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Firstrade vs J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing 2026

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

September 17, 2025
  Fact Checked

In this head to head comparison of Firstrade vs J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Firstrade
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.65

Range of investments

Overall takeaway: Firstrade slightly edges out J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing for the breadth of self-directed investment choices, based on third-party ratings, while J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing stands out if you want access to advisor services along with your trading. If your priority is the widest set of do-it-yourself investments, Firstrade is the stronger pick; if you value the option to get guidance, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing may fit better.

Both brokers let you trade stocks, fractional shares, OTC stocks, mutual funds, and options, and both support margin trading. Neither offers forex, futures, or cryptocurrency trading (0 coins at both). That means each platform covers the core stock-and-fund toolkit many investors want, without exposure to currencies, futures, or crypto.

For accounts, each supports Traditional and Roth IRAs. Where they differ is advice: Firstrade does not offer advisor services, while J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing does. On “Range of Investments,” StockBrokers.com rates Firstrade 4 stars and ranks it #5 of 14 brokers, versus 3.5 stars and #13 for J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
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 No No
Crypto Trading No No
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 0 0
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

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

Trading platforms and tools

Bottom line: Firstrade and J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing deliver simple, browser-only platforms with limited tools, and both earn 1 out of 5 stars from StockBrokers.com. Firstrade ranks #12 of 14 for trading platforms and tools, edging J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing at #13. If platform depth matters, Firstrade’s richer indicators and larger watchlists make it the better pick, while J.P. Morgan’s charts show corporate events and include a couple more drawing tools. For casual trading, either can work; for more data and flexibility, Firstrade pulls ahead.

Neither broker offers downloadable desktop software for Windows or Mac, paper trading, or a built-in trading journal. Order management is basic—neither lets you adjust open orders directly on charts, save multiple chart layouts, create custom studies, add notes to charts, show your historical trades, or set custom date ranges. Both rely on a browser-based experience for all activity.

Charting and lists show the clearest differences. Firstrade supplies 102 technical indicators versus 36 at J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing, plus automated chart pattern detection (J.P. Morgan does not). J.P. Morgan counters with 10 drawing tools to Firstrade’s 8 and can display corporate events on charts (Firstrade cannot). Editing an SMA study is more flexible at Firstrade (6 fields) than at J.P. Morgan (3 fields). For tracking ideas, Firstrade supports 50 watchlist columns, while J.P. Morgan offers 20.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform No No
Desktop Platform (Mac) No No
Paper Trading No No
Watchlists - Total Fields 50 20
Charting - Indicators / Studies 102 36
Charting - Drawing Tools 8 10
Advanced Trading 1/5 Stars 1/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2026

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Beginners and education

For beginner investors comparing education features, both Firstrade and J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing offer stock and options education, along with educational videos and webinars. J.P. Morgan goes further with ETF, mutual fund, and bond education—areas Firstrade doesn’t cover. Neither broker offers paper trading, quizzes, or tools to track learning progress.

Reflecting these differences, StockBrokers.com rates Firstrade 2.5 out of 5 stars for education (13th of 14 brokers) and J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing 4 out of 5 stars (4th of 14). Choose Firstrade if you want simple stock and options lessons; pick J.P. Morgan if you prefer broader, multi-asset education that includes ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Education (Stocks) Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) No Yes
Education (Options) Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) No Yes
Education (Fixed Income) No Yes
Videos Yes Yes
Webinars Yes Yes
Education 2.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms & Apps for Beginners in 2026

Stock trading apps

If you’re picking between Firstrade and J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing for stock trading on mobile, Firstrade has a slight edge. Both apps earn 4-star ratings, but Firstrade ranks #8 versus J.P. Morgan’s #10 with StockBrokers.com. Firstrade offers streaming quotes and stronger chart tools, while both brokers cover the basics like iPhone and Android apps, mobile options trading, alerts, and custom watch lists. Neither supports Apple Watch. Mobile after-hours trading is available at Firstrade; the J.P. Morgan status wasn’t provided.

App availability and core features: both brokers have iPhone and Android apps; neither has an Apple Watch app. Both support mobile options trading, stock alerts, custom watch lists, and watch list column customization. Firstrade enables mobile after-hours stock trading, while after-hours availability for J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing isn’t confirmed in the provided info. For market data, Firstrade delivers streaming quotes; J.P. Morgan does not. Neither app includes streaming live TV or videos on demand.

