUP both start with a $0 minimum deposit, $0 stock trades, and no annual IRA fee, so either broker can work well for cost-conscious investors looking to open an account without upfront charges. The biggest difference shows up in options and margin: E*TRADE charges $0.65 per options contract, while TradeUP charges $0.00, and TradeUP also has lower margin rates at 5.99% across the listed balance tiers compared with E*TRADE’s 11.7% to 12.45%. If you expect to trade options or use margin, TradeUP is the cheaper choice on those specific costs.

For retirement accounts, the two brokers are tied again, since both charge $0 for IRA annual fees and $0 for IRA closure fees. They also match on options exercise fees and options assignment fees, with both set at $0.00. This means the core account maintenance costs are mostly the same, and neither broker adds extra charges for common IRA or options events.

The main fee difference is in account transfers. E*TRADE charges $0 for partial ACAT transfers and $75 for full transfers, while TradeUP charges $50 for partial ACAT transfers and $75 for full transfers. In other words, E*TRADE is better for partial transfers, while TradeUP offers lower pricing for options and margin. If you want the lowest cost overall for active options trading or borrowing on margin, TradeUP has the edge; if transfer flexibility matters more, E*TRADE may be the better fit.

Feature E*TRADE logoE*TRADE
TradeUP logoTradeUP
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) $0.65 $0.00
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 Stock Trading Platforms and Commission-Free Apps for 2026

Day Trading

When it comes to day trading, E*TRADE and TradeUP both give traders several useful tools, including streaming time and sales, direct market routing, trading hotkeys, and level 2 quotes. That means both platforms can support fast order entry and help you follow market activity more closely. Neither broker offers basic or advanced strategy backtesting, short locator tools, or maker/taker rebates, so traders looking for those features will not find them at either firm.

The main difference is that TradeUP includes ladder trading, while E*TRADE does not. On the other hand, E*TRADE offers streaming live TV and TradeUP does not, which may appeal to traders who want market news and commentary built into the platform. Overall, both brokers cover many core day trading needs, but TradeUP has the edge for ladder trading, while E*TRADE stands out for live streaming content.

Feature E*TRADE logoE*TRADE
TradeUP logoTradeUP
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 No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv No No
Short Locator No No

Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms and Apps for 2026

Market Research

E*TRADE comes out well ahead of TradeUP for market research, especially for investors who want more tools, more report options, and more ways to find ideas. Both brokers offer research on stocks, ETFs, OTC securities, and bonds, and both let users review portfolio allocation by asset class. But E*TRADE goes further with mutual fund research, social media sentiment data for stocks, ESG research, downloadable PDF reports for stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds, plus screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. TradeUP covers the basics, but it leaves out several of these added research features.

For stock research, E*TRADE gives users eight downloadable PDF reports, while TradeUP offers none. E*TRADE also includes stock research using social media sentiment data, which can help investors spot how others are reacting to a company, along with ESG research for those who want to factor in environmental and social issues. TradeUP does not offer these research options. On top of that, E*TRADE provides screeners to help narrow down trade ideas across multiple asset types, while TradeUP does not offer screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, or bonds.

These differences help explain why E*TRADE earns a 4.5 out of 5 stars for market research and ranks #3 out of 16 brokers at StockBrokers.com, while TradeUP is rated 2.0 stars and ranks #16. If market research is important to you, E*TRADE is the stronger choice by a wide margin. TradeUP may still work for investors who only need limited research, but E*TRADE offers far more depth and useful tools for making informed decisions.

Feature E*TRADE logoE*TRADE
TradeUP logoTradeUP
Research - Stocks Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks Yes No
Research - ETFs Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs Yes No
Research - Mutual Funds Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds Yes No
Research - Fixed Income Yes Yes
Screener - Fixed Income Yes No
Research 4.5/5 Stars 2.0/5 Stars

Banking

When comparing E*TRADE and TradeUP for banking features, E*TRADE clearly offers more options for everyday money management. E*TRADE provides checking accounts, savings accounts, debit cards, credit cards, mortgage loans, and CDs, giving customers a wider range of banking products in one place. TradeUP, by comparison, does not offer any of these banking services. For people looking for an online broker that also includes basic banking tools, E*TRADE has the advantage over TradeUP.

Feature E*TRADE logoE*TRADE
TradeUP logoTradeUP
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 Accounts with Checking: Top Bank Brokers

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 16 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that E*TRADE is better than TradeUP. E*TRADE finished with an overall score of 86.0%, while TradeUP finished with a score of 50.8%.

With two distinct platforms (E*TRADE Web and Power E*TRADE) the broker effectively serves both the "set-it-and-forget-it" investor and the high-volume derivatives trader. Whether you aim to construct a long-term retirement portfolio or deploy complex options strategies, E*TRADE provides a sophisticated, dependable environment that grows with your ambition.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with E*TRADE or TradeUP?

