Interactive Brokers vs TradeStation 2025
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers 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 Interactive Brokers vs TradeStation, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
When weighing Interactive Brokers against TradeStation for online investing, investors will find that both platforms have unique strengths. Interactive Brokers receives top marks for its diverse array of investment options, rated a solid 5 stars for its range, and is ranked #1 by StockBrokers.com. TradeStation, while not quite as diverse, still holds a commendable 4.5-star rating and #5 rank, offering an extensive selection of options suitable for many investors. This analysis makes Interactive Brokers the preferred platform for those seeking the broadest investment opportunities.
Both Interactive Brokers and TradeStation offer a variety of investment avenues including stock trading, margin trading, OTC stocks, mutual funds, options trading, and futures trading. However, Interactive Brokers provides a wider range with forex and crypto trading options, offering 11 coins for crypto, a feature that TradeStation does not offer. Investors seeking fractional shares will also find a better fit with Interactive Brokers, as TradeStation does not currently offer this service.
Both platforms cater to long-term saving strategies, providing traditional IRA and Roth IRA accounts. However, neither Interactive Brokers nor TradeStation includes advisor services in their offerings. Investors who prioritize a wider selection of investment tools and opportunities, and who do not require personalized advisor services, will likely find Interactive Brokers more to their liking. Nonetheless, TradeStation remains an appealing choice for those who do not need crypto or forex trading options but still desire a comprehensive range of other investment opportunities.
Feature |
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | No |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | Yes | Yes |
Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 11 | 0 |
Range of Investments |
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Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to an Advanced Market
When it comes to choosing between Interactive Brokers and TradeStation for trading platforms and tools, there are a few key differences that might influence your decision. Interactive Brokers offers a highly rated experience, with a perfect 5-star rating and a #2 ranking out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com. On the other hand, TradeStation is not far behind with a solid 4.5-star rating and a #3 ranking. Both brokers offer a wide array of features, but deciding between them depends on your specific needs and preferences.
Interactive Brokers offers both Windows and Mac desktop downloadable platforms, catering to users of both operating systems, while TradeStation is limited to Windows. Both brokers also feature web-based platforms and provide the ability for paper trading. For traders who value customization, TradeStation stands out with the ability to create custom studies for charts, boasting 12 customization fields when editing an SMA study. Interactive Brokers, though lacking in custom studies, provides a trading journal and a significantly higher number of drawing tools (85 compared to TradeStation's 23).
In terms of charting features, TradeStation leads with 294 technical indicators, but Interactive Brokers offers more drawing tools and features like trading journals that can be crucial for analyzing past trades. Both brokers allow adjusting open orders directly on stock charts and support advanced chart functionalities such as displaying corporate events and automated technical analysis. Overall, both Interactive Brokers and TradeStation offer strong platforms, but the decision may come down to smaller details like the range of customization options, available tools, and platform compatibility with your device.
Feature |
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Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 659 | 341 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 294 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 23 |
Platforms & Tools |
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Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025
Interactive Brokers excels in providing comprehensive investor education, making it an excellent choice for beginners eager to learn. With resources covering stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds, it ensures a well-rounded educational experience. Interactive Brokers not only offers paper trading to simulate real-market conditions but also enriches the learning journey through educational videos, webinars, and quizzes. The platform stands out by enabling users to track their progress, encouraging continuous development and mastery of financial markets. Rated five stars for its educational value, Interactive Brokers ranks third among 14 brokers evaluated by StockBrokers.com.
TradeStation, while offering solid basic educational tools, is less expansive in its offerings compared to Interactive Brokers. It supports stock and options education and provides paper trading, educational videos, and webinars for foundational learning. However, TradeStation lacks educational resources for ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds, potentially limiting the depth of knowledge available to new investors. Unlike Interactive Brokers, TradeStation doesn't offer quizzes or progress tracking to personalize the educational journey. This results in a three-star rating for education and a 13th place ranking in StockBrokers.com's education evaluation of 14 brokers.
