Merrill Edge vs TradeStation Securities Review
The StockBrokers.com 2017 Brokerage Review compares Merrill Edge vs TradeStation Securities. Compare Merrill Edge and TradeStation Securities trade commissions, fees and overall broker ratings by using the table below. Is Merrill Edge or TradeStation Securities a better online broker?
Looking at both brokers, first we will take a look at the commission rates for both placing regular stock and options trades. Merrill Edge charges $6.95 per stock trade which is $1.95 more than TradeStation Securities which charges clients $5.00 per trade. For options trading, Merrill Edge has a base fee of $6.95, and TradeStation Securities a base fee of $5.00. At a difference of $0.25 per contract, TradeStation Securities's per contract rate of $0.50 is less than Merrill Edge which charges $0.75. It should be noted that not every broker uses a flat rate stock trade fee structure, so it is important to read the full commission notes (head over to any online brokerage review page, then navigate to the "Commission Notes" section).
Alongside trade commissions, being able to trade the way you want is a must. TradeStation Securities provides its clients with Stock Trading, Options Trading, Mutual Funds and Futures Trading while Merrill Edge gives clients access to Stock Trading, Options Trading and Mutual Funds. When it comes to mutual funds, TradeStation Securities trails Merrill Edge by 2,795.00 total funds, with Merrill Edge offering 7649 and TradeStation Securities offering 4854. Commission free ETFs can also be a nice plus, which is a wash in this comparison as both Merrill Edge and TradeStation Securities offer 0 funds.
Last but not least, by breaking down important features that each broker offers, we can really help to separate the two brokers. TradeStation Securities offers virtual trading while Merrill Edge does not. For mobile trading, Merrill Edge and TradeStation Securities both have a iPhone App, iPad App and Android App. Furthermore, some investors like to bank online, and multiple brokerages provide these services to clients. Checking Accounts, Savings Accounts, Debit Cards, Credit Cards and Mortgage Loans are available to clients of Merrill Edge while TradeStation Securities offers clients none of these. On the whole, when it comes to tools, research, and trading on the go, TradeStation Securities posted awards for Best in Class - Platforms & Tools in 2014, while Merrill Edge found itself with Best in Class - Research.
Overall, Merrill Edge comes out on top with 4.00 stars over TradeStation Securities's 3.50 stars.
Looking at both brokers, first we will take a look at the commission rates for both placing regular stock and options trades. Merrill Edge charges $6.95 per stock trade which is $1.95 more than TradeStation Securities which charges clients $5.00 per trade. For options trading, Merrill Edge has a base fee of $6.95, and TradeStation Securities a base fee of $5.00. At a difference of $0.25 per contract, TradeStation Securities's per contract rate of $0.50 is less than Merrill Edge which charges $0.75. It should be noted that not every broker uses a flat rate stock trade fee structure, so it is important to read the full commission notes (head over to any online brokerage review page, then navigate to the "Commission Notes" section).
Alongside trade commissions, being able to trade the way you want is a must. TradeStation Securities provides its clients with Stock Trading, Options Trading, Mutual Funds and Futures Trading while Merrill Edge gives clients access to Stock Trading, Options Trading and Mutual Funds. When it comes to mutual funds, TradeStation Securities trails Merrill Edge by 2,795.00 total funds, with Merrill Edge offering 7649 and TradeStation Securities offering 4854. Commission free ETFs can also be a nice plus, which is a wash in this comparison as both Merrill Edge and TradeStation Securities offer 0 funds.
Last but not least, by breaking down important features that each broker offers, we can really help to separate the two brokers. TradeStation Securities offers virtual trading while Merrill Edge does not. For mobile trading, Merrill Edge and TradeStation Securities both have a iPhone App, iPad App and Android App. Furthermore, some investors like to bank online, and multiple brokerages provide these services to clients. Checking Accounts, Savings Accounts, Debit Cards, Credit Cards and Mortgage Loans are available to clients of Merrill Edge while TradeStation Securities offers clients none of these. On the whole, when it comes to tools, research, and trading on the go, TradeStation Securities posted awards for Best in Class - Platforms & Tools in 2014, while Merrill Edge found itself with Best in Class - Research.
Overall, Merrill Edge comes out on top with 4.00 stars over TradeStation Securities's 3.50 stars.
Jump to:
Overall
Commissions & Fees
Offering of Investments
Platforms & Tools
Research
Customer Service
Mobile Trading
Ease of Use
Education
Order Execution
Banking
Stock Trade Fee (flat)
Options Base Fee
Options Per Contract Fee
Mutual Fund Trade Fee
Broker Assisted Trades Fee
Minimum Deposit
No Inactivity Fees
No Fee IRAs
Stock Trading
Options Trading
Mutual Funds
Forex Trading
Futures Trading
Desktop Platform (Windows)
Web Platform
Virtual Trading
Charting - Drawing Tools
Charting - Indicators / Studies
Option Chains - Total Columns
Watch Lists - Total Fields
iPhone App
iPad App
Android App
Android Tablet App
Apple Watch App
Trading - After-Hours
Trading - Mutual Funds
Trading - Conditional Orders
Trading - Simple Options
Trading - Complex Options
Commission Free ETFs
Mutual Funds (No Load)
Mutual Funds (Total)
# of Easy to Borrow Stocks
Retail Locations
Under $24,999.99
$25,000.00 to $49,999.99
$50,000.00 to $99,999.99
$100,000.00 to $249,999.99
$250,000.00 to $499,999.99
Above $1,000,000.00
$500,000.00 to $999,999.99
Checking Accounts
Savings Accounts
Credit Cards
Debit Cards
Mortgage Loans
No Fee Banking
Comparing 2 brokers
Merrill Edge
Special Offer
Invest in a new account and get up to $600 Learn More
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
No
22
73
62
216
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
0
2764
7649
3793
2161
8.88%
7.75%
7.75%
6.38%
6.38%
5.50%
6.13%
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
TradeStation Securities
Special Offer
All-New Pricing. Now Only $5/Trade + No Software Fees. Learn More
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
21
270
32
318
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
0
988
4854
2500
0
8.50%
8.25%
7.75%
7.75%
7.25%
6.75%
7.25%
No
No
No
No
No
No
Related Comparisons
Merrill Edge vs. TD Ameritrade
Merrill Edge vs. Fidelity Investments
Merrill Edge vs. Charles Schwab
Merrill Edge vs. E*TRADE
TradeStation Securities vs. TD Ameritrade
TradeStation Securities vs. Interactive Brokers
TradeStation Securities vs. Lightspeed Trading
TradeStation Securities vs. Fidelity Investments
All pricing data was obtained from a published web site as of 2/20/2017 and is believed to be accurate, but is not guaranteed. The StockBrokers.com staff is constantly working with its online broker representatives to obtain the latest pricing data. If you believe any data listed above is inaccurate, please contact us using the link at the bottom of this page. For stock trade rates, advertised pricing is for a standard order size of 500 shares of stock priced at $30 per share. For options orders, an options regulatory fee per contract may apply.