Interactive Brokers vs Firstrade 2025
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Firstrade, 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 Firstrade, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Interactive Brokers emerges as the top choice in the investment scene, particularly excelling in the sheer variety of trading options it presents to investors. Garnering a five-star rating for its wide-ranging investment portfolio, it outshines Firstrade, which, although commendable, maintains a slightly lower 4.5-star rating. When ranked by StockBrokers.com for Range of Investments, Interactive Brokers dominates the list at the number one spot out of 14 brokers. Firstrade also performs well, securing the sixth position, yet it falls short in offering some of the diverse investment opportunities that Interactive Brokers provides, especially in areas like forex, futures, and cryptocurrency trading.
Both Interactive Brokers and Firstrade offer a compelling array of standard investment options including stock, margin, and options trading, along with the opportunity to trade mutual funds and participate in the market with fractional shares. Another shared feature is the availability of OTC stock trading, providing investors with access to less traditional marketplaces. Additionally, both brokers support retirement planning through traditional and Roth IRA accounts, meeting the needs of long-term investors planning their financial futures.
Where these two brokers begin to differ significantly is in the realm of more specialized trading instruments. Interactive Brokers takes a clear lead by offering more advanced options such as forex trading, futures contracts, and an expansive selection of cryptocurrency investments with 11 different coins available. Conversely, Firstrade does not provide these options, which may limit investors looking for a broader investment strategy. While neither broker offers advisement services, the diverse array of investment opportunities at Interactive Brokers may suit those investors who don’t rely on financial advisors but still seek comprehensive market engagement.
Feature |
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | Yes | No |
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
Interactive Brokers clearly stands out when comparing its trading platforms and tools to Firstrade. With superior ratings, including a five-star evaluation for trading platforms and tools, Interactive Brokers ranks as the second-best platform out of 14 brokers according to StockBrokers.com. Conversely, Firstrade receives a more modest three-star rating and is positioned 11th in the same category.
Interactive Brokers offers a comprehensive suite of trading platforms and tools, supporting both Windows and Mac with downloadable applications, while Firstrade lacks these desktop offerings. Both brokers provide browser-based trading, but Interactive Brokers provides a richer toolkit, including paper trading, a trading journal, and the ability to adjust orders on stock charts. With superior charting features, Interactive Brokers offers 155 technical indicators and 85 drawing tools compared to Firstrade's 102 indicators and 8 tools. Additionally, Interactive Brokers supports customization with options such as adding notes, showing historical trades, and corporate events on charts, whereas Firstrade does not.
When it comes to customizing watch lists, Interactive Brokers is far ahead with 659 columns available, while Firstrade offers only 50. Although both platforms allow automated technical analysis on charts, only Interactive Brokers offers advanced features like saving multiple chart profiles. While both brokers provide an equal number of customization fields for simple moving average studies on stock charts, neither offers the ability to create custom studies. Overall, for traders seeking a more advanced and feature-rich platform experience, Interactive Brokers is the clear choice.
Feature |
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Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No |
Paper Trading | Yes | No |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 659 | 50 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 102 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 8 |
Platforms & Tools |
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Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025
When comparing the educational resources for beginners and investors offered by Interactive Brokers and Firstrade, several key differences stand out. Interactive Brokers provides a comprehensive suite of educational tools covering stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds, whereas Firstrade focuses primarily on stocks and options, lacking ETF, mutual funds, and bonds education. Interactive Brokers also distinguishes itself with features like paper trading and educational quizzes to enhance learning, elements not offered by Firstrade. Both brokers provide educational videos and webinars, but only Interactive Brokers offers a feature to track your learning progress. These differences in educational offerings contribute to Interactive Brokers' higher educational rating of 5 stars compared to Firstrade's 3.5 stars.
