Is SpeedTrader better than Vanguard? After testing 15 of the best online brokers over six months, Vanguard (62.82%) is better than SpeedTrader (51.25%). Vanguard, known for its low-cost funds, is aimed squarely at buy-and-hold investors and its platform reflects that focus.
Vanguard vs SpeedTrader 2022
Overall Rating
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Overall | ||
Commissions & Fees | ||
Offering of Investments | ||
Platforms & Tools | ||
Mobile Trading Apps | ||
Research | ||
Education | ||
Ease of Use | ||
Vanguard Review | SpeedTrader Review | |
Winner | check_circle |
Trading Fees
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $30,000.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $4.49 |
ETF Trade Fee | $0.00 | $4.49 |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $20.00 | $50.00 |
Options (Base Fee) | $0.00 | N/A |
Options (Per Contract) | $1.00 | $0.00 |
Futures (Per Contract) | N/A | N/A |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $25.00 | $30.00 |
Margin Rates
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Under $24,999.99 | 8.50% | 6.00% |
$25,000.00 to $49,999.99 | 8.00% | 6.00% |
$50,000.00 to $99,999.99 | 7.50% | 6.00% |
$100,000.00 to $249,999.99 | 7.00% | 6.00% |
$250,000.00 to $499,999.99 | 6.50% | 6.00% |
$500,000.00 to $999,999.99 | 5.25% | 6.00% |
Above $1,000,000.00 | 4.75% | 6.00% |
Account Fees
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | N/A |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | N/A |
Account Transfer Out (Partial) |
$0.00 | $75.00 |
Account Transfer Out (Full) |
$0.00 | $75.00 |
Investment Options
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Stock Trading |
Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares |
No | No |
OTCBB / Pink Sheets |
Yes | Yes |
Options Trading |
Yes | Yes |
Complex Options Max Legs |
4 | 4 |
Futures Trading |
No | No |
Forex Trading |
No | No |
Crypto Trading |
No | No |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins |
0 | 0 |
Mutual Funds (No Load) |
N/A | 0 |
Mutual Funds (Total) |
10000 | 0 |
Bonds (US Treasury) |
Yes | No |
Bonds (Corporate) |
Yes | No |
Bonds (Municipal) |
Yes | No |
Advisor Services |
Yes | No |
International Trading |
No | No |
Order Types
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
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 |
No | Yes |
Order Type - OCO |
No | Yes |
Order Type - OTO |
No | No |
Order Type - Broker Assisted |
Yes | Yes |
Beginners
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Education (Stocks) |
Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) |
No | No |
Education (Options) |
No | No |
Education (Mutual Funds) |
No | No |
Education (Bonds) |
No | No |
Education (Retirement) |
Yes | No |
Retirement Calculator |
Yes | No |
Investor Dictionary |
No | No |
Paper Trading |
No | Yes |
Videos |
No | No |
Webinars (Monthly Avg) |
1 | |
Webinars (Archived) |
No | Yes |
Progress Tracking |
No | No |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes |
No | No |
Stock Trading Apps
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
iPhone App |
Yes | Yes |
Android App |
Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App |
No | No |
Trading - Stocks |
Yes | Yes |
Trading - After-Hours |
No | Yes |
Trading - Simple Options |
No | Yes |
Trading - Complex Options |
No | No |
Order Ticket RT Quotes |
No | Yes |
Order Ticket SRT Quotes |
No | Yes |
Stock App Features
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Market Movers (Top Gainers) |
No | Yes |
Stream Live TV |
No | No |
Videos on Demand |
No | No |
Stock Alerts |
No | No |
Option Chains Viewable |
No | Yes |
Watch List (Real-time) |
No | Yes |
Watch List (Streaming) |
No | Yes |
Watch Lists - Create & Manage |
No | Yes |
Watch Lists - Column Customization |
No | No |
Watch List - Column Filtering |
Yes | Yes |
Stock App Charting
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Charting - After-Hours |
No | Yes |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally |
No | No |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames |
No | Yes |
Charting - Technical Studies |
0 | 14 |
Charting - Study Customizations |
No | No |
Charting - Stock Comparisons |
No | No |
Trading Platforms
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Desktop Trading Platform |
No | Yes |
Web Trading Platform |
No | Yes |
Paper Trading |
No | Yes |
Trade Journal |
No | No |
Watch Lists - Total Fields |
9 | 30 |
Stock Chart Features
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart |
No | No |
Charting - Indicators / Studies |
9 | 36 |
Charting - Drawing Tools |
9 | |
Charting - Notes |
No | Yes |
Charting - Index Overlays |
Yes | Yes |
Charting - Historical Trades |
No | No |
Charting - Corporate Events |
No | No |
Charting - Custom Date Range |
No | Yes |
Charting - Custom Time Bars |
No | Yes |
Charting - Automated Analysis |
No | No |
Charting - Save Profiles |
No | Yes |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis |
No | No |
Charting - Study Customizations |
1 | 8 |
Charting - Custom Studies |
No | No |
Day Trading
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Streaming Time & Sales |
No | Yes |
Streaming TV |
No | No |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks |
No | Yes |
Ladder Trading |
No | Yes |
Trade Hot Keys |
No | Yes |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks |
No | Yes |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting |
No | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv |
No | No |
Short Locator |
No | Yes |
Order Liquidity Rebates |
No | No |
Research Overview
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Research - Stocks |