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
Bottom line: Interactive Brokers edges out TradeStation for mobile stock trading. IBKR earns 5 stars and ranks #2 of 14 at StockBrokers.com, while TradeStation earns 4.5 stars and ranks #8. Both apps are capable, but if you want the richest feature set on your phone or watch, Interactive Brokers is the better pick; TradeStation remains a solid choice for core trading needs.
Key differences: Interactive Brokers offers iPhone, Android, and Apple Watch apps; TradeStation has iPhone and Android but no Apple Watch. IBKR includes streaming live TV and videos on demand, which TradeStation lacks. For mobile charting, both support multiple time frames and after-hours charting, but only IBKR lets you rotate to landscape and overlay stock comparisons. IBKR also supplies 97 technical studies versus TradeStation’s 45.
What they share: both apps support options trading, streaming quotes, stock alerts, custom watch lists, and customizable watch list columns. Each provides iPhone and Android apps. Interactive Brokers enables mobile after-hours stock trading; the information provided here does not confirm whether TradeStation supports after-hours trading on mobile.
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 | 97 | 45 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
Both Interactive Brokers and TradeStation offer $0 minimum deposits and $0 commissions for stock trades, but their fees diverge in key places. TradeStation charges slightly less per options contract at $0.60 versus Interactive Brokers at $0.65. However, Interactive Brokers is usually the cheaper choice overall thanks to far lower margin interest and fewer account-level fees. If you only care about the per-contract options price, TradeStation can appeal; if you value low ongoing costs, Interactive Brokers is typically the better deal.
For basic trading costs, both brokers keep barriers low: $0 to open an account and $0 for regular stock trades. Options pricing is close, with Interactive Brokers at $0.65 per contract and TradeStation at $0.60. The biggest cost gap shows up with margin: Interactive Brokers lists 6.83% for balances under $25,000, $25,000–$49,999, and $50,000–$99,999, while TradeStation is 13.0% below $50,000 and 12.5% for $50,000–$99,999—meaning Interactive Brokers can be dramatically cheaper if you borrow.
Account and event fees further tilt the scales. Interactive Brokers charges $0 for IRA annual and closure fees, while TradeStation is $35 annually and $50 to close. Transfers are cheaper at Interactive Brokers, with $0 for both partial and full ACATs; TradeStation is $125 for either. Options events also favor Interactive Brokers: $0 for exercise and assignment versus TradeStation’s $14.95 exercise fee and $5.95 assignment fee.
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 it comes to day trading, both Interactive Brokers and TradeStation offer strong feature sets that appeal to traders seeking comprehensive tools and analytics. Both platforms provide streaming time and sales data for stocks, which is essential for understanding real-time market movements. Traders can take advantage of direct market routing for precise order placement, use ladder trading for quick order adjustments, and employ trading hotkeys for efficient keyboard entry. Additionally, the availability of level 2 quotes and various backtesting capabilities, both basic and advanced, ensures that traders can thoroughly analyze and refine their strategies. Furthermore, both brokers offer a short locator tool enabling clients to view the availability of shares to short, along with order liquidity rebates that could potentially reduce trading costs.
Despite these similarities, Interactive Brokers edges out slightly by including streaming live TV as part of its services, keeping traders informed with the latest financial news directly within their platform—an area where TradeStation currently does not compete. This feature can be particularly advantageous for traders who rely on up-to-the-minute news and live market commentary to make informed trading decisions. Consequently, while both Interactive Brokers and TradeStation are equipped with essential tools for prompt and effective day trading, those seeking integrated live news would find Interactive Brokers to be more accommodating to their needs.
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 | Yes | Yes |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | Yes |
Short Locator | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2025 for Beginners and Active Traders
Bottom line: Interactive Brokers is the stronger pick for market research. It earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #4 of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, while TradeStation scores 2 out of 5 stars and ranks #11. If you want wide asset coverage, richer data types, and downloadable reports to back your decisions, Interactive Brokers stands out. TradeStation covers the basics for stock research but leaves gaps in several areas.