In terms of rankings by StockBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers is positioned as the #3 broker out of 14 based on its educational capabilities, reflecting its extensive and varied educational content tailored for beginner and seasoned investors alike. Firstrade, while still providing valuable resources, ranks lower at #12, indicating a more limited range of educational materials compared to its competitor. Overall, Interactive Brokers provides a more extensive learning platform, making it a suitable choice for those seeking in-depth educational resources in their investing journey.
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 | No |
Videos | Yes | Yes |
Webinars | Yes | Yes |
Education |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
Interactive Brokers is the stronger pick for mobile stock trading, earning 5 stars and ranking #2 out of 14 brokers for its app, while Firstrade scores 4.5 stars and ranks #9. IB pulls ahead with more advanced charting, extra media features, and Apple Watch support. Firstrade still covers the basics well, so it can be a good fit if you want a straightforward app without some of the extras.
Both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps, mobile options trading, streaming quotes, stock alerts, custom watchlists (including column customization), landscape charts, multiple time frames, and the ability to compare stocks on charts. Interactive Brokers supports mobile after-hours trading; Firstrade’s mobile after-hours trading status isn’t confirmed here. For wearables, Interactive Brokers has an Apple Watch app, while Firstrade does not.
For research and charting depth, Interactive Brokers offers streaming live TV and videos on demand, plus after-hours charting—features Firstrade lacks. IB also provides 97 technical indicators in its mobile charts versus 81 with Firstrade, giving traders more ways to analyze price action on the go.
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 | No |
Charting - Technical Studies | 97 | 81 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
Bottom line: Interactive Brokers is generally cheaper for margin borrowing and for moving your account, while Firstrade can be the low-cost pick for options traders thanks to $0 per-contract pricing. Both brokers have $0 stock commissions, $0 minimum deposits, and no IRA fees. If you plan to use margin or might transfer your account, Interactive Brokers often comes out ahead; if you trade a lot of options without borrowing, Firstrade can lower your costs.
Trading fees are straightforward. Minimum deposit: Interactive Brokers $0; Firstrade $0. Online stock trades: both $0. Options pricing differs: Interactive Brokers charges $0.65 per contract, while Firstrade charges $0. Options exercise and assignment fees are $0 at both brokers.
Margin and other charges tilt toward Interactive Brokers. For margin balances under $100,000, Interactive Brokers lists 6.83%, while Firstrade shows 12.75% (under $25k), 12.50% ($25k–$49,999), and 12.00% ($50k–$99,999). Account transfers (ACAT) are $0 for partial and full at Interactive Brokers versus $55 partial and $75 full at Firstrade. IRA annual and closure fees are $0 at both. Pricing can change—check each broker’s site for the latest rates.
Feature |
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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 Trading Platforms for 2025
When it comes to day trading, Interactive Brokers stands out compared to Firstrade thanks to its comprehensive features that cater specifically to active traders. Interactive Brokers offers streaming time and sales data for stocks, providing real-time information that is crucial for making informed trading decisions. Additionally, users have access to streaming live TV, allowing them to stay updated on market news and events. The platform also supports direct market routing, ladder trading, and trading hotkeys for quick trade entries via keyboard, all essential tools for those looking to engage in rapid-fire trading.
Moreover, Interactive Brokers equips its users with level 2 quotes and both basic and advanced strategy backtesting capabilities, which enable traders to develop and refine their strategies over time. The platform offers a short locator tool for tracking the availability of shares to short, enhancing the trader's ability to act swiftly in dynamic markets. It also provides order liquidity rebates, rewarding traders for contributing to the market's liquidity. In comparison, Firstrade lacks these advanced day trading features, making it less suitable for traders who rely on sophisticated tools and real-time data.
Feature |
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|
---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No |
Streaming TV | Yes | No |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | No |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No |
Short Locator | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025
Bottom line: both Interactive Brokers and Firstrade deliver broad, easy-to-use market research, but Interactive Brokers takes the lead for depth. It earns 5 stars and ranks #4 of 14 at StockBrokers.com, compared with Firstrade’s 4.5 stars and #6. The key edge is Interactive Brokers’ larger library of downloadable reports and wider coverage for mutual funds, making it a better fit for investors who lean on detailed analyst PDFs and multi-source viewpoints.