E*TRADE offers crypto trading with access to 3 coins, while TradeUP does not currently support cryptocurrency trading. For investors looking to trade digital assets, E*TRADE provides a clear advantage over TradeUP.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026

Does E*TRADE or TradeUP offer IRAs?

E*TRADE and TradeUP both offer traditional IRA and Roth IRA accounts, making either platform a solid option for retirement investors. Each broker also charges $0.00 in annual IRA fees and $0.00 to close an IRA account.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026

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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating E*TRADE TradeUP
Overall 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 3.0/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 2.0/5 Stars
Customer Service 3.5/5 Stars N/A
Education 4/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review E*TRADE Review TradeUP Review
Broker Screenshots E*TRADE TradeUP
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees E*TRADE TradeUP
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) $6.950 $0.000
Mutual Fund Trade Fee $0.00 N/A
Options (Per Contract) $0.65 $0.00
Futures (Per Contract) $1.50 (Not offered)
Broker Assisted Trade Fee $25 N/A
Margin Rates E*TRADE TradeUP
Margin Rate Under $25,000 12.45% 5.99%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 12.2% 5.99%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 11.7% 5.99%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 11.2% 5.99%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 10.7% 5.99%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 Varies 5.99%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 Varies 5.99%
Account Fees E*TRADE TradeUP
IRA Annual Fee $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee $0.00 $0.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) $0.00 $50.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) $75.00 $75.00
Options Exercise Fee $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee $0.00 $0.00
Investment Options E*TRADE TradeUP
Stock Trading Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) Yes Yes
OTC Stocks Yes Yes
Options Trading Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs 4 4
Futures Trading Yes No
Forex Trading No No
Crypto Trading Yes No
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 3 0
Fixed Income (Treasurys) Yes Yes
Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) Yes No
Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) Yes No
Traditional IRAs Yes Yes
Roth IRAs Yes Yes
Advisor Services Yes No
International Countries (Stocks) 0 1
Order Types E*TRADE TradeUP
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 No
Order Type - OCO Yes No
Order Type - OTO Yes No
Order Type - Broker Assisted Yes No
Beginners E*TRADE TradeUP
Education (Stocks) Yes No
Education (ETFs) Yes No
Education (Options) Yes No
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 No
Webinars Yes No
Progress Tracking No No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes No No
Stock Trading Apps E*TRADE TradeUP
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 TradeUP
Mobile Research - Market Movers Yes Yes
Stream Live TV Yes No
Videos on Demand No No
Stock Alerts Yes Yes
Option Chains Viewable Yes Yes
Watchlist (Real-time) Yes Yes
Watchlist (Streaming) Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization Yes Yes
Stock App Charting E*TRADE TradeUP
Charting - After-Hours Yes Yes
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally Yes No
Charting - Multiple Time Frames Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 107 27
Charting - Study Customizations Yes Yes
Charting - Stock Comparisons Yes Yes
Trading Platforms E*TRADE TradeUP
Active Trading Platform Power E*TRADE N/A
Desktop Trading Platform Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Mac) Yes Yes
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Paper Trading Yes Yes
Trade Journal No No
Watchlists - Total Fields 43 60
Stock Chart Features E*TRADE TradeUP
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies 121 44
Charting - Drawing Tools 37 8
Charting - Notes Yes Yes
Charting - Historical Trades Yes Yes
Charting - Corporate Events Yes Yes
Charting - Custom Date Range Yes No
Charting - Custom Time Bars No No
Charting - Automated Analysis Yes Yes
Charting - Save Profiles Yes Yes
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis Yes No
Charting - Study Customizations 8 8
Charting - Custom Studies No No
Day Trading E*TRADE TradeUP
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 No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv No No
Short Locator No No
Order Liquidity Rebates No No
Research Overview E*TRADE TradeUP
Research - Stocks Yes Yes
Research - ETFs Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds Yes No
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB Yes Yes
Research - Fixed Income Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks Yes No
Screener - ETFs Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds Yes No
Screener - Fixed Income Yes No
Portfolio Asset Allocation Yes Yes
Stock Research E*TRADE TradeUP
Stock Research - PDF Reports 8 0
Stock Research - Earnings Yes Yes
Stock Research - Insiders Yes Yes
Stock Research - Social Yes No
Stock Research - News Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG Yes No
Stock Research - SEC Filings Yes Yes
ETF Research E*TRADE TradeUP
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 No
ETFs - PDF Reports Yes No
Mutual Fund Research E*TRADE TradeUP
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 No
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 TradeUP
Option Chains - Total Greeks 5 5
Option Analysis - P&L Charts Yes Yes
Banking E*TRADE TradeUP
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 TradeUP
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) Yes No
Phone Support (Current Customers) Yes No
Email Support No Yes
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) No Yes
Live Chat (Current Customers) Yes Yes
24/7 Support Yes No
Overall E*TRADE TradeUP
Overall 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 3.0/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 2.0/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review E*TRADE Review TradeUP Review
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