Charting on mobile: both apps allow landscape view and multiple time frames, but neither supports after-hours charting. Firstrade includes 81 technical studies and lets you compare multiple stocks on one chart. J.P. Morgan offers 36 studies and does not provide stock-to-stock comparisons on charts.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
iPhone App Yes Yes
Android App Yes Yes
Apple Watch App No No
Stock Alerts Yes Yes
Charting - After-Hours No No
Charting - Technical Studies 81 36
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2026

Fees

Bottom line: Firstrade is the cheaper pick for options traders and anyone who may close an IRA, while J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is typically cheaper for margin borrowing and partial account transfers. Both brokers have a $0 minimum deposit and $0 commissions for online stock trades. Firstrade charges $0 per options contract versus $0.65 at J.P. Morgan, but J.P. Morgan’s margin rates are lower across common balance tiers.

Trading costs: Both platforms offer $0 stock trades. Options differ: Firstrade’s per‑contract fee is $0, while J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing charges $0.65. Options exercise and assignment fees are $0 at both brokers.

Account fees and other charges: IRA annual fees are $0 at both, but IRA closure costs $0 at Firstrade versus $75 at J.P. Morgan. For transfers, partial ACAT is $55 at Firstrade and $0 at J.P. Morgan; full ACAT is $75 at both. Margin rates favor J.P. Morgan: under $25,000 it’s 12.25% vs. Firstrade’s 12.75%; $25,000–$49,999 is 12.00% vs. 12.50%; and $50,000–$99,999 is 11.50% vs. 12.00%.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) $0.00 $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 $75.00

Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2026

Day Trading

For day trading, Firstrade and J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing are very similar: neither offers streaming time and sales, live TV, direct market routing, ladder trading, keyboard hotkeys, or Level 2 quotes. Both also lack strategy backtesting (basic or advanced), a short-locate tool for finding shares to short, and maker/taker liquidity rebates.

Because these core tools are missing on both platforms, active intraday traders may find them limiting. If you’re comparing Firstrade vs. J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing specifically for day trading, neither has an edge; your choice may come down to other factors outside day trading needs. Traders who require Level 2, direct routing, hotkeys, and short availability data should consider a platform built for fast, intraday order execution and analysis.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Streaming Time & Sales No No
Streaming TV No No
Direct Market Routing - Equities No No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks No No
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

Both Firstrade and J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing earn 4-star marks for market research, but Firstrade has a slight lead in our comparison (ranked #6 of 14 vs. J.P. Morgan at #7). Firstrade stands out by adding social media sentiment and ESG research, plus downloadable ETF reports. J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing pushes back with more downloadable stock reports (two types vs. one at Firstrade). If you want the widest mix of research angles in one place, Firstrade is likely the better fit; if you value more analyst-style stock PDFs, J.P. Morgan can be appealing.

Both platforms cover the basics well. Each offers research for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, and OTC/pink sheets. You can see portfolio allocation by asset class on both, and each provides trade-idea screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. For mutual funds, neither broker supplies downloadable PDF research reports.

The key differences come down to data depth and report options. Firstrade adds stock research powered by social media sentiment and offers ESG research—features J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing does not include. Firstrade also provides downloadable ETF research reports, which J.P. Morgan lacks. When it comes to stock PDFs, J.P. Morgan offers two types of downloadable reports, while Firstrade offers one.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
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 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Banking

Choosing between the online broker Firstrade and J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing for banking features comes down to how many products you want in one place. Both offer checking accounts, debit cards, and certificates of deposit (CDs), covering everyday spending and time-based savings. The differences appear with savings accounts, credit cards, and mortgage loans: J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing provides all three, while Firstrade does not. If you want a simple setup with checking, a debit card, and CDs, Firstrade can work well; if you prefer a fuller lineup that includes a savings account, credit cards, and the option to apply for a mortgage under the same umbrella, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is the more complete choice.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Checking Accounts Yes Yes
Savings Accounts No Yes
Debit Cards Yes Yes
Credit Cards No Yes
Mortgage Loans No Yes
Brokerage CDs Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2026

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Firstrade is better than J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing. Firstrade finished with an overall score of 67.8%, while J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing finished with a score of 67.5%.

Firstrade is a good choice for options traders and self-reliant investors due to its aggressive pricing model that completely eliminates per-contract fees on options. While it lacks asset classes like crypto and futures, it impresses with institutional-grade infrastructure, supporting complex account types like Trusts and Business IRAs and wide international accessibility.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Firstrade or J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing?