Coverage is strong on both platforms. Each offers research for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, Pink Sheets/OTCBB, and bonds. You can view portfolio allocation by asset class, tap social media sentiment for stock research, and access ESG research on both. Idea generation is also comparable: each provides screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. For downloadable PDFs, both support ETF reports, and both provide stock reports—though the volume differs sharply.
The biggest difference is in report depth. Interactive Brokers lists 17 downloadable PDF stock research report sources, while Firstrade offers 1. Interactive Brokers also supplies downloadable PDFs for mutual funds; Firstrade does not. If you want many analyst opinions and detailed write-ups across more asset classes, Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice. If you mainly need core research tools, screeners, and basic PDFs, Firstrade covers the essentials.
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 comparing the banking features of online brokers Interactive Brokers and Firstrade, there are notable differences. Interactive Brokers does not provide checking or savings accounts, debit cards, or credit cards, while Firstrade offers both checking accounts and debit cards, though neither broker offers credit cards. For mortgage loans, both brokers do not provide options. However, both Interactive Brokers and Firstrade offer Certificates of Deposit (CDs). These distinctions can be significant for users seeking additional banking services alongside their trading platform.
Feature |
|
|
---|---|---|
Checking Accounts | No | Yes |
Savings Accounts | No | No |
Debit Cards | No | Yes |
Credit Cards | No | No |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
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 Firstrade. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall score of 96.9%, while Firstrade finished with a score of 81.8%.
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 Firstrade does not support any crypto trading options.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Both Interactive Brokers and Firstrade provide traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual fees or closure fees, making them cost-effective choices for investors seeking flexible retirement account options without hidden charges.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
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0 of 5Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
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Overall |
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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 | Firstrade Review |
Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
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Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $0.01 | $0.00 | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $14.95 | $0 | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.00 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | $0.85 | (Not offered) | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | Varies | $19.95 |
Margin Rates | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
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Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 6.83% | 12.75% | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 6.83% | 12.50% | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 6.83% | 12.00% | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 6.83% | 11.50% | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 6.83% | 11.25% | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 6.83% | 9.35% | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 6.83% | 8.75% |
Account Fees | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
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IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $0.00 | $55.00 | |
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 | Firstrade | |
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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 | 6 | 4 | |
Futures Trading | Yes | No | |
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 | No | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 36 | 0 |
Order Types | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | Firstrade | |
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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 | Yes | |
Retirement Calculator | Yes | Yes | |
Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
Progress Tracking | Yes | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | Yes | No |
Stock Trading Apps | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | Yes | No | |
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 | Firstrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 97 | 81 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | Yes |
Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Active Trading Platform | Trader Workstation (TWS) | N/A | |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No | |
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
Trade Journal | Yes | No | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 659 | 50 |
Stock Chart Features | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | No | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 102 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 8 | |
Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
Charting - Historical Trades | Yes | No | |
Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Date Range | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Time Bars | Yes | No | |
Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 6 | 6 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
Day Trading | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
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Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No | |
Streaming TV | Yes | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | No | |
Ladder Trading | Yes | No | |
Trade Hot Keys | Yes | No | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No | |
Short Locator | Yes | No | |
Order Liquidity Rebates | Yes | No |
Research Overview | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | Firstrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 17 | 1 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - Social | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - ESG | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - SEC Filings | Yes | Yes |
ETF Research | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | Firstrade | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | Firstrade | |
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Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes |
Banking | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
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Bank (Member FDIC) | No | No | |
Checking Accounts | No | Yes | |
Savings Accounts | No | No | |
Credit Cards | No | No | |
Debit Cards | No | Yes | |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
Customer Service | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
---|---|---|---|
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | No | Yes | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
24/7 Support | Yes | No |
Overall | Interactive Brokers | Firstrade | |
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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 | Interactive Brokers Review | Firstrade Review |