E*TRADE vs. TD Ameritrade: 2022 Comparison
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.
E*TRADE and TD Ameritrade often top the pile of online brokers, making it tough for investors to decide between the two. You won't pay activity or annual fees at either broker. Both offer commission-free trades of stocks, options and exchange-traded funds and have no opening account minimums.
The differences are in the details, and the decision likely comes down to the type of investor you are. If you're stuck going back and forth between E*TRADE and TD Ameritrade, look over our head-to-head comparison.
E*TRADE is best for:
Frequent traders.
Beginner investors.
Research and data.
Retirement planning assistance.
E*TRADE at a glance
Account minimum | $0 |
Stock trading costs | $0 |
Options trades | No base commission; $0.65 per contract (volume discount available) |
Account fees (annual, transfer, closing, inactivity) | No annual or inactivity fee. $75 full transfer out fee; $25 partial |
Number of no-transaction-fee mutual funds | Over 4,300 |
Tradable securities | • Stocks • Bonds • Mutual funds • ETFs • Options • Futures |
Crypto availability | Investors have access to crypto-related products, but not cryptocurrencies themselves. |
Trading platform | Two platforms available for free to all customers: • E-Trade Web • Power E-Trade |
Mobile app | Two apps: • E*TRADE mobile • Power E*TRADE Available on iOS and Android. |
Research and data | Free and extensive, with over nine providers available at no cost. |
Customer support options (includes how easy it is to find key details on the website) | Phone, email and chat support 24/7; 30 local branches |
TD Ameritrade is best for:
Beginner investors.
Advanced traders.
Investor education/advice.
Fund investors.
TD Ameritrade at a glance
Account minimum | $0 |
Stock trading costs | $0 |
Account fees (annual, transfer, closing, inactivity) | No annual or inactivity fee. $75 full transfer; $0 partial transfer. |
Number of no-transaction-fee mutual funds | More than 3,700. |
Tradable securities | • Stocks. • Bonds. • Mutual funds. • ETFs. • Futures. • Forex. • Foreign ADRs. • IPOs for qualified accounts. |
Crypto availability | No direct access to cryptocurrencies, but crypto coin trusts are available over-the-counter, and qualified clients can trade Bitcoin futures from CME. |
Trading platform | Two platforms: TD Ameritrade web and thinkorswim (desktop). |
Mobile app | TD Ameritrade mobile app, TDA thinkorswim app. |
Research and data | Research, analysis, commentary and news available from 15 providers, including Argus, CFRA, Reuters, Vickers and Morningstar. |
Customer support options (includes how easy it is to find key details on the website). | Phone, email and live chat support 24/7; technical phone support Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern. In-person at 250+ local branches. Support also available via text, Facebook Messenger, Twitter direct message, Apple Business Chat and Amazon Alexa. |
» Want more options? Compare the best online brokers for stock trading
Fees$0 per trade | Fees$0 per trade for online U.S. stocks and ETFs | Fees$0 per trade |
Account minimum$0 | Account minimum$0 | Account minimum$0 |
PromotionUp to $600 when you invest in a new Merrill Edge® Self-Directed account. | PromotionGet $100 when you open a new, eligible Fidelity account with $50 or more. Use code FIDELITY100. Limited time offer. Terms apply. | PromotionGet up to 12 free stocks (valued up to $30,600) when you open and fund an account with Webull. Promotion ends 8/31/2022. |
How do we review brokers?
NerdWallet’s comprehensive review process evaluates and ranks the largest U.S. brokers by assets under management, along with emerging industry players. Our aim is to provide an independent assessment of providers to help arm you with information to make sound, informed judgements on which ones will best meet your needs. We adhere to strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
We collect data directly from providers through detailed questionnaires, and conduct first-hand testing and observation through provider demonstrations. The questionnaire answers, combined with demonstrations, interviews of personnel at the providers and our specialists’ hands-on research, fuel our proprietary assessment process that scores each provider’s performance across more than 20 factors. The final output produces star ratings from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars). Ratings are rounded to the nearest half-star.
For more details about the categories considered when rating brokers and our process, read our full methodology.