Yes | Yes |
Research - ETFs |
No | No |
Research - Mutual Funds |
Yes | No |
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB |
No | No |
Research - Bonds |
No | No |
Screener - Stocks |
Yes | No |
Screener - ETFs |
No | No |
Screener - Mutual Funds |
Yes | No |
Screener - Options |
No | No |
Screener - Bonds |
No | No |
Misc - Portfolio Allocation |
Yes | No |
Stock Research
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Stock Research - PDF Reports |
2 | 0 |
Stock Research - Earnings |
Yes | No |
Stock Research - Insiders |
No | No |
Stock Research - SEC Filings |
No | No |
Stock Research - Social |
No | No |
Stock Research - Balance Sheet |
No | Yes |
Stock Research - Cash Flows |
No | No |
Stock Research - News |
Yes | Yes |
Stock Research - ESG |
No | No |
ETF Research
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
ETFs - Strategy Overview |
No | No |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date |
No | No |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio |
No | No |
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets |
No | No |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings |
No | No |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings |
No | No |
ETFs - Performance Analysis |
No | No |
ETFs - Sector Exposure |
No | No |
ETFs - Risk Analysis |
No | No |
ETFs - Ratings |
No | No |
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap |
No | No |
ETFs - PDF Reports |
No | No |
Mutual Fund Research
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview |
Yes | No |
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart |
Yes | No |
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis |
Yes | No |
Mutual Funds - Prospectus |
Yes | No |
Mutual Funds - PDF Reports |
No | No |
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown |
Yes | No |
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings |
Yes | No |
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation |
No | No |
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation |
Yes | No |
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation |
No | No |
Mutual Funds - StyleMap |
Yes | No |
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings |
No | No |
Options Trading
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Option Chains - Basic View |
Yes | Yes |
Option Chains - Strategy View |
No | No |
Option Chains - Streaming |
No | Yes |
Option Chains - Total Columns |
9 | 17 |
Option Chains - Greeks |
0 | 0 |
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming |
No | No |
Option Chains - Quick Analysis |
No | No |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts |
No | No |
Option Probability Analysis |
No | No |
Option Probability Analysis Adv |
No | No |
Option Positions - Greeks |
No | No |
Option Positions - Adv Analysis |
No | No |
Option Positions - Rolling |
No | No |
Option Positions - Grouping |
No | No |
Banking
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
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
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) |
Yes | Yes |
Phone Support (Current Customers) |
Yes | Yes |
Email Support |
Yes | Yes |
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) |
No | Yes |
Live Chat (Current Customers) |
No | Yes |
24/7 Support |
No | No |
Overall
Feature | Vanguard | SpeedTrader |
Overall | ||
Commissions & Fees | ||
Offering of Investments | ||
Platforms & Tools | ||
Mobile Trading Apps | ||
Research | ||
Education | ||
Ease of Use | ||
Vanguard Review | SpeedTrader Review | |
Winner | check_circle |
Comparing brokers side by side is no easy task. For our 2022 annual broker review, we spent hundreds of hours assessing 15 brokerages to find the best online broker. Let's compare SpeedTrader vs Vanguard.
Is SpeedTrader or Vanguard better for beginners?
Vanguard is better for beginner investors than SpeedTrader. Vanguard offers investors access to Education (Stocks) and Education (Retirement).
What about SpeedTrader vs Vanguard pricing?
SpeedTrader, with its regular stock trades costing $4.49, is more expensive than Vanguard's rate of $0 per trade. For options trading, both SpeedTrader and Vanguard charge the same base fee of $N/A. Each option contract then costs $1 at Vanguard and $0 at SpeedTrader. For a complete commissions summary, see our best discount brokers guide.
Does SpeedTrader or Vanguard offer a wider range of investment options?
Vanguard offers a more diverse selection of investment options than SpeedTrader. Vanguard offers investors access to Stock Trading, OTCBB / Pink Sheets, Options Trading, Mutual Funds and Advisor Services. Looking at Mutual Funds, Vanguard boasts an offering of 10000 mutual funds compared to SpeedTrader's 0 available funds.
Which trading platform is better: SpeedTrader or Vanguard?
To compare the trading platforms of both SpeedTrader and Vanguard, we tested each broker's trading tools, research capabilities, and mobile apps. For trading tools, Vanguard offers a better experience. With research, Vanguard offers superior market research. Finally, we found Vanguard to provide better mobile trading apps.
Does either broker offer banking?
Online banking can be a benefit for investors, and some brokerages do provide banking services to customers. Neither SpeedTrader nor Vanguard offers Checking Accounts, Savings Accounts, Debit Cards, Credit Cards and Mortgage Loans.
Overall winner: Vanguard
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All pricing data was obtained from a published web site as of 01/10/2022 and is believed to be accurate, but is not guaranteed. 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.