Both brokers offer research for stocks and ETFs, plus Pink Sheets/OTC. Interactive Brokers adds research for mutual funds and bonds, which TradeStation does not. IBKR also includes ESG research and social media sentiment for stocks; TradeStation lacks both. Each platform can show your portfolio allocation by asset class. For reports, Interactive Brokers provides 17 downloadable PDF stock reports and also offers PDF reports for ETFs and mutual funds; TradeStation offers none.
Idea generation is broader at Interactive Brokers. Both platforms have a stock screener, but IBKR also supplies screeners for ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds, while TradeStation does not. In short, Interactive Brokers suits investors who want deeper research and screening across more asset classes, whereas TradeStation fits traders who only need basic stock research and a simple screener.
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 comparing the banking capabilities of Interactive Brokers and TradeStation, neither online broker offers traditional banking services like checking or savings accounts, debit or credit cards, or mortgage loans. However, Interactive Brokers does provide access to certificates of deposit (CDs), offering an option for those interested in this type of investment product. In contrast, TradeStation does not offer CDs. This difference could be a consideration for traders looking to diversify their investment options through banking products like CDs while keeping brokerage capabilities in mind.
Feature |
|
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---|---|---|
Checking Accounts | No | No |
Savings Accounts | No | No |
Debit Cards | No | No |
Credit Cards | No | No |
Mortgage Loans | No | 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 Interactive Brokers is better than TradeStation. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall score of 96.9%, while TradeStation finished with a score of 80.2%.
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.
When comparing Interactive Brokers to TradeStation for crypto trading, Interactive Brokers stands out by offering trading in 11 different cryptocurrencies, whereas TradeStation does not provide any crypto trading options.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
When comparing IRA account options, Interactive Brokers and TradeStation both offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts, but differ in fees: Interactive Brokers charges no annual fee or closure fee, while TradeStation imposes a $35 annual fee and a $50 closure fee.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
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0 of 5Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
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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 | TradeStation Review |
Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
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Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $0.01 | $0.01 | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $14.95 | $14.95 | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.60 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | $0.85 | $1.50 | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | Varies | $25 |
Margin Rates | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
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Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 6.83% | 13.0% | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 6.83% | 13.0% | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 6.83% | 12.5% | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 6.83% | 12.0% | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 6.83% | 12.0% | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 6.83% | 7.5% | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 6.83% | 7.5% |
Account Fees | Interactive Brokers | 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) | $0.00 | $125.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $14.95 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $5.95 |
Investment Options | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | No | |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 6 | 4 | |
Futures Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Forex Trading | Yes | No | |
Crypto Trading | Yes | No | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 11 | 0 | |
Fixed Income (Treasurys) | Yes | Yes | |
Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) | Yes | Yes | |
Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) | Yes | Yes | |
Traditional IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Roth IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Advisor Services | No | No | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 36 | 0 |
Order Types | Interactive Brokers | 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 | Interactive Brokers | 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 | Yes | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | Yes | No |
Stock Trading Apps | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
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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 | TradeStation | |
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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 | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | No | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 97 | 45 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | No |
Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
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Active Trading Platform | Trader Workstation (TWS) | TradeStation 10 | |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No | |
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Journal | Yes | No | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 659 | 341 |
Stock Chart Features | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 294 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 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 | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 6 | 12 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | No | Yes |
Day Trading | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
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Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | Yes | |
Streaming TV | Yes | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | Yes | |
Ladder Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Hot Keys | Yes | Yes | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | Yes | |
Short Locator | Yes | Yes | |
Order Liquidity Rebates | Yes | Yes |
Research Overview | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 17 | 0 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | No | |
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 | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
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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 | Interactive Brokers | 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 | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
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Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes |
Banking | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
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Bank (Member FDIC) | No | No | |
Checking Accounts | No | No | |
Savings Accounts | No | No | |
Credit Cards | No | No | |
Debit Cards | No | No | |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
Customer Service | Interactive Brokers | TradeStation | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | 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 | Interactive Brokers Review | TradeStation Review |