Neither Firstrade nor J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing offer cryptocurrency trading, as both platforms provide access to zero crypto coins.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026

Does Firstrade or J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing offer IRAs?

Both Firstrade and J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual fees; however, Firstrade provides an advantage with no closure fee, while J.P. Morgan charges $75 for closing an IRA account.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026

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Overall Rating Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Overall 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 1/5 Stars 1/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Customer Service 4/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Education 2.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease of Use 2.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Firstrade Review J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Review
Broker Screenshots Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) $0.00 $0.00
Mutual Fund Trade Fee $0 $0
Options (Per Contract) $0.00 $0.65
Futures (Per Contract) (Not offered) (Not offered)
Broker Assisted Trade Fee $19.95 Varies
Margin Rates Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Margin Rate Under $25,000 12.75% 12.25%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 12.50% 12%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 12.00% 11.5%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 11.50% 11.25%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 11.25% 11.25%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 9.35% 10.5%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 8.75% 10%
Account Fees Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
IRA Annual Fee $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee $0.00 $75.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) $55.00 $0.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) $75.00 $75.00
Options Exercise Fee $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee $0.00 $0.00
Investment Options Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
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 1
Futures Trading No No
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 No Yes
International Countries (Stocks) 0 0
Order Types Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Order Type - Market Yes Yes
Order Type - Limit Yes Yes
Order Type - After Hours Yes No
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 Yes
Beginners Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Education (Stocks) Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) No Yes
Education (Options) Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) No Yes
Education (Fixed Income) No Yes
Education (Retirement) Yes Yes
Retirement Calculator Yes Yes
Investor Dictionary Yes No
Paper Trading No No
Videos Yes Yes
Webinars Yes Yes
Progress Tracking No No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes No No
Stock Trading Apps Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
iPhone App Yes Yes
Android App Yes Yes
Apple Watch App No No
Trading - Stocks Yes Yes
Trading - After-Hours Yes No
Trading - Simple Options Yes Yes
Trading - Complex Options Yes No
Order Ticket RT Quotes Yes Yes
Order Ticket SRT Quotes Yes No
Stock App Features Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Mobile Research - Market Movers Yes Yes
Stream Live TV No No
Videos on Demand No No
Stock Alerts Yes Yes
Option Chains Viewable Yes Yes
Watchlist (Real-time) Yes Yes
Watchlist (Streaming) Yes No
Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization Yes Yes
Stock App Charting Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Charting - After-Hours No No
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally Yes Yes
Charting - Multiple Time Frames Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 81 36
Charting - Study Customizations Yes Yes
Charting - Stock Comparisons Yes No
Trading Platforms Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Active Trading Platform N/A No
Desktop Trading Platform No No
Desktop Platform (Mac) No No
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Paper Trading No No
Trade Journal No No
Watchlists - Total Fields 50 20
Stock Chart Features Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart No No
Charting - Indicators / Studies 102 36
Charting - Drawing Tools 8 10
Charting - Notes No No
Charting - Historical Trades No No
Charting - Corporate Events No Yes
Charting - Custom Date Range No No
Charting - Custom Time Bars No No
Charting - Automated Analysis Yes No
Charting - Save Profiles No No
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis Yes No
Charting - Study Customizations 6 3
Charting - Custom Studies No No
Day Trading Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Streaming Time & Sales No No
Streaming TV No No
Direct Market Routing - Equities No No
Ladder Trading No No
Trade Hot Keys No No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv No No
Short Locator No No
Order Liquidity Rebates No No
Research Overview Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
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 Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Stock Research - PDF Reports 1 2
Stock Research - Earnings Yes Yes
Stock Research - Insiders Yes No
Stock Research - Social Yes No
Stock Research - News Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG Yes No
Stock Research - SEC Filings Yes No
ETF Research Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
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 No
ETFs - Ratings Yes Yes
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap Yes Yes
ETFs - PDF Reports Yes No
Mutual Fund Research Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Mutual Funds - Investment Objective Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Prospectus Yes No
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 Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Option Chains - Total Greeks 5 0
Option Analysis - P&L Charts Yes No
Banking Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Bank (Member FDIC) No Yes
Checking Accounts Yes Yes
Savings Accounts No Yes
Credit Cards No Yes
Debit Cards Yes Yes
Mortgage Loans No Yes
Customer Service Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) Yes No
Phone Support (Current Customers) Yes Yes
Email Support Yes Yes
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) Yes No
Live Chat (Current Customers) Yes No
24/7 Support No Yes
Overall Firstrade J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Overall 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 1/5 Stars 1/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 2.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease of Use 2.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Firstrade Review J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Review
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